Free The Seventh Trumpet by Peter Tremayne

questioning look.
    ‘This is Brother Biasta, the cousin of Brother Ailgesach,’ Fidelma introduced them. ‘I have told him of the condition of his cousin.’
    ‘I am sorry that you have arrived to find your relative in such a state,’ the tavern-keeper said uneasily. ‘It is in the nature of a tavern-keeper to speak the best of his guests, but …’ He shrugged.
    ‘Saer is right, of course,’ added Grella. ‘Ever since Brother Ailgesach arrived to administer to the chapel, he has come here each day to drink his fill. However, he has always managed to return to his cabin without assistance. Today is the first day that I have seen him become insensible.’ She looked at her husband with an expression of disapproval. ‘Fedach Glas should not have served him that last jug of corma .’
    ‘He must be ill,’ interposed Brother Biasta. ‘He never used to drink.’
    ‘You say that you have not seen him for nearly a year,’ Fidelma said. ‘And he has been at the chapel here only a couple of weeks.’
    ‘Indeed, lady,’ interposed Fedach Glas. ‘He came here when poor Brother Tressach died.’
    Gormán frowned. ‘I remember Brother Tressach, an elderly and kindly man. He was here when I last passed this place.’ He turned to Fidelma. ‘I think I mentioned that I had ridden by here before. So Brother Tressach is dead?’
    Grella sniffed. ‘He was a good man. He had served here since I was a young girl. Indeed, he blessed our union – the marriage of Fedach Glas and I.’
    Fedach Glas nodded agreement. ‘We had to make representation to Abbot Ségdae of Imleach for a new priest, for he has authority over the chapel. Finally, he sent Brother Ailgesach to us. Alas, even during his short time here, Brother Ailgesach has spent less time in chapel than he has in our tavern.’
    ‘Would the death of Brother Tressach have distressed my cousin?’ Brother Biasta asked quickly.
    ‘Not at all.’ It was Saer, the carpenter, who offered the opinion. ‘As far as we knew, he had never met the old man. As I said, he arrived here to replace Tressach.’
    ‘So, as far as you knew, Brother Ailgesach’s behaviour has been the same since the day that he first arrived here?’
    ‘As far as we knew him, he always had a fondness for corma ,’ said Saer, looking towards Grella for support.
    ‘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