The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition, Vol. 08

Set against the rolling valleys of 15th‑century England, this swashbuckling tale opens with a sudden summons from the bell of Tunstall Moat House. Villagers gather along a moss‑covered bridge, their daily chores abandoned as rumors of an imminent clash spread through the countryside. Against a backdrop of oak‑lined fields, stone crosses, and the distant silhouette of Holywood Abbey, the story hints at the uneasy tension between wandering lords and the humble folk who till the land.

Into this uneasy scene rides young Master Richard Shelton, Sir Daniel’s ward, his leather jacket and steel crossbow marking him as both a youth and a seasoned archer. He bears the promise of sixpence a day for every man who answers the call, a lure that pits loyalty against survival for the assembled peasants. As the villagers debate the price of war—whether they should die defending a “natural lord” or cling to their own stubborn independence—the narrative weaves personal courage with the larger currents of England’s turbulent feudal struggles.