Rise of the Wolf by Steven A McKay

Author:Steven A McKay [McKay, Steven A]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical fiction
Published: 2015-07-28T14:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Osferth proved to be an entertaining travel companion. Full of nervous energy and always ready to burst into one of his favourite hymns, Tuck was glad to have him along on his return to Yorkshire. For some reason the man didn't seem to care that he'd left his life – and vows – behind in Lewes.

After he'd punched de Monte Martini Tuck had made his way out of the priory and met up with the waiting Osferth not far from the walls. When the friar had returned to Lewes he'd ostensibly turned over any valuables he carried to the priory's treasurer, but the wily former wrestler had hidden the gold and silver he'd earned while part of Robin Hood's gang. It was a lot of money and he had no intention of relinquishing it into the fat, grasping hands of the prior who would, doubtless, spend it on finery to adorn his already treasure laden private chamber.

They used some of the small coins in Cooksbridge to buy a pair of horses and pushed them close to their limits now. Not only did they have to escape any pursuers the prior might send after them, but Tuck also prayed they'd be in time to warn Robin and the rest of his friends that their location had been found out and passed to Sir Guy of Gisbourne. The man that sold them the mounts had asked where they were going and eyed their cassocks with interest but Tuck had batted the questions aside, only telling the merchant they were headed north on church business.

Osferth had a thatch of straw-coloured hair and was as skinny as one of the rakes they used in the priory to gather fallen autumn leaves. The man could probably have run all the way to Wakefield with a grin on his slightly simple-looking face, Tuck thought, but he himself had found it hard even just to match Osferth's pace on the way to Cooksbridge.

Tuck's days of wandering around the countryside were done. He wondered how he'd survive now that he was a wolf's head again, for surely Prior de Monte Martini would have the law after his blood harder than ever. It was a worry...

But it was a worry for another day – right now they had to make their way north as quickly as possible and warn Robin if it wasn't already too late.

That morning, as the sun was high in the sky and the morning haze had burned away the mist leaving the country for miles around visible they passed what looked like a merchant riding on his wagon full of goods accompanied by a pair of grizzled guards on foot at the side and Osferth, grinning and apparently full of the joy of God's gift of life, began to sing, loudly and surprisingly melodiously, “All Creatures of our God and King”. The hymn, incongruous in such a setting, brought only bemused looks from the mercenaries who fingered their sword hilts, wondering if the crazed Benedictine monk might prove to be a threat.

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.