foot to the other, wanting to leave and have done with the commotion of this marriage.
“You have never bedded a bride?” Maurya sounded surprised as she put the finishing touches on Alyse’s hair. “Were there no weddings at Castle Merwyck the whole time you were there?”
“Nay. Not when I was old enough to notice. I believe Lady Elizabeth’s sister married shortly after I arrived. But I was only seven and not allowed to participate.” Alyse’s voice caught. “My wedding to Phillip would have been the first I attended.”
“Well, then you may find the custom upsetting—”
Anne snorted with laughter.
“Go on with you, Anne.” Maurya pushed the girl toward the doorway and took Alyse’s arm. “’Tis always done after the feasting.” She steered Alyse into the corridor. “You see, the women of your family—”
“But I have no family here, Maurya.”
“’Tis true, but Lady Anne and I will attend you. We will bring you to the bridal chamber and…”
Recalling Maurya’s description of what would happen in a few short hours brought Alyse abruptly to herself. They were nearing Windsor. The ordeal had scarce begun.
* * * *
“Time to bed the bride!”
“Time for bedding!”
At the dreaded words, Alyse sent a stricken look to her bridegroom seated next to her on the dais. Why had he not prepared her for this embarrassing ritual?
Thomas squeezed her hand as he rose and pulled her to her feet. “’Twill be all right, my sweet. Go with Maurya, and I will attend you shortly.” His eyes sparkled with scarce-controlled glee as he handed her over to Anne and Maurya.
They grabbed her hands, giggling as they pulled her down the center of the Great Hall. Some courtiers cheered, others offered ribald remarks, and still others chuckled as the two women herded her out of the hall and toward the bridal chamber.
She gave thanks they would not spend their wedding night, or any night, in Thomas’s old apartment. These rooms would be their temporary quarters until they departed for Spain in just two weeks. Two weeks . Her mind whirled with the enormity of the coming voyage, her marriage…and this night.
Would Thomas keep his vow? Would he be allowed to? From what Maurya had insinuated—and Anne bluntly stated—she and Thomas would not be left alone in their chamber. Not until their marriage had been consummated.
How could he not have told her this?
They arrived at the new apartment on the far west wing of Windsor Castle to find several of Princess Isabella’s attendants standing outside the door.
“The princess has given us leave to attend you, Lady Alyse.” Lady Catherine Mandeville smiled and gestured to Lady Margaret Destries and Lady Carlyle. The latter woman wore a sullen look and cut her eyes at Alyse, her brows deeply furrowed. Such a display of malice made Alyse stop and stare, confused by the attendant’s unabashed ill will.
Anne gave Alyse a little push, propelling her into the chamber. The room was smaller than the one she had shared with Anne, though the furnishings were much grander. The table, set near the fireplace, had the sheen of warm oak, with chairs lavishly carved. Vases of roses adorned the table, filling the room with their sweet scent. Roses. She shook her head, trying to dispel the memory.
Her chest had been brought in and set near the end of the bed. The walls were hung with sumptuous tapestries—hunting scenes for the most part, though one wall boasted a rendering of the Knights of the Round Table.
Alyse’s heart caught in her throat, but she was given no time to grieve as the ladies crowded into the room, forcing her toward the final piece of furniture: the massive mahogany four-poster bed. The mattress had to be four feet from the ground, making the stepstool strategically placed at the end of the bed a necessity. The red damask curtains were drawn back, revealing a gold coverlet, turned down, and white sheets strewn with red rose petals. A nuptial chamber fit for
“You have never bedded a bride?” Maurya sounded surprised as she put the finishing touches on Alyse’s hair. “Were there no weddings at Castle Merwyck the whole time you were there?”
“Nay. Not when I was old enough to notice. I believe Lady Elizabeth’s sister married shortly after I arrived. But I was only seven and not allowed to participate.” Alyse’s voice caught. “My wedding to Phillip would have been the first I attended.”
“Well, then you may find the custom upsetting—”
Anne snorted with laughter.
“Go on with you, Anne.” Maurya pushed the girl toward the doorway and took Alyse’s arm. “’Tis always done after the feasting.” She steered Alyse into the corridor. “You see, the women of your family—”
“But I have no family here, Maurya.”
“’Tis true, but Lady Anne and I will attend you. We will bring you to the bridal chamber and…”
Recalling Maurya’s description of what would happen in a few short hours brought Alyse abruptly to herself. They were nearing Windsor. The ordeal had scarce begun.
* * * *
“Time to bed the bride!”
“Time for bedding!”
At the dreaded words, Alyse sent a stricken look to her bridegroom seated next to her on the dais. Why had he not prepared her for this embarrassing ritual?
Thomas squeezed her hand as he rose and pulled her to her feet. “’Twill be all right, my sweet. Go with Maurya, and I will attend you shortly.” His eyes sparkled with scarce-controlled glee as he handed her over to Anne and Maurya.
They grabbed her hands, giggling as they pulled her down the center of the Great Hall. Some courtiers cheered, others offered ribald remarks, and still others chuckled as the two women herded her out of the hall and toward the bridal chamber.
She gave thanks they would not spend their wedding night, or any night, in Thomas’s old apartment. These rooms would be their temporary quarters until they departed for Spain in just two weeks. Two weeks . Her mind whirled with the enormity of the coming voyage, her marriage…and this night.
Would Thomas keep his vow? Would he be allowed to? From what Maurya had insinuated—and Anne bluntly stated—she and Thomas would not be left alone in their chamber. Not until their marriage had been consummated.
How could he not have told her this?
They arrived at the new apartment on the far west wing of Windsor Castle to find several of Princess Isabella’s attendants standing outside the door.
“The princess has given us leave to attend you, Lady Alyse.” Lady Catherine Mandeville smiled and gestured to Lady Margaret Destries and Lady Carlyle. The latter woman wore a sullen look and cut her eyes at Alyse, her brows deeply furrowed. Such a display of malice made Alyse stop and stare, confused by the attendant’s unabashed ill will.
Anne gave Alyse a little push, propelling her into the chamber. The room was smaller than the one she had shared with Anne, though the furnishings were much grander. The table, set near the fireplace, had the sheen of warm oak, with chairs lavishly carved. Vases of roses adorned the table, filling the room with their sweet scent. Roses. She shook her head, trying to dispel the memory.
Her chest had been brought in and set near the end of the bed. The walls were hung with sumptuous tapestries—hunting scenes for the most part, though one wall boasted a rendering of the Knights of the Round Table.
Alyse’s heart caught in her throat, but she was given no time to grieve as the ladies crowded into the room, forcing her toward the final piece of furniture: the massive mahogany four-poster bed. The mattress had to be four feet from the ground, making the stepstool strategically placed at the end of the bed a necessity. The red damask curtains were drawn back, revealing a gold coverlet, turned down, and white sheets strewn with red rose petals. A nuptial chamber fit for
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