me,’ Bishop Ordgar said. ‘You know that I have a position of some importance? I represent Theodore, archbishop of Canterbury. As soon as this council is ended, I am to continue my journey to Rome to consult with His Holiness Vitalian.’
‘Then you have not been accurately informed of my role,’ Eadulf said.
‘But we are told that you are of the kingdom of the East Angles and a gerefa ,’ intervened Brother Benevolentia. ‘My lord, Bishop Ordgar, has naturally presumed that you would want to support one of your own kin in this matter.’
Eadulf nearly smiled at the arrogance of the presumption.
‘Sister Fidelma and I have been asked by Bishop Leodegar to investigate the matter of the death of Abbot Dabhóc and report to him. That is all. There is no question of representing the interests of anyone except the interests of the dead abbot in the discovery of who killed him.’
Bishop Ordgar did not look happy.
‘Then let us hope you have not forgotten your duty to your own people,’ he snapped. ‘I understand that you have been many years among the people of that western island. I trust you know where loyalty and duty lie.’
‘My duty to my own people is a duty to truth –where ever that truth might be,’ Eadulf snapped back. ‘And until we obtain some answers from you, Ordgar of Kent, the truth will not be known.’
‘You forget to whom you speak, Brother.’ Brother Benevolentia sounded aghast at Eadulf’s tone.
‘I am well aware that I speak to a witness to a murder. Our purpose here is that we require answers to questions,’ replied Eadulf, unperturbed. ‘Can we now proceed to obtain them? And let us return to speaking in Latin!’
In the angry exchange they had lapsed into Saxon.
Bishop Ordgar opened his mouth to respond but suddenly checked himself. He breathed out slowly and composed his thin autocratic features.
‘Ask your questions then, Eadulf of Seaxmund’s Ham,’ he commanded.
Eadulf glanced at Fidelma, who nodded with amused approval to indicate that the bishop might respond better if Eadulf, not she, continued to put the questions.
‘Describe what happened on the night that Abbot Dabhóc was found in your chamber.’
Bishop Ordgar was dismissive. ‘Since I was drugged, I cannot say.’
‘Tell us, then, what exactly you remember of that night. You remember going to your chamber, I suppose?’ Eadulf could not help the sarcasm in his voice.
‘Of course. After evening prayers in the chapel, I went to see Bishop Leodegar to register a complaint about the behaviour of Cadfan who had been discourteous to me earlier. Then I returned to my chamber. I composed myself for sleep having taken, as was my custom, wine. I came awake feeling ill, with an oppressive headache and unsure of my surroundings. I think I remember someone shaking me and raised voices all round. I become unconscious again, and when I awoke for the second time I was in this chamber with the physician tending me. The headache and nausea lasted for some time. It was only after I recovered that I was told that Abbot Dabhóc had been discovered dead in my chamber, with Abbot Cadfan nearby on the floor. When I was found, I was told that I had been regaining some degree of consciousness on the bed but I cannot be sure. That is all.’
‘It gives rise to several questions,’ Eadulf asserted.
Bishop Ordgar sat back with eyes narrowed. ‘Then ask them,’ he said.
‘Let us start with the wine. You imply it was drugged?’
‘I state it was drugged,’ the man corrected. ‘Nothing but drugged wine would have such an effect on me.’
‘Where did this wine come from?’
‘I don’t understand.’ Bishop Ordgar seemed confused. ‘Do you mean what vineyard supplied it?’
‘Who gave you this wine?’
Brother Benevolentia coughed nervously and stepped forward to say, ‘It was I who placed the wine by the bed of the bishop. I do so every night, since it is his custom to take a drink before retiring. It helps
‘Then you have not been accurately informed of my role,’ Eadulf said.
‘But we are told that you are of the kingdom of the East Angles and a gerefa ,’ intervened Brother Benevolentia. ‘My lord, Bishop Ordgar, has naturally presumed that you would want to support one of your own kin in this matter.’
Eadulf nearly smiled at the arrogance of the presumption.
‘Sister Fidelma and I have been asked by Bishop Leodegar to investigate the matter of the death of Abbot Dabhóc and report to him. That is all. There is no question of representing the interests of anyone except the interests of the dead abbot in the discovery of who killed him.’
Bishop Ordgar did not look happy.
‘Then let us hope you have not forgotten your duty to your own people,’ he snapped. ‘I understand that you have been many years among the people of that western island. I trust you know where loyalty and duty lie.’
‘My duty to my own people is a duty to truth –where ever that truth might be,’ Eadulf snapped back. ‘And until we obtain some answers from you, Ordgar of Kent, the truth will not be known.’
‘You forget to whom you speak, Brother.’ Brother Benevolentia sounded aghast at Eadulf’s tone.
‘I am well aware that I speak to a witness to a murder. Our purpose here is that we require answers to questions,’ replied Eadulf, unperturbed. ‘Can we now proceed to obtain them? And let us return to speaking in Latin!’
In the angry exchange they had lapsed into Saxon.
Bishop Ordgar opened his mouth to respond but suddenly checked himself. He breathed out slowly and composed his thin autocratic features.
‘Ask your questions then, Eadulf of Seaxmund’s Ham,’ he commanded.
Eadulf glanced at Fidelma, who nodded with amused approval to indicate that the bishop might respond better if Eadulf, not she, continued to put the questions.
‘Describe what happened on the night that Abbot Dabhóc was found in your chamber.’
Bishop Ordgar was dismissive. ‘Since I was drugged, I cannot say.’
‘Tell us, then, what exactly you remember of that night. You remember going to your chamber, I suppose?’ Eadulf could not help the sarcasm in his voice.
‘Of course. After evening prayers in the chapel, I went to see Bishop Leodegar to register a complaint about the behaviour of Cadfan who had been discourteous to me earlier. Then I returned to my chamber. I composed myself for sleep having taken, as was my custom, wine. I came awake feeling ill, with an oppressive headache and unsure of my surroundings. I think I remember someone shaking me and raised voices all round. I become unconscious again, and when I awoke for the second time I was in this chamber with the physician tending me. The headache and nausea lasted for some time. It was only after I recovered that I was told that Abbot Dabhóc had been discovered dead in my chamber, with Abbot Cadfan nearby on the floor. When I was found, I was told that I had been regaining some degree of consciousness on the bed but I cannot be sure. That is all.’
‘It gives rise to several questions,’ Eadulf asserted.
Bishop Ordgar sat back with eyes narrowed. ‘Then ask them,’ he said.
‘Let us start with the wine. You imply it was drugged?’
‘I state it was drugged,’ the man corrected. ‘Nothing but drugged wine would have such an effect on me.’
‘Where did this wine come from?’
‘I don’t understand.’ Bishop Ordgar seemed confused. ‘Do you mean what vineyard supplied it?’
‘Who gave you this wine?’
Brother Benevolentia coughed nervously and stepped forward to say, ‘It was I who placed the wine by the bed of the bishop. I do so every night, since it is his custom to take a drink before retiring. It helps
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