Tales of Old 1 – A Lion Rampant




Tales of Old show

Summary: by Jean Davidson read by Tony Honickberg Period: 1300s Setting: England This story ©Jean Davidson 2001, first appeared in The Mammoth Book of More Historical Whodunnits, edited by Mike Ashley You may, try to escape the past, but its long chilly fingers can stretch out to touch you whenever and wherever you least expect. I'd thought myself free and clear, reborn and reinvented as Scotland was reborn with Robert the Bruce as king. I thought I was so safe in my new life and new identity I'd even started courting a Highland girl. But who should have known better than me? You can never be safe. And now here I was, clattering up Tower Street past All Hallows Church under armed escort. The walls of the Tower of London loomed on my left, ahead the River Thames sparkled in the early morning summer sunshine. I shuddered as we turned and crossed the first drawbridge and entered through the Lion Gate. Long ago in my old life I'd been instrumental on several occations for sending other men on this route. They'd not come out again and I could only pray that i would escape a similar fate. But first, I had to find out what I stood accused of before I could talk my way out of it.