Lord of the Abbey

by K. R. Richards

  Rowena began, “The Secretum Domini reveals very much the same information as Trevan gave you. I did find that both Mary Magdalene and the Blessed Virgin did spend some time here in Glastonbury after the crucifixion. The Magdalene stayed near Stonedown, possibly in a house on this site with the Priestesses of Avalon. Mary, the Blessed Virgin, came with Jesus’ brother James and stayed somewhere near where the Abbey is located. She returned to Ephesus afterward. I will update you on the rest in September also.”

  Micah stood. “The Greek scroll I am translating was written by the son of St. Joseph of Arimathea. I must confess, I am having difficulty deciphering his name, but I believe it is Josephes. He describes a great deal about the Druidic Colleges here at Glastonbury, and one at Avebury. So far, I haven’t pinpointed the others, for I can’t match any of the old names given to current locations. I will endeavor to pursue that avenue. The scroll gives a general, but informative description of life in Glastonbury at that time. Very interesting actually, for it seems Glastonbury was a center of learning at that time. And like now, a Holy place of pilgrimage. Like Trevan and Rowena, I confess my full report will be given in September in Cornwall, for I have not even begun transcribing the other two scrolls.”

  Harry spoke then. “It appears that we discovered some exciting but also alarming information. It must be guarded and protected well, for this information can be considered dangerous to know and to have. I don’t need to remind you, there are people who will kill to destroy such information, and others who might kill to steal it and make it public. Percy Davitt being one example. In September, after we each read and study the material we’ve been allotted, we shall report our findings. Then we shall decide as a whole, the Avalon Society, how best to move forward with such information. Guard yourselves and the information well.”

  Harry let go a heavy sigh, then continued, “I must also let you know Trevan has confirmed that Amelia Whitely disappeared the very same night as did Percy Davitt. It is believed that Mrs. Whitely and Percy Davitt stayed at the Bell Inn at Manchester under the name of Mr. and Mrs. Jones. The doctor there tended a gravely wounded man who was shot multiple times and stabbed once. The Doctor also wagered to guess the patient would not survive. The next day the couple was gone, having mysteriously vanished, leaving their carriage and driver behind. Mr. Jones was unable to walk down the stairs on his own, and it is doubted Mrs. Jones could carry him. No one in Manchester knows where they went. Or how. We were unable to pick up their trail.”

  Harry continued, “We know Percy Davitt was looking for a scroll written by Jesus the Younger. Others may be as well. We must all be cautious. We must keep this information secret. We feel Davitt is too badly wounded to be a threat for the next several weeks, but we cannot know for certain. There is also the possibility he has other partners, possibly even in London who will continue the search. In future, Davitt, if he lives, may once again be in pursuit of us. Which is another reason we split up the treasures amongst us.”

  Harry looked to Rowena, saw the fear creep back in to her eyes. He hated to see it there. He continued, “In September, we will meet at Menadue in Cornwall. Trevan will let us know the dates in the next couple of months. Prepare to stay for at least two weeks. The rest of our senior members shall be advised of the meeting as well. Due to the delicate nature of our find, the newer initiates into our society shall not be included.

  Rowena shuddered. Would they always have to fear Percy Davitt or others like him coming for the treasures again? She certainly hoped not.

  Next to her, Micah patted her arm. “Don’t worry, Rowena. We’ve got people looking for Davitt. It’s just a matter of time until we pick up his trail. We’ll all be very careful. You will be safe. Now that the treasures are being split up, any of us may be a target. At the first sign of trouble, we shall all converge to help, just as we did here at Glastonbury. I promise you, you’ll be safe.”

  She nodded. Smiled at her friend, Micah. She certainly hoped they all stayed safe.

  When the meeting was concluded, Harry escorted his wife upstairs. Once again, they were retiring late. Knowing they were to wake in the wee hours to make certain the Cornishmen had everything they required for their journey and see them off at dawn, they slept.

  Light was just beginning to streak across the pre-dawn sky when the Cornishmen made their way out of Stonedown. “Trevan, er, Your Grace, thank you for everything.” Rowena lifted up on tip-toe to hug the large man she had grown so fond of.

  “Call me Trevan, Rowena. We’ve all been through too much together to remain formal. You are very welcome. We are all friends as well as colleagues. This is what we do for one another. We are happy to have you in our society family. Keep Harry in line now.” Trevan again hugged the pretty little wife of his good friend, placed a kiss to her forehead. He liked the little pixie. “See you in September. Harry! Micah!”

  Rowena thanked all the other Cornishmen, receiving hugs from many of them. Tristan hugged her. She saw him look wistfully to the window where Lady Caroline stood in her bedclothes, watching them.

  “Tristan we shall see you in September. I shall do everything in my power to convince Lady Glaston and Lady Caroline to accompany us to Cornwall.”

  Tristan sighed. He offered Rowena a smile. “Thank you, Lady Glaston. I appreciate that very much. Take care of her for me.”

  “I will. She shall be with us the entire summer at the Grange. I shall keep her entertained. In the meantime, Tristan, you need to take actions to prove you are serious about your pursuit of Lady Caroline. Especially to your brother, the Duke, and my husband, her brother.”

  Tristan nodded then said quite seriously, “I intend to, my Lady. I shall not let Lady Caroline down. Or you.”

  All mounted, with John Michelmore driving the wagon containing the carefully packed boxes containing the bulk of their treasure, Trevan Chynoweth, his brothers, cousins and other relatives, twenty in number, exited the old Tudor Gate of Stonedown Manor.

  Most of the remaining company was still abed.

  “Mrs. Brimble said there will be coffee and breakfast waiting for the three of us. Let’s have some.” Harry ushered Rowena and Micah into the house.

  “Don’t cry, Rowena.” Micah produced his handkerchief.

  “I will miss you, Micah.” She wiped away the tears which escaped her watery eyes and slid down her cheek.

  “I will see you and Harry next month. Templecombe is not that far. We are little more than an hour apart. You and Harry will come to Horethorne Hall and visit me, and I shall come to Abbey Grange often. I promise.”

  “And you will write?”

  “I will write you,” Micah promised. He kissed her forehead.

  “Very good. Do take care of your leg, Micah. You must remember to get enough exercise.”

  “I shall.” He smiled. Allowed Rowena to hug him again. Offered Harry his hand.

  “Good-bye Charlie. Oh, I shall miss you too! You take care in Devon. Write us often,” Rowena then hugged the sandy-haired man she came to be so fond of. “Come visit us if you like, please.”

  “I shall, Rowena. Do not worry. I am not all that far from Micah. I visit him often. I’ll check in on him for you.” Charlie winked at her.

  “Please do,” Rowena kissed his cheek and flashed him a smile of gratitude.

  Micah smiled cheerily before he turned and followed Charlie into the carriage.

  Harry and Rowena watched until the carriage disappeared through the gate.

  “We will see Micah soon, Rowena.” Harry’s lips grazed her temple as he hugged her to him. He knew she would miss her friend. “We will not be deprived of all of our company at once. We still have Lyon, Wyldhurst, Newt, Elveston, Lady Amesbury and Sarah, until Thursday. And of course we’ll have Mother and Caroline the entire summer.”

  Rowena put her arms around Harry’s torso and hugged him tightly. “I have you, Harry. That is the most important thing.” She stretched up on her tip-toes to brush his lips with her own. It was to be
a quick chaste kiss, for some of the others still lingered on the steps.

  But Harry took full advantage of the moment and deepened the kiss. “Have I told you yet today how much I love you, wife?”

  “No. Not yet today. I love you too, Harry.” Her blue eyes twinkled. She felt her heart soar. “Very much.”

  “I instructed Woollard to send over a stack of letters that sorely need my attention. I was going to lock myself in the study and get them out of the way today. But I find I am suddenly distracted from my original purpose. Perhaps you might consider joining me in the study for a time, before I begin my work. I will lift your skirts and give you some attention instead.” He arched a brow and looked at her that way.

  “That sounds wonderful, Lord Glaston.” Rowena offered him her hand, smiled seductively up at him. “Shall we, my Lord?”

  Harry took her hand, placed it upon his arm. He lightly caressed her fingers.

  “We shall, my Lady. My Angel. My Venus. My Love.” He bent, whispered huskily in her ear, “For at least an hour or more, I’m thinking.”

  Continue reading for an excerpt of Lords of Honor,

  Book Two in the Lords of Avalon Series!

  Excerpt from Lords of Honor, coming soon from K. R. Richards, the second book in the Lords of Avalon Series!

  Roseland Abbey, near Hartland, Devon, May 1834

  Lady Elizabeth ‘Libby’ Darrington sat in the drawing room with her brother Owen Darrington, Lord Fitzlewis and his friend and fellow Avalon Society member, Charlie Inwood, Lord Silverly. Charlie had come to speak with Libby’s brother Owen about the happenings involving the Society recently in Glastonbury. He seemed reluctant to mention anything in her presence, however. After they talked for awhile, and no more mention was made of Glastonbury, Libby sensed Charlie wished to speak privately with her brother about the incident.

  She excused herself, “I must cut some flowers to take to the Church tomorrow. This month I must take flowers on Monday and Thursday. I’ll be in the garden. You’ll be staying for luncheon, Charlie?”

  “Of course, Miss Libby!” Charlie had called her ‘Miss Libby’ since her childhood and probably always would.

  “Be careful, Pet.” Owen, her brother, called after her.

  She picked up her basket she left behind in the hall and went outside to the gardens.

  Libby was cutting some pale pink lilacs from a bush near the large herb garden when she heard someone walk up behind her. She turned to see a rather unkempt man in a worn out brown coat and wide brimmed hat of the same color standing there.

  “Excuse me, Miss. Would you be the Lady of the house? Lady Elizabeth Darrington?”

  “Why do you want to know?” Libby asked cautiously. The man was a complete stranger. He could not be local.

  “I was supposed to give her a message.” The man nodded his head in a short bow.

  “You may give it to me,” she said in a superior tone she rarely used with anyone around Hartland. There was something about this man she did not like. She removed her gloves and placed them in her basket along with the shears.

  “I can only give it to Lady Elizabeth.”

  Libby rolled her eyes impatiently. “I am she. What is the message?”

  She heard someone approach her from behind. A cloth was placed over her mouth. She inhaled a sickly sweet smell. She tried to break free, to get away. She felt the basket handle slip through her fingers, heard the shears fall to the ground with a thud. Darkness came over her.

  When she woke, she was groggy. Her head ached. She felt movement. Heard the squeak of wheels. The clopping of horses’ hooves. She must be in a carriage. She was unable to lift her arm. Why? She didn’t know. She heard male voices. They were unfamiliar to her. As her eyelids began to flutter open, the blinding light seemed to burn her eyes. She closed them quickly.

  “She’s awake. Get that laudanum down her again, Cobley.”

  Libby remembered. She’d been through this before. Twice, maybe three times. She would open her eyes, try to sit up and then laudanum was forced down her throat. She recalled being held down by one man while the other forced her mouth open and poured the vile liquid in. Once she tried to spit it out, and they forced even more down her. The larger of the two men held her nose and clamped her jaw with a beefy, smelly hand until she swallowed.

  “It’ll be the last time. Mr. Crow said he didn’t want this one unable to walk. He said it was too hard to smuggle them into London if they’re unconscious. She needs to be alert when we hand her over at the White Hart in Andover. We want every bit of our payment. That’s tonight, Rawson.”

  “We’ll see, Cobley. If she gets saucy or causes trouble, we’ll drug her again. No matter what that Mr. Crow wants. We could hang for taking a Lady such as this one from her home. Not like the job we did for him a couple of weeks ago. That one wasn’t so high born. No one would miss that one much. This one, she’s a different story.”

  “False alarm. Looks like she’s out again.”

  “Good. This has been easy so far. I want to keep it that way.”

  “What do you suppose he’ll do with her if that brother of hers doesn’t get those old scrolls from that Avalon Society for him?”

  “What else can he do? She’s the sister to an Earl who is a prominent member of the Avalon Society and Society at large. She comes from a well known, well respected family. He hasn’t made his plans known to me but Mr. Crow has two options if he does not receive the scroll, sell her to the slavers or kill her.”

  Libby realized upon hearing those words that she must get away. She tried to stay awake but in the end she could not. She slipped back into the arms of Morpheus.

  When the carriage reached the White Hart in Andover, Libby was happy to see the inn was in a fairly busy location. She had to get away before she was handed over to this Mr. Crow. She wished she wasn’t suffering so from the effects of the laudanum.

  “Don’t say a word, Missy. I’ll cut your throat, and don’t think I won’t. You behave real nice and don’t say one word. It’s straight up the stairs you’re going until your benefactor arrives.”

  “Who is my benefactor?” Libby asked.

  “None of your concern.”

  Libby tried to catch the eye of the stable lads, then a gentleman exiting the White Hart, and was unsuccessful. No doubt a gentleman would not even concern himself with her, looking as she did in a dirty, crumpled gown, hair a tangle down her back, and in such low company. No doubt she was thought to be a harlot. Was she doomed? No! She could not be. Someone would help her. She willed it to be so. She prayed. Archangel Michael, please, please help me! She needed to think. Libby realized she must find a way to escape. She could not go up those stairs and be given to Mr. Crow. Help me, Archangel Michael! I need you now!

  When they entered the main room, the man beside her roughly took her arm and pulled her along. Libby tried to break free. It was to her advantage there were a few people in the public room.

  “I told you to get her up the stairs quickly, Cobley! You’re causing a scene. If you can’t control her, I’ll get her up there myself.”

  The man called Rawson took her arm roughly.

  “Get your hand off me!” Libby spat loudly. She realized then there was a man looking directly at her. A gentleman. He looked familiar. He noticed her. Oh my God! She knew him. It was one of Owen’s friends. And he recognized her! She was saved!

  White Hart Inn, Andover, Hampshire May, 1834

  Micah Wychcombe, Viscount Wincanton, left his chamber to go down to the public room where he would meet his traveling companion, Jonathan ‘Jack’ Drayton, the Earl of Elveston. They would eat dinner and discuss their plans for the next day’s journey. They would decide if they would detour to Glastonbury for a day before returning to Templecombe to let Harry Bellingham, Lord Glaston, know what information they found on their journey. All in all, they could just as easily send Harry a letter. But it would be good to see Harry and his wife, Rowena.

  Micah and Jack were
returning from a nearly three week long trip north to try and find the trail of one Percy Davitt. Davitt recently caused a lot of trouble for the Avalon Society in Glastonbury. Alive, he was a danger to them all.

  It was a miracle the man still lived after he tried to steal the sacred treasures found in Glastonbury. He received three gunshot wounds and one stab wound. It was still a mystery to the Avalon Society members how Percy Davitt escaped Stonedown Manor with the grave injuries he received. He and Elveston now believed Davitt was holed up somewhere in Scotland.