After taking a
break for the late summer days, Medieval Monday is back. Our theme this month
is travel and I have the perfect excerpt for you from my new story, THE MAXWELL
GHOST featured in the novella anthology, Once
Upon a Haunted Castle. Traitors, deception, murders
and ghosts run rampant at The Maxwell’s Caerlaverock Castle. Jamie Maxwell
Collins, a man of reality not magic, serves Lord Herbert in exchange for his own
farm. Laura Reynolds, Lord Herbert’s distant cousin comes to the castle
to solve the murders and put the ghost to rest. The two, long-time friends find
their destinies intertwined with hidden passions, but all is in jeopardy when
Laura becomes the murderer’s next target. Jamie will find he needs some ghostly
assistance to save Laura and declare his love.
break for the late summer days, Medieval Monday is back. Our theme this month
is travel and I have the perfect excerpt for you from my new story, THE MAXWELL
GHOST featured in the novella anthology, Once
Upon a Haunted Castle. Traitors, deception, murders
and ghosts run rampant at The Maxwell’s Caerlaverock Castle. Jamie Maxwell
Collins, a man of reality not magic, serves Lord Herbert in exchange for his own
farm. Laura Reynolds, Lord Herbert’s distant cousin comes to the castle
to solve the murders and put the ghost to rest. The two, long-time friends find
their destinies intertwined with hidden passions, but all is in jeopardy when
Laura becomes the murderer’s next target. Jamie will find he needs some ghostly
assistance to save Laura and declare his love.
Here, Jamie is
bringing Laura to Caerlaverock Castle. On their journey they are attacked by
reivers. I hope you enjoy this excerpt.
bringing Laura to Caerlaverock Castle. On their journey they are attacked by
reivers. I hope you enjoy this excerpt.
Excerpt from The Maxwell Ghost:
He and Laura
were targets in the swift moving water. He needed to get farther downstream,
away from the marshland. He cursed himself for worrying about her propriety
rather than her safety.
were targets in the swift moving water. He needed to get farther downstream,
away from the marshland. He cursed himself for worrying about her propriety
rather than her safety.
The sound of splashing from up river grew
closer.
closer.
“Wrap your arms around my waist and try not
to lose your seat.”
to lose your seat.”
They reached the far bank and raced along the
river, the raiders not far behind.
river, the raiders not far behind.
“You need to let me down,” she yelled at him
in the wind. “You can go faster without me.”
in the wind. “You can go faster without me.”
“Keep down,” he said between clenched teeth
and pulled his sword. They raced on, the land a blur as they flew by.
and pulled his sword. They raced on, the land a blur as they flew by.
The spray of water from his horse’s pounding
hooves turned into small clouds of dust as they came out of the marshland into
the meadow. His horse couldn’t maintain this speed much longer. They reached
the area where the river dog-legged to the right. A dense fog hung low in the
forest. Jamie let loose his battle cry then veered into the woods.
hooves turned into small clouds of dust as they came out of the marshland into
the meadow. His horse couldn’t maintain this speed much longer. They reached
the area where the river dog-legged to the right. A dense fog hung low in the
forest. Jamie let loose his battle cry then veered into the woods.
They raced on. Out of the mist his men
charged and dashed past them set to do battle with the reivers close behind
them.
charged and dashed past them set to do battle with the reivers close behind
them.
Jamie and Laura raced on. Laura glanced over
his shoulder.
his shoulder.
“Rider behind us.” Jamie urged his horse on
faster. If they didn’t stop soon, the poor animal would collapse.
faster. If they didn’t stop soon, the poor animal would collapse.
Another glance. The man was gaining ground.
Think, she told herself. Sunlight bounced off Jamie’s sword. Could it work? It
had to.
Think, she told herself. Sunlight bounced off Jamie’s sword. Could it work? It
had to.
“Put your sword on your left shoulder then
make a quick half-turn to your left and face the rider. Don’t stop, charge,”
Laura said as she lay as close to his horse as possible to give Jamie more room
to maneuver.
make a quick half-turn to your left and face the rider. Don’t stop, charge,”
Laura said as she lay as close to his horse as possible to give Jamie more room
to maneuver.
“Don’t look. It’s not going to be a pretty
sight.”
sight.”
She closed her eyes tight.
Jamie followed her instructions. The sound of
the horse’s hooves echoed in her head as he completed the maneuver and his
horse sprang forward. With the full weight of the charging horse behind his
sword, he hit the raider in the chest. The man fell to the ground. His
disembodied head rolled somewhere in the mist.
the horse’s hooves echoed in her head as he completed the maneuver and his
horse sprang forward. With the full weight of the charging horse behind his
sword, he hit the raider in the chest. The man fell to the ground. His
disembodied head rolled somewhere in the mist.
Jamie turned his horse again and continued
into the woods. Laura sat up. The trees sped by. She began to panic at the tall
hedge row that loomed in front of them.
into the woods. Laura sat up. The trees sped by. She began to panic at the tall
hedge row that loomed in front of them.
Their direction didn’t waver. Rather than
slow down, the animal gathered speed. Jamie crushed her in front of him and
held her head against his chest.
slow down, the animal gathered speed. Jamie crushed her in front of him and
held her head against his chest.
“I won’t let anything happen to you. Hold
me.”
me.”
The sensation of flying through the air
frightened and exhilarated her at the same time. For a moment, her heart
stopped. How they landed without the horse falling or them being thrown was
beyond her, but they did.
frightened and exhilarated her at the same time. For a moment, her heart
stopped. How they landed without the horse falling or them being thrown was
beyond her, but they did.
The horse slowed to a halt, lathered and
blowing hard. His men were soon with them.
blowing hard. His men were soon with them.
I've had 2 experiences. In an old 2 family house, I rented the second floor and my elderly landlady had passed and I swear she never left the house. Lights would come on and off (they had to be turned on from the hallway downstairs (which was now empty downstairs, because she had passed), my stereo would turn on in the middle of the night frequently while both my son and I slept. So I believe she never really left the house. I also had a black kitten who was near and dear to my heart pass at a young age, due to health issues and I STILL see a black cat scooting by every now and again, out of nowhere. My husband also saw that cat yet he never met her!
It must have been exciting to have such an experience.