BooksBarbecue
Back Shadow of the Hawk
Chapters (96)
  1. Cover
  2. By David Gilman
  3. SHADOW OF THE HAWK
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. CHARACTER LIST
  8. Map
  9. Epigraph
  10. PROLOGUE
  11. PART ONE
  12. CHAPTER ONE
  13. CHAPTER TWO
  14. CHAPTER THREE
  15. CHAPTER FOUR
  16. CHAPTER FIVE
  17. CHAPTER SIX
  18. CHAPTER SEVEN
  19. CHAPTER EIGHT
  20. CHAPTER NINE
  21. CHAPTER TEN
  22. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  23. CHAPTER TWELVE
  24. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  25. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  26. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  27. PART TWO
  28. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  29. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  30. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  31. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  35. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  36. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  37. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  38. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  39. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  40. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  41. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  42. PART THREE
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  45. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  46. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  47. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  48. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  49. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  50. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  51. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  52. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  53. CHAPTER FORTY
  54. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  55. PART FOUR
  56. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  57. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  58. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  59. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  60. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  61. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  62. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  63. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  64. CHAPTER FIFTY
  65. CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
  66. CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
  67. CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
  68. CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
  69. CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
  70. PART FIVE
  71. CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
  72. CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
  73. CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
  74. CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
  75. CHAPTER SIXTY
  76. CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
  77. CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
  78. CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
  79. CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
  80. CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
  81. CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
  82. CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
  83. CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
  84. CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
  85. CHAPTER SEVENTY
  86. CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE
  87. CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO
  88. CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
  89. CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR
  90. CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
  91. CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX
  92. CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
  93. CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT
  94. Author’s Notes
  95. About the Author
  96. An Invitation from the Publisher

‘Did you think we would declare war?’ The King laughed and settled himself in a chair. A servant darted forward and poured wine into a silver goblet. ‘It is a game of chess between us and the Prince of Wales.’

Bucy shook his head. Was he becoming so feeble-minded that he could not keep up with the young King’s rapid thoughts? ‘I... I fail to understand the connection.’

‘We made our decision weeks ago when de Hayle was paid for his story. We sent de Bagneaux south to negotiate with the King of Aragon’s chamberlain.’

Bucy’s mind raced. Sending his confidential secretary Gontier de Bagneaux to open negotiations with Castile’s enemy, Aragon, had required such secrecy that they’d kept even him in the dark. But to what end?

‘Your dismay is plain to see,’ said the King. ‘Have no qualms. We wanted you here close to us. You were correct in thinking affairs of state needed attention when our efforts were needed elsewhere. We had to be seen to be doing something, which is why the counsellors were engaged. No one knew.’

‘How do the Prince of Wales and Blackstone fit into this, highness?’

Charles watched servants stack more wood onto the fire. The flames leapt. He huddled in his cloak. He was cold all the time. His frailty was a concern to the likes of Bucy, but where the body faltered the mind’s projection was as sharp and true as a well-aimed arrow. ‘We have the Englishman Hugh Calveley and his men waiting in Languedoc with our brother Louis.’

‘Was he not contracted to fight other routiers in the south?’

The King nodded. His thin lips showed yellowed teeth. Bucy saw the sewer rat’s cunning. His voice fell to barely more than a whisper that seethed with energy. ‘I have made plans over these past weeks, Simon. Hugh Calveley will not ride against the routiers, he will lead them.’

Bucy broke protocol and stepped rapidly towards the King, drawn by his explanation that suddenly filled the old man’s heart with hope. The future opened before him. This bold, calculated act was the beginning of France’s resurgence. ‘And... and the Prince of Wales will do what?’ he asked himself and then answered his own question. ‘It is already too late to form an army, but he will need to protect Don Pedro. He will send his Master of War, Thomas Blackstone.’

‘And if good fortune smiles on us, Simon, we rid ourselves of him at last.’

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO