to Gormán.
‘What do you think?’
The young warrior pursed his lips in thought for a moment and then replied, ‘Brother Eadulf has a point. I have seen Saxon slaves at the seaports wearing iron collars. But I doubt this man is a Saxon. Given his weaponry, and despite his clothing and lack of ornamentation, this might be the mark of a torc.’ His hand went automatically to the circlet of gold at his own neck, showing that he was of the élite warriors of the Nasc Niadh.
‘You think he was a warrior of rank?’ demanded Eadulf in surprise.
‘The thought that he was a professional warrior did not escape me,’ Fidelma affirmed.
‘But he is not of the Nasc Niadh, lady,’ pointed out Gormán.
‘We are not the only people whose élite warriors wear the torc of gold. It is an old custom, even among peoples in Gaul and among the Britons.’
‘Are you saying that this person is some élite warrior in disguise?’ repeated Eadulf. ‘I do not understand.’
Fidelma shook her head. ‘We are not saying anything except that this man poses several questions. Why would he and his companion be waiting here on this road? Were they robbers lying in wait for any passer-by? Why did they attempt to kill us first? They could have simply threatened us if the intention was to rob.’
‘Given the quick retreat of the second man, perhaps they did not have sufficient courage to do so and thought to rob us after we were killed,’ Gormán offered.
‘Or was it us in particular they were waiting for?’ mused Eadulf.
‘You mean that they might have been waiting specifically to ambush us?’ Fidelma queried. She gave a shake of her head. ‘That’s absurd.’
But Gormán was frowning thoughtfully. ‘Perhaps not, lady. After all, you and Eadulf have made many enemies these last few years. There’s no denying it. Uncovering guilt and meting out justice inevitably causes one to gather enemies like a bee gathers honey. This man was lying in wait out of sight with a good bow. Had I not spotted him move forward to release his arrow and pushed Brother Eadulf from his horse, that arrow would have surely transfixed him. He drew quickly, this man, and his next arrow was already on the way to you, lady, when I cried to you to take cover. This archer was no novice when it came to the use of the bow.’
‘In other words,’ Fidelma said quietly, ‘you think these men were professional assassins whose aim was to kill Eadulf or myself?’
‘Or all three of us,’ added Gormán with a grimace. ‘I have gathered enemies as well. Although you were his first targets.’
‘This might have been a means to prevent us going to Lios Mór,’ Eadulf suddenly remarked.
Fidelma stared at him a moment and then turned thoughtfully to Gormán.
‘When my brother, Colgú, asked you to accompany us, did he say that he suspected something like this would happen?’ she asked.
The young warrior shook his head quickly. ‘Your brother, the King, felt that you might have need of me. That is all. If he had such a concern, then surely he would have suggested I bring a couple of companions with me. As I have said, lady, you have gained many enemies in your career. Those whose crimes are found out always think they are hard done by when caught and punished. They often swear to exact revenge on those responsible for their undoing.’
Fidelma glanced down at the face of the dead man. ‘If he is an enemy, I do not recognise him. Anyway, we are speculating without knowledge. He and his companion might just have been robbers. But we will keep a careful watch in case his companion doubles back. We’ll take this man’s horse and weapons. Perhaps we will eventually be able to identify him by them. There is nothing else. We will have to leave the body in this ditch. I’m afraid the wolves and other scavengers will have to dispose of it.’
Gormán bent swiftly to the task of removing the weaponry from their assailant and tied the bundle up before placing it
‘What do you think?’
The young warrior pursed his lips in thought for a moment and then replied, ‘Brother Eadulf has a point. I have seen Saxon slaves at the seaports wearing iron collars. But I doubt this man is a Saxon. Given his weaponry, and despite his clothing and lack of ornamentation, this might be the mark of a torc.’ His hand went automatically to the circlet of gold at his own neck, showing that he was of the élite warriors of the Nasc Niadh.
‘You think he was a warrior of rank?’ demanded Eadulf in surprise.
‘The thought that he was a professional warrior did not escape me,’ Fidelma affirmed.
‘But he is not of the Nasc Niadh, lady,’ pointed out Gormán.
‘We are not the only people whose élite warriors wear the torc of gold. It is an old custom, even among peoples in Gaul and among the Britons.’
‘Are you saying that this person is some élite warrior in disguise?’ repeated Eadulf. ‘I do not understand.’
Fidelma shook her head. ‘We are not saying anything except that this man poses several questions. Why would he and his companion be waiting here on this road? Were they robbers lying in wait for any passer-by? Why did they attempt to kill us first? They could have simply threatened us if the intention was to rob.’
‘Given the quick retreat of the second man, perhaps they did not have sufficient courage to do so and thought to rob us after we were killed,’ Gormán offered.
‘Or was it us in particular they were waiting for?’ mused Eadulf.
‘You mean that they might have been waiting specifically to ambush us?’ Fidelma queried. She gave a shake of her head. ‘That’s absurd.’
But Gormán was frowning thoughtfully. ‘Perhaps not, lady. After all, you and Eadulf have made many enemies these last few years. There’s no denying it. Uncovering guilt and meting out justice inevitably causes one to gather enemies like a bee gathers honey. This man was lying in wait out of sight with a good bow. Had I not spotted him move forward to release his arrow and pushed Brother Eadulf from his horse, that arrow would have surely transfixed him. He drew quickly, this man, and his next arrow was already on the way to you, lady, when I cried to you to take cover. This archer was no novice when it came to the use of the bow.’
‘In other words,’ Fidelma said quietly, ‘you think these men were professional assassins whose aim was to kill Eadulf or myself?’
‘Or all three of us,’ added Gormán with a grimace. ‘I have gathered enemies as well. Although you were his first targets.’
‘This might have been a means to prevent us going to Lios Mór,’ Eadulf suddenly remarked.
Fidelma stared at him a moment and then turned thoughtfully to Gormán.
‘When my brother, Colgú, asked you to accompany us, did he say that he suspected something like this would happen?’ she asked.
The young warrior shook his head quickly. ‘Your brother, the King, felt that you might have need of me. That is all. If he had such a concern, then surely he would have suggested I bring a couple of companions with me. As I have said, lady, you have gained many enemies in your career. Those whose crimes are found out always think they are hard done by when caught and punished. They often swear to exact revenge on those responsible for their undoing.’
Fidelma glanced down at the face of the dead man. ‘If he is an enemy, I do not recognise him. Anyway, we are speculating without knowledge. He and his companion might just have been robbers. But we will keep a careful watch in case his companion doubles back. We’ll take this man’s horse and weapons. Perhaps we will eventually be able to identify him by them. There is nothing else. We will have to leave the body in this ditch. I’m afraid the wolves and other scavengers will have to dispose of it.’
Gormán bent swiftly to the task of removing the weaponry from their assailant and tied the bundle up before placing it
Similar Books
