Just then, two men on horseback galloped
up to the house. Isabella recognized the lead figure as Sir Roger de
Walsingham, who was closely followed by Fitzwalter, Sir Roger’s overseer. A
powerful man, Sir Roger owned vast estates in neighbouring counties and was
master of the formidable Alversham Castle. He was a seasoned warrior and had
fought bravely at King Edward’s side during the wars in France, receiving a
number of serious wounds. His left hand was missing two fingers and he had a
long deep scar running down the right side of his face. As well as being
notorious for the barbaric cruelty he showed to his enemies, it was also
rumoured that he poisoned his first wife in order to inherit her considerable
land holdings.
Almost immediately after Isabella’s
husband died, Sir Roger had offered to marry her. But Isabella suspected his
motives were far from romantic. She was certain that it was the Devereaux
estate that he desired. Although Isabella politely turned down his
proposal, Sir Roger would not give up, believing that once her grief had
subsided Isabella would change her mind.
Sir Roger approached Isabella’s loaded
wagon, dressed in his customary black chain mail under a black surcoat, which
had a white stag embroidered on the chest, the de Walsingham family emblem. His
dark hair, beard and black eyes complemented his grim apparel.
Fitzwalter kept his distance. As
Isabella examined him from the corner of her eye, she could see why Sir Roger
had chosen him as his henchman. Fitzwalter’s stocky frame was made of pure
muscle, and his pale blond hair, icy blue eyes and squat nose made him a
frightening presence.He was extremely loyal and had been in Sir Roger’s service
for many years, dealing mercilessly with every one of his master’s enemies.
“So, my lady,” Sir Roger began, “have
you reconsidered my proposal?”
As he spoke, his smile accentuated the
gruesome scar on his face.
“My lord,” Isabella replied, “My answer
remains the same. My mind is quite made up.”
“But what of your estates and your
retainers?”
“My people will be well looked after,”
Isabella replied, “and Sir Edmund has agreed to administer my estate.”
“So it remains your intention to leave?”
asked Sir Roger.
“Yes, my lord,” Isabella replied. “I
have decided to live out my remaining days at the abbey.”
A sly grin crept across Sir Roger’s face
as he removed his chain mail gloves, exposing his deformed hand.
“Surely, it is not your plan to become a
nun? A woman of your grace and beauty would be sorely wasted in the service of
God.”
“As opposed to becoming your wife?”
Isabella shot back. “Thereby giving you title to my estate the moment we
exchange wedding vows?”
“My lady, consider your situation,” he
said, calmly stroking his beard with the remaining fingers of his left hand.
“Your husband is dead and you need to remarry. My offer is more than generous.
Imagine what your life would be like as Lady Isabella de Walsingham?”
“A match with you, my lord, would be a
match with the devil himself!” Isabella replied fiercely. “I would rather die!”
Sir Roger’s eyes narrowed. He grabbed
the whip from his saddle and raised it high in the air.
“You are exceedingly bold,” he sneered,
“but also most foolish. Mark my words; no one defies Sir Roger de Walsingham! I
swear that you will pay dearly for this humiliation!”
Sir Roger turned his horse and galloped
away, followed by Fitzwalter. Once she was sure they had gone, Isabella quickly
made her way to the safety of her new home at Thornbury Abbey.
You can learn more about The Heretic's Tomb and the historical background to the novel on my website.
Writing Historical Fiction is an online course at Mount Royal University in Calgary running from September 22 to November 3. 
The two boys stopped to rest by a small
creek. Looking around, Paul noticed an opening, partially concealed with some
tree branches and pieces of rough wood, in the slope just above them.
Clients always seem to have plenty of reasons why your working for
free is a great idea. They don’t have a budget, they can trade you something,
it’s for a worthy cause, and so on. People may still be resentful even if you
have a valid reason for refusing to give anything away. They may tell you that
there are lots of other people who will do the work for nothing or for a lower
price than you. If the client really does know these types of people, you can
always politely recommend that the client contact them. The chances are that these
so-called experts are nothing like you. If they did have the same expertise,
they couldn’t be offering to work for free.
I offer workshops and presentations for both adults and children for community associations,home schooled students and summer camps, as well as services for writers including coaching, manuscript editing and evaluation, plus online workshops for children and for adults. 
My latest novel, The Sphere of Septimus, is due to be published this October. Here's a brief synopsis of the story.
People are always interested in hearing an author read from their own work. Children in particular, especially those who have read and enjoyed the novels, are usually captivated when an author reads from their own book during a personal appearance at a school, library, literary festival or other event.
The way in which you communicate with your customers is a vital component of your business and well written content can be the difference between success and failure. 
A common theme in the working for free saga is the offer of a trade.
In many walks of life this might actually be worthwhile. Your profession and
that of the client might be complimentary. Or they may just be offering to trade
your time and talent for something that you’d like to have, whether or not its
related to what you do for a living. However, this might also be an item that you
either don’t want or simply don’t need. It could even be something that you
don’t consider as having the same value as your own products or services.
Some potential clients will be very honest right at the outset
regarding their inability to pay you. They might state very clearly in their
first email that they have little or no budget for the proposed project.
Check out The Children's Writer's Guide on Pinterest.
Is there a book you desperately want to write? Maybe you’re an expert in your field, well respected by colleagues, who are all convinced that you should become an author. Yet there’s no time in your busy schedule to actually sit down and write.
Sometimes a potential client might explain that although there’s no money to
pay you, you’ll get great exposure and that there’s a high probability of
future paid work? Should you consider doing this for free?
