The Subtle Serpent by Peter Tremayne Read Free Book Online

anxious smile as he came up to Ross.
    ‘Where is the Brehon? Where is he, Ross? I must see him first.’
    The abbess turned swiftly on her apparently unwelcome companion with a look of unbridled animosity.
    ‘You have no authority here, Adnár,’ she snapped,
confirming Ross’s identification of the man as the local chieftain.
    Adnár coloured furiously.
    ‘I have every authority to be here. Am I not bó-aire of this district? My word …’
    ‘Your word is dictated by Gulban, chieftain of the Beara,’ sneered the woman. ‘If he says nothing then you say nothing. I have asked Abbot Brocc of Ros Ailithir to send a Brehon who is answerable only to the king of Cashel to whom your chieftain, Gulban, has to give account.’ She turned back to Ross. ‘Where is he, Ross? Where is the Brehon sent by the Abbot Brocc?’
    Ross glanced towards Fidelma and gave a curious apologetic shrug as if he were trying to absolve himself from any responsibility for the visitors.
    The gesture drew the attention of the newcomers to Fidelma. For the first time the austere-faced abbess seemed to catch sight of her and frowned.
    ‘And who are you, sister?’ she snapped imperiously. ‘Have you come to join our community here?’
    Fidelma managed a faint smile.
    ‘I believe that I am the person you seek, mother abbess,’ she replied evenly. ‘I have been sent by the Abbot Brocc of Ros Ailithir in answer to your request.’
    For a moment a look of utter astonishment sat on the abbess’s face.
    The sound of raucous laughter distracted everyone for a moment. Adnár was shaking with mirth.
    ‘You ask for a Brehon and Brocc sends this slip of a girl! Ha! Your precious abbot does not think so highly of you after all!’
    The abbess did her best to control the fury that blazed in her eyes and she stared, tight-mouthed, at Fidelma.
    ‘Is this some kind of amusement for Abbot Brocc?’ she asked coldly. ‘Am I to be insulted thus?’
    Fidelma shook her head tiredly.

    ‘I do not think my cousin,’ Fidelma paused for a fraction of a second, allowing the pause to emphasise the word, ‘I do not think my cousin, the abbot, is given to amusing himself in such a manner.’
    The abbess’s expression began to twist into a sneer but Ross, feeling it time to intervene as captain of the ship, stepped quickly forward.
    ‘Allow me, abbess, to introduce Sister Fidelma who is an advocate of the courts. She holds the qualification of anruth.’
    The abbess’s eyes widened imperceptibly while Adnár abruptly ceased to chuckle. The qualification of anruth was only one degree below the highest that the universities and ecclesiastical colleges of Ireland could bestow.
    There was a pause before the abbess asked slowly: ‘What did you say your name is?’
    ‘I am Fidelma, currently of the community of Kildare.’
    The abbess’s flashing eyes narrowed again.
    ‘Of Kildare? Kildare is in the kingdom of Laigin. Yet you say that you are related to Abbot Brocc of Ros Ailithir. What does this mean?’
    Fidelma savoured the moment.
    ‘My brother is Colgú, king of Cashel.’ Fidelma could not help her eyes flickering in the direction of Adnár to gauge his reaction. She was rewarded by his open mouth and staring eyes. He looked, for a moment, like a fish as it is taken from the water. ‘I serve the Faith, which is not encompassed by the boundaries of earthly kingdoms.’
    The abbess gave a soft sigh before holding out her hand to Fidelma. Her imperiousness seemed to have evaporated a little. Her face was moulded into an expression of contrite apology. Whether it was genuine or not, Fidelma could not be sure.
    ‘Let me bid you welcome to our community, sister. I am Abbess Draigen, superior of the foundation of The Salmon of the Three Wells.’ She waved a hand towards the shore as if to
indicate her community. ‘I am sorry for my churlish greeting. These are trying times. I had expected that Brocc would have sent someone with some practical expertise in, in