Read Online The Tolls of Death: (Knights Templar 17) by Michael Jecks - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michael Jecks
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about the meals for that day and strolled downstairs, just in time to see Lady Anne and her maids leaving the chapel.
She was still small, neat and perfect, he thought. This was the woman who had come between him and his only real friend, Nicholas the castellan, first by taking Nick from him, then by stopping him from indulging in those lengthy debates which both had enjoyed so much. They had invariably been drunken affairs, meandering on late into the night; during which they had spoken of manor business and then, as the wine flowed more freely, the politics of the nation. Nick was of a mind with their lord, that the Despensers must be curbed before they took over the whole kingdom, while Gervase held the pragmatic view that it was better to have the Despensers as tyrants ruling all, including the King, because that meant the kingdom was quiet and secure. Any move to restrain them could only lead to war again, and that was to be avoided at all costs. Their disagreements never led to anger on either side. Both could lay down their opinions without offending the other.
But Lady Anne had not enjoyed having her husband arrive drunk in her bed each night, and she had sweetly suggested that they should use different rooms, if he wished to carouse the night away with his old companion. So, as Nick said, ‘just for a little while’ they’d best drop the custom.
This was only the first of the signs that Gervase had lost his friend. Nick started to take breakfast in his bedchamber with his wife rather than in the hall where the two men had been wont todiscuss their plans for the day. Now commands came down from Nick, often an embarrassed Nick, which indicated to Gervase that it was his wife who had demanded changes to the steward’s list of chores.
At first Gervase had accepted all this in good heart, knowing that it was only right and fair that Nick should be allowed to enjoy his wife. No one should come between a man and his woman. Gervase knew that well enough.
‘Master steward! Good morning. It is a fine one, isn’t it?’
He fixed a smile to his face and nodded briefly. ‘My lady, yes. And you look magnificent.’
‘You flatter me,’ she said shyly. As so often before, he felt his heart lurch as her gaze darted away from him as though she was ashamed, or fearful, of seeing too much. It was said that the eyes were the windows to a man’s soul; well, she was ever scared of seeing love in another’s face.
It was no surprise, he reflected. She was temptation made flesh. Perfect in all ways, from her flawless skin to the slim, lithe body beneath her tunic, she was enough to make any man forget his oaths.
‘No man could flatter you, Lady Anne. Flattery supposes that the comments are not merited, and in your case they are.’
She returned her gaze to him then, a smile on her lips. ‘I thank you.’
He watched as she moved away, still captivated by the thought of that lovely body … before he was wrenched back by the memory of the pain he had suffered, the loss of his best friend, and the betrayal.
It hurt so much, he could weep.
Chapter Four
Walking quickly, Richer left the churchyard and made his way along the path towards the castle. He had not gone above a hundred paces when at the bend in the road where the trees obscured the view, his companion Warin appeared suddenly at his side.
‘Christ’s tears, I wish you wouldn’t
do
that!’ Richer declared. ‘The way you appear, it’s enough to make a man have a fit!’
His friend glanced at him. ‘Why? You think I’m more likely to give a man a fit than you? It wasn’t me who tweaked the tail of that little monkey.’
‘It wasn’t only
his
tail I was tweaking,’ Richer said smugly. ‘It was his brother’s.’
‘Don’t forget,’ his friend said unsmilingly, ‘that this is not an affair which concerns only you.’
‘I am aware of that.’
‘Good. If you upset the Constable and his brother, it may have unfortunate consequences for the
She was still small, neat and perfect, he thought. This was the woman who had come between him and his only real friend, Nicholas the castellan, first by taking Nick from him, then by stopping him from indulging in those lengthy debates which both had enjoyed so much. They had invariably been drunken affairs, meandering on late into the night; during which they had spoken of manor business and then, as the wine flowed more freely, the politics of the nation. Nick was of a mind with their lord, that the Despensers must be curbed before they took over the whole kingdom, while Gervase held the pragmatic view that it was better to have the Despensers as tyrants ruling all, including the King, because that meant the kingdom was quiet and secure. Any move to restrain them could only lead to war again, and that was to be avoided at all costs. Their disagreements never led to anger on either side. Both could lay down their opinions without offending the other.
But Lady Anne had not enjoyed having her husband arrive drunk in her bed each night, and she had sweetly suggested that they should use different rooms, if he wished to carouse the night away with his old companion. So, as Nick said, ‘just for a little while’ they’d best drop the custom.
This was only the first of the signs that Gervase had lost his friend. Nick started to take breakfast in his bedchamber with his wife rather than in the hall where the two men had been wont todiscuss their plans for the day. Now commands came down from Nick, often an embarrassed Nick, which indicated to Gervase that it was his wife who had demanded changes to the steward’s list of chores.
At first Gervase had accepted all this in good heart, knowing that it was only right and fair that Nick should be allowed to enjoy his wife. No one should come between a man and his woman. Gervase knew that well enough.
‘Master steward! Good morning. It is a fine one, isn’t it?’
He fixed a smile to his face and nodded briefly. ‘My lady, yes. And you look magnificent.’
‘You flatter me,’ she said shyly. As so often before, he felt his heart lurch as her gaze darted away from him as though she was ashamed, or fearful, of seeing too much. It was said that the eyes were the windows to a man’s soul; well, she was ever scared of seeing love in another’s face.
It was no surprise, he reflected. She was temptation made flesh. Perfect in all ways, from her flawless skin to the slim, lithe body beneath her tunic, she was enough to make any man forget his oaths.
‘No man could flatter you, Lady Anne. Flattery supposes that the comments are not merited, and in your case they are.’
She returned her gaze to him then, a smile on her lips. ‘I thank you.’
He watched as she moved away, still captivated by the thought of that lovely body … before he was wrenched back by the memory of the pain he had suffered, the loss of his best friend, and the betrayal.
It hurt so much, he could weep.
Chapter Four
Walking quickly, Richer left the churchyard and made his way along the path towards the castle. He had not gone above a hundred paces when at the bend in the road where the trees obscured the view, his companion Warin appeared suddenly at his side.
‘Christ’s tears, I wish you wouldn’t
do
that!’ Richer declared. ‘The way you appear, it’s enough to make a man have a fit!’
His friend glanced at him. ‘Why? You think I’m more likely to give a man a fit than you? It wasn’t me who tweaked the tail of that little monkey.’
‘It wasn’t only
his
tail I was tweaking,’ Richer said smugly. ‘It was his brother’s.’
‘Don’t forget,’ his friend said unsmilingly, ‘that this is not an affair which concerns only you.’
‘I am aware of that.’
‘Good. If you upset the Constable and his brother, it may have unfortunate consequences for the
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