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Authors: Michael Jecks

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A Friar's Bloodfeud: (Knights Templar 20)

BOOK: A Friar's Bloodfeud: (Knights Templar 20)
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A Friar’s Bloodfeud
Michael Jecks

Copyright © 2005 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 1981 7

HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP

An Hachette UK Company

338 Euston Road

London NW1 3BH

www.headline.co.uk

www.hachette.co.uk

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

About the Author

Also by Michael Jecks

Praise

About the Book

Dedication

Cast of Characters

Map

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-Two

Author’s Note

Glossary

About the Author

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’s 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
.

Also by 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

Praise

‘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

About the book

The twentieth novel in Michael Jecks’s medieval Knights Templar series.

March 1323: in the rural idyll of Iddesleigh, a gang of men break into the home of Bailiff Simon Puttock’s servant and attack his family. When word reaches Simon, he and Sir Baldwin de Funshill, Keeper of the King’s Peace, hurry to the home, finding it burned to the ground and the bodies from within already buried.

Could this be the result of a tragic accident, or is a darker force at work? As Baldwin and Simon attempt to uncover the truth, it quickly becomes clear that a terrible evil lurks in the land, and that the pain and bloodshed are far from over.

This book is for dear old

Don Morton.

A friend for life to all who knew him.

He’s sorely missed.

Cast of Characters

The Officers

 

Sir Baldwin de Furnshill

Once a Knight Templar, Sir Baldwin is a Keeper of the King’s Peace and occasionally a Justice. In his time as a law officer
he has gained a reputation for being an astute investigator of crimes.

Lady Jeanne

Baldwin’s wife, Jeanne has been married before, to Sir Ralph de Liddinstone, but is a great deal happier with her second husband.

Bailiff Simon Puttock

Baldwin’s closest friend, Simon was bailiff of Lydford, maintaining the peace over the moors, but now he has been given a
new job as Abbot Robert of Tavistock’s man in Dartmouth.

Edgar

Originally Baldwin’s sergeant in the Knights Templar, Edgar has remained Baldwin’s servant and steward of his household since
their departure from the Order.

Hugh

Once a shepherd, Hugh has long
been Simon’s servant. Always loyal, if morose and sullen, he is devoted to Simon’s family. When he married Constance and left
Simon’s household, it was a wrench on both sides.

Emma

Jeanne’s maid since their youth in Bordeaux, Emma has still not been able to accustom herself to the weather and manners of
the English. She sees herself as superior to all pastoral folk, having been raised in a city.

Fishleigh

 

Sir Odo de Bordeaux

The keen servant of Sir John Sully for many years, Sir Odo is now master of Sir John’s manor at Fishleigh, and his jurisdiction
extends to the vill of Iddesleigh on the other side of the river. He sees to the land’s profit and protects his territory
jealously. Sir John Sully is a vassal of Lord Hugh de Courtenay.

Robert Crokers

Under Sir Odo’s stewardship, Robert is the bailiff or sergeant, charged with the maintenance of the lands. He oversees the
harrowing, planting and cultivation of the crops, as well as harvesting.

Walter

A man-at-arms who serves Sir Odo, Walter is an older man who is used to warfare.

Iddesleigh

 

Constance

Wife of Hugh, Constance was once a novice at the priory at Belstone, but she had been allowed to leave by the prioress (see
Belladonna at Belstone
). She has a two-year-old child whom she has also named Hugh.

Father Matthew

The local priest, Father Matthew has lived in Iddesleigh for many years and has grown to sympathise with the natural suspicion
shown by the locals to all ‘foreigners’.

Jankin

Owner of the local inn as well as a farmer, Jankin is an excellent host, and a fount of knowledge about the people in the
area too.

David

Known as ‘Deadly Dave’ for his ability to kill men with boredom, David is a lonely local man.

Monkleigh

 

Sir Geoffrey Servington

Steward of the Despenser lands, Sir Geoffrey is an older warrior. In his youth he gambled all on tournaments, and lost. After
that it was only the support of the Despensers that saved him from ruin.

Ailward

The sergeant of the Monkleigh estates, Ailward is bitter at his sudden fall. His father and grandsire were both squires, and
he longs to be recognised as such.

Adam of Rookford

Known as ‘Adcock’, the new sergeant of the Despenser manor of Monkleigh is keen to make his mark. This job is a great advance
for him, and he’s excited at the opportunities it offers.

Nicholas le Poter

A man-at-arms, Nicholas is not impressed by Sir Geoffrey and is certain he could do the job more effectively.

Mary

Known as Malkin, Ailward’s wife adores her husband.

Isabel

Malkin’s mother-in-law, Isabel is used to bereavement, having lost her father to the Irish wars and her husband during the
recent civil war between Mortimer and the Despensers.

Pagan

An old servant of Isabel’s family, Pagan feels adrift without the two men he had served.

BOOK: A Friar's Bloodfeud: (Knights Templar 20)
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