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

Álvaraz nudged his horse towards Blackstone as his men went among the fallen to kill any badly wounded men and horses. ‘They will not be fooled again, Sir Thomas.’

‘They don’t have to be. If we’re lucky, the King’s route ahead is safe now.’

‘Then we ride back to the King. What of the villagers?’

‘Let them keep the silk and cloth,’ said Blackstone. ‘It’s a small payment for their courage. If they head west, they have a better chance. Du Guesclin rides for Burgos to join Hugh Calveley. The routiers are behind us. They won’t stay at Burgos long. They’ll soon be on our heels and at the gates of Seville. Don Pedro lives another day but by nightfall he will have lost the crown. They will declare Henry of Trastámara king in the cathedral.’

Álvaraz looked miserable. ‘I would be in your debt if you told him. If I deliver the news they will leave my body hanging at the next crossroads.’

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

They caught up with Don Pedro and Killbere two days later as they camped for the night before entering Seville the following day.

‘The King rides with the Moors and ignores us,’ said Killbere.

Blackstone handed the bastard horse’s reins to John Jacob and then plunged his hands into the bucket of water that Lázaro had carried to him when he saw the men return. Blackstone sluiced the grime from his face, running fingers through his hair. ‘The damned French are giving chase.’

‘Du Guesclin?’ said Killbere.

‘And five hundred men.’ He glanced to where Álvaraz waited before going to the King’s tent. ‘There was a skirmish but I’ll tell you later. We need to push harder, Gilbert, and I need to tell the King.’

‘He did listen to you – he rides late into the day and breaks camp early.’

‘Then he needs to listen more.’ Blackstone beckoned Álvaraz and strode across the camp to where the King’s tent stood apart from the men. Killbere watched them go.

‘Will?’

Will Longdon turned from where he was addressing his archers. ‘Sir Gilbert?’

‘How close was it?’

The centenar walked over and shook his head. ‘They would have trampled us to death in the first charge.’ He told Killbere how Blackstone had used the retreating villagers to fool du Guesclin. ‘Mark my words,’ said Longdon, ‘we looked into the face of death as certain as I am facing you.’