The Seventh Trumpet by Peter Tremayne Page A

know who he was or what he was doing in this area. So we have brought his body to this chapel as it would be unlawful to leave a stranger to the mercy of the wolves, crows and other scavengers.’
    ‘Then, in the absence of Brother Ailgesach, I would say that you should bring the body into the chapel and we shall lay him out there. Come, warrior,’ this was addressed to Enda. ‘I will help you down with your burden.’
    Between the two of them, they took the body and carried it into the small, dark chapel. Fidelma swung down and followed them.
    ‘Perhaps you can help us further, Saer?’ she said, after a thought had occurred to her. ‘Unwrap the winding-sheet from the face, Enda. Saer, look on the man’s features and tell us if you have seen him before. Perhaps he passed recently along the highway here?’
    The carpenter gazed on the face of the corpse and then shrugged. ‘There are always strangers passing along this highway from Durlus to Cashel and in the other direction.’
    ‘Look closely, if you will. This was a young noble and of rich and striking appearance.’
    Saer peered closer at the pale bloodless features. ‘He does bear a resemblance to someone who called to see Brother Ailgesach many days ago. But I can’t swear to it.’
    ‘A resemblance?’ pressed Fidelma eagerly.
    The carpenter shook his head. ‘I can’t swear that it was the same person. I was passing by here when I saw Brother Ailgesach entering the chapel with a young man. He was richly dressed. This could have been that man. I walked on without further interest. I was on my way to the tavern.’
    ‘You saw nothing else? Did you notice whether the man had a horse?’
    To her disappointment the carpenter shook his head again and repeated, ‘I am sorry, lady.’
    ‘And you never saw Brother Ailgesach’s visitor again?’
    ‘During the last several days I have been at my hut in the woods cutting planks for this job.’ He jerked his thumb towards the chapel roof. ‘New planks were needed because the roof was letting in water.’
    ‘I suppose no one else has spoken of any such person to you?’ enquired Fidelma.
    ‘As I say, I have been at my hut in the woods cutting timber. I spoke only briefly to Brother Ailgesach when I came to fix the roof earlier. He did not mention any visitors.’
    Fidelma nodded thoughtfully. ‘Well, we shall go to the tavern of Fedach Glas and speak with Brother Ailgesach. You have been very helpful, Saer.’ She reached forward and placed something in his palm, at which he raised a hand to his forehead in thanks. They left the interior of the chapel, remounted their horses and Fidelma led her companions back to the highway, where they turned north.
    ‘Well, if the carpenter says this Brother Ailgesach is regularly at the tavern, then it seems he believes in taking the advice of the Blessed Paul to Timothy,’ Eadulf commented, breaking the silence.
    Fidelma frowned absently. ‘What?’
    ‘“Take a little wine for thy stomach’s sake”,’ Eadulf joked. This did not, however, raise a smile from Fidelma who had been deep in thought.
    The bruden of Fedach Glas lay only a short distance along the highway. Gormán knew the place, saying that it was not one of the higher class of hostels that were to be found along the main highways of the kingdom. These hostels or taverns could be run by either men or women. The higher classes of hostel were, in fact, provided by the landowner, sometimes a chieftain or even the king of the territory himself. The laws proclaimed that these hostels were required to entertain guests without asking questions or payment. The bigger ones would employ men on the approaching roads to advise travellers of their locations and to extol the comforts of the facilities they provided. And after dark, each bruden had at least one lantern on a tall pole to advertise itself to travellers.
    The smaller hostels were more like wayside inns where charges were made and questions asked. One thing