The Shadow Queen: The Sunday Times bestselling book – a must read for Summer 2018. Anne O'Brien

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       ‘No, Sir Thomas.’ The squire’s reply was trenchant. The page, simply overawed into silence, shook his head.

       ‘On your honour,’ Thomas demanded.

      ‘On my honour,’ the squire repeated. The page gulped.

       He turned back to me.

       ‘A pity you could not bring one of your women with you. She would be a better witness and one not likely to die in battle.’

       The page paled.

       ‘I could, of course. But only if you did not mind it being gossiped from one tower to the next within the half-hour.’

       Sometimes men, even much admired men, were highly impractical. I hoped Thomas’s minions were not given to gossip, or were so afraid of his revenge that they would keep their mouths shut. The page’s mouth had fallen open in distress.

      Thomas was holding out his palm.

       ‘Let it be done.’

       ‘Let it be done,’ I repeated.

       I placed my hand in his, palm to palm, my fingers lightly clasped around his wrist, and his closed around mine as he began to speak.

       ‘This is my intent. Today I am your husband. If you want me as your husband.’

       The birds rustled, a fragile-seeming merlin beginning to preen with intensity, while I repeated the words.

       ‘This is my intent. Today I am your wife. If you want me as your wife.’

       ‘You have my love and my loyalty and the protection of my body until death claims me.’

       ‘You have my love and my loyalty and my duty as your wife, until death claims me.’

       ‘I am your husband of my own free will.’

       ‘I am your wife, without duress. So I wish it.’

      So speaking our intent, we stood and regarded each other. It was not a marriage I had envisioned. Here was no ceremony, no panoply, no festive celebration. My garments were not the lavish extravagance of a bride and Thomas was dressed starkly in wool and leather, fit for travel. No incense, no choir, so flattering candle flames. Here was no royal union, only a simple statement between a man and a woman. If the hawks heard our vows they were entirely unreceptive.

      I sneezed again in the close atmosphere. Not the most romantic of gestures.

       ‘So it is done.’ Releasing my hand, Thomas signalled with a tilt of his chin to the squire and page who made an exit, leaving us alone. ‘It is legal and binding. Except for the consummation.’

       Now was no time for hesitation. ‘Where?’ I asked.

       With his shoulder he pushed at an inner door that led into the domain of the falconer, where there was a stool, a coffer, a peg to hold a cloak, and a rough cot.

       ‘It’s the best I could manage.’

       He made a bow worthy of the most elegant of courtiers, then closed the door at my back.

       So the falconer’s cot with its musty covers – and some feathers – witnessed the fleeting physical union of a Plantagenet princess and a minor knight from the depths of Lancashire. Hearing tuned for every fall of approaching footstep, I later admitted to not enjoying to any degree the overwhelming passion that I had hoped to experience. Instead it was fast and uncomfortable and undignified. I would not admit to the sharp pain, even though I suspected that Thomas was considerate in his urgency, having all the experience that I lacked. The surroundings were not conducive to lingering kisses, the circumstances not engaging to passion. The falconer’s bed with its disreputable mattress made me aware of fleas and mites rather than the culmination of physical longing. Yet my virginity was gently won by a man who said that he loved me.

       It had made me his wife.

       We set our clothes to rights, which took little time since few had been removed in this briefest of interludes.

       ‘When will I see you again?’ I asked.

       ‘When I have made my fortune.’

       ‘When will you tell the King?’

      ‘When he is in the mood to listen. I had hoped immediately.’ Thomas, thoughtful if somewhat inept, was helping me to secure my veil, brow creased in concentration. My firmly plaited hair had barely been disturbed. ‘Unfortunately, as it is he’ll give me short shrift so I’ll not risk a blast of temper.’

       I did not argue. Edward was not in the best frame of mind to listen to anything other than finance and war against the bloody French.

       Leaving me to make a better fist with my veil, Thomas fastened the buckle of his belt, stooping to collect the sword that had been placed against the wall. ‘Edward admires courage and initiative.’ He shrugged a little. ‘If I earn a reputation for bold resourcefulness, I don’t think he will be slow in giving this marriage his support. And now I must go.’

       He kissed me on his way to the door, for that was the truth of it. He was a soldier, with no other means of earning his bread or a reputation. I had known how it would be, but perhaps I had not expected to be abandoned so precipitately almost before I had donned my cloak, with one final word of advice.

       ‘You are not to speak of this, Joan. It is my place to tell the King, not yours. He may be your cousin, but I’ll not have his wrath turned against you.’ And then, unexpectedly stern: ‘I worship the ground that you tread, little princess.’

       As if to prove it, he dropped to one knee, lifting my hem and pressing it to his lips.

       ‘You do know what they will say, don’t you? That I wed you only because you are the King’s cousin. That I shame my knightly calling.’ His face uplifted to mine was unexpectedly grave, the lines between his brows savagely wrought.

       ‘I know it. But I know the truth,’ I assured him.

       ‘I want you for yourself. Never forget that.’

       Then while I was recovering from so unexpected a piece of courtliness, Thomas had risen, bowed with his fist against his heart and made his departure.

      What was left for me? I climbed to the tower to watch him ride away to join the King’s military force, complete with his armour and weapons and travelling coffer, his page and squire in attendance and a small retinue at his back. I had a husband. I was married to Sir Thomas Holland. I was now Lady Holland. He would go to war and I would return to England with the Queen’s СКАЧАТЬ