A festival is being put together to celebrate the transfer of the remains of a saint to her new home four years previously. It's an occasion that is drawing many pilgrims to the Shropshire area. Five of them draw Cadfael's interest. There is Matthew and Ciaran. Matthew attends on Ciaran and Ciaran has taken a vow to walk with a heavy cross around his neck and with bare feet. Ciaran comes to Cadfael to have his sore feet attended to.
Another group that captures Cadfael's interest are Alice, Melangell and Rhun. While traveling to Shropshire, they joined up with Ciaran and Matthew and Melangell has become enamored of Matthew. Matthew returns her regard but will not leave Ciaran. Rhun has a bad leg and has come to Shropshire to pray at the coffin of the saint. But he comes to Cadfael for some help sleeping, as their long journey on foot has aggravated his bad leg.
Meanwhile, politics sticks its ugly face into their lives of the monks of the Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul, as two factions struggle for control of England. And emissaries are sent to ask for loyalty, requiring leaders to switch sides or remain loyal. And of course there is a murder.
This was an OK story. Cadfael doesn't actively investigate the murder, even though he does solve the mystery. I also didn't understand why one of the characters had to travel under an alias.
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