The Templars' Last Days Read Online Free Page A

his master’s shoulder his cloak before finally handing to him his black hat and the scrolls which William had brought back with him last night; Satisfied that his master was now perfectly dressed and with a curt bow, he took his leave of his master.
    Finally William strode out into the bright July sunshine .The four dapple grey horses pulling the coach all wore a black caparison onto which was embroidered William’s coat of arms, as were the two horses which would follow behind. The two coachmen driving his coach, and the two outriders, all wore the uniform identifying them as part of William’s household.
    As William settled into the comfort of the cushioned seat of his coach, he could not help but reflect on what a contrast this was to the hardness of the leather saddle he had endured over the previous 48 hours. As William looked out of the windows of his coach, he allowed himself a moment’s reflection on his current status. Not bad for a school teacher, he mused, but today was not a day to sit on past glories.
    Although the ride from his chateau to the King’s palace was no more than 15 minutes, it gave William enough time to settle in his own mind, once again, that all that he could have done had been done. It was now up to the King to decide how he wished to proceed.
    The grounds of the Palace reflected in size the ambitions of King Philip IV and although he had made this journey many times, as he approached the royal household William could not help but be impressed by its size and splendour. The long drive, which led from the high guarded gates up to the plateau upon which sat the palace, dissected the magnificent lawns. These were surrounded by mature forest, which covered many hundreds of acres, and held game in abundance. William allowed himself the luxury of a moment’s reflection on the times in which he and the King had enjoyed many a good day’s hunting and sport in those woods.
    To reach the main entrance the coach would have to cross the large kidney-shaped lake that dominated the access to the front of the royal residence. The lake was traversed at its narrowest point by an arched bridge, and as the coach quickly moved across the bridge William nervously adjusted his chain of office and renewed his grip on the all important scrolls he had with him.
    The coach drew to a halt at the main entrance, and, as always, the King’s butlers and servants appeared to be everywhere. The coach door was opened and William was helped down by a hand of one of the King’s many footmen.
    Each of the 12 steps which led from the road level up to the wide piazza at the front entrance of the Palace, had a footman on either side, forming a guard of honour. Their tunics were made of finest linen, and their blue tunic and white braies and hose were a fitting prelude to the opulence that lay within the Palace itself.
    On reaching the top of the stairs, the full width of the piazza could be grasped, as could the imposing size and splendour of the Palace itself. However, today William was in no mind to dawdle and admire the wonders of the architecture, for he broke into a purposeful stride which brought him quickly to the large main doors.
    The two uniformed doormen bowed in acknowledgement of William’s chain of office as they swung open the doors to reveal the opulent splendour of the cavernous hallway. Yet another butler now accompanied William across the marble floor towards one of the many doors which led off the main hall.
    They now entered the main gallery which led to the music room. The wall to the left was decorated with huge portraits of King Philip's family, and between each of the portraits were large, wall mounted, seven-stemmed gold candlesticks; whilst the right wall was dominated by a series of large windows, allowing the morning sunlight to dart its rays to show off the finery of the furniture that occupied the gallery. The windows were dressed from floor to ceiling with magnificent heavy curtains, which