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The Butcher Bird

S D Sykes



First published in Great Britain in 2015 by Hodder amp Stoughton

An Hachette UK company

1

Copyright copy S D Sykes 2015

The right of S D Sykes to be identified as the Author of the

Work has been asserted by her in accordance with theCopyright Designs and Patents Act 1988

All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproducedstored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means

without the prior written permission of the publisher nor be otherwise circulatedin any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published

and without a similar condition being imposed

on the subsequent purchaser

All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblanceto real persons living or dead is purely coincidental

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library

Hardback ISBN 978 1 444 78581 4

eBook ISBN 978 1 444 78580 7

Typeset by Hewer Text UK Ltd Edinburgh

Printed and bound by CPI Group (UK) Ltd Croydon CR0 4YY

Hodder amp Stoughton policy is to use papers that are natural renewableand recyclable products and made from wood grown in sustainable forests

The logging and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to

the environmental regulations of the country of origin

Hodder amp Stoughton LtdCarmelite House

50 Victoria Embankment

London EC4Y 0DZ

wwwhoddercouk



The Black Death of 1348ndash50 killed an estimated half of the

English population With so many dead the poorest people could

suddenly demand higher pay rates for their labour The responseof the king was a law to suppress wages

lsquoThe King to the Sheriff of Kent greeting Since a great partof the population and especially workers and servants hasnow died in this pestilence many people seeing the needsof their masters and the shortage of employees are refusing

to work unless they are paid an excessive salary Others

prefer to beg in idleness rather than work for their livingMindful of the serious inconvenience likely to arise from

this shortage especially of agricultural labourers we havediscussed and considered the matter with our prelates andnobles and the other learned men and with their unani-

mous advice we have ordained that every man or womanin our realm of England whether free or unfree who is

physically fit and below the age of sixty hellip should be paid

only the fees liveries payments or salaries which wereusually paid in the part of the country where they are

working in the twentieth year of our reign (1346)rsquo

lsquoThe Ordinance of Labourersrsquo (letter from King Edward IIIto the Sheriff of Kent June 1349)

This ruling was endorsed and strengthened by Parliament in 1351to form lsquoThe Statute of Labourersrsquo



983156983144983141 983154983141983140-983138983137983139983147983141983140 983155983144983154983145983147983141Lanius collurio

Once a common migratory visitor to the British shores this bird butchers rodents insects and the nestlings of other small birds

and then impales their corpses on thorns as a larder This behaviour has earned the shrike the name lsquoThe Butcher Birdrsquo



Prologue

Somershill Manor September 1351

It was the tail end of the morning when the charges were laid before me and I would tell you I was tempted to laugh at first

for the story was nonsense Or at least that is how it sounded tome Instead I suppressed a smile and carried on lsquoShouldnrsquot Father

Luke deal with thisrsquo I said turning to my reeve Featherby lsquoItseems a more ecclesiastical matterrsquo This was the first man-orial court of 1351 and I had spent the last three hours imposingfines on my villagers for neglecting to plough a field or for

allowing their goats to trespass upon a neighbourrsquos garden After

such triviality you might expect me to have been pleased forsome variety in my caseload But I have learnt to be wary of

excitement It causes troubleFeatherby leant towards me and made a show of whispering

lsquoFather Luke thought you should know about this crime sirersquo He

then raised his substantial eyebrows and mouthed a word to methat I think was affray though his lips moved with such exagger-

ation it was impossible to know for certainlsquoTell me the story againrsquo I said loudly trying to disguise my

rumbling stomach It was late morning and the rich scent of

roasting duck drifted across the great hall from the kitchens Weshould have finished by now



983090 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140

Featherby stepped away from me to pull a trembling figurefrom the crowd It was John Barrow ndash a man I recognised

immediately despite his torn clothes and filthy skin Barrowwas often brought before the manorial court though not

because his rents were unpaid or because he had failed to per-form some duty or other about the estate Instead the usual

complaint against the man concerned his refusal to cease his

shrill and piteous grieving In my opinion his neighbours should

have treated him with more sympathy for he had lost his wife

and three children to the Plague ndash but given the sneers andglowers of those about him it seemed he had once again triedthe villagersquos patience

Featherby shook the miserable man lsquoTell Lord Somershill what

yoursquove done now Go on He wants to hear it from your own lipsrsquo

Barrowrsquos response was merely the emission of a strange swal-

lowing noise that both began and ended in his throatA woman with the sharp face of a weasel pushed her way

through the crowd lsquoHe opened his wifersquos grave sire Thatrsquos whathe didrsquo

I looked to the man she accused His skin was pale and moistwith sweat His eyes as veined as a blood orange lsquoIs this truersquo Isaid but he didnrsquot answer Instead he began to pant like an over-

heated dog ndash a condition not assisted by the crowd that drew evercloser about himlsquoStand backrsquo I told them The morning was cold but their

bodies exuded a nervous heat that hung in a low fug across thechamber They drew back with some reluctance

I leant in close to Barrowrsquos ear so that the others might nothear me lsquoDid you open your wifersquos graversquo I asked him lsquoYou must

tell me the truthrsquoHe nodded but didnrsquot speak only continuing to make the

curious gulping sounds in his throatlsquoWhyrsquo I said lsquoWhy would you do such a thingrsquolsquoItrsquos the second time hersquos done itrsquo said the weasel-faced woman



983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983091

lsquoWe might have forgiven his sins once But we shouldnrsquot forgivethem twice Oh norsquo

I folded my arms and glared in her direction ndash as fiercely as a boy of nineteen might lsquoAre you the judge herersquo I asked herShe looked to the floor lsquoNo sirersquolsquoThen keep your opinions to yourselfrsquoI turned once again to John Barrow Now that the surging mob

had backed away he stood alone in the reeds of the floor seemingas unsteady as a newly born calf lsquoI ask you again Master Barrow

Why did you open the grave of your dead wifersquoHe wiped a ball of spittle from his mouth lsquoI wanted to hold

her againrsquolsquoThat wasnrsquot all you didrsquo came a voice from the crowd I

couldnrsquot see its owner but knew it to be the same busybody as before At her words the hall erupted with angry calls to punishthe sinner

I shouted for them to be silent but they ignored me And then

as I looked upon their agitated faces I remembered an earlier

time not twelve months before when I had witnessed anotherfrenzied crowd such as this burn a boy to death

With this memory soldering my nerve I raised my voice to anew level lsquoEnoughrsquo I bellowed lsquoOr Irsquoll fine you for disorderrsquo For

a while they were subdued allowing me to turn my attentions back to Barrow I took his hand hoping that some kindness might

calm him lsquoPlease Barrow Just tell me the truthrsquoHis fingers were hard to the touch and as cold as the icy stream

His voice a thin rasping trickle lsquoI had a dream There was a fiend

A demon It told me to return to my wifersquos graversquolsquoAnd did yoursquo The faces were once again drawing in about me

He nodded lsquoYesrsquoMy stomach sank lsquoBut whyrsquolsquoThe demon told me I had begot a child upon herrsquoI dropped his hand sharply lsquoYou cannot beget a child upon a

corpse you foolrsquo



983092 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140

Barrow caught my arm his fingers now claws lsquoBut it wasnrsquot achild sirersquo He pulled me closer ndash close enough for me to catch

his sour feverish stink lsquoI heard a scratching from within thecoffi nrsquolsquoDonrsquot liersquo I saidlsquoI lifted the lidrsquo he whispered digging his nails into my sleeve

lsquoBut I should have left it shut I should have left the creature intherersquo

lsquoWhat creaturersquo

lsquoIt was a monstrous bird With great talons and a huge hooked beakrsquo

lsquoThis is nonsensersquo I said pushing the man awayBarrow covered his face his words now seeping through tear-

stained hands lsquoI saw the creature fly away into the nightrsquo He

collapsed into the reeds weeping pitifully The crowd drew back

calling him both a sinner and a devil But as I watched Barrowshudder and convulse upon the floor my disgust at his story

slowly turned to sympathy It was not sin that had spawned thisdelusion It was madness

Featherby coughed lsquoWhat should we do with him sirersquoI didnrsquot answerlsquoShall I bolt him into the pilloryrsquo he whispered Loudly lsquoIrsquom

sure a night in the cage would sort him outrsquoI took a deep breath lsquoNorsquoFeatherby sighed with disappointment lsquoAre you surersquoI looked my reeve squarely in the eye lsquoI said so didnrsquot IrsquolsquoBut he sired a monstrous birdrsquo came weasel-facersquos voice lsquoYou

canrsquot let such a thing liversquolsquoI told you to be quiet beforersquo I said lsquoI wonrsquot say it againrsquo

But still she didnrsquot listen lsquoYou should torture Barrow sireMake him tell us where the bird isrsquo This idea caught hold andonce again the fever erupted How easily reason is destroyed byfear They shouted and waved at me hopping up and down as ifthe floor were a skillet of boiling resin



983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983093

lsquoHe wants the bird to take our children because his own aredeadrsquo came one voice

lsquoItrsquos a butcher birdrsquo said anotherlsquoHang the manrsquo said a thirdNow I roared with such force they could do nothing but fall

silent lsquoGo homersquo I told them lsquoThe manorial court is closedrsquoSlowly they dispersed but not Featherby He sidled up beside

me lsquoWhat of John BarrowrsquolsquoLock him in the gaol house for the night Let his madness

wanersquo Then I pointed at weasel-face lsquoAnd put her in there withhimrsquo



Chapter One

Versey Castle is never colder than in March when the winterwinds have frozen its walls since All Hallows and the milky

sun is still too weak to disperse the vapours from the riverIt was not an auspicious month in which to give birth but my

older sister Clemence was heavy with child and supposedly in her

confinement Lying in bed however did not suit my sister Instead

she wandered the orchards or even groomed her unpleasant

horse in its stable ndash always in the face of firm opposition fromMother and her physician Eventually to provide some relief from

this badgering Clemence had written to me at Somershill and begged for my company at Versey until the child was born This

was a request I had found diffi cult to refuse since Clemencersquoshusband was dead and she had nobody to turn to but myself Itwas not even that the man had died which would have been poor

fortune enough for a woman expecting a child Instead he had been murdered only days after their wedding ndash surviving long

enough to assault my sister and conceive the child that she nowcarried The wheel of fortune had not turned in Clemencersquos

favour for many months so I could no longer allow her to faceits cruel momenta alone

And Clemence was glad of my companyAt least I think she was



983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983095

Soon after my arrival I persuaded my sister to walk with me onemorning in the hours before Mother usually rose from bed I needed

to speak with her on a delicate subject ndash on a topic I had beenavoiding for months As we walked through the meadow Clemence

gripped my hand and stepped with care through the grass the

weight of her belly threatening to unbalance her at any momentlsquoMy ankles have swollen to the size of old Eleanorrsquosrsquo she told me aswe made our way towards a favourite seat beneath the oaks

lsquoPerhaps you would be better to rest Clemence Raise your

feet above your headrsquoShe grimaced lsquoNot you as well Oswald Mother has done

nothing but pester me about resting with my feet in the airrsquolsquoShe gave birth to nine children That must qualify her to have

an opinionrsquolsquoShe doesnrsquot know everythingrsquo Clemence then held her side

and groaned lsquoHersquos kicking his foot into my ribs Such an ener-

getic boyrsquolsquoHersquoShe turned to me sharply lsquoYes Itrsquos a boy And before you say

another word therersquos nothing wrong with him Despite what

Motherrsquos been sayingrsquoI took her small hand again lsquoOf course there isnrsquotrsquo But I wished

I had felt more confidence in this statement for Clemence wascarrying a large child that was already two weeks overdue

according to the midwifersquos calculation My knowledge of child- birth was poor but it was suffi cient to know that a late birth wasmore likely to end badly We sat on the stone bench that lookeddown the valley towards the castle Before us the silver catkinsperched on the willow like a host of tiny rabbit tails and the first

of the Lent lilies peeked their yellow heads through the grass andnodded in the wind In the distance the two young de Caburnsisters now Clemencersquos stepdaughters ran into the woods pur-suing some of their usual mischief We watched their blonde

heads bob through the meadow and then disappear into the trees



983096 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140

For a moment spring was in the air and I felt all the hope andpromise of the turning season but then I saw Gilbert riding over

the drawbridge into the castle He was my valet from Somershilland there was something unlikely and even ominous in his pres-ence here I should have returned then to greet him but as

Clemence launched into the next conversation the thought soonslipped from my mind

She coughed lsquoWhen my son is born will you keep your

promise to mersquo

I was tired after a succession of poor nightsrsquo sleep so it tookme a few moments to fathom what she was talking about

Unfortunately Clemence read this hesitation as evasion lsquoI knewI couldnrsquot trust yoursquo she said clapping her hands upon her thighs

lsquoYou mean to keep Versey as well as SomershillrsquolsquoNo I donrsquotrsquo I said now understanding her original question

I had once made a rash promise to my sister just after her hus-

bandrsquos murder Unfortunately I could not be certain that it wasnow in my power to keep it lsquoItrsquos not entirely my decision

Remember The earl instructed me to take over this estatersquo Sheshrugged seeming to have forgotten that I had not asked for thewooded hills and poor land of Versey This castle was cold and

grey with only the sky and a wide river for company She could

keep the dreary place as far as I was concernedlsquoBut what about my sonrsquo she said lsquoHersquos a true de Caburn Why

should he be cheated out of his birthrightrsquolsquoIrsquom not trying to cheat himrsquolsquoThen speak to the earl on his behalfrsquolsquoI promise to try When the opportunity arisesrsquoShe snorted and pulled a strand of black hair from her face

lsquoYou promisersquolsquoYes Clemence I do Even if your child turns out to be a

girlrsquoShe stroked her expansive belly and looked at me with a drop

of the malevolence of old lsquoIt will be a sonrsquo



983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983097

I touched her shoulder Feeling the soft fur of her miniver

cloak lsquoI hope so Clemence If thatrsquos what matters to yoursquo

She sighed lsquoYou think me cruel That I donrsquot care for my ownsexrsquolsquoNo Itrsquos just that all of your dead husbandrsquos children have been

girls Maybe you should prepare yourself for a daughterrsquoShe shrugged me away lsquoWhat use is there in being a woman in

this world Oswald Look how Irsquove fared compared to yoursquoI took her meaning well enough lsquoI didnrsquot want any of this

ClemencersquolsquoBut it came to you anywayrsquoIn the distance we could hear Mother calling for us and sud-

denly I remembered the reason for persuading my sister to walkwith me so far from the castle lsquoListen Clemence Therersquos some-thing I want to tell yoursquo I said lsquoBefore Mother finds usrsquo

She turned to look at my face her eyes suddenly wary lsquoOh

yesrsquoI took a deep breath for this was not the easiest of confessions

lsquoI went to the graveyard to look for Thomas Starvecrowrsquos graversquolsquoWhorsquoI puffed my lips in frustration Was she being deliberately dull-

witted lsquoYou know who Irsquom talking about Thomas Starvecrow rsquo At

the repeat of this singular name a shadow crossed her face Sheknew the name We both didThey say that truth can sometimes be stranger than invention

and in this case the adage held true ndash for the previous summer Ihad discovered that I was not really Oswald de Lacy at all That

boy had been buried in a grave marked Thomas Starvecrow afterhis death in infancy

So who was I then If not Oswald de Lacy Lord SomershillThomas Starvecrow of course No grander than the son of a

poor girl who had been employed as a wet nurse to the latest deLacy infant Her name was Adeline Starvecrow and though she had

managed to feed two infants there had been a divergence in our



983089983088 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140

fortunes Whereas I had thrived this boy had faded ndash and when hehad died at eight weeks Adeline had substituted me her own son

for him I donrsquot believe there was evil or ambition in her act shehad simply feared being blamed for the death of a noble childSo why you might ask when this secret was revealed had I not

been thrown into the streets My mother (or the woman I hadgrown up to believe was my mother ndash Lady Margaret of

Somershill) had always known of the deceit After giving birth tonine children with only three surviving to adulthood she had

not wanted to risk another confinement ndash so she had chosen toignore the slipping of this cuckoo into her nest In any case I wasthe last son The third spare Nobody more important than that

There were only three people now alive who knew this secretMyself Clemence and Mother It was obvious why I kept quiet

ndash but for Clemence and Mother it was a practical decision Withmy older brothers dead there was no other male heir and at least

I bore the de Lacy name even if their blood did not flow in myveins In any case any revelation about my true beginnings would

bring great shame and notoriety to the family It was expedientfor all three of us to say nothing

Clemence shifted from one buttock to another ndash the weight ofher unborn child causing her some pain lsquoWhy would you bother

looking for Thomas Starvecrowrsquos graversquo she askedlsquoI wanted to put the boyrsquos coffi n in our family cryptrsquo I admitted

lsquoHe was a true de Lacy after allrsquoHer face hardened into a scowl lsquoYou should leave such matters

alonersquo she said lsquoMy brother died as a baby and you took his place

You shouldnrsquot be messing around with his coffi nrsquoSuddenly we saw Mother beating her way through the grass

towards us with all the vigour of a child with an urgent tale totell Our time alone was limited

lsquoBut there is more to my story Clemencersquo I said lsquoPlease listento mersquo

Instead she held out her hand so I might help her from the seat



983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983089

When I refused she heaved a wearied sigh lsquoWhat is it OswaldPlease be quick I want to get away from Mother as soon as I can

Shersquos trying to feed me one of de Waartrsquos purgatives to inducelabourrsquoI felt my stomach roll lsquoDonrsquot take anything that man

prescribesrsquoClemence waved her hand lsquoJust get on with your storyrsquoI hesitated The words rested on my tongue but what an admis-

sion they held and Mother was now within yards of us

lsquoBe quick Oswaldrsquo she urgedlsquoI opened the lid of the coffi nrsquoMy sister screwed up her face in disgust lsquoGodrsquos nails Oswald

Why did you do such a thingrsquolsquoI donrsquot know exactlyrsquo Now she rolled her eyes My sister

always thought me so foolish Lacking the pedigree to be lord lsquoIwas curiousrsquo I told her boldly

lsquoWhyrsquoMy tongue felt tied lsquoI just wasrsquo She smiled at my discomfort

lsquoI was right to lookrsquo I insisted dropping my voice to a whisperlsquoThere was no body inside the coffi nrsquo

Now Clemence reddened lsquoAre you surersquolsquoThere was nothing inside but a wooden effi gy The small Christ

child that had been stolen from St GilesrsquoShe put her hand to her mouth lsquoSo where is the body thenrsquolsquoI donrsquot knowrsquoIt was too late Mother fell beside me on the bench panting

and wheezing like a wool dyer beside a tub of steaming mordantWhen she recovered her breath she turned to my sister and

scowled lsquoWhat are you doing out here Clemence Your humours

will be assaulted by this cold airrsquolsquoIrsquom perfectly wellrsquo said ClemenceMother shook her head in despair lsquoWith this constant insist-

ence on wandering around outside I shouldnrsquot be surprised ifyou donrsquot give birth to a little snowball A child made of icersquo



983089983090 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140

lsquoDonrsquot be so absurd Irsquom wearing a cape My son is quite warm

enough inside mersquo

Mother smirked lsquoToo warm if you ask me That child is over-cooked It should have been born weeks agorsquoMy sisterrsquos face was beginning to sour Her small hands tight-

ening into fists lsquoMake up your mind Motherrsquo she said lsquoIs my child

too hot or too coldI quickly intervened lsquoTherersquos no hurry for the child to be

born Itrsquos still healthy and movingrsquo

Mother scoffed lsquoWhat on earth do you know about such mat-ters Oswald You were educated in a monastery Did a monk

ever give birthrsquo I shrugged by way of reply lsquoNo Exactly You arequite unacquainted with the workings of a womanrsquos bodyrsquo

lsquoI know more than that fool who claims to be your physicianrsquoI said lsquoI hear hersquos still in the castlersquo

lsquoHush Oswald I am a great admirer of Master de Waart

Would you have me suffer without his carersquolsquoItrsquos his care thatrsquos causing your sufferingrsquo I said lsquoI donrsquot know

why you employ himrsquolsquoTo calm my nerves of course Versey is a very disquieting

place It doesnrsquot suit my temperament at allrsquoClemence coughed pointedly lsquoWhat is it that you wanted

MotherrsquolsquoYou must return to the house Itrsquos time for your purgativersquoClemence groaned but Mother ignored this response and

turned to me prodding a finger into my arm lsquoAnd you need toattend to this murder Oswaldrsquo

lsquoWhat murderrsquolsquoThe murder Irsquove just told you aboutrsquo

lsquoYou havenrsquot said a word about a murderrsquoShe wrinkled her nose lsquoAre you sure Gilbert brought the

news from SomershillrsquoI stood up lsquoWherersquos Gilbert nowrsquolsquoIn the kitchen I supposersquo said Mother with a note of



983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983091

irritation in her voice lsquoThatrsquos where servants are normally to be foundrsquo

The kitchen at Versey is perhaps the only pleasant room in thecastle The scent from the bread ovens drifts through the air andwarms the nostrils The heat is dry and comforting ndash a reminderof happier times

I found Gilbert sitting next to Clemencersquos servant John Slowin a smoky corner Gilbert was resting on a wooden stool whereas

Slow a man who mistrusted furniture had taken up his usualposition on the stone floor The two servants spoke in a low

mumble on a topic that must have been fascinating as they failedto look up when I sped into the room

It was Slow who noticed my presence first He nudged Gilbertrsquos

leg in a panic and struggled to his feet lsquoIrsquom sorry sire We didnrsquotsee you therersquo Then he flinched ndash crouching and holding his headin his hands as if I were about to strike him This was Slowrsquos usual

reaction to me though I had never assaulted the manlsquoPlease leave usrsquo I said lsquoI need to speak with Gilbertrsquo Slow

backed away from me bowing as obsequiously as a penitent

leaving the presence of the Holy Father but when the man con-sidered himself out of my sight he bolted away in his strange gait

rocking from foot to foot like a man upon a hobby horse Onreaching the kitchen door he rested against the door frame andtook a deep breath seemingly under the impression that he hadavoided the punishment that Gilbert was now certain to receive

Gilbertrsquos reaction to me could hardly have been more different

Though I was his master he took time to wipe the crumbs fromhis mouth before lethargically getting to his feet lsquoSirersquo

I should have reprimanded him in some way but Motherrsquosstory was more pressing lsquoI hear you have some news from

Somershill Therersquos been a murder Is that correctrsquoHe sighed and nodded but still did not say a wordlsquoCome on Gilbertrsquo I said lsquoIrsquom a busy manrsquo This was not



983089983092 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140

entirely true ndash since I was neither that occupied and not yet con-sidered a man ndash but his indolence was provoking

lsquoA child has been found dead sire Murderedrsquo He clasped hishands together as if he were about to praylsquoWho is itrsquolsquoA newborn girl Only just baptisedrsquo He then held his nose

between his thumb and forefinger and suddenly I realised that hewas trying to suppress a sob Small tears leaked from the rims ofhis eyes

lsquoYou say she was murderedrsquo He nodded lsquoCan you tell me hernamersquo

He composed himself and blew his nose It was strange to seemy valet so affected as the man was usually no more sentimentalthan a storm cock smacking a snail against a stone lsquoShe was thedaughter of Thomas Tulley sire They named her Catherinersquo

lsquoAre you sure she was murderedrsquoHis shoulders shuddered lsquoShe wasmdashrsquo But he was unable to

finish the sentence Instead he slumped back down upon the stool

and hung his head A couple of the scullions gathered to look

upon him whispering in wonderment at the man who usually

scolded them for a dirty pan or poorly plucked bird I shooed

them away with the command to fetch ale

The ale was warm and frothy and tasted of bread dough withthe bitter aftertaste of dandelion leavesGilbert drank his down promptly lsquoIrsquom sorry sirersquo He blew his

nose once again upon his sleeve lsquoI donrsquot usually become so

affected Itrsquos just what happened to her bodyrsquolsquoWhat do you meanrsquolsquoShe was left in a bush of blackthorn Her skin pierced by the

spurs and thornsrsquoI felt a dismal churning in my stomach lsquoDo you know whorsquos

responsiblersquolsquoItrsquos not a mystery Thatrsquos why you are needed back at

Somershill The whole village is in uproarrsquo



983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983093

lsquoThen who is itrsquoIrsquom disappointed to say that a smile began to curl at the corner

of his mouth His tears now washed away by the mug of alelsquoWhich creature kills other nestlings and stores them upon thethorns of a treersquo

lsquoIrsquom in no mood for riddles GilbertrsquoHe put the mug upon a nearby table and stood up He was no

taller than me but his frame was solid and thick like a seasonedoak lsquoIt was a bird sire A butcher birdrsquo

I looked him over Was he being sincere It was so diffi cult toread his weathered face The sun and wind had worn away its

nuances lsquoThe shrike is a small bird Gilbert It couldnrsquot lift aninfant from its crib Not even a newborn infant It only attacksmdashrsquo

And then I stopped myself realising what Gilbert had really

meant lsquoJohn Barrow did not beget a birdrsquo I saidMy valet raised his eyebrows and then wiped away a bead of

mucus from his nose lsquoBut he said he did I heard it myself onlyfour weeks ago At the last courtrsquo

lsquoThe man is illrsquolsquoMaybe so But hersquoll be dead soonrsquolsquoWhat do you mean by thatrsquo I snappedlsquoTheyrsquoll hang him when they find himrsquo

I groaned lsquoGo to the stables and prepare TempestrsquoHe straightened his tunic and then bowed to me though I

would say this gesture was no better than half-hearted lsquoVery well

sire Are you riding back to Somershill straight awayrsquo he askedme

lsquoOf course I amrsquo He trudged out of the chamber grumblingunder his breath like a starved stomach lsquoAnd be quick about itrsquo

I addedHe pretended not to hear



The Butcher Bird

S D Sykes





1










Hardback ISBN 978 1 444 78581 4

eBook ISBN 978 1 444 78580 7








London EC4Y 0DZ

wwwhoddercouk


















983156983144983141 983154983141983140-983138983137983139983147983141983140 983155983144983154983145983147983141Lanius collurio





Prologue















983090 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983091



















983092 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140

















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983093








Chapter One















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983095



















983096 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





promise to mersquo















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983097




















983089983088 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140




















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983089


















983089983090 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983091


















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1










Hardback ISBN 978 1 444 78581 4

eBook ISBN 978 1 444 78580 7








London EC4Y 0DZ

wwwhoddercouk


















983156983144983141 983154983141983140-983138983137983139983147983141983140 983155983144983154983145983147983141Lanius collurio





Prologue















983090 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983091



















983092 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140

















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983093








Chapter One















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983095



















983096 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





promise to mersquo















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983097




















983089983088 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140




















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983089


















983089983090 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983091


















983089983092 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140




















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983093

































983156983144983141 983154983141983140-983138983137983139983147983141983140 983155983144983154983145983147983141Lanius collurio





Prologue















983090 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983091



















983092 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140

















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983093








Chapter One















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983095



















983096 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





promise to mersquo















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983097




















983089983088 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140




















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983089


















983089983090 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983091


















983089983092 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140




















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983093


















Prologue















983090 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983091



















983092 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140

















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983093








Chapter One















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983095



















983096 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





promise to mersquo















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983097




















983089983088 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140




















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983089


















983089983090 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983091


















983089983092 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140




















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983093


















983090 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983091



















983092 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140

















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983093








Chapter One















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983095



















983096 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





promise to mersquo















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983097




















983089983088 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140




















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983089


















983089983090 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983091


















983089983092 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140




















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983093


















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983091



















983092 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140

















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983093








Chapter One















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983095



















983096 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





promise to mersquo















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983097




















983089983088 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140




















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983089


















983089983090 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983091


















983089983092 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140




















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983093


















983092 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140

















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983093








Chapter One















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983095



















983096 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





promise to mersquo















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983097




















983089983088 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140




















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983089


















983089983090 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983091


















983089983092 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140




















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983093


















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983093








Chapter One















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983095



















983096 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





promise to mersquo















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983097




















983089983088 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140




















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983089


















983089983090 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983091


















983089983092 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140




















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983089983093


















Chapter One















983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983095



















983096 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





promise to mersquo















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983089983088 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140




















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983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983095



















983096 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





promise to mersquo















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983096 983156983144983141 983138983157983156983139983144983141983154 983138983145983154983140





promise to mersquo















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983155 983140 983155983161983147983141983155 983097




















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the butcher bird excerpt

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