William took the golden-haired bride
and Elizabeth the heavily pregnant figure, for she ardently desired to give her
second husband the son he needed as heir to his lands. When the high lords had
chosen, the guests at large rushed upon the pastries and tore them apart.
During and after this mêlée, servants hastily cleared the tables and removed
them. The guests mixed more freely, talking, dancing, and playing games.
Eventually torches began to gutter and the lamps to bum low. Someone, Alys
could never remember who, called the party to order. The men gathered around
Raymond, the women about Alys. Everyone capable of doing so began to cheer and
laugh. The bedding ceremony was about to begin.
Chapter Six
Alys knew what was to happen, of course, and she was
certainly not ashamed of her lovely body. She was also well aware of the
purpose of exposing her naked to all. It was proof that she had no hidden
defect for which her husband could repudiate her. Still, she was young and,
until a few months before, had been a person of little account in the world.
Had she married the son of a neighboring knight, or even someone a little
higher on the social scale, there would have been fewer guests, and she would
have known most of them. Now it seemed that a host of strangers surrounded her,
jesting, laughing, and making pointed remarks as her clothing was removed.
There were so many witnesses that they could not fit into the
bedchamber, so the disrobing was carried out in the hall. It was cold, despite
the best efforts of the roaring fires. Alys had begun to shiver, and Elizabeth,
noting the strain on her face, had faded from her side and suggested to Richard
that he keep William away. The bond of father and daughter was unusually close
and sympathetic. Whereas most fathers would have been amused by the fear and
embarrassment of their daughters, William would be greatly distressed. He might
even interfere in some way to protect Alys, which would be unfortunate all
around.
Richard was quick to take the hint and draw William away.
Elizabeth, Sancia, and the queen were the ladies actively engaged in disrobing
Alys. The result for Alys was that there was hardly a familiar face in the
crowd around her. She was too proud and too courageous to weep aloud and hang
her head like a craven, but tears stung in her eyes and the milk of her skin
was deep-dyed with blushes. Thus, when the cries, “Look on your husband!” and
“Look on your wife!” rang out as the naked couple was brought face to face,
Alys shrank away from the unfamiliar, staring eyes into the shelter of
Raymond’s arms. This produced more laughter, cheers, and jests, but Alys cared
little for that. She had been received in a willing, protective embrace. She
now felt comforted and sustained. Although she still blushed furiously and hid
her face in Raymond’s shoulder, her trembling ceased.
It was this pretty picture that William saw when he was
attracted by the ceremonial cries that capped the ritual and pushed his way
through the crowd. Relief and gladness filled him. The trust his daughter felt
in her husband and the eager yet gentle way Raymond held her augured well for
Alys’s future happiness. William was soothed. He could not take pleasure in the
forthcoming separation, but he did not need to fear for his daughter, either.
He joined his wife, the king and queen, the Earl and Countess of Cornwall, and
several other great magnates in accompanying the bridal pair into the bedchamber,
and assisted Alys into the bed with a fond pat and a low-voiced, “Be a good
girl.”
To which, to his delight, his daughter responded pertly, “It
is too late for that.”
Alys’s balance had been restored by Raymond’s ready, smiling
reception. Protected, she had been able to recognize the friendliness in the
voices and eyes of the crowd. No matter that they were strangers, they all
wished her well. The final assurance that everything was just as it should be
was her father’s
and Elizabeth the heavily pregnant figure, for she ardently desired to give her
second husband the son he needed as heir to his lands. When the high lords had
chosen, the guests at large rushed upon the pastries and tore them apart.
During and after this mêlée, servants hastily cleared the tables and removed
them. The guests mixed more freely, talking, dancing, and playing games.
Eventually torches began to gutter and the lamps to bum low. Someone, Alys
could never remember who, called the party to order. The men gathered around
Raymond, the women about Alys. Everyone capable of doing so began to cheer and
laugh. The bedding ceremony was about to begin.
Chapter Six
Alys knew what was to happen, of course, and she was
certainly not ashamed of her lovely body. She was also well aware of the
purpose of exposing her naked to all. It was proof that she had no hidden
defect for which her husband could repudiate her. Still, she was young and,
until a few months before, had been a person of little account in the world.
Had she married the son of a neighboring knight, or even someone a little
higher on the social scale, there would have been fewer guests, and she would
have known most of them. Now it seemed that a host of strangers surrounded her,
jesting, laughing, and making pointed remarks as her clothing was removed.
There were so many witnesses that they could not fit into the
bedchamber, so the disrobing was carried out in the hall. It was cold, despite
the best efforts of the roaring fires. Alys had begun to shiver, and Elizabeth,
noting the strain on her face, had faded from her side and suggested to Richard
that he keep William away. The bond of father and daughter was unusually close
and sympathetic. Whereas most fathers would have been amused by the fear and
embarrassment of their daughters, William would be greatly distressed. He might
even interfere in some way to protect Alys, which would be unfortunate all
around.
Richard was quick to take the hint and draw William away.
Elizabeth, Sancia, and the queen were the ladies actively engaged in disrobing
Alys. The result for Alys was that there was hardly a familiar face in the
crowd around her. She was too proud and too courageous to weep aloud and hang
her head like a craven, but tears stung in her eyes and the milk of her skin
was deep-dyed with blushes. Thus, when the cries, “Look on your husband!” and
“Look on your wife!” rang out as the naked couple was brought face to face,
Alys shrank away from the unfamiliar, staring eyes into the shelter of
Raymond’s arms. This produced more laughter, cheers, and jests, but Alys cared
little for that. She had been received in a willing, protective embrace. She
now felt comforted and sustained. Although she still blushed furiously and hid
her face in Raymond’s shoulder, her trembling ceased.
It was this pretty picture that William saw when he was
attracted by the ceremonial cries that capped the ritual and pushed his way
through the crowd. Relief and gladness filled him. The trust his daughter felt
in her husband and the eager yet gentle way Raymond held her augured well for
Alys’s future happiness. William was soothed. He could not take pleasure in the
forthcoming separation, but he did not need to fear for his daughter, either.
He joined his wife, the king and queen, the Earl and Countess of Cornwall, and
several other great magnates in accompanying the bridal pair into the bedchamber,
and assisted Alys into the bed with a fond pat and a low-voiced, “Be a good
girl.”
To which, to his delight, his daughter responded pertly, “It
is too late for that.”
Alys’s balance had been restored by Raymond’s ready, smiling
reception. Protected, she had been able to recognize the friendliness in the
voices and eyes of the crowd. No matter that they were strangers, they all
wished her well. The final assurance that everything was just as it should be
was her father’s
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