13- Badger's Moon by Peter Tremayne

Author:Peter Tremayne [Tremayne, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: _NB_fixed, _rt_yes, blt, Clerical Sleuth, Fiction, Historical, Mystery, Medieval Ireland
ISBN: 9780312323417
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 379139
Publisher: Signet
Published: 2003-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

After Brother Dangila had been escorted back to the abbey, Fidelma accompanied Eadulf and Accobrán to the tannery of Lesren by the banks of the river. It was Eadulf who cynically pointed out that Fidelma might have come on Brother Dangila after he had killed Lesren. The hill overlooking the abbey was but a half-hour’s walk from the tannery where Lesren’s body had been discovered.

‘I do not discount any fact, Eadulf,’ Fidelma replied, ‘but why on earth would Brother Dangila want to kill Lesren?’

Eadulf opened his mouth and then, as he thought about the question, shut it.

‘The death of Lesren would be a significant development,’ Fidelma said, after a pause.

‘I do not understand, lady.’ Accobrán was frowning.

‘If the killing of Lesren is part of this pattern of killings, then we must reconsider our popular theory.’

Seeing their incomprehension, Fidelma motioned to the blue autumnal sky above them.

‘When was the body found?’ she asked.

‘A little after midday.’

‘And when was Lesren last seen?’

‘Just after the noon meal and…oh.’ Eadulf cut himself short and then sighed. He flushed in embarrassment. ‘His death could not be ascribed to any lunatic killing. It is out of sequence with the killings at the full moon.’

‘Exactly so.’

Eadulf suddenly hit his balled fist into the cupped palm of his other hand as a thought struck him. He forgot he was on horseback and the horse shied nervously as the movement tugged on the reins. He struggled to bring the animal under control.

Fidelma regarded him with amusement.

‘Gabrán! The boy had good reason for killing Lesren. There is the possibility that, after our visit this morning, Gabrán might have been so angry that he went to have it out with Lesren.’

The thought had already occurred to Fidelma. The boy had certainly been angry that Lesren was still accusing him of the death of Beccnat.

Accobrán seemed impressed. ‘I think Brother Eadulf’s suggestion is worthy of investigation.’

‘Certainly, nothing should be discounted,’ Fidelma said. ‘But we know that Lesren’s accusation was false, so Lesren’s death is not part of the pattern of killing.’

‘I suppose that motive can be ascribed to Fínmed as well,’ sighed Eadulf as he thought more about the matter. ‘All three, Goll, Fínmed and Gabrán, felt an anger and hatred towards Lesren which might be a motive for this crime.’

‘On the other hand, there may be no connection with any of these matters at all,’ Fidelma reminded him. ‘We must consider this development very carefully. But, as yet, I have heard no details at all. You have still to tell me how you came by the knowledge of Lesren’s death.’

It was Accobrán who explained. ‘After we left you, we had just returned to the fortress when one of Lesren’s workers came to find me. It was he who reported the matter. So we rode to check whether it was true. Lesren’s body was at the edge of the woods just behind the tannery. Seeing that we could do nothing further for the man. thinking that you might be in danger, we came straight away to find you.

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