Now that Teversal had a church and a priest regularly in attendance, Sir James was able to do something he had wanted to do since leaving the Holy Land-namely, to work out a routine that was less demanding than that of the Hospitillars but that still met his spiritual needs. He’d use the breviary he picked up in Rome to recite Lauds when he rolled ( Read more... )

Who: Sir James and bunch of servants
What: Replying to Sir Nicolas while suffering through a headache
Where: Teversal manor house
When: October 21st, late morning

Sir James sat by his open door, nursing a headache, trying to get some work on his harnesses done and trying (without complete success, unfortunately) not to take his discomfort and resulting ( Read more... )

Who: Sir James, Vivian de Molyneaux, the abbot and prior of Dale Abbey of Derbyshire
What: Finally hammering out the when’s, who’s, and how’s of the Teversal church
When: October 24
Where: Dale Abbey, near Derby, Derbyshire

( Sir James looked at Vivian. Vivian looked at Sir James. They were both thinking the same thing: that there was no better way to let a man know his place than to keep him waiting. Which is what they were doing. )

Sir James gnawed on his quill (luckily he hadn’t put any ink in yet; THAT was one lesson he had learned the hard way) and stared at the blank parchment, wondering how to start. He was more used to reading than to writing, and it wasn’t like reading was a frequent occurrence. The only regular correspondence he had ever had was with his brother, ( Read more... )

Who: Sir James de Molyneux; Vivian, Baron de Molyneaux; Thomas
What: Sir James and Vivian discuss the Michaelmas ball, and make plans for Teversal...and for Sir James
When: October 1, lunchtime
Where: Teversal manor house

( Vaizey and Vivian were well-practiced at this kind of maneuvering, and Sir James wasn’t, and the implications of getting it wrong were frightening. )

When: September 26, afternoon
Where: Teversall
Who: Sir James de Molyneux, master of Teversall, and Vivian, Baron de Molyneux

( “Richard is the king of England,” Sir James said somewhat mechanically. Vivian nodded. “Exactly. But he’s in Palestine. And John is here.” )

( September 13th. Sir James was having a bit of lie-in. )