The Monk's Lair

By Ellie Thomas

Christian Maxwell is used to being alone. A delicate and over-imaginative young man, he’s abandoned to his own devices and company in his family’s Wiltshire country home. When his aunt, concerned for his well-being, insists he accompany her to the Welsh Borders for a country house party in the autumn of 1816, Christian is resigned to being surrounded by people for the duration.

One particular guest, Sam Gillespie, is a handsome amateur scientist of a similar age to Christian who is determined to befriend him. When Sam persuades Christian to join him on an expedition to the scenic ruins of Tintern Abbey, they stumble across an isolated valley that contains a long-dead and sinister monastic force.

Their dreams are haunted by the spirit of the place, so the pair band together to find out the valley’s dark history, kindling their romance along the way. But their ghostly foe is more tenacious than they imagine. Can Christian and Sam manage to defeat the black monk and find lasting happiness?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Nov 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9781685505288

Book preview

The Monk’s Lair

By Ellie Thomas

Published by JMS Books LLC

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2023 Ellie Thomas

ISBN 9781685505288

* * * *

Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

All rights reserved.

WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in the United States of America.

* * * *

The Monk’s Lair

By Ellie Thomas

Chapter 1

The Wye Valley, near Tintern, Monmouthshire

An inky firmament of stars shone bright and serene over the thickly wooded hills. The vista was wide and clear, stretching to the horizon where the mountains met the sky in a midnight embrace. Any impression of stillness was illusionary. This prospect was far from a frozen image captured on canvas in an attempt at idealised Romanticism.

A whisper of breeze ruffled the treetops. From within the sheltered depths of the woodland came the scurrying of small animals. The cycle of life and the changing seasons played out in peaceful progression as it had done from time immemorial.

Below the tree line, the first ghostly white tendrils emanated from the cleft of the isolated valley. In its depths, the haze thickened, shrouding a carefully hidden secret. In this spot there was no birdsong, no hint of a woodland creature, simply an endless, smothering quiet.

The paths that led to this place were overgrown, seldom trod, avoided by people and wild animals. In the expectant hush, such neglect did not appear accidental.

At the heart of the valley lurked a presence that tingled through the hairs on the back of the neck and set the pulse racing. The force lingered around the crumbling structures at its centre. Man-made, a hub of worship for centuries until eventually abandoned. Left to its own devices, crumbling into neglect, the place occasionally attracted those inclined to occult thrills. Perhaps this explained why the small cluster of broken buildings was not harmlessly absorbed back into nature. Instead, they gathered power, harnessing dark energy.

In daytime, a hardy visitor armed with a stout staff for the steep descent might find an unimpressive heap of stones, disappointed that their exertions reaped such thin rewards. With a muttered curse about straying so far off the beaten track, they would climb the steep slope back towards civilisation and the glories of Tintern Abbey.

Unprepossessing in daylight, the hollow was an ominous place after nightfall. Wreathed in mist, the ruined priory crouched like a predatory beast. The few remaining walls resembled jagged claws, ready to tear and clutch. The dense fog gave no respite, no softening cover, but rather the intimation of hidden movement, of something preparing to pounce on any unwary or over-adventurous soul.

The monumental silence was broken by the dull tolling of a bell from the long dismantled chapel, amplified by the mist, filling the dip of the valley with warning. Those who had not already fled might hear another sound beneath the monotone of the bell. The echo of human voices raised in an ancient chant might be a welcome respite from the eeriness of this forgotten site.

Until realisation dawned that the sound emanated from the lipless mouths of the previous inhabitants, long-dead monks.

* * * *

Chapter 2

Near Ledbury, Gloucestershire, September 1816

In my opinion, said Colonel Maltravers through a helping of roast beef, the Wye Valley has gone to the dogs with all these tourists traipsing downstream in pleasure boats. I blame that fellow Gilpin for spouting on about the place. And no doubt, he’s made a pretty penny.

The Reverend Gilpin has popularised the unique beauty of the area not only for the benefit of sightseers, but also the local population. Mr. Michaels, the vicar of the nearest