Book Extract: The Lost Queen by Carol Mcgrath

I’m excited to be welcoming Carol McGrath to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, The Lost Queen.

1191 and the Third Crusade is underway . . .

It is 1191 and King Richard the Lionheart is on crusade to pitch battle against Saladin and liberate the city of Jerusalem and her lands. His mother, the formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine and his promised bride, Princess Berengaria of Navarre, make a perilous journey over the Alps in midwinter. They are to rendezvous with Richard in the Sicilian port of Messina.

There are hazards along the way – vicious assassins, marauding pirates, violent storms and a shipwreck. Berengaria is as feisty as her foes and, surviving it all, she and Richard marry in Cyprus. England needs an heir. But first, Richard and his Queen must return home . . .

The Lost Queen is a thrilling medieval story of high adventure, survival, friendship and the enduring love of a Queen for her King.

Carol has shared an extract from The Lost Queen with us today. We hope you enjoy it. 

*****beginning of extract*****

Chapter Two

October 1190
The Palace of Pamplona, Navarre Berengaria

As the afternoon shadows lengthened, a sudden breeze swept leaves across the palace courtyard. Climbing a staircase to the upper-level colonnade, Princess Berengaria enjoyed crunching them beneath the heels of her boots, listening to their crackle and fancying they held the last whispers of summer. Her mood was joyful. She was to marry the handsomest prince in all of Christendom, Richard of England, Normandy, Anjou and Aquitaine. She swept along the arcade as Ursula, her lady, tried to keep up, twisting through a series of marble pillars leading to the hall where she was to greet Dowager Queen Eleanor of England, Richard’s mother. Pausing her journey for a moment, she stamped upon a pile of gold and red leaves, laugh- ing with happiness.

This was the most thrilling day in all of Berengaria’s twenty years, and for this significant occasion she was dressed in her favourite gown of pink sarsenet, its flowing sleeves trimmed with pearls and gold embroidery. Her lustrous black hair was contained within a fine net, covered with a short silk veil held in place by a thin golden headband.

A murmur of voices speaking in French drifted up from the courtyard below. Berengaria seized Ursula’s hand, dragging her along to peer over the wall. She glimpsed two men, foreign courtiers by the looks of them, hovering by a pillar close to an arched doorway. She noted a cloak lined with expensive crimson silk. Its wearer was tall and dark, with a pointed black beard. The other mantle was white. She could not see clearly, but surely it belonged to a Cistercian priest. They were known as the white monks.

‘I wonder if they are of Queen Eleanor’s party?’ she whispered, drawing Ursula behind a stone griffin. ‘I want to hear what they are saying. Quick! Have you the ear horn?’ It was an old game the two women often enjoyed playing, that of secretly listening to the con- versations of others. They had discovered many secrets through eavesdropping in this way. To justify their spying, Berengaria would say, ‘Men rarely share their business with women, so we must discover their intent by devious means or not at all.’

Ursula drew a small coral trumpet from her cloak bag and handed it to her mistress. Berengaria placed the horn to her ear and pressed it against the wall. She spoke Occitan and Latin better than she did French, so she struggled to translate the men’s words.

One was saying, ‘My master will never forgive this deceit when he discovers it.’ ‘Treacherous indeed,’ said the other. ‘But if the opportunity arises . . .’

‘You are travelling to Italy with the Dowager?’
‘I am in her train. Expert with a crossbow.’
‘Useful.’

The voices faded as they moved away from the pillar. Berengaria thought the men sounded conspiratorial, though perhaps all they were discussing was the guarding of Queen Eleanor. But treachery? She shook her head and told Ursula what she had heard.

‘My lady, they are discussing our journey. Maybe there will be danger from wolves in the mountains.’ Ursula folded her arms over her black-ribboned bodice. ‘I for one am glad we are to be guarded.’

‘But why do they speak in French? The Dowager would not have French courtiers?’
‘Because, my lady, the kings of France and England are united in their Crusade, and firm friends. Nothing to fear from the French!’

*****end of extract*****

About Carol McGrath –

Following a first degree in English and History, Carol McGrath completed an MA in Creative Writing from The Seamus Heaney Centre, Queens University Belfast, followed by an MPhil in English from University of London.

The Handfasted Wife, first in a trilogy about the royal women of 1066 was shortlisted for the RoNAS in 2014. The Swan-Daughter and The Betrothed Sister complete this highly acclaimed trilogy. Mistress Cromwell, a best-selling historical novel about Elizabeth Cromwell, wife of Henry VIII’s statesman, Thomas Cromwell, was republished by Headline in 2020.

The Silken Rose, first in a medieval She-Wolf Queens Trilogy, featuring Ailenor of Provence, saw publication in April 2020. This was followed by The Damask Rose. The Stone Rose was published April 2022.

Carol is writing Historical non-fiction as well as fiction. Sex and Sexuality in Tudor England was published in February 2022. The Stolen Crown 2023 and The Lost Queen was published by Headline Accent on 18^th July 2024. Carol lives in Oxfordshire, England and in Greece.

Say hello to Carol via her website, her amazon page, X, Pinterest, her blog, LinkedIn and Facebook. 

The Lost Queen was released by Headline Accent on 18th July 2024. Click to buy on Amazon and Waterstones. 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.