Dancing With Demons by Peter Tremayne Page B

all the domestic servants.’
    ‘And these servants – who are they?’
    ‘His personal attendants, three females and three males. I think you have met two of the females for they are attending you in the guesthouse.’

    ‘What are their normal functions?’
    ‘They are in charge of cleaning here, one of them is the cook, and so on.’
    ‘So, only the servants and the commander of the Fianna were staying here that night?’
    The abbot hesitated before replying. ‘In the royal house … yes.’
    Fidelma noticed the hesitation and immediately asked: ‘You have thought of something?’
    ‘Nothing of consequence, but perhaps a matter of clarification. You may know that Sechnussach and Gormflaith had three daughters. The youngest are Mumain and Bé Bhail. They were with their mother at Cluain Ioraird that night. I think we overlooked the fact that Muirgel, the eldest daughter, was in Tara.’
    ‘If I am to conduct a proper investigation I must be in possession of all the facts,’ Fidelma said sharply. ‘You are now certain that Muirgel was in Tara that night?’
    ‘I believe so.’
    ‘You believe so?’ she repeated with emphasis.
    ‘Muirgel is a strong-willed young woman. She does not stay at the Tech Cormaic but I was told in the morning that one of the servants went to her house and she was there. Gormflaith and her daughters have a separate dwelling on the other side of the royal enclosure.’
    Fidelma grimaced. ‘We shall talk to Muirgel later. But are you saying that Gormflaith and her daughters do not live in the royal residence? So their apartment would not be in use anyway.’
    ‘That is so.’
    ‘Apart from Brother Rogallach, can you name the attendants who were here?’
    ‘Certainly. There is the High King’s personal cook, Torpach. There is his assistant, Maoláin, and the handyman, Duirnin. Then there are three female servants, the senior being Brónach. You already have met Báine. The other servant girl is Cnucha, a general maid. When the High King had personal or special guests, they also served the guests’ hostel. Only the servants who were here at the time of the assassination have been retained, for usually there are many more attending all the royal enclosure. Chief Barrán decided to set them to work in the other residences. They were all roused by the noise of the discovery that night but saw nothing that would help you, of course.’

    Fidelma noted the names carefully in her mind before asking: ‘And these servants have their chambers … where exactly?’
    ‘The senior members of the staff have chambers on this floor, along the corridor there. The others have chambers on the floor below.’
    ‘Very well. Let us examine the High King’s chambers as our first step.’
    The abbot moved to the first door that he had indicated to their left.
    ‘As we have discussed, this door was usually locked from the inside when the High King retired for the night. There were only two keys – one in the possession of the High King and the other in the possession of Cenn Faelad.’
    Abbot Colmán opened the door and ushered them in.
    The room was spacious, as one might expect of the chamber of the High King. It contained two fairly large seinester or windows of opaque glass, one of which was directly behind the great tolg or bedframe. The walls were of red yew panels, and the one directly facing the end of the bed had a large ornate cross of native design hung on it. Fidelma was not sure what wood it was made of. Apart from the bed, the other furnishings were fairly simplea brothrach or couch along one wall, a table by the bed and a few assorted boxes. The bedframe was devoid of any covering.
    The abbot saw Fidelma’s scrutiny and offered: ‘The coverings, including the dergud, the mattress, were removed and disposed of. Likewise the adart , pillow, and setigi , blankets. In fact, all of Sechnussach’s personal belongings have now been removed.’
    Fidelma made no response, merely looking from