Free Dancing With Demons by Peter Tremayne Page A

grimaced prettily. ‘I was raised to service — but not in a guests’ hostel. I usually serve in the High King’s household.’
    ‘Ah?’ Eadulf said, putting a question into the soft breath.
    ‘I was sent here today by Brother Rogallach especially to look after the lady Fidelma and yourself.’
    ‘Brother Rogallach?’
    ‘He is in charge of all those who serve in the High King’s household. He is the bollscari — the High King’s factotum.’
    ‘And you have served in the royal household long?’
    ‘Since the age of choice.’
    Eadulf knew that girls reached the aimsir togú or age of choice when they came to their fourteenth birthday.
    ‘That cannot be long ago,’ he mused.
    ‘Five years ago,’ the girl replied in seriousness, not recognising that Eadulf was paying a clumsy compliment.

    ‘A lifetime,’ he smiled indulgently.
    ‘It seems so … now,’ Báine replied with a curious pause.
    ‘Were you serving in the household when the High King was slain?’
    She blinked and nodded dumbly.
    ‘It must have been a shock for you?’
    Báine swallowed and said, ‘A great shock. Sechnussach was a … a kind man to serve. He was gracious and generous to those who attended him.’
    ‘Then it is a great sadness. You were actually in the house when the assassin broke in?’
    ‘I was in my bed, asleep.’
    ‘Quite so. I had heard it was not long before dawn that it occurred. So undoubtedly you were woken by the sounds of that awesome discovery.’
    To his surprise the girl shook her head. ‘I was roused from my bed by Brónach who told me what had happened. I slept through the noise of the discovery.’
    ‘Who is Brónach?’
    ‘She is the senior female attendant in the High King’s household. There are only three of us in the immediate household. She is older than us and so takes charge of us.’
    Eadulf was about to press the girl for further information when Fidelma’s voice hailed her from the bathing room.
    With a muttered apology, Báine turned to answer the call. Eadulf remained, thoughtfully sipping at his apple juice. A few moments later the door of the guests’ hostel opened and another girl entered. She was slightly built, wearing dowdy clothes, with unremarkable brown hair and almost plain features. It made her seem younger than she actually was which, in Eadulf’s estimation, was not more than eighteen. Her whole stance seemed that of someone who wished they were anywhere else but here. She regarded Eadulf with one quick frightened glance before dropping her gaze to the floor.
    ‘Forgive me,’ she muttered, clasping her hands before her, her shoulders slightly bent as if to make herself as small as possible.
    ‘Absolvo te a peccatis tuis,’ responded Eadulf jocularly. ‘I forgive you all your sins.’
    For a moment the girl was startled, raising her gaze to his before quickly looking down again.
    ‘You are making a joke, Brother,’ she said, then added: ‘I am looking for Báine. I was told to ask if she needed help.’

    Eadulf smiled kindly. ‘She is attending in the bathhouse at the moment. And who are you?’
    ‘I am Cnucha.’
    Eadulf reflected for a moment. ‘I thought that meant a small hill? I have heard a legend of how the great warrior Cumal, the father of Fionn of the Fianna, was killed at the Battle of Cnucha.’
    The girl, eyes still focused on the floor, added to this: ‘It is also the name of the wife of Geanann, one of the five great kings of the Fir Bolg who first divided this island into the five kingdoms.’
    Eadulf felt guilty at his amusement in reaction to the slight note of pride that entered into this drab servant’s voice.
    ‘And who were these … what did you call them – Fir Bolg? Who were they who divided this land into five kingdoms? I have heard only that your people were descended from the children of Milesius and are called Gaels.’
    The girl raised her chin a little. Eadulf heard a note of pride again. ‘The children of Milesius were the