This story shifts from William Marshall (The Greatest Knight) as a knight in the Holy Land to his pilgrimage to Jerusalem to lay the young King Henry’s cloak on the sepulcher to his dying days in England. Along the way, in Constantinople, William and his brother, Ancel, encounter evil men who believe them to be spies for Rome.
In Jerusalem, they become embroiled in the politics of the ancient city while helping King Baldwin who is suffering from leprosy. It is there William encounters the dangerous Pascia de Riveri, the concubine of the highest churchman in the land. William pursues an affair with Pascia, hoping to keep it secret. Once discovered, their lives are in danger. Their only chance to see home again will depend upon the Templars who protect them and the two silk shrouds William has purchased for his eventual death.
As with all Chadwick’s books, she takes you into the time and place with vivid descriptions, meticulous research and her gift for painting a scene. Having read all her William Marshall stories save this one (book 6), I was surprised that Marshall was so weak in the face of rejection by a woman who was already compromised. But Chadwick did a good job bringing their emotions to the fore.
The story will draw you in. The flashbacks to the Holy Land are what make it enjoyable. To realize he is seeing it again in his mind as he lay on his deathbed made it a bit sad. Still, a good one to add to the collection. All her books shine with excellence.
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