so.’
‘But the body was found lying on its back.’
Sister Uallann was not perturbed.
‘Then it is surely logical that, after the blow was struck, the killer turned it over on its back.’
‘Clearly logical,’ Fidelma smiled thinly, ‘but it would be a poor dálaigh who does not consult the physician to seek verification of the medical logic. I presume that you knew the Venerable Cinaed well?’
‘Well enough.’ It was said in a truculent manner.
‘Would you say that you were a close friend of his?’
‘Not close. I respected some of his arguments. He was, after all, a careful scholar. Yet I did not agree with his fundamental attitudes.’
‘About the Faith?’
To her surprise Sister Uallann shook her head.
‘I did not like his essay Scripta quae ad remplicum geredam pertinent - his writings on how the Uí Fidgente should govern their temporal lives. Cináed had views on everything. Those views angered many people. Eoganán, when he was king of the Uí Fidgente, sent his warriors to seize Cinaed but Abbess Faife, who was in control of the abbey in Abbot Erc’s temporary absence, refused to hand him over.’
Brother Cú Mara intervened.
‘I have heard the story. It happened just before the defeat at Cnoc Aine where Eoganán was killed. Had Eoganán been victorious, I don’t doubt that he would have sent his warriors back to the abbey to seize Cinaed whether the abbess protested or not.’
‘Did Abbot Erc support the abbess in her refusal to hand the Venerable Cinaed over?’ asked Fidelma.
The physician sniffed. ‘By the time he returned, there was no need to make a decision one way or another. Eoganán was defeated at Cnoc Aine. That was where my husband was slain, too,’ Sister Uallann added pointedly. ‘There are many here whose husbands were slaughtered by the Eoghanacht.’
Fidelma turned to Brother Cú Mara and spoke in a slightly sarcastic tone.
‘So, far from the Venerable Cinaed being a scholar beloved by everyone, we now find out that he had many enemies. Not least, the supporters of the late Eoganán!’
‘Ah, poor Eoganán,’ Sister Uallann exclaimed in a whisper.
Fidelma turned quickly back to her.
‘You have made clear your views, Sister. You believe that your people should not have made peace with Cashel?’
To her surprise, the physician shook her head.
‘I am of the Corco Duibhne but my husband was Uí Fidgente.’
‘And you are saying that the Venerable Cináed made enemies among the Uí Fidgente because of his political writings?’
‘We dwell in the territory of the Uí Fidgente but Cinaed believed, even before the disaster at Cnoc Aine, that we should owe allegiance to the
Eoghanacht of Cashel and not to our own rulers.’ She stopped, eyes narrowing suddenly. ‘I have said enough.’
Fidelma sat for a few moments staring at the grim-faced physician and then she stood up.
‘I am grateful for what you have said, Sister Uallann,’ she said quietly. Outside they found Eadulf, having returned from the tech-nigid , looking for them. Eadulf was about to ask how Fidelma had fared when he caught the warning look on her face. She turned to Brother Cú Mara.
‘All I need ask you is to guide us to your tech-screptra , then we shan’t need your assistance until after the etar-suth .’ She used the term ‘middle fruits’ which was the more popular name in monastic foundations for the etar-shod or ‘middle meal’ of the day.’
‘The library?’ queried the rechtaire with a frown.
‘That is what I said. I need a word with Brother Eolas, your librarian.’ Fidelma added to Eadulf, ‘I think there may be some important information that we could find there.’
CHAPTER FIVE
E ven Eadulf was impressed by the size of the tech-screptra , the great library of Ard Fhearta. He knew of the fame of the Irish ecclesiastical colleges for learning. That meant that each one had need for books for students and therefore they had good general libraries. He had
‘But the body was found lying on its back.’
Sister Uallann was not perturbed.
‘Then it is surely logical that, after the blow was struck, the killer turned it over on its back.’
‘Clearly logical,’ Fidelma smiled thinly, ‘but it would be a poor dálaigh who does not consult the physician to seek verification of the medical logic. I presume that you knew the Venerable Cinaed well?’
‘Well enough.’ It was said in a truculent manner.
‘Would you say that you were a close friend of his?’
‘Not close. I respected some of his arguments. He was, after all, a careful scholar. Yet I did not agree with his fundamental attitudes.’
‘About the Faith?’
To her surprise Sister Uallann shook her head.
‘I did not like his essay Scripta quae ad remplicum geredam pertinent - his writings on how the Uí Fidgente should govern their temporal lives. Cináed had views on everything. Those views angered many people. Eoganán, when he was king of the Uí Fidgente, sent his warriors to seize Cinaed but Abbess Faife, who was in control of the abbey in Abbot Erc’s temporary absence, refused to hand him over.’
Brother Cú Mara intervened.
‘I have heard the story. It happened just before the defeat at Cnoc Aine where Eoganán was killed. Had Eoganán been victorious, I don’t doubt that he would have sent his warriors back to the abbey to seize Cinaed whether the abbess protested or not.’
‘Did Abbot Erc support the abbess in her refusal to hand the Venerable Cinaed over?’ asked Fidelma.
The physician sniffed. ‘By the time he returned, there was no need to make a decision one way or another. Eoganán was defeated at Cnoc Aine. That was where my husband was slain, too,’ Sister Uallann added pointedly. ‘There are many here whose husbands were slaughtered by the Eoghanacht.’
Fidelma turned to Brother Cú Mara and spoke in a slightly sarcastic tone.
‘So, far from the Venerable Cinaed being a scholar beloved by everyone, we now find out that he had many enemies. Not least, the supporters of the late Eoganán!’
‘Ah, poor Eoganán,’ Sister Uallann exclaimed in a whisper.
Fidelma turned quickly back to her.
‘You have made clear your views, Sister. You believe that your people should not have made peace with Cashel?’
To her surprise, the physician shook her head.
‘I am of the Corco Duibhne but my husband was Uí Fidgente.’
‘And you are saying that the Venerable Cináed made enemies among the Uí Fidgente because of his political writings?’
‘We dwell in the territory of the Uí Fidgente but Cinaed believed, even before the disaster at Cnoc Aine, that we should owe allegiance to the
Eoghanacht of Cashel and not to our own rulers.’ She stopped, eyes narrowing suddenly. ‘I have said enough.’
Fidelma sat for a few moments staring at the grim-faced physician and then she stood up.
‘I am grateful for what you have said, Sister Uallann,’ she said quietly. Outside they found Eadulf, having returned from the tech-nigid , looking for them. Eadulf was about to ask how Fidelma had fared when he caught the warning look on her face. She turned to Brother Cú Mara.
‘All I need ask you is to guide us to your tech-screptra , then we shan’t need your assistance until after the etar-suth .’ She used the term ‘middle fruits’ which was the more popular name in monastic foundations for the etar-shod or ‘middle meal’ of the day.’
‘The library?’ queried the rechtaire with a frown.
‘That is what I said. I need a word with Brother Eolas, your librarian.’ Fidelma added to Eadulf, ‘I think there may be some important information that we could find there.’
CHAPTER FIVE
E ven Eadulf was impressed by the size of the tech-screptra , the great library of Ard Fhearta. He knew of the fame of the Irish ecclesiastical colleges for learning. That meant that each one had need for books for students and therefore they had good general libraries. He had
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