The Traitor's Daughter
Page 26
The marriage was blessed that afternoon, in the church and, having declared a holiday, Hugh fed the villagers that night in the hall. After tasting the food for the celebration, Alais asked Hugh if she could send a message with Edmund for him to send back the under-cook from Leigh. That night the senior wards and some of the ladies accompanied Hugh and Alais to Hugh’s bedchamber. Hugh did not yet wish to move into his father’s room. “When you tire of me, that will be the time to move out of your chamber,” he had whispered to Alais.
Having been escorted to the bedchamber, Alais was half afraid that the attendants would reinstate the old custom of seeing the marriage consummated, but they were left alone. Although Alais’ many loud cries of delight throughout the night could have left no one passing the door in any doubt that the marriage had been very happily consummated.
Epilogue
One morning, early in May, Alais was sitting with Sarah and Hilda in her bedchamber, describing the symptoms that were making her feel so unwell. So far, she had succeeded in hiding them from Hugh. She did not want to worry him, but she had finally decided to discuss it with Hilda and Sarah in the hope of finding a cure.
“There is no cure for this,” laughed Sarah, looking at Hilda for confirmation.
Alais looked between them. What was wrong with her? Would she die? When? How could she tell Hugh? Would he find another wife to give him heirs?
“Do not fret, my lady,” smiled Hilda, reaching out and patting her knee. “It is the oldest illness. You are with child.”
Alais laughed with relief. She was carrying Hugh’s heir. She jumped up excitedly, “Then I must find my lord and tell him.”
She left the two old women together and rushed off to find her husband and found him coming in from the yard where he had been training. The men who had been his father’s wards were now in his care and he took their training seriously. His bare chest glistened with a sheen of sweat. He smiled and opened his arms as she rushed up to him and caught her up into a hug and a kiss that left them both breathless.
“You are pleased about something, my lady,” he said, when he finally stopped kissing her.
“Yes, my lord, very pleased.”
“My lord.”
Alais realised with a start that the steward had been standing behind them for some time with a stranger by his side.
“What is it?” Hugh demanded. “Who is this?”
“The king’s messenger,” the steward explained.
The joy faded from Hugh’s face to be replaced by a worried frown. He released his hold on Alais. “You have a letter for me from the king?”
The messenger bowed, “Yes, my lord.”
Hugh held out his hand for the letter and placed his other arm around Alais’ waist. Breaking the seal he opened the letter and read it. Then he went back to the beginning and read it again. Then he folded it again. “Are there any other letters?” he asked.
“No, my lord.”
“Then you are welcome to take your rest here for as long as you need.”
The messenger bowed and followed the steward away. Alais placed an arm around Hugh’s waist and they walked quietly to Hugh’s solar.
“The king does not give permission then,” she said as he shut the door behind them. He caught her up into another kiss. When he had finished he pulled away from her and smiled. “The king,” he said, “is very pleased to allow his beloved subject, Sir Hugh de Liss, to marry Lady Alais de Montjoye.”
“Oh Hugh!” She pulled him down for another kiss.
“We will send a messenger to Leigh this afternoon,” he said, “and we will leave tomorrow. That should give them time to make ready for the celebration.”
They had decided that when they heard from the king, one way or the other, they would go to Leigh and have Uncle Guillaume bless their marriage and then celebrate with the people at Leigh. Alais knew that Hugh was looking forward to seeing Edmund again. When Martin, the steward, had fallen ill before Edmund arrived it had seemed sensible to have Edmund stay on and learn how to take his place. He, Joan, Agnes and the children had all stayed at Leigh. Alais knew that she was looking forward to seeing her uncles and all the people at Leigh. It was not her home any longer. Her home was wherever Hugh was, but she longed for him to love it as much as she did, but she knew it would never replace Hill in his heart and they would spend some time there on their way back to Liss. She hoped that their child would be born at Hill.
“Oh, my lord,” she said, “I quite forgot…”
About the Author
April Munday lives in Hampshire with a few chickens and a vegetable plot. She has been interested in the fourteenth century for some time and enjoys seeing the changes that were happening in England at that time reflected in the lives of her characters.