Simon the Coldheart: A tale of chivalry and adventure

354 Pages·2008·1.26 MB·English

by  Georgette Heyer

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Simon
The stirring story of a
conquering knight and his lady love
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THE
Known for her exhaustive research and ability to bring past eras to
life, bestselling author Georgette Heyer explores the early 15th g C
century. In a time of hand-to-hand combat and real knights in armor, OLDHEART
Simon raises himself from poverty and obscurity to friend of the future
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King Henry V. A bold warrior against France, known for his silence
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and uncompromising principles, Simon’s legendary strength and Ho
determination nonetheless earn the love and admiration of soldiers,
kings, and children alike. In 1415 after the Battle of Agincourt, Simon Er
is sent to besiege Belrémy, where the spitfire Lady Margaret engages Yg
him in a d aring battle of wits and words. Eventually she not only
surrenders to the English but becomes his bride. E
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R
“‘He came walking from Bedford into Cambridge one May morning t
when the sun was still young and the dew scarce gone from the grass.
t
His worldly possessions he carried on his back in an old knapsack; his A TALE OF
short jerkin was stained and torn, and there were holes in his long CHIVALRY AND ADVENTURE
e
hose!’ What think you of this for a hero? Master threadbare and poor,
you say? Not for long. He becomes knight and lord and grand marshal
before we are done with him. He wins a great lady for his wife, and our
hearts as well.”
—Boston Evening Transcript S G E O RG E T T E
i
Heyer’s brilliant period language and her perfect grasp of the details Cm
of the day—clothing, armor, weapons, food—make for a fascinating
and blood-stirring read. oo
H E Y E R
aedri n(cid:129)eg ngirlonupo (cid:129)g ueid Bonus reading group guide available online ldhn t
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“Heyer fans are in for a treat!” —LIBRARYJOURNAL ee
a
GEORGETTEHEYER’Shistorical novels have charmed and delighted millions of readers. She
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wrote over 50 books, including Regency romances, mysteries,and historical fiction. She was known
as the Queen of Regency romance, and was legendary for her research, historical accuracy,and her t
extraordinary plots and characterizations.
Fiction $14.95 U.S./ $15.99 CAN
ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-1354-0
www.swowwuwwrwc.s.eaobuuosrotckeensbcfoaaosnaksbs.cl.caoonmmca.com ISBN-10: 1-4022-1354-9 AN aedri n(cid:129)eg ngirlonupo (cid:129)g ueid
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sourcebooks
landmark
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Simon theColdheart
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Simon theColdheart
Georgette Heyer
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Copyright © 1925 by Georgette Heyer
Cover and internal design © 2008 by Sourcebooks, Inc.
Cover photos © Bridgeman Art Library
Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by
any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval
systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or
reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used ficti-
tiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and
not intended by the author.
Published by Sourcebooks Landmark, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc.
P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-4410
[phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.sourcebooks.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Heyer, Georgette, 1902-1974.
Simon the coldheart / Georgette Heyer.
p. cm.
ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-2048-7
ISBN-10: 1-4022-2048-7
I. Title.
PR6015.E795S56 2008
823’.912—dc22
2008017996
Printed and bound in the United States of America.
VP 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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To the memory of my Father –
this, his favourite
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Contents
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Part I
1. How he came to Fulk of Montlice 3
2. How he grew to manhood 11
3. How he went with Fulk to Shrewsbury 23
4. How he was knighted, and how
he had speech with his father 45
5. How he rescued a fair damsel,
and discovered a plot 59
6. How he rode hot-foot to London 73
7. How King Henry thanked him 87
8. How he returned to Montlice 95
9. How he took possession of his estates 103
10. How he brought order into his lands 119
11. How he won his gilded armour 131
Part II
1. How he came to Normandy 141
2. How he encamped before Belrémy 151
3. How he took Belrémy 157
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4. How he saw the Lady Margaret 175
5. How he brought the Lady
Margaret to the justice-house 189
6. How the Lady Margaret could not stab him 195
7. How he found Geoffrey and Jeanne
on the terrace 205
8. How the Lady Margaret plotted 213
9. How the Lady Margaret escaped 223
10. How the Lady Margaret came to Turincel 235
11. How the Lady Margaret fell into
the hands of Raoul the Terrible 243
12. How Simon set forth in pursuit 253
13. How he found the Lady Margaret 267
14. How he received the
Lady Margaret’s submission 279
15. How he came upon the Lady
Margaret in the gallery 287
16. How he walked alone in the garden 297
17. How he left Belrémy, and how the
Lady Margaret dealt with her cousin 303
18. How he came to Bayeux, to the King 311
19. How they fared at Belrémy
during his absence 319
20. How he was sent for by the King 323
21. How he came to his own 331
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Part I