‘Dear God, Tom, how did this come about? Do the King and Queen know?’
‘Nobody knows beyond you, John de la Salle and Jeanette’s maid. We are to wed tomorrow and say our vows before a Franciscan friar.’
Otto shook his head.
‘It has to be marriage,’ Thomas said grimly. ‘We have lain together and she is with child.’
Otto regarded Thomas in shocked silence. What an utter disaster for their attempts to rehabilitate their family. They were on probation, and this would scupper them. He might even lose his brother. ‘And once the deed is done, what then?’ he demanded when he could speak. ‘When are you going to tell the King and Queen?’
Thomas’s face twisted. ‘I do not know. We have a few weeks’ grace before anything need be said and I shall think of something. A marriage will make the situation more honourable than it is just now. I shall endow her with my worldly goods and we shall manage. I put my faith in God and I shall do penance for my sin, but I must see it through.’
‘I warned you,’ Otto said furiously. ‘Numerous times.’
‘I know you did, but that doesn’t help now,’ Thomas snapped. ‘I am to blame. I take it entirely upon myself. If you wish to distance yourself, then do so and I will understand.’
‘Do you love her?’ It was almost an accusation.
Thomas palmed his face. ‘Yes,’ he said simply. ‘More than my life.’
‘Well, that much is certainly obvious, because you might well die.’ Otto curled his lip. ‘At least we know you’re not throwing it away purely because you’ve been led by your cock.’
‘Yes, rub it in. As far into the wounds as you can, for I deserve every grain of salt and more.’
Otto picked up his cup then thumped it down again with an expletive. He started for the door, set his hand to the latch, then turned around and exhaled hard. ‘I think you are God’s greatest fool, but no matter how much salt I grind into your cuts at your behest, it does not alter our kinship. I will stand at your side even to the gates of hell, as I know you would stand at mine if the tables were turned. Let fate do its worst and let it be what it will be and Heaven help us.’
Thomas strode over to Otto and embraced him in a heartfelt clasp. ‘Thank you,’ he said hoarsely. ‘I am forever indebted to you.’
Otto snorted and pushed him away. ‘Indeed you are, you fool!’
At a knock on the door the brothers swiftly drew apart. Otto opened it and found John de la Salle standing outside, revolving his hat in his hands.
‘What is it?’ A jolt shot through Thomas. He had asked John earlier if he would stand witness on the morrow, and wondered if there was a problem.
John entered the room, and shuffled his feet, his expression awkward. ‘Sire,’ he said, ‘I was thinking about tomorrow . . .’
‘What of it?’ Thomas demanded, fearing that the falconer was about to renege on his word.
‘I was wondering . . . would it be presumptuous to ask that the priest also marry myself and Mistress Hawise? We wish to be wed, and if we served as witnesses to your joining with the lady Jeanette, then you might witness ours also.’ His hat-turning grew more rapid. ‘It means too that if anyone comes across a wedding, we can say without a word of a lie that I am marrying Mistress Hawise.’ He flicked an anxious glance at Thomas and Otto. ‘Forgive me if I have spoken out of turn.’
Thomas clapped his shoulder, his blow heavy with relief. ‘Not in the least!’ This was the perfect cover. ‘Indeed, I congratulate you heartily. It is a fine plan, and an excuse for a celebration afterwards. I am delighted for you and the lady, of course, but this could not be better!’ He poured wine and gave it to de la Salle. ‘A toast,’ he said. ‘To marriage – may we all wed our true loves and stay the course, whatever the future holds.’
10
Monastery of St Bavo, Ghent, April 1340
Jeanette and Thomas were married in the room from which the alms were handed out to the citizens of Ghent. They made their vows before Father Geoffrey, a recently ordained Franciscan friar with whom Thomas had spoken on several occasions, and with four witnesses in attendance – John de la Salle, Hawise, Otto and Henry de la Haye.
‘Are you certain of this?’ the friar asked, looking between Thomas and Jeanette, his expression serious. ‘Once you agree to be bound before witnesses, there is no going back and your union will stand in the sight of God until death you do part.’
Jeanette nodded firmly. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I agree to wed this man until death do us part.’ She looked at Thomas. He was dressed in his green livery, the best velvet set, brushed and clean, and her heart was melting.
‘As do I agree the same with this woman,’ Thomas declared with the same determination. ‘To have and to hold until death do us part, and with all my worldly goods I do endow her. With my body I will honour her, and I shall love and cherish her all of my days. Amen.’
‘Then, as you stand before me now, and before God and these witnesses, let you be man and wife.’
Thomas took Jeanette’s hand and slipped his own gold seal ring on her heart finger in token of their vows. And then, Hawise and John de la Salle swore their own vows, and all was witnessed and the hastily drawn-up contracts attested and sealed.
Thomas kissed her softly. ‘Now our child shall be born in wedlock,’ he said. ‘And let no one call him or her a bastard, or frame this as a false union. We shall travel this path, and we shall prevail, even if we cannot yet see around the corner.’
