When Sir William and his father, Sir Thomas of Stockton, the grandson of the Warlord, return from the crusade, they have to fight a new enemy: The Scots. Now that Queen Joan has died then King Alexander of Scotland is under the influence of the French. Sir William has to defend a perilously under-protected border. King Henry loses a disastrous battle to the French and the men of the Tees Valley are decimated. This is when Sir William will be truly tested for he is alone with fewer men than he needs.
A fast-moving novel which shows the border between Scotland and England at a time when Kings and nobles had yet to decide precisely where it was!
In this book the focus of the Border Knight series shifts from Sir Thomas, who has been fighting since Arsuf, a lifetime ago, to his son, Sir William. Sir William has taken on the responsibility of serving a king who, whilst not as bad as his father, is not the king which England deserves.
Those who have followed my writing from the beginning will see the threads of England’s history becoming intertwined. The last book saw the rise of Simon de Montfort. If you read the Lord Edward’s Archer series then you will see the end of Simon de Montfort in ‘The King in Waiting‘. In my writing, I try to show the effects of major events from many angles.
Thank you to all my readers, especially the American ones, who have told me that reading my books has not only informed them about English history but made them wish to visit England. I confess that while I have seen much of this wonderful country and am more than familiar with certain parts of it I still have lots of places I wish to visit. My writing affords me the opportunity to do so. I am well aware that, thanks to my loyal readers, I am a blessed man. Thank you.
