Murder Most Medieval: Noble Tales of Ignoble Demises by Martin H. Greenberg & John Helfers

Author:Martin H. Greenberg & John Helfers [Greenberg, Martin H. & Helfers, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781620458532
Publisher: Cumberland House Publishing
Published: 2000-05-31T22:00:00+00:00

A Gift from God

Edward Marston

England, 1371.

Nobody had told him how beautiful she was. When he heard about her reputation as a weaver of spells, he imagined that she would be an ugly old crone who lived in some hovel, with only a mangy cat or a flea-bitten dog for company. Instead, much to his astonishment and pleasure, Catherine Teale was a handsome woman in her late twenties, alert, bright-eyed, and glowing with health. Her attire was serviceable rather than costly, but it enhanced her shapely figure. Hugh Costaine was duly impressed. As he reined in his horse, he gave her a smirk of admiration.

“You are the sorceress?” he said in surprise. “No, sir,” she replied with a polite shake of her head. “There is no sorcery involved in what I do. I have a gift, that is all.” “You have many gifts, as I can see.”

Costaine leered at her. He was a tall, sharp-featured man, little above her own age but coarsened by debauchery that added a greyness to his beard and a decade to his appearance. As befitted the eldest son of Sir Richard Costaine, lord of the manor of Headcorn, he was wearing the finest array and riding a spirited black stallion. Catherine was about to go into the house when he accosted her. She had just returned from a walk across the fields to gather herbs. Costaine feasted his eyes on her.

“I need your help,” he said at length.

“It is yours to command, sir.”

“Prepare me a flask of poison. Something swift and venomous. Our stables are overrun with rats, and I would be rid of them.”

“Then you must look elsewhere,” Catherine suggested. “I do not make potions to end life, only to preserve it. I medicine the sick. That is my calling.”

“If you can cure, you can also kill,” he insisted. “I’ll not be balked. Now, get into the house and mix what I require.”

“I do not know how to, sir.”

“Hurry, woman!”

“There is no point.”

Costaine angered. “You deny my request?”

“It has been brought to the wrong person.”

“But I heard many tales about you. They say that you practice sorcery. That you conjure spirits out of the air to help you.”

“Idle gossip. Do not believe it.”

“Too many mouths praise your skills.”

“Skills of healing. Nothing more.”

“Unnatural skills. Deeds of wonder. Magic. No more of this evasion,” he ordered, dismounting to confront her. “I have ridden five miles on this errand. I need that poison forthwith. Fetch it at once.”

He was close enough to appreciate her charms even more now. Her face was gorgeous, her skin luminous. Catherine exuded a scent that was almost intoxicating. Costaine inhaled deeply. Lust stirring, he gave her an oily grin and took a step nearer.

“You will be well-paid,” he promised her. “Give me what I seek, and I will reward you with a kiss. A hundred of them.” He reached out, but she eluded his grasp. He chuckled. “Do you find me so repellent?”

“No, sir.”

“Then why keep me at bay? Is it to whet my appetite?”

“I would never do that.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.