Dearly Terry - The Knight of Swords and Spooks

Illustrated by Helen Flook

A&C Black London

First published 2009 by
A & C Black Publishers Ltd
36 Soho Square, London W1D 3QY

www.acblack.com

Text copyright 2009 Terry Deary
Illustrations copyright 2009 Helen Flook

The rights of Terry Deary and Helen Flook to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work have been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

eISBN 978-1-40819-886-5

A CIP catalogue for this book is available from the British Library.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or information storage and retrieval systems without the prior permission in writing of the publishers.

This book is produced using paper that is made from wood grown in managed, sustainable forests. It is natural, renewable and recyclable. The logging and manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.

Printed and bound in Great Britain
by CPI Cox & Wyman, Reading RG1 8EX

Contents

Chapter One
Boy and Boar

England, 1485

Sir Thomas Stanley sat at the window and enjoyed the late-summer sun. It shone through the diamond panes of glass and on to his velvet jacket the colour of rust. He chewed on a peach and looked out over the fine garden of his castle.

There was a soft knock at the door and Sir Thomas called, Enter!

A boy pushed open the door a fair-haired, pale boy in a green tunic. He was carrying a wooden sword.

Ah, George, my son! Come in, come in! Sir Thomas said, waving a hand.

The boy stood in front of his fathers chair. You sent for me, Father?

I did, George, I did! The man smiled. It was a wide smile and as honest as a snake that is just about to swallow a rabbit.

I was practising my riding with a lance. Robin was teaching me.

Good boy, good boy. We need all the knights we can get to fight our wars. There will always be wars and there will always be knights! Ha! Now, my dear, dear son

George blinked. His father had never called him dear before. In fact, he thought his father hardly knew he was alive and living in the same castle. At dinner, his father sat with his favourite knights and ladies at the top table. George sat with the children and the squires.

As you know, Sir Thomas was saying, when a boy reaches your age, he is sent away to live with another family. Its a chance for a lad to see how other great families do things get to see other parts of England meet new people.

Yes, Father.

Now, I have the most thrilling news. It is so exciting I can hardly believe it myself, my dear, dear son.

You are sending me away to serve as a squire to a knight.

Not just any knight.

A great knight?

Not just any great knight! Sir Thomas Stanley chuckled. You, my dear son, are going to serve in the palace of the king himself!

The king? George said. Why?

Why? Why what?

Why me? The king has thousands of fine families to choose from. Why me?

Sir Thomas shifted in his seat as if it were hot. Dont ask questions like that, boy. Now turn around and kneel before King Richard III!

George turned slowly. Sitting in a darkened corner of the room, was a man with skin as pale as plaster. Dark eyes burned in a sad face with thin lips. The man was dressed in black. It was plain, black wool, not the fine silk George would expect from a king. Only a badge in the shape of a white boar on his riding cloak and a large golden ring on his finger gave some colour.

The king sat hunched in the chair and stared at George in a way that made the boy shiver.

A tall man was standing behind the chair. He smiled a sneering smile. George fell to one knee and bowed before the king.

King Richard spoke in a harsh voice. Sir Richard Ratcliffe here will be your keeper, he said.

The king stood up. He was not a tall man and he walked with a limp. He passed the kneeling boy and went to stand beside Sir Thomas.

He will do, he said.

Sir Thomas wrung his hands. Oh, thank you, sire.

Do not let me down, Thomas Stanley, or you know what will happen, he said quietly, and his voice was hard as frost.

Sir Thomas smiled a frightened smile and bowed low. Then the king was gone.

Ratcliffe slapped the boy on his back. Get your servant whats his name? Robin? Get him to pack your saddlebags.We ride for Nottingham Castle as soon as you are ready.

George hurried to the door.

Goodbye, George, Sir Thomas said. There was something in the way he said it that made George think he meant Goodbye for ever.

Chapter Two
Tudor and Traitor

Robin groaned as he packed George Stanleys saddlebags. Then he spoke a curious rhyme:

The Rat, the Cat, and Lovell the Dog, Rule all England under the Hog.

What does that mean? George asked.

Robin shook his head. He was an old man, wise in the ways of teaching a knight, but feeble in body now. I shouldnt have said that! But but the Rat is the man youve just met Sir Richard Ratcliffe one of King Richards most trusted knights. The Cat is another Sir William Catesby. And Lovell is Lord Francis Lovell the kings favourite.

They rule England?

With the help of the Hog thats King Richard himself, Robin whispered.

You cant call the king a hog! George whispered back.

Its his badge a wild boar a hog, Robin explained.

Robin?

Yes, Master George.

Why are we whispering?

Ah the man who made up that rhyme about the Rat, the Cat, and Lovell the Dog, was called Collingham. When the king heard about it, he had Collingham executed. So never call Ratcliffe the Rat!