Read Online A Friar's Bloodfeud: (Knights Templar 20) by Michael Jecks - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michael Jecks
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Warmer weather was needed, rather than this bleak coldness.
Sir Geoffrey, Despenser’s tool, was not difficult to deal with. Not if you knew his mind and understood what he looked for.
He was no fool, and he wouldn’t risk upsetting people for no reason. No, that wasn’t his way. He’d be much more likely to
wait until he had his master’s instructions, and then he’d obey them to the letter – provided it didn’t put him in any danger.
And what danger could there be for a man who was in the pay of the king’s best friend? None. So if Sir Geoffrey thought he
was acting on the advice of his master, he would do anything.
Odo did not need to guess at Despenser’s ambition. He and Sir Geoffrey had discussed it often enough in the past. Being neighbours,
and having known each other before that for several years, they were realistic about whom they should trust. Yes, both had
their loyalties to their masters, but they were in a unique position here, far from their lords. They had a duty to try to
get along.
Sir Geoffrey was entirely his master’s man. He had joined Earl Despenser’s entourage many years before, when the earl was
still a lowly knight. Odo for his part was devoted to Sir John Sully. Although the two stewards could have been at loggerheads,
they had avoided disputes, and recently had even joined in small ventures together. Sir Geoffrey could trust Sir Odo – he
was different from most neighbours, simply by virtue of the fact that he had been knightedpersonally by the present king on the field of battle. Sir Geoffrey knew that he must be more inclined to assist the Despensers,
because they were King Edward’s most devoted friends. Helping them meant helping the king. That was what Sir Geoffrey had
said to him once, and Sir Odo had not seen fit to deny it. In these troubled times it was safer for a man to keep his own
counsel.
Which was why Odo was surprised that Sir Geoffrey was making difficulties about this parcel of land. They had discussed it
when Geoffrey took the old manor from Ailward, but Odo thought he had persuaded Geoffrey that this piece was truly Odo’s.
Ailward’s estate had been carved into two, and Odo had only taken a small part. Just enough to protect the ford. That way,
hopefully, very few people would be hurt.
Still, if Geoffrey wanted to launch an attack, Odo had no objection. He would relish a little action; he was bored with idly
sitting by. It had been a long time since he had known a dispute like this, and he was looking forward to it with an especial
excitement. With any luck, once the land was gone and the dispute ended, Sir John would release Odo from Fishleigh, and he
could go and rest in his own home.
Isabel was worried about little Malkin. She might be old enough already to be widowed, but she seemed a child to Isabel still.
Since Ailward’s death, she spent too long just sitting and staring into the distance without speaking for long periods, her
expression bereft.
‘Mary? Mary?’ Isabel sighed. ‘Malkin, please …’
Mary seemed to come to with reluctance. ‘Mother?’
It was what, eighteen months since this young woman had become her daughter-in-law? And until Ailward’sdeath Isabel had only ever seen her as happy, excited and enthusiastic. To see her green eyes grown so cold and empty was
torture. Nothing could rouse her. Since she had lost her husband, she had lost all her love for life.
Isabel held her arms wide, and Malkin stood and crossed the floor, walking into her embrace.
It was impossible for Isabel to find the words to explain her own devastation in the face of such tragic despair. For Isabel
this was merely the latest in a series of losses. Her life for the last ten years seemed to have been one of continual mourning.
Well, she would not sit and wail again, no matter how much she missed her son. She was the daughter of a squire, the wife
of another, and mother of a sergeant. She was
Sir Geoffrey, Despenser’s tool, was not difficult to deal with. Not if you knew his mind and understood what he looked for.
He was no fool, and he wouldn’t risk upsetting people for no reason. No, that wasn’t his way. He’d be much more likely to
wait until he had his master’s instructions, and then he’d obey them to the letter – provided it didn’t put him in any danger.
And what danger could there be for a man who was in the pay of the king’s best friend? None. So if Sir Geoffrey thought he
was acting on the advice of his master, he would do anything.
Odo did not need to guess at Despenser’s ambition. He and Sir Geoffrey had discussed it often enough in the past. Being neighbours,
and having known each other before that for several years, they were realistic about whom they should trust. Yes, both had
their loyalties to their masters, but they were in a unique position here, far from their lords. They had a duty to try to
get along.
Sir Geoffrey was entirely his master’s man. He had joined Earl Despenser’s entourage many years before, when the earl was
still a lowly knight. Odo for his part was devoted to Sir John Sully. Although the two stewards could have been at loggerheads,
they had avoided disputes, and recently had even joined in small ventures together. Sir Geoffrey could trust Sir Odo – he
was different from most neighbours, simply by virtue of the fact that he had been knightedpersonally by the present king on the field of battle. Sir Geoffrey knew that he must be more inclined to assist the Despensers,
because they were King Edward’s most devoted friends. Helping them meant helping the king. That was what Sir Geoffrey had
said to him once, and Sir Odo had not seen fit to deny it. In these troubled times it was safer for a man to keep his own
counsel.
Which was why Odo was surprised that Sir Geoffrey was making difficulties about this parcel of land. They had discussed it
when Geoffrey took the old manor from Ailward, but Odo thought he had persuaded Geoffrey that this piece was truly Odo’s.
Ailward’s estate had been carved into two, and Odo had only taken a small part. Just enough to protect the ford. That way,
hopefully, very few people would be hurt.
Still, if Geoffrey wanted to launch an attack, Odo had no objection. He would relish a little action; he was bored with idly
sitting by. It had been a long time since he had known a dispute like this, and he was looking forward to it with an especial
excitement. With any luck, once the land was gone and the dispute ended, Sir John would release Odo from Fishleigh, and he
could go and rest in his own home.
Isabel was worried about little Malkin. She might be old enough already to be widowed, but she seemed a child to Isabel still.
Since Ailward’s death, she spent too long just sitting and staring into the distance without speaking for long periods, her
expression bereft.
‘Mary? Mary?’ Isabel sighed. ‘Malkin, please …’
Mary seemed to come to with reluctance. ‘Mother?’
It was what, eighteen months since this young woman had become her daughter-in-law? And until Ailward’sdeath Isabel had only ever seen her as happy, excited and enthusiastic. To see her green eyes grown so cold and empty was
torture. Nothing could rouse her. Since she had lost her husband, she had lost all her love for life.
Isabel held her arms wide, and Malkin stood and crossed the floor, walking into her embrace.
It was impossible for Isabel to find the words to explain her own devastation in the face of such tragic despair. For Isabel
this was merely the latest in a series of losses. Her life for the last ten years seemed to have been one of continual mourning.
Well, she would not sit and wail again, no matter how much she missed her son. She was the daughter of a squire, the wife
of another, and mother of a sergeant. She was
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