to induce sleep and…and…’
Eadulf saw a look of annoyance form on the bishop’s features as if he felt the steward was revealing flaws in his nature that he would best like to keep hidden.
‘And this wine was bought from where?’ pressed Eadulf.
‘I purchased a small amphora in the local market.’
‘And where was this amphora kept?’
‘In the chamber of the bishop. It was a small amphora of red wine so there was no need to take it to the cooler cellars.’
‘So wine had already been drunk from it before? It was not newly bought wine?’
‘The bishop had been served from the same amphora during the preceding three or four days.’
‘And, that night, you poured the cup with your own hand,’ Eadulf went on.
‘I did.’
‘Where is the amphora now?’
‘It was thrown away as it had been emptied that night.’
‘I suppose the cup was also thrown away?’ Eadulf remarked dryly.
‘It was washed and cleaned the next day,’ replied Brother Benevolentia complacently.
‘So we have only Ordgar’s word that the wine was drugged.’
‘Since when is my word to be doubted?’ Ordgar demanded in a threatening tone.
Eadulf was unabashed. ‘It is not a question of doubt but a question of confirmation. Tell me, if you are used to drinking wine, how did that wine taste that night?’
‘Taste?’ Brother Ordgar frowned. ‘How do you mean–taste?’
‘Was there anything unusual about it?’
‘No.’ Then he suddenly paused. ‘Except…’
‘Yes?’ Eadulf prompted hopefully.
‘I thought there was a sweeter taste than usual to it. But it was not disagreeable,’ the bishop admitted.
‘Very well. Now, Brother Benevolentia, at what stage in the evening did you pour the wine?’
‘The bell rang in the chapel at the end of prayers. Thinking that the bishop would return straightway, I hurried to his chamber and poured the wine.’
‘Except that I did not return straightway,’ pointed out Ordgar. ‘I went to see Bishop Leodegar to complain about the conduct of the Briton at the council.’
‘Did you wait in the bishop’s chamber until he returned?’ Eadulf asked Brother Benevolentia.
The young man shook his head. ‘I left the wine by the bedside as usual and then returned to my own chamber, where I fell asleep immediately.’
‘And your own chamber is where?’
‘Next to the bishop’s, so that he could call me in the night if I am needed.’
‘Was the door of the bishop’s chamber locked?’
‘Locked? No door is locked in the abbey.’
‘Then anyone could enter the room and have access to the wine at any time?’
‘Yes. The empty amphora was stored in a cupboard out of sight but after I had poured the wine, the cup was left at the bishop’s bedside.’
‘And you were asleep very quickly? You said that you did not hear the bishop return to his chamber.’
‘I did not.’
‘Did you hear the arrival of Abbot Dabhóc or Abbot Cadfan during the night?’
Brother Benevolentia made a negative gesture. ‘As I say, I am a sound sleeper.’
‘When did you wake?’
‘Not until the physician of this abbey, Brother Gebicca, knocked upon my door and told me the bishop had been taken ill; he said he needed my help to remove him to a new chamber where he could be nursed. It was when I entered the room that I saw the body of the Hibernian and the blood and also the unconscious form of the Briton.’
‘And the next morning, was it you who cleared away the remains of the wine and washed the cup?’
Brother Benevolentia shook his head. ‘I think it was Brother Gebicca. He cleared up when the body was taken away.’
‘How long have you been steward to Bishop Ordgar?’ Eadulf asked suddenly.
It was the bishop himself who answered.
‘My last steward died from fever on the voyage. It was while I was visiting the abbey of Divio, on my way here, that I met with Brother Benevolentia and offered him the post.’
‘Divio?’
‘It is a city of the Burgunds which lies north of
Eadulf saw a look of annoyance form on the bishop’s features as if he felt the steward was revealing flaws in his nature that he would best like to keep hidden.
‘And this wine was bought from where?’ pressed Eadulf.
‘I purchased a small amphora in the local market.’
‘And where was this amphora kept?’
‘In the chamber of the bishop. It was a small amphora of red wine so there was no need to take it to the cooler cellars.’
‘So wine had already been drunk from it before? It was not newly bought wine?’
‘The bishop had been served from the same amphora during the preceding three or four days.’
‘And, that night, you poured the cup with your own hand,’ Eadulf went on.
‘I did.’
‘Where is the amphora now?’
‘It was thrown away as it had been emptied that night.’
‘I suppose the cup was also thrown away?’ Eadulf remarked dryly.
‘It was washed and cleaned the next day,’ replied Brother Benevolentia complacently.
‘So we have only Ordgar’s word that the wine was drugged.’
‘Since when is my word to be doubted?’ Ordgar demanded in a threatening tone.
Eadulf was unabashed. ‘It is not a question of doubt but a question of confirmation. Tell me, if you are used to drinking wine, how did that wine taste that night?’
‘Taste?’ Brother Ordgar frowned. ‘How do you mean–taste?’
‘Was there anything unusual about it?’
‘No.’ Then he suddenly paused. ‘Except…’
‘Yes?’ Eadulf prompted hopefully.
‘I thought there was a sweeter taste than usual to it. But it was not disagreeable,’ the bishop admitted.
‘Very well. Now, Brother Benevolentia, at what stage in the evening did you pour the wine?’
‘The bell rang in the chapel at the end of prayers. Thinking that the bishop would return straightway, I hurried to his chamber and poured the wine.’
‘Except that I did not return straightway,’ pointed out Ordgar. ‘I went to see Bishop Leodegar to complain about the conduct of the Briton at the council.’
‘Did you wait in the bishop’s chamber until he returned?’ Eadulf asked Brother Benevolentia.
The young man shook his head. ‘I left the wine by the bedside as usual and then returned to my own chamber, where I fell asleep immediately.’
‘And your own chamber is where?’
‘Next to the bishop’s, so that he could call me in the night if I am needed.’
‘Was the door of the bishop’s chamber locked?’
‘Locked? No door is locked in the abbey.’
‘Then anyone could enter the room and have access to the wine at any time?’
‘Yes. The empty amphora was stored in a cupboard out of sight but after I had poured the wine, the cup was left at the bishop’s bedside.’
‘And you were asleep very quickly? You said that you did not hear the bishop return to his chamber.’
‘I did not.’
‘Did you hear the arrival of Abbot Dabhóc or Abbot Cadfan during the night?’
Brother Benevolentia made a negative gesture. ‘As I say, I am a sound sleeper.’
‘When did you wake?’
‘Not until the physician of this abbey, Brother Gebicca, knocked upon my door and told me the bishop had been taken ill; he said he needed my help to remove him to a new chamber where he could be nursed. It was when I entered the room that I saw the body of the Hibernian and the blood and also the unconscious form of the Briton.’
‘And the next morning, was it you who cleared away the remains of the wine and washed the cup?’
Brother Benevolentia shook his head. ‘I think it was Brother Gebicca. He cleared up when the body was taken away.’
‘How long have you been steward to Bishop Ordgar?’ Eadulf asked suddenly.
It was the bishop himself who answered.
‘My last steward died from fever on the voyage. It was while I was visiting the abbey of Divio, on my way here, that I met with Brother Benevolentia and offered him the post.’
‘Divio?’
‘It is a city of the Burgunds which lies north of
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