Free The Council of the Cursed by Peter Tremayne

his arrival.’
    ‘There are no guarantees in life, save only one–that we are all going to die at some time,’ responded Fidelma. ‘We will do our best to solve this matter, but we cannot guarantee a resolution by a certain time. Is it agreed?’
    Bishop Leodegar raised his hands as if the matter were now beyond him.
    ‘Very well,’ Fidelma rejoined. ‘Let us begin with a few questions to you.’
    The bishop looked at her in surprise. ‘Questions to me ?’
    ‘Of course,’ went on Fidelma, unperturbed at his astonishment. The Frankish bishop was obviously not used to being questioned. ‘Who was it who discovered the body and the state of affairs that existed in Bishop Ordgar’s chamber?’
    ‘It was Brother Sigeric,’ volunteered the steward Brother Chilperic, who had sat in silence until that moment.
    ‘Ah, Brother Sigeric. And who is he?’
    ‘One of the scribes.’
    ‘We shall need to speak with him, of course. Is he available?’
    Brother Chilperic nodded briefly.
    ‘Excellent. What was the name of the physician who examined the body–and was it the same person who checked the wound of Abbot Cadfan and also examined Bishop Ordgar?’
    ‘Brother Gebicca is the physician,’ replied Brother Chilperic.
    ‘And now,’ Fidelma turned back to Bishop Leodegar, ‘tell us about your role in this matter?’
    ‘ My role?’ Bishop Leodegar was puzzled.
    ‘Perhaps I have chosen the wrong word. I am told that Abbot Ségdae was awoken by a request to attend in Ordgar’s chamber. When he arrived, he found that you were already there. How did that come to be?’
    ‘Brother Sigeric roused me first,’ explained the bishop. ‘He told me there had been an accident and I was to come immediately.’
    ‘In what circumstances did this Brother Sigeric rouse you?’
    ‘It would be best to tell the story as fully as you can,’ intervened Eadulf. ‘Presumably, you were asleep in your quarters?’
    ‘I had meant to retire after the midnight prayers,’ Bishop Leodegar began. ‘That is my custom. I was particularly tired that night as I had dined with a local nobleman who was visiting the abbey and he had been much the worse for our local wine. However, just as I was retiring, Bishop Ordgar came to my chambers. He wished to complain further about Abbot Cadfan. He was with me some time before I could get rid of him. He was very angry about the behaviour of the Briton that evening. I told him that this was a council in which all representatives must be treated with latitude. After he left me, I fell asleep until I became aware of Brother Sigeric shaking me. It was not then dawn. However, it was that point of darkness just before dawn when you can hear the birds stirring and crying to one another as they sense the approach of light.’
    He paused and Eadulf prompted: ‘Go on.’
    ‘It is as I said. Brother Sigeric urged me to put on my robe and come to Bishop Ordgar’s chamber. He said there had been a bad accident.’
    ‘Did he describe what sort of accident or how he had discovered it?’
    ‘Not at that time, but later he said…’
    Fidelma raised a hand. ‘We will speak to Brother Sigeric himself on that matter. Let us concentrate on what you did at the time.’
    Bishop Leodegar hesitated a moment and then continued, ‘I followed him as he asked me to. Brother Sigeric was in an agitated state and so I did not pursue him with questions at that time. I entered Ordgar’s chamber…’
    ‘Was there a light it in?’ Fidelma asked quickly.
    Bishop Leodegar nodded. ‘A candle was burning.’
    ‘So you could see the interior quite plainly?’
    ‘I could see that there appeared to be two bodies there and that Bishop Ordgar was slumped on his bed, groaning.’
    ‘Did he say anything as you entered?
    ‘He seemed to be in pain, and mumbling. He was clearly not himself.’
    ‘And you saw the body?’
    ‘I immediately noticed Abbot Cadfan who lay stretched on the floor beside the bed. There was light enough to see