Peter Tremayne - The Leper's bell

Since returning to Cashel two days before, the time had passed for Fidelma with incredible slowness. There was no word of Eadulf and Brother Conchobar was still in Lios Mhór. Gormán had been missing for some days, while Capa had only just returned from his mission to the borders of the Uí Fidgente country. The two surviving Uí Fidgente chieftains had been returned to their prison and would be tried for the killing of old Duach, the king’s lodge keeper, and his son Tulcha. Conrí, the warlord of the Uí Fidgente, and his men had been given hospitality at Cashel and started talks with Colgú on the rebuilding of relationships between the two peoples. But apart from that, for Fidelma, it seemed that there had been no progress at all. If anything, things had regressed. Now there was no clue to the whereabouts of either Alchú or Eadulf.

Fidelma decided that the only thing to do was try to retrace the steps that had led Eadulf to leave Cashel. He had gone to see the woodsman Conchoille and, having done so, he had come back to the palace, taken a full saddle bag and made off to the abbey of Coimán. That is what she would have to do. But first she would see Conchoille and find out what passed between them.

Caol was on duty at the gates of the palace and he raised his hand in salute as she walked towards him leading her horse.

‘What news, lady?’

‘I was about to ask the same question of you, Caol.’

The warrior shrugged. ‘Rumours in plenty but little news.’

‘I am going to see Conchoille the woodsman. I want to ask what he said to Eadulf which made him go westward,’ she said.

‘In that case, lady, you will not have far to go. As I came up from the town a short time ago, I saw Conchoille entering Capa’s house.’

‘Capa’s house?’

‘He often delivers logs there as well as to other houses. He is paid for that service.’

Fidelma thanked the warrior for his information and made her way down the road into the township.

Capa, the guard commander, opened his door to her knock and stared at her in surprise.

‘What brings you here, lady?’ he asked, and when she told him her purpose he stood aside and motioned her into the small but warm room. Capa’s wife, Gobnat, came forward almost nervously with an offer of hospitality, a mug of mead, but Fidelma politely declined. Conchoille the woodsman had risen from a seat by the fire. He stood awkwardly.

‘You came in search of me, lady?’ His hands twisted nervously round the pottery mug he had been drinking from.

‘I did, Conchoille, but I will not delay you long,’ she replied. ‘I believe that Brother Eadulf came to see you on the day he left Cashel.’

The woodsman turned owlish eyes on her.

‘He did not, lady,’ he replied.

Fidelma was not expecting this response.

‘He did not come to see you at Rath na Drínne?’ she asked in surprise.

Conchoille shook his head. ‘I never spoke to the noble brother after the council met in the palace. I was told that he had left Cashel but I never saw him on that day. He went to see Ferloga, though. Maybe he was looking for me.’

‘Ferloga the innkeeper?’

There came the distracting howl of a dog outside the house. From where she stood, Fidelma could see Capa’s brown, wire-haired hound digging furiously for something in the yard.

Gobnat looked angrily at her husband.

‘Go and control your hound, man!’ she said in a vicious tone. ‘We will have no yard left at this rate.’

The warrior glanced apologetically at Fidelma.

‘It is my dog, lady. He’s probably after some old bones.’

He went outside and grabbed the animal roughly by the collar and secured him, whimpering, to a tree. Fidelma turned back to Conchoille for clarification, and accidentally kicked a small metal cauldron by the fire. Looking down, she noticed a large dent in it.

‘Did I do that?’ she queried, in surprise, bending to examine it. Gobnat almost snatched it up.

‘It is nothing. An old cauldron, lady. An old dent.’

Capa, coming in, was frowning as he glanced at Gobnat holding the cauldron.

‘I heard that your husband was in trouble, lady. Is there anything I can do?’

Fidelma had the impression that he was diverting the conversation for some reason. She shook her head. Her next move would be to see Ferloga. If it was not Conchoille who had sent Eadulf riding towards the abbey of Coimán, then it was something Ferloga had said. She was not going down Brehon Dathal’s path of reasoning, she thought angrily. Eadulf had left because he had heard something about Alchú. Of that much she was certain.

She suddenly saw that Gobnat was regarding her with a concerned expression.

‘Are you worried for your man, lady? That is the curse of all women, for there is little constancy in men. They come and they go and do not give heed to the grief that they leave behind.’

Capa frowned in annoyance at his wife.

‘Still your tongue, woman. The king’s sister does not want to hear your philosophy.’ He went on hurriedly, ‘I am told that the crossan , the players we encountered at Cnoc Loinge, have arrived this morning and are setting up their camp behind the township.’

‘The company was due to perform in Cashel,’ Fidelma explained.

‘It is sad that the dwarf who dressed as a leper was killed,’ went on Capa. ‘He might have been able to identify the woman who pretended to be my wife and sent him with the message to Sárait.’

Fidelma was still thinking about Eadulf. Gobnat mistook the meaning of her thoughtful features.

‘Perhaps some other person will be able to identify the woman who pretended to be me. It should be easy to find someone who wears such a distinctive cloak.’

Fidelma nodded absently. ‘Let us hope so, for if the Uí Fidgente are not involved in this matter, then we have to find…’

The noise of a galloping horse caused her to pause. A moment later a voice cried out: ‘Sister Fidelma! Lady!’

Capa reached the door first, followed by Fidelma. A messenger from the palace sat outside on horseback.

‘What is the matter?’ demanded Capa, annoyed that one of his warriors should seem so undisciplined.

‘I was told the lady Fidelma would be here,’ the messenger cried. Then he spotted Fidelma behind Capa. ‘Brother Eadulf, lady! It is reported that he is at the bridge across the Suir and on his way to Cashel… and he has Alchú with him. Safe and well, according to one of our sentries who rode here immediately to alert us.’

Fidelma stared at him without speaking.

‘It is true, lady,’ the man confirmed. ‘He will be at the palace shortly if not already. Caol and some warriors have been sent to greet him. Your baby is safe home again, lady. Safe!’

Fidelma was already running for her horse.

Eadulf and his party had crossed the bridge over the River Suir and seen one of the guards on it despatched at a gallop towards the distant Rock of Cashel. Eadulf and Basil Nestorios rode ahead with Gormán just behind, and a light wagon driven by Nessán the shepherd, with Muirgen at his side carrying the baby, brought up the rear. They had proceeded a fair distance when Gormán raised his arm and called to Eadulf.

‘Here comes our escort, Brother.’

A group of horseman came trotting along the road towards them, and Eadulf immediately recognised Caol at their head. The warrior raised his hand in greeting as they came up. His expression was serious.

‘Is it true?’ he demanded, looking curiously from Eadulf and Gormán to Basil Nestorios and then to the couple on the wagon. His eyes fell on the baby in Muirgen’s arms. Eadulf nodded towards the infant with a smile.

‘Alchú is safe and well and we are bringing him home. Does Fidelma know?’