The Leper of Saint Giles (1981)

The Leper of Saint Giles is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters, set in October 1139. It is the fifth novel in The Cadfael Chronicles and was first published in 1981.

The book includes a map of the Abbey, the town of Shrewsbury, St. Giles, the winding River Severn and its small local brooks, and places in the environs mentioned in this story and others in the series. It was adapted for television in 1994 by Central for ITV.

Two landed families arrange a marriage between an older baron and a young woman who loves someone else. The groom does not arrive at the altar. It falls to Cadfael to find his murderer, while the main suspect of the sheriff hides in the house for lepers.

This novel was ranked number 42 in the 1990 list of The Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time by the British Crime Writers Association. Citing the public confrontation and the main character's skills at deduction, one reviewer said it was "another Peters delight, featuring vital characters, a beautifully organised puzzle, and history made real". Another reviewer felt that "predictable plotting is amply compensated for by the author's wonderful re-creation of the period".

Plot summary

The story takes place over four days in October 1139. Shrewsbury Abbey is scheduled to host the wedding of Baron Huon de Domville and Lady Iveta de Massard. Brother Cadfael, while restocking medicines at Saint Giles, the abbey's lazar house, sees both bride and bridegroom arrive: Domville is sixty years old, fat, and cruel, as Cadfael sees when the Baron lashes with his riding crop at the lepers begging him for alms. Iveta is barely eighteen, being chaperoned by her legal guardians, her uncle Godfrid Picard and his wife, Agnes.

Iveta is secretly in love with Joscelin Lucy, one of Domville's three squires. Cadfael interrupts an assignation between them in Cadfael's workshop, and tries to cover for them when Agnes bursts in to collect Iveta. Joscelin tells Cadfael that Iveta is being forced to marry against her will; she is the heiress to an enormous honour, and Domville and the Picards have bargained between themselves to divide it after she is married off. Agnes complains to Domville, who dismisses Joscelin from his service, accusing him of theft. Joscelin denies it, but his belongings are searched and the item found (though Cadfael suspects it was planted). Joscelin leaves with the sheriff, but at the bridge he breaks free of his guards and escapes into the River Severn.

Huon tells his nephew Simon (another of his squires) he will ride, and trots towards Saint Giles. Lazarus, sleeping outdoors, notices him. Joscelin leaves his hiding place, and the patrol pursues him. Lazarus hides him in a haystack, and Joscelin confides his plan to thwart the wedding. Lazarus tells him the baron has not yet returned.

Iveta and the guests gather at the abbey church for the wedding, but Huon does not appear; searchers find him dead far from his lodgings. Cadfael's search of the area shows rope marks on two trees; the baron was pulled from his saddle by a rope across the path, and strangled as he lay stunned. Joscelin Lucy is suspected. Cadfael determines that Huon died shortly after dawn. The strangler wore a ring, which cut into Huon's throat. Picard is convinced that Joscelin is guilty, but Iveta says that he was in prison; when the Picards reveal his escape, she collapses.

The sheriff assembles a search party. The search is fruitless. At Saint Giles, Brother Mark notices a newcomer, a tall man hiding behind a leper's cloak. Brother Oswin notes that the dead man's hat is missing; Cadfael finds it near where he fell, with a rare flower attached. Cadfael is directed to Huon's hunting lodge, where the flower is abundant, learning his mistress was Avice of Thornbury.

Joscelin befriends Bran, a young boy at Saint Giles, who obtains vellum on which Joscelin writes a message to Simon arranging a meeting with Iveta. He leaves the message in Simon's horse's mane. Simon slips the message to Iveta. Lazarus asks Joscelin to describe Godfrid Picard.

Iveta obtains a dose of poppy syrup, puts it into Madlen's (her maidservant's) drink and meets Joscelin. The sheriff's men find them at the abbey; Abbot Radulfus again intervenes, questioning Joscelin. Brother Mark appears, wet from trailing Joscelin. At a convent, Cadfael finds Avice of Thornbury, who tells him Huon de Domville left the hunting lodge at dawn. Brother Mark confirms that Joscelin was already at Saint Giles, having watched him all day. Cadfael then finds Godfrid Picard strangled as Huon de Domville was. Agnes turns on Simon Aguilon, accusing him of murdering the baron and Picard. Simon sought Iveta's hand, as de Domville's heir. Picard realised at the coffining ceremony that Simon had removed his ring. Cadfael reports that Simon was entrusted to escort Avice to the hunting lodge, and he alone knew the route. Simon is surrounded, and the ring found. When Cadfael examines Picard's body, he doubts Simon strangled Picard; the killer was missing fingers.