The Dove of Death (30 page)

Below, they could see the
Morvan
, still anchored in the bay.

Bleidbara looked undecided for a moment and then he shrugged.

‘I suppose it is worth a try,’ he admitted. ‘I certainly have no better idea.’

On the quayside Boric joined them. He seemed excited.

‘One of my men saw something, just before dawn,’ he told
them. ‘He observed a man carrying the body of a woman on his shoulders, place her into a boat and sail off.’

Bleidbara stared at him, astounded. ‘Then why didn’t he report it immediately?’ he almost shouted.

Boric spread his hands. ‘The man was fearful lest he get into trouble. He shouted a challenge and when the man carrying the body did not stop, he loosed an arrow – which he was sure hit him. However, this man did not stop or release his burden. He climbed into the boat, hoisted sail, and away went the boat before the guard could reach it. It was then that the sentinel realised his mistake – and this is why he failed to report the matter.’

‘Mistake?’ Bleidbara stared at him. ‘I don’t understand.’

‘The man he shot at was Iarnbud, and the orders of the lord of Brilhag are that Iarnbud is his
bretat
and has the right to come and go as he will. My guard only mentioned this to me just now when he heard the news of the disappearance of Trifina and Iuna. He is still afraid of being punished for shooting at the
bretat
.’

Bleidbara was angry. ‘The man is an imbecile and shall answer to me when I return. He is sure that Iarnbud was carrying the body of a woman? In what direction did his boat go?’

‘To the islands – he is not sure where.’

Fidelma looked grimly at Bleidbara. ‘We will try Govihan first,’ she said.

The young apothecary from Constantinopolis greeted them on the island of Govihan. He looked shocked when Fidelma told him the purpose of their visit.

‘We have not seen Trifina since she returned to Brilhag with you, lady, the day before yesterday,’ he said. ‘As for the lady Iuna, she scarcely visits here.’

‘I thought it was too simple,’ Bleidbara said glumly, turning to Fidelma ‘But we had better search the villa now we’re here.’

‘We will do what we can to find the lady Trifina,’ Heraclius said, calling one of the maids to gather the servants together.

The search of the villa proved futile; even Heraclius, under Bleidbara’s instruction, unlocked his stone-built hut so that they could look inside, but on condition that they touched nothing. As they came out, and Heraclius relocked it and disappeared through the walled garden to find out how the other members of the household were proceeding, Bleidbara, Fidelma and Eadulf stood on the clifftop, surveying the sea before them.

‘There are a lot of islands out there,’ Bleidbara said heavily. ‘It’s an impossible task to search them all.’

‘If they were taken on board this sea raider – let’s call it the
Koulm ar Maro
– from Brilhag, why did no one notice the ship in the bay?’ demanded Eadulf. ‘Surely you have lookouts on the
Morvran
who would have noticed such a large ship come into the inlet below the fortress – even at dead of night?’

Bleidbara was defensive.

‘The
Morvran
was anchored in the bay under the fortress walls,’ he said. ‘They would not see anything if the
Koulm ar Maro
came to anchor on the other side of the headland.’

Eadulf flushed a little at the rebuke because he had no sooner made his comment than he realised the answer.

‘The question is – what now?’ Bleidbara went on. ‘I have sent men around the island to ensure that there is nowhere we have overlooked – caves or undergrowth, for instance. We have searched the villa, so there seems no way forward.’

Fidelma suddenly gave an exclamation of surprise.

She pointed downwards at the rocky coast below them. A little boat was bobbing on the water and a tiny figure was desperately trying to make it to shore. The surging waves brought the little boat tantalisingly close, but then pulled it back. The figure seemed to have no oar to guide the boat in. Then a larger wave than the rest suddenly propelled the boat right up the
beach, and when the water receded, the boat remained there, held fast by the pebbles and rocks. The figure seemed to fall over the side of the boat into the still-frothing water and crawl using only one arm for a short distance before collapsing face down.

All those present on the clifftop shared the same thought: there was something very familiar about this lone sailor.

When Fidelma turned to speak to the others, she found Bleidbara and Eadulf already running down the grassy knoll which led to the shoreline below.

By the time they all reached the spot, one of Bleidbara’s men was approaching, hurrying from the other direction. He, too, had seen the boat and its occupant.

Iarnbud lay face down in the shallows where he had fallen from the boat, trying to drag himself up above the tidemark. The shaft of an arrow was still embedded in him, close to his spine.

Bleidbara and his companion waded into the shallows, reached forward and dragged the
bretat
up beyond the clawing waves.

Iarnbud let out a pitiful groan.

‘Mercy! He still lives,’ muttered Eadulf, bending down to the man. But after examining the wounds, he rose and shook his head at his companions. The man was beyond help.

Iarnbud opened his glazing eyes, peered round and tried to focus on Bleidbara. His mouth moved, but all that came from it was a dry rasping cough and a trickle of blood.

‘What is it, Iarnbud?’ Bleidbara encouraged softly.

The man spoke incoherently. They could discern the name
‘Heraclius’ repeated several times clearly, but the rest they could not understand.

‘He wants the apothecary,’ said Bleidbara. ‘He asks for Heraclius.’

Then, with an apparent summoning of strength, Iarnbud grabbed hold of Bleidbara’s shirt and dragged his head nearer. Of the words that poured forth from the thin, bloodstained lips, all they could distinguish were ‘
Koulm ar Maro
’.

‘The ship?’ demanded Fidelma quickly. ‘What does he say about it?’

The warrior bent his ear to the man’s lips. They moved feebly, whispering softly and then, without warning, in the middle of a word, Iarnbud’s head fell back and he was dead.

Bleidbara gazed down at him for a long time and then exhaled softly.

‘Well, he won’t need Heraclius now.’

‘What is it?’ Fidelma asked urgently. ‘What did he say?’

Bleidbara lowered the dead man’s shoulders to the ground and looked at them. His expression seemed torn between sorrow and triumph.

‘He found the ship, the
Koulm ar Maro
. He managed to overhear their plans. Apparently, those plans will come to fruition tomorrow.’

‘Tomorrow? What happens then?’ Fidelma wanted to know.

‘The
Koulm ar Maro
is due to sail out into the Big Sea, using the morning tide. It will then make a rendezvous off the coast near the abbey, by which time the success of their plan will be complete.’

‘I don’t understand,’ Eadulf said.

Bleidbara shrugged. ‘That’s all he said. Apart from something about food and Heraclius, which made no sense at all.’

‘Trifina said that Iarnbud was working for both of you. Is that right?’

Bleidbara nodded, saying, ‘He was loyal to the family of Brilhag. During these last few weeks, he travelled around, trying to pick up news of this
Koulm ar Maro
. Now he’s given his life for the little news that he could garner for us.’

‘If only he could have told us what the completion of their plan meant,’ muttered Eadulf. Suddenly noticing that the small boat was drifting, he waded into the sea to grab hold of the gunwale and draw it back up on shore. As he did so, he glanced inside and let out an exclamation.

‘Quickly! I thought it was just a pile of cloth, a discarded sail there – but look!’

Bleidbara tore aside the canvas.

The still figure of Iuna lay there. Her face was white and she lay very still, as if in death.

Bleidbara reached into the boat and, with ease, the tall warrior lifted the body of the girl in his arms. He walked the few paces up the beach and laid her gently on the ground beyond the waves.

Eadulf at once knelt to examine her.

‘Still alive,’ he said. ‘Still alive, but unconscious and very cold.’

He explored the girl’s skull with his fingertips, and then he bent as if to smell her breath. ‘She has not been hit on the head, but from the blue of the lips, I think she has taken a poison of some kind. I can smell it on her breath. But I’m afraid such a poison is beyond my powers to diagnose. We do need Heraclius, after all.’

Bleidbara swore softly under his breath and then, turning to his companion, issued a quick order. The man trotted away.

They stood anxiously round the unconscious form of Iuna, not knowing what to do, until the young apothecary arrived and made a swift examination.

‘She has been poisoned,’ Eadulf offered, feeling helpless. ‘But I do not know with what substance.’

‘You are right, Brother Eadulf,’ Heraclius said, peering at the girl’s blue lips. ‘She has been poisoned. I believe that she has eaten the Death Cap fungi.’ The seriousness of the situation showed in his features.

‘Well? Can you help her?’ pressed Fidelma.

‘I cannot hold out any great chance of recovery. It depends when she ingested the poison. It is a potent one, usually fatal; just one of the fungi is enough to ensure that a full-grown man can suffer a painful death. It is usually terminal in two days.’

‘You mean there is no antidote?’ Fidelma said, shocked.

‘No full antidote for the toxins. However, we will take her into the villa and give her an extract made from the ripe seeds of the Milk Thistle. There is hope, but only if she has not long ingested these toxins. If she is going to survive then we will know by tomorrow morning.’

He signalled to Bleidbara’s man to lift the girl and carry her up to the villa. Glancing at the body of Iarnbud, he said, ‘I must tend to the living and leave the dead,’ and turned after the warrior carrying the girl in his arms.

‘I didn’t warm to the man overmuch,’ sighed Eadulf, ‘but we can’t let him give his life in vain.’

‘Well, there is only one thing for me to do,’ Bleidbara said determinedly. ‘I will attempt to intercept the
Koulm ar Maro
as it makes a run for the Big Sea at dawn tomorrow.’

‘How will you do that?’ Fidelma asked.

‘The
Morvran
stands ready. We will sail to the channel and await the
Koulm ar Maro
there. She has to pass through that narrow channel at the right time, when the tide is running from the Morbihan. My crew are men who are descended from the Veneti. We come from generations of sea-fighters.’ His voice was rock-steady. ‘We will be ready for them.’

‘You might call this the Little Sea, Bleidbara, but it is still
large enough to lose a ship in, and all these islands are easy hiding-places,’ Eadulf commented.

‘I am familiar with these waters, friend. Now I know where the raider is going to be and what it intends to do, I can deal with the
Koulm ar Maro
.’

‘I want to come with you,’ Eadulf announced firmly, without looking at Fidelma. The truth was that his prime concern was that she might insist on accompanying Bleidbara on the
Morvran
herself. If there was to be a sea battle, then he determined that she should be out of harm’s way. ‘I would be useful if any of the
Barnacle Goose
survivors are still prisoners with them,’ he added, as if to find an excuse. ‘I would be able to recognise them.’

Bleidbara was suddenly in a good humour. As a warrior, he understood action and was happy now that he had something to do that he could understand.

‘You have courage, Eadulf,’ he praised him. ‘For a religious, you seem to have no qualms about throwing yourself into conflict.’

‘If it means tracking down these murderers, then I can bear such discomfort,’ Eadulf replied.

Fidelma reached out her hand and touched Eadulf on his arm, looking at him in silent approval. She understood why he had volunteered, and, if the truth were known, she felt he was right. Her place was to return to Brilhag, for that was where she knew she had to be, to resolve this mystery.

‘I’ll await your return at Brilhag,’ she told him.’

‘We will do our best to finally smoke out this evil among us,’ Bleidbara said, and glanced at the sky. The journey to Govihan and the search of the island had taken them some time. It was well into the afternoon now. ‘We have a long time to wait until dawn tomorrow. Let us return to the villa and see how Heraclius is proceeding. I will have need for him on board
when we encounter the
Koulm ar Maro
. He will have to instruct someone who can nurse Iuna.’

Fidelma regarded him with surprise but he did not elucidate.

‘There seems little to do until you sail out to intercept the
Koulm ar Maro
now. Even if Iuna recovers, she will not be able to tell us what happened for a while,’ she said. ‘One thing is certain, she was steward to the household at Brilhag and knowledgeable about all foods. She would not have eaten Death Cap fungi in mistake for edible fungi. She was deliberately poisoned.’ She paused. ‘If my suspicion is correct, Brilhag is where we will find an answer to this mystery of the
Koulm ar Maro
. But you must bring me the final piece of this puzzle.’

‘You know who is behind these raids?’ Bleidbara asked.

‘I now suspect who is behind them and why. I need only one more piece to settle the resolution. But before I do so, it would be good to know that the
Barnacle Goose
is safe with the survivors of the crew and, of course, that Trifina is with them.’

Eadulf was astonished at her confidence.

‘If you already know who is behind the
Koulm ar Maro
and these raids and killings, don’t you feel that you should share this knowledge?’ he asked.

‘I said that I suspect…suspicion, even based on circumstantial evidence, is not enough for an accusation to be proven.’

‘Even so, a shared knowledge is a danger halved.’

‘True, but a single whisper, or a glance might betray our thoughts, Eadulf, and if they
are
betrayed by as much as the blink of an eye, I may lose my quarry.’

‘We can return you to Brilhag on the
Morvran
, lady,’ Bleidbara offered. ‘We will drop you off there tonight and then move on to an anchorage I know of, where we can wait until the hour before dawn. Then we can sail for the interception point to engage the raiders as they attempt to catch the tide out of Morbihan.’

‘Excellent,’ she approved. ‘I feel things are drawing towards a conclusion.’

Dusk had fallen when the
Morvran
finally anchored in the bay under the headland on which the fortress of Brilhag rose. It had taken longer than they expected because Bleidbara had insisted on loading a number of curious-looking sections of wood, set into frames with ropes and wheels. Neither Fidelma nor Eadulf had ever seen such wooden constructions as were hoisted onto the deck, and had no idea what they were. Canvas sheeting covered them as they were set up in the bows of the vessel. Bleidbara had claimed that the equipment was necessary to his task, and that the presence of Heraclius was essential. Fidelma took the view that Bleidbara knew his business and so did not bother him or Heraclius with unnecessary questions. The young apothecary from Constantinopolis supervised the loading, paying particular care to a sealed wooden case as it was cautiously taken into the hold. Bleidbara saw their curiosity but did not explain.

Heraclius reported that Iuna had been given the treatment, but only the next twelve hours would show whether she would respond to it. He had left her in the care of one of the female servants at the villa, together with explicit instructions on how she should be treated. At Fidelma’s insistence, a warrior was left with them for protection.

Now, as they dropped anchor before Brilhag, Bleidbara came to see Fidelma off in one of the ship’s boats.

‘We shall leave and anchor further down the coast so as to be ready just before dawn,’ he said gravely. ‘If all goes well, you will see our return here sometime tomorrow.’

‘I’ll be waiting,’ smiled Fidelma. ‘I wish you luck.’

‘We all need luck, lady. These people, whoever they are, will be eager to destroy any that are in their way. If you need help,
seek out Boric. He is a good man to have at your side in time of danger. Tell him that I have placed him under your orders.’

Fidelma turned to Eadulf. ‘You look after yourself,’ she instructed softly. Then she climbed over the side into the boat. She was ferried to the shore by one of the ship’s company who left her on the quay and immediately rowed back to rejoin the
Morvran
.

Fidelma stood for a moment looking at the disappearing boat, heading out to the dark shape of Bleidbara’s ship. Then she turned up the pathway that led to the fortress, trying to adjust her vision to the darkness. She wished that she had had the foresight to bring a lamp but, almost as she thought it, the moon suddenly appeared from the bank of clouds and cast its blue glow over the area, revealing the man standing blocking the path a few paces in front of her.

Even with the moonlight, she could not make out any more than a few details. He was holding a shield, and a sword hung at his side. He challenged her in Breton and she guessed rather than knew the meaning of his words.

When she responded, assuming he was one of Boric’s guards, he moved forward and asked a further question, and this time she could not guess at its meaning.

‘Loquerisne linguam latinam?’
she asked hopefully,

The man shook his head, turned and shouted something. A moment later another man hurried down the path, surefooted in the darkness. The first man stiffened and spoke rapidly to him.

‘Who are you?’ demanded the second warrior in Latin.

Fidelma frowned. ‘Fidelma of Hibernia,’ she replied. This was probably the best form of announcing herself in a way that would be understood. ‘Where is Boric?’

The man did not answer, but his eyes focused on the darkness behind her and widened a little. He obviously saw the outline of the
Morvran
.

‘What ship is that?’ he demanded before she could speak again.

‘It is the
Morvran
, commanded by Bleidbara of—’

The man was already turning and shouting orders. Fidelma had an uneasy feeling.