Behold a Pale Horse by Peter Tremayne

recommended that a rule be made that priests sleeping in the same bed as their wives could not perform religious services. The proposition was never agreed.
    ‘Are you and Brother Faro …?’ Fidelma stopped when she saw the blush come to the girl’s cheeks.
    ‘We are friends,’ Sister Gisa replied, but the blush gave the lie to her statement. ‘This is not a mixed house, like those I have heard of elsewhere. Abbot Servillius favours those who argue for celibacy among the religious. However, both sexes gather for meals in the refectorium and also for services in the chapel.’
    They came to a pair of large double doors made of shiny chestnut wood through which the brethren were hurrying. At one side, the steward, Brother Wulfila, appeared to be waiting for Fidelma with a frown of annoyance.
    ‘I sent someone to your chamber to escort you here,’ he greeted her in a tone of rebuke. ‘You should not wander the abbey without an escort.’ Without waiting for a reply, he requested her to follow him while Sister Gisa disappeared to one side of the hall with the other females, who seemed to share a single table in a corner discreetly sheltered from the brethren. Brother Wulfila led the way through rows of tables and benches. She passed Brother Faro at one table and recognised Brother Hnikar at another. She saw several of the brethren staring at her with varying expressions of surprise or interest. At the far end of the hall, facing these rows was a long table where she recognised Abbot Servillius with Magister Ado seated at his left side and Venerable Ionas on his right. To the left of Magister Ado sat a young boy, perhaps not more than ten or eleven years old, and next to him a woman of matronly appearance.
    The abbot rose as Brother Wulfila approached and waved Fidelma forward with a small gesture of his hand.
    ‘I would introduce you to our special guest. This is Prince Romuald of the Longobards, lady.’ Then he turned to the boy. ‘Highness, I would present Fidelma of Hibernia, who is the daughter of a king of her country.’
    The small boy rose and bowed solemnly from his waist. Fidelma found herself hiding a smile at his manner, which seemed so incongruous for his age.
    ‘I welcome you to this land, lady. My people and my own family have long held your countrymen in high esteem for their knowledge and teaching. Do you intend to remain in this abbey?’
    ‘I am here to see my old mentor, who has now made this abbey his home. Soon I must depart back to my own land,’ Fidelma replied politely.
    The abbot then introduced the woman at the boy’s side as the Lady Gunora, companion to the young prince. The woman smiled shyly and bowed her head in acknowledgement.
    The introductions being over, they resumed their seats while Brother Wulfila guided Fidelma to a seat on Venerable Ionas’ right hand before taking the seat next to her. At the sound of a single bell, the abbot stood up and intoned a prayer of thanks. he sat down and another single chime on a bell allowed the occupants of the refectorium to commence the evening meal. Fidelma was surprised as the noise of conversation permeated the great room. During the last weeks in Rome, when she had eaten in the religious refectories, she had noticed that most maintained the custom of consuming the meal in strict silence. In some abbeys, one of the brethren, a recitator , read aloud from the scriptures or the Psalms while the others ate.
    She turned as Venerable Ionas had been speaking to her. ‘I am sorry, you were saying?’
    ‘I was merely asking about Columbanus,’ the scholar said apologetically. ‘I always ask any newcomer from Hibernia in case they have some knowledge which I could add to my work on the life of our founder.’
    ‘I am afraid I know little. He was from the Kingdom of Laighin and went north to study,’ replied Fidelma. ‘My own kingdom is Muman which is in the south-west of Hibernia.’
    ‘Hibernia is not one kingdom then?’
    ‘There are