The Ravens of Blackwater by Edward Marston

Author:Edward Marston [Marston, Edward]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Tags: Genre Fiction, Historical, Historical Fiction, Literature & Fiction
ISBN: 9780747248965
Google: NaAQnwEACAAJ
Publisher: Headline Book Publishing
Published: 1996-01-14T13:00:00+00:00

It was a moving service. Guy FitzCorbucion was universally disliked outside Blackwater Hall yet everyone who passed the Church of All Souls’ that morning had paid him the tribute of a passing sigh. Few wished him to be alive but the manner of his death aroused a spark of sympathy in most of the people of Maldon and they accepted his right to be buried with all due respect. In front of a full congregation, Mass was sung for the soul of the departed, then Oslac the Priest gave a short address, which struck exactly the right note. He praised Guy’s few good qualities while carefully sliding over his many bad ones, and he tried to draw positive lessons out of the searing tragedy. When the mourners followed the cortege out into the churchyard, most were weeping and some had to be steadied or even carried along.

Matilda found it totally harrowing and she clung to Jocelyn’s arm throughout, near to collapse at times and bursting into tears at the point where Guy’s body was lowered into the grave. Guy had been a destructive presence in her life but he was still her brother and the blood tie could not be denied. Part of Matilda herself was being sent into that gaping hole in the ground. Jocelyn bore up well. He was visibly shaken during the service but sensed that others would need to rely on him and that it was vital to show strength and control. Beneath the expressionless face was also a stirring of the ambition that had been ground down for so long. Guy was finally out of his way.

Hamo FitzCorbucion behaved with a restraint which few expected. He shed no tears and required no supportive hands. He subdued his anger beneath his grief and watched in mute torment as his elder son took his leave of the world. Fears that he might explode during the service were not realised and Oslac was especially relieved that the grave of Algar was neither attacked nor even reviled. The ravens looked like family members around this corpse and they were not cawing nor pecking.

When the service was over, the priest spoke first to the distraught

Matilda and then to the dignified Hamo. His offer of help was well intentioned and sincere but neither would be able to take it. The daughter was too enmeshed in her own ambivalence and the father was too keen to take the edge off his sorrow by capturing his son’s killer. Most of the congregation would be returning to Blackwater Hall for the funeral bake-meats but the master of the house would not be

with them. No sooner did he step off consecrated ground than he became a coarse apostate.

“Bring the men and ride to Northey Island.”

“Again, my lord?” said the steward. “He’s still there! I smelled his stink!” “Will you be at the hall, my lord?” “No! I will lead the search.”

“Now?” said Fulk in surprise.

“Now!” confirmed Hamo. “Guy is in his grave. We must find the slave who put him there.

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.