Conquests: Hearts Rule Kingdoms by Emily Murdoch Read Free Book Online

managed. “That’s good.”
    The man of God was sweating now, despite the chilly breeze that tangled around the branches of the trees around the church. Avis pitied him. It was not his fault that he was under pressure to wed a woman that he had baptised as an infant in this very church – to wed her to a brute, a man that they all despised.
    “My lord priest,” she said to him deferentially, as was the custom. “You do me a great honour to wed me today. Please, do not hesitate.”
    Melville’s eyes widened. All that he had seen from this woman indicated that she was a great noblewoman, of high birth. But here she was, touching the sleeve of a plebeian priest?
    But the priest smiled. His hand covered hers, and he murmured something that only Avis could hear.
    “Bless you, my child,” he whispered. “And may God forgive me for what I do.”
    Avis nodded, but before their hands separated, Richard marched forward and pulled Avis away from the old man.
    “Do nothing,” Richard hissed, furiously, “but marry this hussy,” flinging her towards Melville, “to this man.”
    The priest wavered, and was about to speak to Richard but Avis stopped him.
    “Please.” And now the tears were visible. “Please, my lord. For my sake. Do not anger my lord Richard. For it will do none of us any good.”
    The priest looked around at the frightened villagers standing around the church. At the way that the old women clung to each other. At how mothers pulled in their young children closer. And he realised why Avis was paying such a high price.
    He swallowed, and continued.
    “God brought Eve to Adam, and He knew that it was good. So too do we, in God’s stead, bring forward the lady Avis to this man Melville. We know that this is good.”
    The last sentence brought a choke to his voice, but only those that knew him well would have noticed it, and none spoke of it. Within moments, the wedding would be complete.
    “Therefore,” resumed the priest, “I consider these two people to be married and one in my eyes, and in the eyes of God. I call you all to recognise them as such. Melville and Avis.”
    This time the villagers did speak up in their traditional manner, unable to help themselves.
    “Melville and Avis.”
    The three words echoed around the crowd like a summer’s breeze. But it was a sad echo, and an echo that died quickly.
    “Do you have a token?” The priest muttered to Melville.
    Melville looked blankly at the holy man. Token? What on earth did he mean?
    Avis sighed, and pulled a delicate gold ring out of the pouch attached to her belt.
    “Will this suffice, my lord?”
    The priest nodded. “Very well, my child.”
    “What mean you with this token?” Melville asked roughly.
    The priest blushed in fright, but said nothing. Avis tutted irritably.
    “At a wedding, the groom presents his bride with a token,” she explained hurriedly under her breath. “It is a sign of their marriage, and of his provision.” She shot a scornful look up at him. “Although now I have supplied it, I am not sure what this wedding will suggest about our marriage.”
    “I did not know!” Melville exclaimed quietly, with resentment in his voice.
    “You should have asked!”
    “And so,” the priest interrupted, panic now approaching his worried face as he tried to bring the supposedly happy couple to order. “I offer you, my lady Avis, this ring, on behalf of your husband, my lord Melville, as a sign and reminder of this day.”
    Avis accepted the ring back, rather ungraciously, and popped it back into the pouch. Well, it was not as if she wanted to wear the object that would continuously remind her of this ridiculous event.
    With the look of a man who has just seen the light of the dawn after a very long night, the priest spoke for the last time.
    “Melville and Avis.”
    “Melville and Avis,” came the answering reply of the crowd, and this time even some of the Normans joined in.
    Richard remained silent. He was not going to