Free The Sword and The Swan by Roberta Gellis Page B

would normally call forth were exhausted, the couple was left alone to consummate the marriage. That, however, was not the end of the affair by any means. In the morning both male and female guests returned to strip the sheets from the bed and display the bloody proof of the bride's virginity.
    The system was very practical and Catherine had not the slightest objection to it. Simply, the public nudity of bride and groom offered proof that neither had any concealed defect or deformity, and the incontrovertible evidence of the maidenhood of the woman proved that she was not carrying any other man's child. Thus a great many repudiations of marriages on the grounds of bad faith were avoided. Rannulf had no objection to the system either and did not take Catherine's question amiss. After a moment of thought, however, he shrugged.
    "I can scarcely expect you to be a maiden. I can see that you are whole nor, for a blemish, would I put you aside."
    That carried the unfortunate inference to Catherine that he had married her for her lands, which was certainly true, and more, what was not true, that he intended to throw the fact into her face whenever he could.
    Unaware that he had insulted his wife yet again, Rannulf proceeded, equally unintentionally, to frighten her nearly out of her wits by adding thoughtfully, "Since you have no power to repudiate me, having no family, I need not be concerned for that."
    Catherine, believing that her husband was threatening her when he was merely examining aloud the aspects of conforming or not conforming to custom, felt literally sick with fear. The room spun and she caught unconsciously at Rannulf's arm to steady herself, drawing his attention.
    He was mildly irritated at the conventionality of women. They could not deviate from the form in the least item, he thought, without believing that the world would come to an end. Nonetheless, if the bedding ceremony would make his wife happier, he was perfectly ready to go through it once again.
    "If you wish," he said irritably, "I will summon the queen and we can proceed in the usual way. It was merely that in our case I thought the ceremony to be nonsense. Suit yourself, madam, I care not so long as we be quickly free of this throng."
    There was no more to be said; Rannulf had stated the case exactly. Catherine knew herself to be utterly helpless in her husband's hands. She had no powerful father or brother to support her cause for love or to repossess her dowry. At this moment there was no single human being in the land to whom she could look for succor. It was quite true that in their situation the bedding process was an empty ceremony. Above and beyond all, the path to safety lay in not irritating Rannulf of Sleaford.
    "What you say is true, my lord," Catherine murmured. "If you will, let us go."
    Her docility received little open reward, for Rannulf grasped her ungently by the arm and propelled her through the nearest door. Once outside, his pace slowed and he glanced at Catherine with apparent uneasiness.
    "Your maids will be still at the celebrations, I suppose. Do you need them? For me to fetch them would be no light task since I have never seen the creatures."
    "No, I can manage alone."
    A paragon, Rannulf thought. She can ride and undress herself. Through the mental scoffing, however, he was pleased at what he took for reasonableness, since he had not forgotten the flashes of temper, and understood that Maud had deliberately lied about or overestimated Catherine's gentleness. He handled her more carefully now, however, and suited his pace to hers as they moved down the staircase and across the court to Rannulf's quarters.
    These were deserted, as was to be expected, since every servant was busy eating and drinking, playing rough games, or dancing, but Catherine was surprised to see that the room had not been readied in any particular way. For the first time in that long dreadful day, tears rose to her eyes at the proof of the depth of contempt