Carried Away by Anna Markland

sent messengers to Saint Germain, and Robert would send the message on by way of the regular relays the Montbryces used. He was confident it was the quickest way to get the happy news of Blythe’s betrothal and marriage to his family in England. He laughed as he thought of his precocious daughter, Ragna. She would be mortified not to be present at her sister’s wedding and would ask him thousands of questions. He studied his eldest daughter, trying to memorise the details of the occasion, for he well recognised Aidan would be useless in this.
    Blythe’s blue silk dress, edged along the hem with ermine, fell gracefully from the high waist, banded with a wide sash of the same silk, which emphasized the swell of her breasts. He noted with satisfaction that she was indeed her mother’s daughter. The bodice had long sleeves and a cerise coloured cowl plunged from her shoulders to the high waistline. As she walked she lifted the edge, revealing a cerise coloured underskirt and dainty shoes tied around the ankles. Dieter had given her an amber necklace as a betrothal gift and she wore it proudly now. On her head she bore a circlet headdress, beribboned with cerise ribbons, and a shimmering veil. Caedmon closed his eyes and his thoughts drifted back to his own wedding in the fledgling abbey at Alnwick. Though not a wealthy man then, he’d been just as consumed with love for Agneta as Dieter seemed to be for Blythe.
    The Count wore a long sleeved black tunic of fine wool, black leggings and black boots. The black hilt of his sword had white ribbons entwined around it, and a long white cloak, worn off the shoulders, fell almost to his feet. It struck Caedmon he’d never seen his son-by-marriage in anything other than black clothing.
    Johann acted as his father’s page and was dressed in garb identical to his father’s.
    Caedmon smiled. He would be able to report to Ragna that it was indeed a magnificent wedding. He relished teasing her mercilessly about it. In that regard, Aidan would be the perfect ally.
    ***
    Archbishop Frederick conducted the lengthy ceremony. As he settled into the second quarter hour of his homily, Blythe’s mind wandered over what Dieter had told her about the cathedral in which she knelt. Christian buildings had existed on the site since the fourth century. Her thoughts flew back to the coronation ceremony in Mainz. It seemed long ago and far away. How unhappy she’d been then.
    She longed for the nuptial ceremony to be over, the banquet to be done. It had been a fortnight of restraint that had stretched both hers and Dieter’s patience. She wanted to get on with discovering the passions her mother had hinted at. She thirsted to see Dieter naked and he’d told her he dreamed every night of running his hands through her auburn hair while she lay beneath him.
    Aidan didn’t speak German, and he shifted restlessly in his pew. He was still cool towards Dieter and she suspected it was difficult for him to accept his twin would be far away.
    Her father didn’t miss his cue when asked to place the coins symbolic of her dowry on the Bible. Caedmon had endowed her with one of his Sussex estates and a substantial sum of money. Dieter had presented her with an estate he owned in Saxony.
    It would soon be Yuletide and the cathedral was chilly. Incense hung in the air as if frozen in place. Her toes were freezing. Dieter noticed her shiver and tightened his grip on her hand, smiling his enigmatic smile. His warmth filled her with longing. Would anyone notice if she kissed his hand? She willed the Archbishop to cease speaking.
    Finally, the rites were completed and everyone processed out of the cathedral. Dieter and Aidan lifted Blythe by the forearms so her feet wouldn’t touch the slippery path. Anna draped a warm fur around her shoulders and Dieter shrugged into a wolfskin coat held out for him by Bernhardt. Laughing and giggling, they were bundled into a horse-drawn sleigh and tucked in. Köln had