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Authors: Linda Lafferty

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The Bloodletter's Daughter

BOOK: The Bloodletter's Daughter
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The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

 

Text copyright © 2012 Linda Lafferty

 

All rights reserved.

 

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

 

Published by Amazon Publishing
P.O. Box 400818
Las Vegas, NV 89140

 

ISBN 13: 9781612184654
ISBN 10: 1612184650

 
DEDICATION
 

To my beloved parents, Fred and Betty Lafferty, who taught their daughters the magic of books

 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
 

First and foremost, my profound gratitude to my husband, writer and editor, Andy Stone. For twenty-seven years, he suffered the heartache of publishers’ rejections along with me.

Just keep writing
, he said.
A writer writes
.

Andy, my “touchstone,” taught me to write well by writing more...and loving the art and craft, published or not.
The Bloodletter’s Daughter
is the result of that love.

To my parents, Fred and Betty Lafferty, who taught their children the love of books at a tender age. We are a family of readers as a result.

A tremendous amount of research went into this novel. I would like to thank translators and Czech friends who offered assistance. Thank you, Zuzana Petraskova, Jiri Vaclavicek, and Mirka Gamarra. For housing me with great Czech hospitality, my thanks to Jakub Rippl of Dum u Velke Boty bed and breakfast in Prague.

Screenwriter Vladimir Vojir helped me procure a DVD of his documentary for Czech television illustrating the story of Don Julius and Marketa Pichlerova. Gratitude to him and to Ceska Televize for this valuable resource.

A highlight for me as a writer was to hold the Coded Book of Wonder (the Voynich manuscript) in my hands. Immense gratitude to Marty Flug, Yale president Dr. Richard Levin, and Yale University for this opportunity. (Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library is magical.)

Thank you to another Yalie, Jonathan Rose, for your help.

Thank you, photographer Nora Feller of NoraFeller.com for the extraordinary author portraits. My white shepherd, Rosco, sends a lick on your cheek, whether you want one or not.

Writing is a solitary process, but a few friends gave me vital encouragement. Thank you, Nancy Elisha, my beloved sister who has read every word I have ever written. Her belief and love of my books carried me through the darkest hours for nearly three decades.

Other dear friends and readers: Sarah Kennedy Flug, Anne Fitzgibbon Shusterman, Lucia Caretto, Judy Sharp, and Elizabeth Haas White. Thank you, dear ones, for the support over the years.

To Caroline Leavitt, who swooped into my life, buoying me up when I was heartbroken by the publishing industry. Caroline, you are a talented writer and an extraordinary human being. God bless you.

Thanks to David Forrer, who worked with me on early versions of this book.

My editor, Melody Guy, guided me in rewrites with a gentle, supportive hand. I loved working with her. I trusted her judgment absolutely and worked to meet her expectations. Thank you, Melody.

Jessica Fogleman’s expert eye reviewing the manuscript was essential and much appreciated.

To my author team of Danielle Marshall, Nikki Sprinkle, Jessica Poore, and PR rep Gracie Doyle, a debt of gratitude for helping readers connect with my book.

To those at Gelfman Schneider, who help in all matters—Victoria Marini and Cathy Gleason, thank you.

To the Production Department, thank you for all your meticulous work.

My boundless gratitude to Betsy Robbins and the translation rights staff at Curtis Brown.

Special thanks to the Aspen Writers’ Foundation, and especially Executive Director Lisa Consiglio; Programs Manager Natalie Lacy; AWF Board Vice President Julie Comins Pickrell; the entire AWF Board of Trustees; and Founder Kurt Brown. Attending the Aspen Writers’ Conference and Aspen Summer Words for over thirty years has paid off! I always enjoy those terrific June workshops and the talented writers who share their experiences and the craft of writing. Aspen Summer Words is truly a “Writers’ Mecca in the Mountains.”

Bravo to Amazon’s art department. You dazzled me with the cover design.

To my acquisitions editor, Lindsay Guzzardo, who believed fervently in
The Bloodletter’s Daughter
. You are this book’s fairy godmother. Lindsay, thank you for your faith and persistence. Amazon Publishing—you made this book possible. Thank you for taking a chance on me.

Finally, to my spectacular agent, Deborah Schneider—who took me back as a client after an eighteen-year absence and secured the perfect home for three books at once.
Chai, Deborah, Chai.

CONTENTS
 

PROLOGUE: L
ITTLE
G
IUGLIO AND THE
C
ODED
B
OOK OF
W
ONDER

PART I: B
EFORE THE
F
ALL

LATE SPRING 1605

CHAPTER 1: M
USLE OF
C
ESKY
K
RUMLOV

WINTER 1606

CHAPTER 2: T
HE
M
AD
B
ASTARD OF
P
RAGUE

CHAPTER 3: A
NNABELLA AND THE
M
AGIC
P
EARL

LATE SPRING 1606

CHAPTER 4: A
RCHDUKE
M
ATTHIAS,
Y
OUNGER
B
ROTHER OF
R
UDOLF
II

CHAPTER 5: T
HE
W
HITE
L
ADY

CHAPTER 6: R
UDOLF
II
AND THE
C
ODED
B
OOK OF
W
ONDER

CHAPTER 7: D
ROWNED
F
LEAS

CHAPTER 8: N
EWS OF
D
ON
J
ULIUS IN
K
RUMLOV

CHAPTER 9: A H
OLY
C
ONSPIRACY IN
H
UNGARY

SUMMER 1606

CHAPTER 10: A S
TRICT
R
EGIMEN

CHAPTER 11: T
HE
A
RRIVAL

AUTUMN 1606

CHAPTER 12: R
OZMBERK
C
ASTLE

CHAPTER 13: A L
ETTER FOR
M
ARKETA

CHAPTER 14: L
EECHES FOR A
H
APSBURG

CHAPTER 15: K
ATARINA’S
W
ARNING

CHAPTER 16: T
HE
P
OOR
C
LARES
C
ONVENT

CHAPTER 17: A W
OMAN
S
URGEON

CHAPTER 18: T
HE
C
ODED
B
OOK OF
W
ONDER

CHAPTER 19: A C
HANCE FOR
P
EACE

CHAPTER 20: M
ARKETA’S
C
HARM VS. THE
C
ODED
B
OOK

CHAPTER 21: T
HE
R
OYAL
G
ARDENS OF
P
RAGUE

WINTER 1606 – 1607

CHAPTER 22: T
HE
I
NSULT

CHAPTER 23: A H
APSBURG’S
A
DDICTION

CHAPTER 24: D
REAMS OF
P
RAGUE

CHAPTER 25: K
ATARINA AND THE
G
RAIN
S
HED

CHAPTER 26: T
AMING A
H
APSBURG

CHAPTER 27: A
N
O
MINOUS
R
EWARD

CHAPTER 28: A
N
I
NVITATION TO
P
RAGUE

CHAPTER 29: B
ELVEDERE’S
S
PELL

CHAPTER 30: D
ECEPTION AND
D
ANGER

PART II: A
FTER THE
F
ALL

CHAPTER 31: A M
IDNIGHT
D
EPARTURE

CHAPTER 32: C
ESKY
B
UDEJOVICE

CHAPTER 33: D
ON
J
ULIUS
G
RIEVES

CHAPTER 34: R
ETURN TO
K
RUMLOV

CHAPTER 35: K
EPLER AND THE
H
EAVENS

SPRING 1607

CHAPTER 36: C
RIES IN THE
N
IGHT

CHAPTER 37: T
HE
L
IBERATION OF
D
ON
J
ULIUS

WINTER 1607 – 1608

CHAPTER 38: A D
ARK
W
INTER

CHAPTER 39: A M
AN IN
A
NNABELLA’S
H
OUSE

CHAPTER 40: J
AKUB
H
ORCICKY DE
T
ENEPEC AT
R
OZMBERK
C
ASTLE

CHAPTER 41: L
UDMILLA

CHAPTER 42: K
ATARINA’S
N
IGHTMARE

CHAPTER 43: M
ATTHIAS AND
T
AMAS OF
E
SZTERGOM

CHAPTER 44: T
HE
R
EUNION

CHAPTER 45: A
N
A
FTERNOON OF
L
OVE AND
B
LISS

CHAPTER 46: T
HE
L
AST
N
IGHT OF
M
ASOPUST

CHAPTER 47: A
N
E
NCHANTED
E
VENING

CHAPTER 48: A C
ONFESSION

CHAPTER 49: A
N
A
CT OF
C
ONTRITION

CHAPTER 50: M
ALEVOLENCE

CHAPTER 51: T
HE
F
UNERAL FOR THE
S
AVIOR OF
K
RUMLOV

SUMMER 1608

CHAPTER 52: T
HE
C
ORONATION OF
M
ATTHIAS

EPILOGUE

AUTHOR’S NOTE

A CONVERSATION WITH LINDA LAFFERTY

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BOOK: The Bloodletter's Daughter
13.68Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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