Telepathy of Hearts (29 page)

Goody refused to move. With her hands on her hips, she challenged him as she spoke.
“I nay will move for kiss nor coin
,
Sire.
”

Matheus asked,
“What will move ye
,
Mistress Goody? A pretty pin or a clip for your hair?
”

Goody interrupted.
“Neither. Master Matheus has to love her as much as I do.
”

He replied softly,
“Goody, I do and more.
”

Moving to the side the knights passed her. The coins had been given and the kisses received and Matheus was on his way to her chambers. Godwin barred the door to all but the ladies who rushed in to bathe her.

Matheus was dropped head first and near naked into the tub of steaming water on the landing. There were lots of admiring glances from the ladies who remained as Matheus stood up and pulled his shirt over his head so he stood completely naked.

“Any of you good ladies want to bathe me for a crown, for these smelly, foul knights have callused hands and the breath of boars.
” He laughed as the knights knocked him off his legs and dunked him in the tub.

Once bathed
,
he was ushered to the peep hole. Eleanor was being attended by Lady Bruce and Goody. They had a leg in each hand and were washing her gently from the soles of her feet to the top of her thighs. Other maids and ladies held her hair out of the water.

The sight was incredible. His obvious delight in the nakedness of his lady wife was greeted by lewd jest and bawdy banter. To save his lady
's blushes, Matheus put on a clean shirt, which covered his arousal and made his appearance much more modest.

Goody came to the door and demanded payment for Eleanor
's virginity.

Matheus produced the most beautiful brooch. Fine gold decorated with pearls to denote his bride
's purity. He read a piece prepared to go with it.
“I give this to my bride
,
sweet Lady Eleanor of Lincoln. She shall wear this pearl brooch upon her breast; it bears witness to her modesty and proof aplenty that hers will be a chaste bed. It will shut up her bosom and deny any other man entrance to her breast and any adulterous eye from tasting what delights the honourable caresses of a loving husband only thee behold.
”

Goody nodded. Joined by Lady Bruce she spoke, addressing the rabble.
“Master Godwin, please stand down and grant this man access to his bride.
” Narrowing her eyes and threatening the others with her broom of birch she growled,
“As for you drunks and bawdy players
…I remind you my daughter is a maid. I will not have her frightened, her nates slapped for luck or her garter ripped from her thigh
…I warn ye well.
”

The surrounding knights gulped and gasped. In unison they nodded, their voices hushed and their bawdy behaviour quietened. Mother Bear in full flight was quite formidable and more than a match for any decorated knight of the king.

Matheus and the ensuing rabble were allowed access to Eleanor
's chamber. Scents of rose water and balm perfumed the air. The bridal bed was draped and decorated with mistletoe.

Between the sheets, his bride waited nervously for him. Eleanor
's hair was a cascade of corn-
coloured curls that covered her shoulders and the pillow as ribbons of gold. A garland of flowers made a crown for her head. Her visible skin glistened in the candlelight from the sweet-
scented oils that had been massaged on it. Her lips were red from fruit dye and bee
's wax. The delicate rosy blush to her cheeks from angelica leaves joined with the flush on her chest from embarrassment.

“Take your garter off, child
…and quick, for a knight will be taking it off with his teeth if ye dally.
”

Encouraged by Lady Bruce she slipped off her garter and threw it to the throng.

Song broke out. Matheus found himself lifted once more. The men folk had hold of his legs and arms and carried him over their heads.
Passing him around to be pinched by the ladies.

“Where is the priest?
Call for the priest and quickly!
” Goody instructed all flustered. She wiped her brow. She was hot and bothered, and her many chins were quite scarlet.
“The bed must be blessed!
” she shouted in panic.

“Hush woman,
” Godwin replied, putting a strong muscular arm a
round the short and stout nurse
maid.
“They need no blessing,
'tis nature
's work, here not your God
'
s
.
”

Godwin glowered as t
he priest was ushered in swinging his incense.
He
was a little tipsy and struggled with his lines.
“
Celebrato Matrimonio,
Parochus vel qui ejus vices gerit, quamprimum describat in libro Matrimoniorum nomina conjugum ac testium, locum et diem celebrati Matrimonii,
”

Matheus
's raised
his
eyebrows
and let loose
a belly laugh at the
priest
's
poor use of Latin. The throng of folks not used to the Latin tongue nodded to everything, convinced of the sanctity of the priest
's spoken words. The priest pulled back the sheets and asked Eleanor to move over. The maids put down a white linen sheet.

Matheus heart sank as she looked up at him. He hated to see the fear her gaze returned.

“
'Tis only a blood sheet, child,
” Lady Bruce informed her in a manner so casual it was as if testing your virginity publically was an everyday event.

The priest piped up once more, addressing the gathering in English.
“Let us pray. Bless this bedroom, Lord, so that all who live in it may remain firm in Your peace and persevere in Your will. May they live a long life and have children; may Eleanor deliver alive. For many days to come and finally arrive at the kingdom of
H
eaven through
Christ our Lord. Amen.
” Sprinkling the blood sheet with holy water he put his hand on Eleanor
's thigh. Smiling, he whispered,
“Do not fret my Lady,
'twill be over in moments
and this time upon the new year,
you will hold your own babe.
”

The knights who held Matheus dropped him on the bed, demanding payment to prevent them from ravishing his bride. Godwin gave them a sovereign each and shooed them from the room. To encourage them to leave he said,
“There are whores paid for downstairs when you are ready. Best go soon, some of ye cannot stand as a man. Yo
u
're so befuddled with ale
I dare say
'tis not the only thing about ye that will struggle to stand.
”

Godwin and Mother Bear decided the couple had suffered enough from the guests
' lewd and bawdy antics
;
they instructed all the remaining well-
wishers to leave.

Alone, Matheus tipped Eleanor
's face to greet his. The passion that burned and prickled his blood started to thaw. Melting into those hazel eyes full of sorrow and dismay, his head made a decision that for once his heart agreed with.

Getting out from the bridal bed, he knew Eleanor
's eyes were on him. The sound of her quick breaths followed him. As he turned to give her a grin, his face dropped

Matheus was quite disturbed. His beautiful new bride who still sported the strike of another man on her face, had slipped down the bed. The bed sheets were drawn right up her face so they covered her nose. She was trembling.

Priests
' bones, does she think a thin sheet of linen would protect her from my advances if I have a mind to take her and claim her as mine.
Poor creature.
Striding over to his sword belt, he drew his dagger from its scabbard. Startled by Eleanor
's scream, Matheus turned, blade in hand.

“Oh Mother Mary protect me.
Pray, Master, my Lord touch me not with that.
” She was shaking, her voice was breathless, its pitch high. Eleanor
's eyes were closed tight. Her mouth was mouthing words hurriedly.

“Hey hey
…whoa. Eleanor Wife
…
Priests
' bones. I have told you I would strike myself before a morn broke that I would touch you so.
” Matheus
' words were well meant. But he could tell they fell on deaf ears. Walking to the bed, he grabbed the blood sheet from underneath her, causing another scream. Shaking his head and wiping his face with his hands, he muttered,
“Dear God
,
did that cur use a blade to threaten ye?
”

There was no reply from Eleanor, just the sound of her sobs as they caught the back of her throat as she nodded.

He could see she now watched his every move, her eyes unable to rest. They fixated on the dagger. Turning his body so she could not watch, he drew the blade across his palm catching only an inch of skin.
Picking up the blood sheet he wiped the fresh flowing blood upon it. Replacing his dagger, he continued his business by throwing the newly stained blood sheet near the door. Walking over to the bed
foot
he picked up a cushion.

He knew her eyes were on him. There was a wickedness about him that night. Matheus was now grinning. His grin turned to a smirk. The smirk a spritely chuckle and then a belly laugh.

“
Please don
't laugh so my Lord
…for I
'm fair frit of you
…I beg you couple me and leave me. Sire, I beg thee.
” Her voice breaking with every breath and her eyes still the size of sovereign
's and her limbs still quivering, she pleaded.

“Is this not ridiculous? I laugh because I do not wish to cry And Wife, it is Husband
…the word is Husband. I have men a plenty and women more to call me lord, knight, master, Matheus and sire. I have but one beautiful wife to call me husband.
” Matheus got onto the bed and lay beside her.
Putting the cushion upon his groin to curb his passion, he turned to face her. He put his arms around her and pulled her to him.

She was quite rigid in his arms.
Cupping her chin, he forced her face to look upon his. His thumb stretched to caress her cheek as he held her. Dropping to her, he used his embracing arm to force her head up for a kiss. Eleanor struggled. But Matheus held tight. Not with undue force but control enough to confine her.

She sobbed and he soothed her. The very gentlest intimacy of a man to his wife, a hold that protected her. Not a word pas
sed
between the
m. Their voices were unneeded, h
is embrace action enough to give her pain
a
voice. Matheus felt her breath slow and her tremble abate. His bride was sleeping
,
castled in his arms.

Kissing the top of her head and stroking her silky curls he whispered to her,
“I am not a man of sweet words, more a man of deeds. When I find him, I will bring you his spleen.
”