Free The Council of the Cursed by Peter Tremayne Page A

blood on the back of his skull.’
    ‘You could see blood by the candlelight?’ queried Eadulf.
    Brother Leodegar frowned. ‘Yes…’ He realised what Eadulf was asking. ‘Well, I could see some dark, sticky stuff–and, of course, it turned out to be blood.’
    Eadulf smiled in approval. ‘Was he conscious?’
    ‘No, and he did not revive until he was carried back to his own chamber.’ He paused, then realising that more was expected of him, went on, ‘I was about to bend down to him when I saw the body of Abbot Dabhóc. I called to Brother Sigeric to rouse my steward. I also told Sigeric to fetch our physician, Brother Gebicca. I went to Bishop Ordgar to see if I could administer to him, but it was as if he was intoxicated. He was mumbling nonsensical things.’
    ‘Did he smell of wine or beer?’ asked Fidelma.
    ‘There was an aura of stale wine about him,’ admitted the bishop.
    ‘And then?’
    ‘Then Brother Gebicca arrived and soon after, Brother Chilperic. When Gebicca pronounced that Abbot Dabhóc was dead, that a blow from behind had crushed his skull, I knew that I should advise Abbot Ségdae, as the senior cleric from your land. I sent Brother Sigeric to rouse him.’
    ‘And all the time Cadfan lay unconscious while Ordgar was in a state of intoxication?’ put in Fidelma.
    ‘We did not neglect Cadfan,’ he replied. ‘Brother Gebicca examined him and it was decided to take him back to his chamber where it took a day or so for him to recover fully. We also removed Ordgar to a nearby chamber. When I finally questioned Ordgar, he said he had taken wine as was his custom before retiring and knew no more until he awoke sick and dizzy. He was aware of the people in his chamber but could not say what was happening until he recovered. He thought, at first, that he had been made ill by bad wine–but when I told him what had occurred in his chamber, he believed that Cadfan had tried to poison him.’
    ‘So, according to Ordgar, why had Dabhóc been killed by Cadfan?’ asked Eadulf.
    ‘Ordgar claimed that Dabhóc must have interrupted Cadfan’s attempt to kill him and paid with his life.’
    ‘And Cadfan’s wound? How did he explain that?’
    ‘Ordgar believed it was either administered by Dabhóc before Cadfan killed him or even by Cadfan himself.’
    ‘A self-inflicted wound that rendered Cadfan unconscious for a day?’ Eadulf looked cynical. ‘That is hardly a self-administered blow, and if inflicted by another person, would not have allowed the killing of that person before unconsciousness.’
    Fidelma shot him a look of disapproval for being so open with his thoughts.
    ‘We may pursue such matters when we question Ordgar and Cadfan,’ she said. ‘I presume that you also questioned Cadfan? What was his version of this story?’
    ‘He told me that someone had slipped a note under his door, knocked and run off before he could open it. The note told him to go to Ordgar’s chamber at once as there was some urgency. He came to the chamber, found the door ajar, knocked and a voice bade him enter. He recalled nothing except a sharp pain on the back of the head until he recovered consciousness a day or so later.’
    For a while Fidelma said nothing, sitting head slightly forward with her eyes focused on the middle distance.
    ‘A strange tale indeed,’ she said at last. ‘Abbot Ségdae has informed us that Ordgar and Cadfan are confined to their chambers until the matter of the responsibility is resolved.’
    ‘That is true.’
    ‘And presumably both are outraged by their confinement?’
    ‘As you can imagine,’ conceded Bishop Leodegar. ‘But what other course of action can I take?’
    ‘And how is this suspicion and confinement received by the delegates to this council?’ asked Eadulf. ‘You have spoken of the tensions. Is anyone taking sides?’
    Bishop Leodegar gave a bark of cynical laughter.
    ‘They would not be human if they did not. The Saxons and some of our Franks support