Free The Leper's Bell by Peter Tremayne Page A

leann , distilled from rye, and some pottery drinking vessels before the three warriors. They fell to with unconcealed eagerness. Fidelma motioned Aona to join them.
    ‘Before we sample your stew and your famous corma , Aona, have you heard or seen anything unusual on this road? You see…’
    Aona interrupted with a shake of his head.
    ‘You do not have to explain, lady. I have heard of your distress. If there is anything I can do, you have only to command. There have been only a few travellers on the road from Cashel.’
    Fidelma’s features expressed silent gratitude.
    ‘We are trying to pick up some lead,’ she explained. ‘Something to give us a clue to where my baby has been taken. I want to question some pilgrims who will have taken this road.’
    Aona raised a hand and pushed back his hair, letting it run through his fingers.
    ‘Pilgrims? They did not venture near my tavern for which mercy, in truth, I uttered a prayer of thanks.’
    ‘Why would that be?’ Fidelma asked in surprise.
    ‘The pilgrims took the western road to Imleach but one of them, who walked in the rear, rang a leper’s bell to warn of his approach. I watched them cross the ford and pass through the settlement without stopping and, I would say, much to everyone’s relief.’ He held up a hand. ‘Do not lecture me on charity, lady. I have charity as much as the next man but even so I could not help feeling gratitude when they passed on, with the leper, without asking for alms or hospitality.’
    ‘But you saw them pass by?’ Eadulf pressed quickly. ‘Was one short in stature - perhaps a child or a youth?’
    ‘I only saw them from a distance. Even then they were clad from poll to foot in their robes. They wore cowls. I think that the one with the bell might have been shorter than the others. It was hard to tell. No one was carrying a baby, though.’ He frowned, tugging at his ear. ‘During this week it has been quiet on this road, lady. I’ve scarcely seen a dozen travellers and half of those are known to me. From some of them, I learnt about your baby’s disappearance. Of the strangers with babies … there was an itinerant herbalist with his wife and two babies in a wagon. I was fishing on the river so noticed their arrival. They came from the north, though, along the road from Cappagh, and joined the Cashel road just by the bridge.’
    ‘When was that?’ asked Eadulf.
    ‘Four or five days ago.’
    Fidelma shook her head. ‘They had two babies with them, you say?’
    Aona nodded.
    ‘No matter,’ Fidelma assured him. ‘Has anyone else passed here? Any other strangers?’
    ‘Two more only. A short time before the apothecary and his wife, two religious passed here. One was from the northern kingdom, travelling with a stranger from beyond the seas. They rode good horses. The stranger from beyond the seas was unlike any foreign religious that I have seen.
    At first, I thought him to be a Greek, because I have encountered several of those who have passed on their way to Imleach. Yet he was not quite the same as a Greek…’
    That was probably the Persian,’ Eadulf intervened by way of explanation. ‘Was the one who came from the north a brother from the abbey at Ard Macha?’
    Aona grimaced indifferently. ‘He could well have been, Brother Eadulf. He was a proud young man and mentioned with pride his king, Blathmac mac Máel Cobo…’
    ‘Of the Dál Fiatach of Ulaidh,’ confirmed Fidelma. ‘How long did they stay here?’
    ‘Long enough for a meal. They said that they were passing on to Colmán’s abbey on the western coast.’ Aona paused and glanced at the warriors. ‘If you will excuse me, lady, I’d better attend to the food. I presume young Adag is looking after your horses?’
    On learning this was the case Aona disappeared, to quickly reappear with bread, freshly baked, and hot bowls of savoury mutton stew.
    Eadulf joined the others as they fell to the bowls of steaming soup. While they were so engaged, Aona