The Tolls of Death: (Knights Templar 17)
Read The Tolls of Death: (Knights Templar 17) Online
Authors: Michael Jecks
Tags: #Fiction, #Historical, #blt, #_rt_yes, #_MARKED
Michael Jecks
Copyright © 2004 Michael Jecks
The right of Michael Jecks to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, with prior permission in writing of the publishers or, in the case of reprographic production, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.
First published as an Ebook by
Headline Publishing Group in 2014
All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Cataloguing in Publication Data is available from the British Library
eISBN: 978 1 4722 1978 7
HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP
An Hachette UK Company
338 Euston Road
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Michael Jecks gave up a career in the computer industry to concentrate on his writing. He is the founder of Medieval Murderers, has been Chairman of the Crime Writers’ Association, and helped create the Historical Writers’ Association. Keen to help new writers, for some years he organised the Debut Dagger competition, and is now organising the AsparaWriting festival for new writers at Evesham. He has judged many prizes, including the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger. Michael is an international speaker on writing and for business. He lives with his wife, children and dogs in northern Dartmoor.
Michael can be contacted through his website:
www.michaeljecks.co.uk
.
He can be followed on twitter (@MichaelJecks) or on
Facebook.com/Michael.Jecks.author
.
His photos of Devon and locations for his books can be found at:
Flickr.com/photos/Michael_Jecks
.
The Last Templar
The Merchant’s Partner
A Moorland Hanging
The Crediton Killings
The Abbot’s Gibbet
The Leper’s Return
Squire Throwleigh’s Heir
Belladonna at Belstone
The Traitor of St Giles
The Boy-Bishop’s Glovemaker
The Tournament of Blood
The Sticklepath Strangler
The Devil’s Acolyte
The Mad Monk of Gidleigh
The Templar’s Penance
The Outlaws of Ennor
The Tolls of Death
The Chapel of Bones
The Butcher of St Peter’s
A Friar’s Bloodfeud
The Death Ship of Dartmouth
Malice of Unnatural Death
Dispensation of Death
The Templar, the Queen and Her Lover
The Prophecy of Death
The King of Thieves
No Law in the Land
The Bishop Must Die
The Oath
King’s Gold
City of Fiends
Templar’s Acre
‘Michael Jecks is the master of the medieval whodunnit’ Robert Low
‘Captivating … If you care for a well-researched visit to medieval England, don’t pass this series’
Historical Novels Review
‘Michael Jecks has a way of dipping into the past and giving it that immediacy of a present-day newspaper article … He writes … with such convincing charm that you expect to walk round a corner in Tavistock and meet some of the characters’
Oxford Times
‘Great characterisation, a detailed sense of place, and a finely honed plot make this a superb medieval historical’
Library Journal
‘Stirring intrigue and a compelling cast of characters will continue to draw accolades’
Publishers Weekly
‘A tortuous and exciting plot … The construction of the story and the sense of period are excellent’
Shots
‘This fascinating portrayal of medieval life and the corruption of the Church will not disappoint. With convincing characters whose treacherous acts perfectly combine with a devilishly masterful plot, Jecks transports readers back to this wicked world with ease’
Good Book Guide
The seventeenth novel in Michael Jecks’s medieval Knights Templar series.
Summer 1323: in the Cornish village of Cardinham, a penniless young woman is found hanged alongside the bodies of her dead children. Passing through the village on the final leg of their long journey home, friends Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and Bailiff Simon Puttock are detained to investigate.
Simon and Baldwin quickly discover the young woman’s death is not an isolated incident. And as the escape of a traitor threatens to embroil the country in a new civil war, they must look beyond friendships and family loyalties to find an evil killer – and secure the safety of Cardinham and all who dwell there.
This book is for Mark, Sarah, Laura and Emilia with thanks for all the music.
First and foremost, I have to thank my wife Jane and my daughter, for tolerating my hibernation during the writing of this story, while all about me the house fell apart. Luckily my wife is an angel who is capable of controlling builders.
My thanks also to the champion chippie, Kieran, the amazing disappearing plumber, Martin, the specialist sparkies, Andy, Laurence and Tony, and the perfect plasterers, Andy and Peter for all of them working so efficiently that I was able to work all the time they ripped my house apart around me.
Finally I must thank Amy Philip for her help and support in the production of this book during the
interregnum.
The Travellers
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| Sir Baldwin de Furnshill | Once a Knight Templar, Sir Baldwin is a keen seeker of truth and justice as a result of witnessing the destruction of his Order. He is married to Jeanne, whom he misses greatly on this journey. |
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| Bailiff Simon Puttock | Baldwin’s oldest friend, Simon is responsible for law and order on the moors of Dartmoor, the tin-mining areas. He has been on pilgrimage with Baldwin to Galicia and is desperate to return home. |
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| Ivo | A groom, Ivo has been sent with the two travellers to look after their hired horses and bring the latter safely back to the inn at Bodmin. |
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| Sir Jules | This young knight is new to his duties as Coroner, and leans heavily on the experience of his older and wiser clerk, Roger. |
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| Roger | Clerk to a succession of Coroners. |
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Cardinham’s Inhabitants | |
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| Adam | A young and immature priest, Adam is nonetheless dedicated to his flock, and is alarmed when he learns there is a murderer in their midst. |
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| Alexander | The Constable of the Peace for the vill of Cardinham, Alexander is determined to improve his own and his family’s wealth. He can never forget how devastated his father was when his mother died, and how the family lived in desperate poverty ever afterwards. Fond of children, his own marriage is sadly barren. |
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| Lady Anne | Although her husband is not a knight or squire, Anne is called ‘Lady’ by all who know her, as though she was genuinely the lady of the castle. She arrived at Cardinham one day while on her way to Exeter, and as soon as Nicholas saw her, he set his heart on winning her hand. |
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| Aumery | The older of Serlo and Muriel’s children, Aumery is nearly four years old. |
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| Gervase | The steward at the castle, Gervase is responsible for the farming in the manor, as well as the courts and rents. |
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| Hamelin | The younger of Serlo and Muriel’s children, Ham is eight months old. |
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| Iwan | The old blacksmith, who has seen and heard much during his long lifetime. |
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| John | Priest at the little church up at Temple, John owes his position to the help of Sir Henry of Cardinham, but he is a reluctant recipient of Sir Henry’s support. |
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| Julia | A young widow, Julia cooks and cleans for the other priest, Father Adam. Although there is nothing in his or her behaviour to merit censure, she is looked down upon by some who assume she provides additional services. |
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| Letitia | Alexander’s wife is of better birth than him, but his astuteness with business attracted her. Her only disagreements with him involve his brother the miller, Serlo, whom she considers a fool and a wastrel. |
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| Muriel | Serlo’s wife, Muriel is a generous, calm woman who is devoted to her children. She is careful with her husband, because he can too easily flare up in anger, especially when he has been drinking, but she wouldn’t dream of leaving him. |
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| Nicholas | While Sir Henry of Cardinham is absent, which he has been for many years, having other more profitable manors nearer the centre of power, Nicholas the castellan has responsibility for the defence of the castle and manor. |
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| Richer | Born in Cardinham, Richer left in 1316 when his family all died in a fire. Now he has returned to work as a man-at-arms in the castle. |
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| Serlo | Serlo was spoiled when young by his older brother Alexander: there was nothing he desired that Alex wouldn’t procure for him. Now he is a moderately successful miller, and is pleased with his two sons. |
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| Susan | The alewife at the tavern in the vill, Sue is attracted to Richer and Warin, but keeps her feelings in check. She’s always nervous of falling in love with another wastrel like her husband – now, fortunately, gone. He ran away with a serving wench three years ago and she hopes he’s dead. |
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| Squire Warin | Arriving with a letter of introduction from Sir Henry of Cardinham, Warin is viewed askance by other members of the castle’s team because he remains aloof from them, preferring the company of Richer. A quiet, observant fellow, he carries some authority but appears happier to listen than comment. |