King Arthur’s Ghost

By Kamalesh Sharda

John Lancaster, a Knight of The Round Table, was a confidant of King Arthur who had gifted him The Sword Excalibur to recognize his loyalty and contribution to numerous campaigns. The creed of patriotism was passed on through the two thousand years to John’s descendants. The dream to make England great again was kept alive to the Modern Times. This family believed that The Crown was unfairly taken by force away from their ancestors and the seat of power was deceptively moved to London from The City of York. Lord Headingly, descendant of John Lancaster, felt that the conditions were ripe to restore the power back to The City of York.
The two thousand year old under ground movement resurfaces financed by Headingly’s business empire. A new political party, The Celtic Party, is launched. Frustrated citizens looking for a change bring The Celtic Party to power. The popular momentum carries forth to the formation of a new union of nations, Celtica. The winds of change blow over to other countries resulting in a New World Order.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 9, 2019
• ISBN: 9781796058468

Book preview

Chapter 1

Headingly Holdings of Manhattan, New York, was a prominent Fortune 100 company envied by the competition and a shining example of the truth behind the American dream. The founder and major shareholder, Tom Headingly, had emigrated from Leeds, England, in the 1950s, having had the foresight of the impending postwar boom in the Unites States after World War II. Tom was the only child of Lord and Lady Headingly. His father was a pompous conservative with landholdings in York. The Headingly family was extremely proud of their heritage, which they had traced back to the Knights of the Round Table. Prominently displayed at the entrance of their castle in York was a lifelike statue of John Lancaster sitting on his horse, Lance, prepared to fight. As John was one of the Knights of the Round Table and a confidant of King Arthur, the statue was the talk of the county and a popular tourist attraction.

John Lancaster’s descendants, like most noblemen of the day, had taken sides during the tumultuous centuries of medieval England. Tom’s forefathers had fought on the side of the nobility that had opposed the rise of the kings who later took power and evolved into the House of Windsor. In fact, the castle’s dungeons had kept the secrets of bygone centuries. Tom’s forefathers had managed to hold on to the family land close to York that Tom’s father, Lord Headingly, had inherited. Tom was tutored in the family history by his father. He believed that had things turned out the way their ancestors had fought for, the House of Lancaster would have been returned to the English throne. Tom would have been the first in line for the English Crown.

Despite the changing political scene, Lord Headingly was seriously considered for the leadership of the Tory Party after the resignation of Harold Macmillan in 1963. The party insiders debated the issue for weeks before opting for Lord Hume of Scotland, whom they had determined to be more loyal to the Queen. Headingly’s ancestry and past actions were filled with public displays of their claim to the throne even after a thousand years of rule by the House of Windsor.

Headingly’s forefathers back to John Lancaster had kept their dream alive through generations. They had consolidated their power base when, in 1859, James Lancaster—as a conciliatory move—was bestowed the title of Lord of Headingly by the Crown. Queen Victoria wanted to bring the last influential feudal Englishman into her sphere of influence, hoping to sever the relationship of the Lancasters with the remnants of the Norman centers of power in France still claiming lineage to the English Crown.

Kevin Berthelot returned home with a project he did not ask for but one that he could not pass up. If he could swing this proposal, his football club would be out of the woods for the first time in decades. He would be able to build on the success of this project. He badly needed some good luck, and this could be it. While he understood what was happening, how was he going to get the club management on his side?

That night he tried to sleep but could not. He thought it was no use wasting time just lying in bed. He got up and poured himself a glass of orange juice and decided to sit it out in his main-floor study.

Kevin sat on the couch, which gave him a panoramic view of his favorite room. He looked around and gazed at the inspiring posters depicting high points of football competitions—goals being scored, cheering crowds, and faces with expectations. Among the posters were framed pictures of the Duke of Wellington, Lord Nelson, Herbert Chapman, and Neil Armstrong taking his first step on the moon. One thing was clear to him. The proposal he would present to his management had to be genuine and had to look well thought out by him, with Andrew and others as players in the plan.

He took a few sheets of blank paper and started to scribble flowcharts to help him design the proposal. The top circle indicated his club and was joined by four arrows to the circle below. This circle was identified as Andrew’s client. The four arrows were for the four transfer players from Coventry Cougars to Andrew’s client. Four arrows from the second circle led back to the first one. These were marked as star players from Andrew’s client to Coventry Cougars. Kevin drew four dotted circles around his club circle. These were joined by dotted lines from his club circle to the dotted circles identified as offshore clubs. Then he started adding estimated buying and selling prices below each arrow as appropriate.

In the bottom half of the flow diagram, he drew a table and titled it Project Summary. Here, he listed the total buying price, the total selling price, and the profit. The information was organized in a way that it could be understood easily and would present a simplified picture of the project. He reviewed the numbers and revised them to look as realistic as he could make them. The selling price for each star player was estimated as conservatively as possible based on the recent acquisitions in the USA and Europe. The revised table showed a profit of twelve million pounds. In the footnote, he added a statement saying that the cost of the project would be two hundred thousand pounds. This would be the amount at risk.

Feeling much more prepared now that he had something written down on paper, Kevin decided to fine-tune the presentation in the morning. He carefully tucked the papers in his briefcase, finished off the little bit of juice left in the glass with a confident gulp, and went upstairs to bed. He snuggled back into the warm bed without waking his wife and went to sleep.

The emergency weekend meeting at the stadium office had taken the management members by surprise. In a way, they were excited to see the initiative Kevin had taken. Once all the members were accounted for, Kevin closed the door and thanked them for responding on such short notice. He was excited and full of confidence. The anticipation of the members rose to a high point. No one had even touched their teacups.

Gentlemen, let me get straight to the point. It is no secret that the club is in dire straits. We have not even seen a breakeven year in the last ten seasons. Our list of to-do items is long. What is holding us back are the funds. It is a catch-twenty-two scenario. I have a plan I would like to share with you. I am sure each one of us will keep the details to ourselves. This is imperative for its success.

He opened his briefcase and passed out a copy of his proposal to each member. Let me go through the plan, and at the end of the session, I will field any questions that you may have. You may have noticed that your copy has your name on it. I will collect all the copies at the end of the meeting. Please take a few minutes to go through the contents. Kevin used the time to enjoy his tea and digestive biscuits while he had the chance.

Chapter 2

Tom Lancaster was well versed with the history of his family. His grandfather, the first Lord of Headingly, had foreseen the fast-changing social and political scene in Britain and had financed a school for the children of his followers and like-minded families. Lancaster Heritage Academy, located between Leeds and York in the scenic village of Pontypool, had already built a reputation of being a highly conservative institution. The handpicked management had ensured the appointment of suitable teachers with a clear understanding of the values of the Lancasters and their history. Of course, the curriculum was tailored to produce a crop of ultraconservative graduates tinted with the Lancaster version of history. The graduates went on to hold positions of prominence later in their lives. Down to the last man, these graduates felt a sense of personal loyalty to the Lord of Headingly, whom they credited with upholding the real social and moral values of the English.

John Poole—principal of Lancaster Heritage Academy, an illustrious educator—came from a family who had served the institution well for many years. His great-grandfather James was a cook in the Lancaster household and had begged for his son, Keith, to be employed at the academy as a cleaner. Keith, while serving the school, learned to read and write on his own. He spent most of his free time dreaming of finding a teaching job at the institution. He also was well aware of the social system prevalent at the time. A working class lad had barely any rights. When he once discussed his dreams with his father, he ran into an unexpected scolding. James was sympathetic to his son’s wish, but he also understood the reality of the times. He gave many examples of what had happened to the people who had aspired to be part of the privileged class.

Keith was reminded of a lad who had shared a table at the village pub. The lad was severely beaten, and his father was warned to teach his son manners if he treasured his own job at the local mill. Keith unsuccessfully had argued that the customs would never change if they were not challenged from time to time. He felt that the average person had as much stake in society as anyone else. He believed that God was on his side and that he would find a way, if not for himself, for his son, if he ever had one.

Keith’s ambition was so strong that he found every opportunity to further his education, even if it meant secretly peeking into books left behind by the scholars during their breaks. He was in search of a student or even a teacher who had the courage to bend the rules and was willing to help him learn. He knew that the day would come when he would be in a position to beg the right person for help.

The hopeful day came when the social studies teacher asked him to carry a load of books and papers to his home. The teacher’s cottage was about two miles away, set in a clearing of the forest close to the river. As they walked along the path, Keith had the courage to catch up to the teacher and in a low but firm voice asked, Sir, may I, if you so approve, ask you something?

The teacher was surprised to hear this from the cleaner. It was not customary for a servant to speak in this manner. He was, in fact, taken aback when he heard the rather unusual request. Normally, a working-class lad would barely know how to say yes, sire, or no, sire, but this person seemed to have picked up some language with a reasonable accent. He felt like responding for the sake of finding out more about the lad. He asked authoritatively, What is your name?

Keith, sir.

Where did you learn to speak the English language?

On my own and by listening to the scholars at the academy, replied Keith, encouraged by the line of questioning.

You seem to have picked up a little bit, more than any servant that I have come across, commented the teacher.

Thank you, sir. But I would like to learn more. I beg you to help me. I will do anything that you ask me to do. I would not expect to be paid. Keith found the courage to ask.

This is not done. But I will think about it, the teacher retorted.

They walked to the cottage without saying anything more. The teacher was urged from within to help the lad. Moreover, it would be a good experiment. The general feeling of the high classes was that the servants were incapable of learning and had only one vocation in life, which was to serve their feudal masters.

Chapter 3

Walking behind the teacher, Keith had a good feeling. He felt that at least the teacher was thinking about his request. If he wanted to, he would have declined the request immediately.

Reaching the cottage, the teacher asked him to place the papers and books on a table, sat down on a chair, and said, I will help you learn. When you finish your chores, I want you to come here and work for my family. If you see any outsiders at my home, just do your chores. Only when I tell you to, come to my study, and I will teach you. Is that clear? asked the teacher in a loud voice.

Yes, sir. I will not disappoint you. I will be grateful to you all my life, replied Keith with a grin on his face and a slightly bowed head.

You can go now. You start tomorrow, instructed the teacher.

Keith ran home to inform his dad. James grudgingly accepted his son’s decision, and both he and his wife hugged their son proudly. James ordered Keith never to tell anyone about this, and if ever questioned, he should say that he merely worked for the teacher because the teacher asked him to.

In a few years, Keith had mastered the language, literature, and history. The teacher was amazed at his experiment. In fact, he became very attached to Keith since he had gone out of his way to educate him. In a way, he was proud of his achievements, and he himself had learned something new about the relationship of opportunity to the achievement of people irrespective of their background.

The teacher took Keith under his wing. From time to time, he had Keith assist him in the class, and then help came regularly. Keith won respect from the students who came to accept him as an associate teacher. Later on, after the teacher’s retirement, the faculty accepted him as an equal, and Keith’s dream was fulfilled when he was appointed a teaching position at the academy. Keith married into the upper class, and his son, John Poole, graduated from the same academy and eventually became the principal.

During his time as principal, John Poole was instrumental in modernizing the institution and attracting right-minded faculty. Its fame spread far and wide and attracted the types of students looking for the ultraconservative ideology it stood for. Tom Lancaster went through the same teaching at the academy that had made Lord Headingly proud. His father was additionally pleased to find out that Tom, like himself, was proud of his lineage and was fond of spending hours in the basement museum at the castle. It was the academy tradition that the graduation took place at the castle in York. Part of the ceremony was to attend a conducted tour of the Lancaster family museum. After Tom’s class graduation, when all had left, Tom was given a special tour for the first time of the part of the museum that was open only to the heir of the family.

Lord Headingly took Tom to show him their ancestral insignia and emblems. These were the originals that had been passed down from the days of their ancestor John Lancaster, who as the legend went shared the round table with King Arthur. When Tom saw the special sword that had been presented to John Lancaster by King Arthur inscribed with their insignia, he was stunned—with sweat breaking on his forehead—and almost passed out. His father had empathized with him, saying that he had felt the same when his father had shown him the sword. Lord Headingly had further emphasized that it was now on Tom to keep the secret that someday the Crown of England was supposed to be theirs. He had commented that England had been great in the past because the English stood for some special values and, when needed, had died for them.

Things were changing in England, and the lord was not happy about it. In the past, England had a place in the world, and now the world had a place in England. Tom failed to understand what his father was saying. He didn’t think much about it, for he felt he had time to absorb the details. He was in complete agreement with his father about the needs of the times. Lord Headingly explained that what was missing in England was proper leadership and correct education.

Chapter 4

The political map of the world had changed after the Second World War. The British Empire was disintegrating. Winds of change were taking place. Colonies were succeeding in their fight for independence. The writing was on the wall for all to see. The damage suffered during the war, especially in Europe and in England, was vast. It would take decades for the war-ravaged countries to recover. Moreover, while the sun was setting on the British Empire, the United States of America was about to burst onto the world scene. The energy and the will in the Unites States of America were expected to create unprecedented economic growth. Tom Lancaster had a vision. He wanted to go to the USA to create a business empire and use the riches to make England great again.

Lord Headingly was not sure if his son’s plan would work. He was afraid that, like many other noble and well-meaning English who had left England for other countries, Tom might become so used to this new power that he may find it difficult to return to England. Moreover, things might change so much at home that Tom may find it difficult to implement his ideas. The change was already taking place. Socialism was the big war cry in the postwar era. The rise of the Soviet Empire in Europe was acting as a beacon for the European and the newly independent countries of the world. The tide was in their favor. England was not insulated from the wave of Socialism. The Labour Party of England was influenced by the new ideology and was turning to Socialism with the lobbying of the trade unions and some infiltration from the proponents of the Communist ideology.

The political and industrial climate was changing rapidly as well. Reckless strikes and the inability of the government to control the situation helped Tom’s plan take hold. With his father’s blessing and money, he moved to the USA and went into business. He rode the wave of consumerism, did extremely well, and later on diversified his businesses into electronics, high tech, and gene labs. Tom’s business interests grew so fast that, within two decades, he had operations in the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Time for him went so fast that, as his father had feared, he had no time for England. He met with his parents only briefly and usually during layovers on his travels.

He had hired an agency to find an executive assistant with an English background. Shirley Sutcliffe, the daughter of a successful woolen mill owner, was recommended to him. Tom was not only impressed with her skills but was also attracted to her beauty and charm.

On June 16, 1996, Tom was called to York to meet his father, who had been bedridden for the last few years and was now nearing the end of his life. Sitting by his father’s side, the two reminisced about Tom’s childhood. They recalled the many hunting trips and times spent traveling around the world. Two days later, Lord Headingly died. According to British custom, Tom would now inherit the lordship. With much pomp and circumstance, Tom’s investiture of the title Lord of Headingly was completed.

In line with the family tradition, Tom would spend a day in the Lancaster Museum on his own. Walking through the emblems of the family history and reading through the achievements of his ancestors, the new Lord of Headingly was transformed. His succession brought back his father’s words about family honor and responsibilities to his family and his country.

Chapter 5

The deceased Lord Headingly was given a traditional send-off, which was a Christian ceremony with ancient rituals still retained. In the middle of the basement surrounded by the ancestral statues and pictures, the body lay on a raised platform in an open coffin the shape of an ancient boat. He was dressed like a knight with the family insignia on his chest, holding a replica of the Palen, the family sword. His family and friends, 101 in all, stood around the coffin. The priest performed the final journey ceremony in Latin and waited for the next part of the ritual.

Family members, dressed in the traditional ceremonial garb, walked to the middle of the hall and around the coffin pedestal in a clockwise manner, led by the new Lord Headingly, Tom Lancaster. As they walked around, the family priest sang ancient prayers in the ancient language, transforming the whole atmosphere into a scene from another era. After going round the coffin four times, each member kissed the feet of the deceased and walked back to the posts in the hall. The priest kept on singing the hymn of the ancients, and the invited guests paid their respects by walking round the coffin once, placing flower petals at the feet of the body, and returning to their respective positions.

Then the priest walked to the new lord and presented him with a scroll that was a copy of the will. Once Lord Headingly had read the contents, he passed it on to the priest, who read the contents aloud slowly so that all present could hear.

I, the third Lord of Headingly and the forty-fifth Knight of the House of Lancaster of York, bequeath the Castle of York, the assets within, and all my investments in the Lancaster Trust Fund to my beloved son, Tom Lancaster, the new Lord of Headingly. It is passed on to him with the condition that he will reside in the castle and discharge his duties as described in the ancient treatise first established by our lord Knight John Lancaster, the trusted Knight of the Round Table of our lord King Arthur of England. This will be read to you by the family priest in the presence of the family and the invited guests. As a sign of acceptance, you will—in the presence of all present—say clearly, I shall, I shall, I shall.

In the service of England and my lord Knight John Lancaster,

Lord Headingly III, Henry Lancaster

The priest rolled the scroll, tied a ribbon around it, handed it back to Lord Headingly, and then knelt at his feet. Lord Headingly thought for a minute, looked at the scroll, raised his head, and looking at the audience said in firm voice, I shall, I shall, I shall.

The people in the hall burst into a thunderous applause. The priest kissed the lord’s hand, stood up, and led the audience into three cheers. Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, hooray!

Chapter 6

The guests and the family members filed out of the hall. When all had left, the priest walked up to the lord and handed him a key to the special room in the basement. They walked to the room, the lord opened the door, and they both went into the chamber.

Once inside, the lord performed the ritual of the heir. Witnessed by the priest, he lifted the Palen, raised it in the air, and pledged, "I, the fourth Lord of Headingly and the forty-sixth Knight of the House of Lancaster of York, pledge to my lord John Lancaster and all my ancestors there that I shall uphold the honor and values of the family. I pledge to strive to restore the English Crown to the heirs of our lord John Lancaster, the Knight of the Round Table of our lord King Arthur of England, and restore the glory of my fatherland, England." He kissed the sword and placed it back in the security of its sheath. The priest left the chamber, followed by the lord, who locked the door and placed the key into a special pocket until the time came for him to pass it on to his son. They returned to the hall and walked past each of the statues and pictures of the ancestors of the lord, starting from the first, John Lancaster. He knew well that his father’s statue would be invested in its place and someday his own.

A series of Cadillacs carried the members of the family and the hearse to the Lancaster estate on the Scarborough coast for the final journey of Lord Headingly III. The estate was vast and surrounded by an inlet on the coast, giving it seclusion and privacy. Only the family members were allowed to witness the end of the journey steeped in history and secrecy.

This ceremony was done at night. The hearse stopped at the special jetty; the coffin was placed on a sandalwood boat. A pyre of wood was made. The priest performed an ancient ceremony in a language long forgotten by the people but kept alive by a select group at the Lancaster Academy. Some ceremonial items were placed in the boat for use in the world beyond. Lord Headingly, as the heir, lit the pyre and pushed the boat in the easterly direction. The family broke the silence with an ancient hymn, bidding goodbye to the soul as it moved on to the world of his ancestors. They waved and sang the goodbye song until the boat was carried beyond the coast and the sea took back what came from it a long, long time ago.

Returning to the estate, Lord Headingly changed out of his mourning suit; and for the first time, the significance of what had happened, as well as his responsibilities, struck him. He looked out at the sea as if to take another glance at his father, what lay in the future, and the task at hand. Now he would be living for his new mission and others. As if the dream would go away, he took a shot of whiskey and lay in bed until he drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 7

The next day, Lord Headingly, his family, and the entourage returned to York. He met with his council and reviewed the resolutions. Later, he summoned his estate manager, James Hewitt, to meet with him in private.

James, like his father before him, had been in the service of the Lancasters all his life. As a lad, he had been privileged enough to attend their private academy and had graduated in the first division. When the time came, Lord Headingly III had appointed James to his council, where he had been a noted contributor to the modernization of the Lancaster holdings and had won the respect and trust of his peers. Perceiving the future requirements of the estate and with his realization that his health was failing, the lord had created a new position for James. He was now the first manager of the Lancaster estate.

Lord Headingly IV apprised James Hewitt of his overseas business operations and pointed out that he would be leaving soon to appoint professional management to run his worldwide operations and would return home to fulfill his obligations to the Lancaster household. Moreover, the overseas business revenues would be a welcome contribution to the English operations. He asked James to reserve the best tickets for his family for the English Football League Championship at Leeds. He knew that Leeds City, the team he had supported in his youth, was playing London United in the finals.

In the postwar years, Leeds City had moved from relegation to the top contender in the league. It took Charles Greenwood, the team manager, a decade to build the group into a championship team. In 1964, it won the league championship. In later years, the team somehow lost the spirit and was relegated to the second division. The competition was too much for the new players.

A new factor had entered the English football scene. With clubs getting richer, they were adopting the easy route for building their teams. The trend was to go to European, South American, and African teams and literally buy the best players to have them play for them. This was a double-edged sword. First, they got the best players without having to find and develop them. Then they would try players themselves, but the move also deprived the competition of their best players, which they could ill afford to lose after spending so much of their money, which they did not have to find and train them. Although the practice had initially been shunned, it had become common practice among all the clubs who could afford it. In fact, it was recognized to be a disadvantage for a club not to follow this best-player-stealing strategic move.

Lord Headingly and his family arrived at Welland Road in good time for the league championship. They were escorted through the VIP gate to their seats under proper security. This was the first live football game the lord had seen since the 1960s and since he had left for the USA. There were many changes—the clothes the fans were wearing, the class of people attending, the rowdiness of the supporters of the competing teams, and the distraction of the advertisements. It was a lot to absorb. He felt good about the presence of the bobbies on the sidelines. The loud singing of the team anthems and occasional scuffles in the stands even before the game started were beginning to bother him. He tried to ignore this by talking to his family members and reminiscing about the old times.

The loud din was broken by repeated announcements on the PA system with regard to the new rules for the fans to minimize the likelihood of clashes between the opposing sides and unwanted throwing of objects in the stands and field below. As the starting time approached, the noise level increased. Most of the seats seemed to have been taken. The waving scarves showed the division of the opposing teams. Lord Headingly could not understand why the fans had to be segregated, giving the impression of two armies ready for the conflict and inciting each other to make the first move. He was further worried about the children, women, and older attendees. Something was troubling about all this. He thought of leaving rather than witness the goings-on but decided instead to put up with the distractions and watch his old team play in the championship finals.

Chapter 8

Two minutes to eight, the crescendo from the stalls reached a pitch fever. The Leeds City team was announced, and as the players came out of the dugouts, the City fans raised a cheer that could be heard as far as the city center and beyond. The London United fans welcomed their team with just as much enthusiasm. As the two teams stretched and lined up at the centerline, facing each other, the referee came and stood on the centerline.

The national anthem was played, with the teams standing at attention, but the crowds in the stands were less courteous, and some were singing their team songs. Prince Henry, the heir to the throne, was not too amused but ignored the rudeness. Lord Headingly stood up in respect but was observing an interesting phenomenon. He knew about the decreasing popularity of the royals of the House of Windsor but noticed the extent of the disrespect in the common people. All took their seats after God save the Queen, ending the anthem, and the teams spread out to take their respective positions.

The captains walked to the referee, who then made the ceremonial coin toss. The home team captain called the toss, won it, and decided to stay on the side his team was already on. It was this side that the last winning team in 1964