Peter Tremayne - The Seventh Trumpet

‘Where did Brother Ailgesach come from? Where was he before he came here?’ Fidelma aimed the question at Brother Biasta.

‘We are originally from the north of the kingdom,’ Brother Biasta replied. ‘We both studied at the holy abbey of Brendan of Biorra. After that we went our different ways.’

‘How was it that you came to know your cousin was ill and where to find him? You said you had not seen him during the last year,’ Eadulf said.

‘A traveller brought me the message,’ Brother Biasta replied, but he sounded unconvincing.

‘So Brother Ailgesach knew where you were even if you did not know where he was?’

‘The contact was made by chance, for I was visiting my old mentor at Biorra a week or so ago. Ailgesach’s message had been sent to the abbot, asking him to pass it on to our family.’

The answer seemed glib to Eadulf, but Fidelma appeared to let it pass. Eadulf was wondering why Fidelma should be so interested in Brother Algesach’s failings when it had nothing to do with the finding of the unknown body.

‘So you have journeyed all the way from Biorra? That is nearly on the border of the Kingdom of Connacht. Surely it is a long way to travel on foot?’

‘Along roads such as this, there is often a merchant’s cart that will give hospitality to a wandering religious,’ Brother Biasta replied. He turned to the company with a pathetic expression. ‘I would like to see my cousin now, even if he is in a state of intoxicated sleep.’

‘I hope you will be able to discover what ails and distresses him,’ Fidelma answered. ‘Our only concern and business with him was that I needed to ask him if we could use his office for a burial. We discovered a body …’

‘This man, Saer, told me about it,’ Brother Biasta said quickly. ‘I saw the body in the chapel while in search of my cousin, and there met the carpenter. The poor fellow has no identity, I am told?’

‘None at all,’ returned Fidelma.

‘That is sad. I hope you are able to give the corpse a name before you bury him. Now, may I go to see my cousin? Perhaps I can sober him up enough to get him back to his own bed.’

Fidelma glanced at Fedach Glas and nodded. The tavern-keeper offered to take Brother Biasta to the cabin in which they had laid Brother Ailgesach.

Grella served Saer with ale while Gormán and Enda joined them, leaving Fidelma and Eadulf together.

‘Well, what now?’ Eadulf prompted after Fidelma had been silent for a moment or two.

‘A difficult choice is to be made,’ she replied.

‘Do you think the two people who stayed with Brother Ailgesach last night have some connection with the murdered man? Why would they stay with Brother Ailgesach?’

Fidelma turned to Saer and called him over.

‘I am told that you and Sétna, a woodsman, were at the chapel last night?’

The carpenter looked surprised. ‘We were,’ he agreed. ‘Sétna helped me carry some roofing planks for the chapel.’

‘Did you see Brother Ailgesach’s visitors?’

Saer’s face was blank. ‘Visitors?’

Fidelma tried another tack. ‘You and Sétna took the wood to the chapel. Was it dark when you both left?’

‘I had to leave before dark. I left Sétna marking the planks for use.’

‘Ah,’ Fidelma let out a soft breath. ‘So Sétna remained behind. And what time did you go to work on the chapel roof today?’

‘I suppose it was after the sun reached its zenith. I had to do some work on my own cabin before I went to the chapel. In fact, I had barely arrived when you and your party came by, lady.’

‘So that makes sense,’ muttered Eadulf after she had thanked him for the information. ‘Brother Ailgesach’s two visitors had already left. So now we have to wait until Brother Ailgesach sobers up and tells us who they were.’

‘That is one choice,’ Fidelma agreed.

Eadulf stared at her. ‘You propose to wait here until that time? Why, it will be tomorrow at least. It would be just as easy to set out after the two and follow them north, trying to overtake and question them.’

Fidelma ignored the sarcasm in his tone. ‘That had occurred to me.’

‘Maybe they were simply relatives. Being religious does not exclude one from coming from a noble family. Mind you, that would mean they were also relatives this Brother Biasta.’

‘This is true,’ agreed Fidelma. ‘There is one thing that troubles me about Brother Biasta. How did we come to miss him on the highway?’

Eadulf was unsure what she meant.

‘The chapel is within walking distance to the south,’ she said. ‘Do you agree?’ When Eadulf conceded the fact, she went on: ‘We rode our horses north up the highway until we came to the tavern — but saw no sign of this Brother Biasta, who says he came down from the north. We have not been in here long enough for him to pass by the tavern, reach the chapel, speak with Saer and then return here with him. He was not on the highway nor have any merchants’ carts passed.’

Eadulf thought about the matter. ‘The logical conclusion is that he did not come down the highway but rode across country or came up from the south.’

‘Yet he said that he came from the north,’ Fidelma emphasised.

‘Then we will ask him to explain how that was possible when he comes back.’

At that moment the door opened, but it was not Brother Biasta. It was Fedach Glas who returned by himself.

‘I pointed to the cabin and left Brother Biasta to make his own greetings with his cousin. Not that they will be able to have much of an intelligible exchange.’ The innkeeper went to the bar and poured himself a small beaker of ale and swallowed half of it in one gulp.

‘So long as one of them is ready to perform the services for the burial of the unknown corpse by midnight,’ Saer reminded them.

Eadulf had nearly forgotten that corpses were usually interred at midnight on the day of death.

‘I presume that Brother Ailgesach has not endeared himself to this community since he came here?’ Eadulf rose and went to join Fedach Glas.

‘We hardly know him,’ the man replied. ‘Though I suppose he has been a good customer in my tavern during these past two weeks. But he has never spoken properly to any of us. He mumbles curious phrases, that is all. As to his background, he is very secretive.’

‘But you, Saer, you have worked for him, during the time he has been here. I am sure that you must have picked up some knowledge about him.’

Saer shrugged. ‘Only that he is very fearful of people, particularly of strangers. Perhaps fear has caused him to indulge too freely in drink. I can certainly add nothing more.’

‘Could you tell me what manner of man he is?’ Eadulf asked. ‘Is he well-read? Does he come from a noble family? Do you know anything at all?’

‘How could I tell who is well read or not?’ countered Saer. ‘He was always quoting some text or other, so I suppose he has read the Holy Book, but I had no understanding of it. He has said strange things; sometimes frightening things.’

‘Such as the words he cried before he fell into unconsciousness?’ Eadulf suggested. ‘Have you heard such words before?’

‘Similar words, I suppose,’ admitted the tavern-keeper.

Eadulf was thoughtful for a moment, but before he had time to frame his next question, the door burst open.

Brother Biasta stood on the threshold looking dishevelled, his pale face even whiter than it had been before. It seemed that he was unable to form any coherent sentence and for a moment or two he just stood with his mouth opening and closing like a fish newly caught.

‘My cousin — ’ he began; then he paused and swallowed, peering round at them in a distraught manner. ‘My cousin … he is dead!’