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  ‘Listen to me, father, as long as one of us marries Judith, it’s still possible to have your alliance with Baldwin. Do you agree?’

  Begrudgingly, Godwin agreed.

  ‘So if Sweyn or Tostig marries Lady Judith, all will proceed as you planned. And as I will be married to Edyth, with her powerful family connections in Anglia, I’ll have the kind of support we will need in the east, if we’re to control the North Sea, as you suggest.’

  Godwin rolled his head and looked skyward. ‘Look, there may be something in what you say but I need time to think it over.’

  ‘I’m glad you approve, father.’

  ‘I didn’t say that.’

  ‘Oh, then you disapprove?’

  ‘I didn’t say that either. But the situation is a lot less bleak than I thought. Will you have more wine?’

  ‘Not at the moment; I haven’t unpacked yet.’

  ‘Did you think you might save yourself some time, if I’d decided to throw you out?’

  ‘It did cross my mind, yes.’ Harold was smiling again now.

  ‘Quite wise, Harold, quite wise.’

  In Wickham, preparations were moving forward hastily. As custom demanded, Harold would be presented with a new sword at the wedding. Magnus went to Lyfing the smith to have it made. There by the riverside they talked at length about how the smith would go about making it.

  The sword was to be three feet long plus an inch. As was the custom, Lyfing made the weapon from five iron bars; when he had made three flattened bars he welded them together side-by-side and twisted them repeatedly. He did this not just to remove the slag, which could weaken the weapon, but also to produce a strong, unbreakable sword and form the beautiful pattern that would emerge on the blade when he later beat it flat. The three bars would form the core of the blade and he would weld two more iron bars to either side before grinding them down to form the cutting edge.

  Throughout the process, Lyfing would heat and then cool the sword in water from the river with its special powers, to harden it. After two and a half weeks the blade, gleaming with the marks of the fire along its fullered tapering length, was finished. The hilt was made in three parts, the lower guard, the grip and the upper guard. These three sections were fitted over the tang, the end of which was hammered out over an iron bar to hold them all in place. The lower guard extended just under an inch, offering some protection to Harold’s hand.

  The hilt itself was of fine oak inlaid with an intricate gold pattern and fixed with brass rivets to the tang. It was ornamented with gold plates riveted to the upper and lower guards and a gold pommel inscribed on one side with the name Harold, while on the other a wolf and a dragon were intertwined. When finished, the sword had perfect balance and great strength. Lyfing boasted it was a work of art and the finest sword he had ever made. When Magnus held it he felt it full of life; he could feel its power racing into him, invigorating him, making him feel like a young warrior.

  The scabbard was a purely practical affair, made of ash, lined with fleece and covered with leather. To protect the neck from wear, an ornate bronze casting of intertwined serpents was fitted and the bottom of the scabbard was protected with a cast decorative figure of a Wessex dragon. Other than that there was no ornamentation whatsoever.

  Finally, Magnus had a fine shield made. It was made from alder, strong and light. Circular and around three feet in diameter, it was half an inch thick. The finest red leather covered it front and back and the golden dragon of Wessex was emblazoned boldly across its front. The shield boss was made of iron, shaped like sugar loaf and kept in place by six rivets. To hold it there was an iron grip enclosed by a wooden handle, bound with woven leather and straps to allow Harold to carry it on his back when not in use.

  Eventually the day came when Harold’s wedding party arrived in Cambridgeshire. To maintain the time-honoured tradition of the groom not seeing the bride on the eve of the wedding, Harold stayed at Sawston with all the other male guests. All the women stayed together with Wulfgith at Magnus’s hall. Conspicuous by their absence were the other earls and the King and Queen. Edward had declined the invitation, as he did not wish to be seen approving an unsanctified wedding.

  On the morning of the wedding Harold led the party over to Magnus’s with Tostig at his side, followed by Leofwine and Gyrth, then Ralph and Earl Beorn. Ralph was there despite the King’s disapproval. Next were Harold’s parents, guests of honour and finally the housecarls. It was almost mid-day by the time everyone had arrived.

  As tradition demanded, Edyth had already had her hot stone bath in the small wooden bath house. She and her three maids had sat naked in the hot steamy room, any impurities perspiring from them. Hot rocks brought out of a fire, which had been burning all night, had been placed in the centre of the room and a bucket and ladle provided to produce steam on demand. The young women, lost in their misty world of excitement and laughter, had to be reminded more than once by Wulfgith’s lady-in-waiting that soon Harold would arrive and they really ought to get on with things.

  When the women considered the ritual purification complete, they moved out of the bathing room to the drying room next door. After Edyth’s attendants had dried her and themselves, they all dressed in their finery. Edyth’s dress was of the deepest blue. The wreath her maid of honour had specially made was placed on Edyth’s head. When they were ready they slipped back into the main house.

  Harold also attended the act of purification, going to the stone bath and bathing with Ralph, Beorn and his brothers. Once through, they dressed in their wedding attire and Harold strapped on his ancestral sword, brought up by his father for the occasion.

  Following tradition, when Harold left the building, Edyth and her maids were outside waiting for him. He and his groomsmen chased after them, Harold trying to reach Edyth, the maids keeping him at bay until they reached the door of Magnus’s hall, where Harold took her hand before they entered together, followed by the maids and groomsmen. They all fell in through the door in riotous laughter. The hall had been prepared for the wedding feast with all the gifts on display. The women were awed into silence but only briefly. Soon they were passing comment on everything before them. There were cloaks from Magnus and Wulfgith with fine golden shoulder clasps as well as a leather belt with a gold buckle with niello inlay. From Harold, golden amulets, bracelets and a brooch, all with a motif of a Wessex dragon and Anglian wolf entwined. He had been generous with his gifts, though not so generous as to hurt the pride of his hosts.

  At the top of the hall were Magnus and Wulfgith, with Earl Godwin and Lady Gytha. Each one turned to see the magnificent looking couple; the sight of them immediately put smiles on faces. Standing between their parents was the wedding thane, dressed all in green, Edmund, who was to give a blessing and Finn, who was bearing the new sword Magnus had had made, to be presented to the groom.

  When Harold and Edyth arrived at the top of the hall the wedding thane flicked water over them, looked from Godwin to Magnus, to Edyth and Harold and when he ascertained they were ready, began the ceremony

  Handgeld and bridesgift were exchanged and Harold presented Edyth with his ancestral sword, which she accepted and passed to Magnus. Finn handed her the new sword her father had had made and she then presented it to Harold.

  The wedding thane spoke: ‘Harold, I have not the right to bind you to Edyth, only you have this right. If it is your wish, say so at this time and offer the ring.’

  ‘It is my wish.’

  Tostig handed Harold the ring, which he in turn offered Edyth. It was made of the purest gold and bore the dragon of Wessex. She took it with her left hand before placing it in the palm of her right. Harold picked it up and pushed the ring on her finger.

  The man in green spoke again. ‘Edyth, if it is your wish to be bound to Harold, place your ring on his finger.’

  Magnus presented Edyth with a gold ring fashioned in a style with two wolves, a mirror image of each other, ready to pounce across its face.

  Ed
yth placed a ring on Harold’s ring finger.

  ‘Who will bind the couple?’ asked the wedding thane, producing a leather cord from somewhere behind his back.

  Magnus and Godwin stepped forward. Godwin took the cord and together with Magnus bound the couple at the wrists, Edyth’s right to Harold’s left, crossing the twine over so that a knot was all that was needed for the binding to stay in place and they stepped back to their places.

  ‘Harold, will you tie the knot?’

  ‘I will.’

  With that, Harold tied the knot binding himself and Edyth together in marriage. As they kissed a cheer went up and barley seeds, thrown by the guests, rained down on them. After Harold and Edyth had signed the marriage contract the county shire reeve added his signature to it and then Edmund stepped forward to bless the couple.

  ‘Feast!’ yelled Magnus.

  ‘Feast!’ yelled the guests in unison.

  Doors flew open as servants brought platter after platter of food to the tables. Horns, goblets and glasses were filled with mead and a toast wishing the happy couple the best of heath and fortune was offered by Magnus.

  ‘It’s as well you like it, Harold; you’ll drink nothing but honey mead for a month,’ laughed Tostig.

  Harold, Edyth and the other guests made their way to their places, music began to play and a minstrel began to sing. Even Godwin was happy. Arrangements had been made for Countess Judith to marry Tostig. Lady Gytha was happy too, pleased to see Harold with a woman of whom she approved. She had presented Edyth with a book on estate management, Rectitudines Singularum Personarum, of which she had persuaded Edmund to make a copy. ‘You may find this useful, my dear, I wouldn’t be without it,’ she had said, as she handed it over. Edyth was delighted.

  The couple danced. The music was the song that they danced to on Edward’s wedding night.

  The feast went on into the night and as each guest left they were given a slice of cake to put under their pillow, so that they could dream of their own true love. Whether each man dreamed of his wife and each woman her husband could never be told.

  The next morning Edyth and Harold were, as was fitting, the last to enter Magnus’s hall for breakfast. When everyone had eaten, Harold gave Edyth a gold jewel-encrusted necklace. Leading her outside with everyone following behind he presented her with a fine, bridled white horse of breathtaking beauty.

  ‘She’s fast and can gallop all day, but in case you’re wondering, she is always very calm,’ Harold added with a swift glance at her belly.

  Edyth mounted the horse sitting astride with her skirts trailing either side of her.

  ‘Are you ready for a ride, Edyth?’

  ‘What, now?’

  ‘Of course.’

  With that Ansgar, Tostig and Skalpi appeared mounted on their horses and a servant came with Harold’s.

  ‘I’ll see you all in Waltham tonight,’ called out Harold, as he climbed into the saddle. Waving farewell, they all rode off.

  ‘I expected this,’ said Magnus with a crafty grin. In an instant his groom appeared with two horses, one for him one for Finn. They mounted and gave chase.

  Godwin and Gytha watched with Wulfgith as they all rode off.

  It was Godwin who spoke first. ‘I should have realised that too,’ he said. ‘Come, let’s get our horses.’

  Godwin, on Wulfgith’s behalf, barked commands, organising the servants who could ride and get their hands on a horse. There was no doubt in his mind that Harold would reach Waltham first, thus making it the job of Magnus’s household to serve the evening meal. But the servants were prepared and were at Magnus’s side racing towards Waltham in moments. There was quite some distance to cover before nightfall so he hurried the servants on, hoping to make a good race of it.

  Harold’s group had a slight lead on Magnus and Finn, who were doing all in their power to catch up. Racing full gallop through villages and across fields, taking shortcuts across rivers and streams, each rider was doing his best to reach Waltham first. Ansgar was the winner, closely pursued by Finn. The others, with the exception of Skalpi and Edyth, were all bunched behind him. Dismounting and running up to the door of the hall as fast as he could, he was first to reach it. Finn, seeing his chance to win disappear, dropped from his horse and strode over to Ansgar. Through short breaths he congratulated him on his ride.

  ‘I thought I was a good rider.’

  ‘You are.’

  ‘I thought I had a good horse.’

  ‘You have. That was as close a ride as I’ve had in a long time and horses are my life. Have you seen the others?’

  ‘They’re not far behind.’

  Sure enough, within a minute or so Harold, Tostig and Magnus came into view. The three were galloping hard, whooping and laughing as they went. They barely got through the gate, riding three abreast, and each horse had to drop down on its back legs as they slid to a halt outside the hall.

  Harold called out and servants appeared with refreshments. The riders dismounted and chatted outside for an hour until Edyth and Skalpi arrived. Harold helped her down from her horse and carried her, to the cheers of his friends, across the threshold and into Waltham hall. That night, in the company of the same wedding party, Harold and Edyth enjoyed a feast served by Magnus and Wulfgith, with many of the same toasts and more of the same camaraderie as the previous evening.

  During a quiet part of the evening, Harold took Ansgar aside and asked him for his opinion of Magnus’s housecarl, Finn. The next day Magnus was disappointed to lose such a valuable man but he agreed that he could stay with Harold if he chose to. Finn was practically Edyth’s man these days anyway, that was how Magnus saw it, so he might as well stay, as a kind of wedding gift.

  Another Wedding

  In Earl Godwin’s home at Bosham, Tostig and his bride-to-be, Countess Judith, welcomed Harold, Edyth and their new son Godwin. He brought added joy to the occasion: Godwin’s sons were pleased to be uncles and young Wulfnoth, now aged six, took particular pride in his new status, as he saw his new position in the family somehow putting him on the same footing as his older brothers. What Sweyn’s feelings were, no one knew. He had sent word that he had important business in Wales to deal with. Cousin Beorn, never one to miss a feast, had arrived in good time.

  Earl Godwin and Lady Gytha were overjoyed at becoming grandparents, especially as Harold and Edyth had named the boy after his paternal grandfather. The King and queen, present for the prestigious Christian wedding, viewed the infant coldly. He was and always would be a living reminder of their failure to produce an heir and of the coldness that dwelt in the heart of their relationship. The uninvited Robert de Jumieges was cool to Harold and Edyth for reasons of his own. Furious, the outraged de Jumieges took the first opportunity to express his feelings to the King, whom he had taken to accompanying everywhere.

  ‘Don’t you think it a disgrace that they’ve brought their bastard child to a Christian wedding?’

  Edward’s left eyebrow raised as it did when he registered something he found mildly ridiculous. ‘What do you suggest I do, Robert?’

  ‘Banish them from court as an example to your subjects.’

  ‘Would you have me ban everyone from court who had a child out of wedlock?’

  ‘Exactly! It would be a Christian act worthy of praise from the Pope himself.’

  ‘Then what do we do when no one is present at court?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘It’s not just Harold and his woman who haven’t had a Christian marriage. The same goes for most of the court.’

  ‘This is a more disgraceful state of affairs than I’d thought. You know the Church condemns fornication. All that fleshly meddling, we should do more to discourage it, much more.

  ‘Yes, Robert,’ said Edward wearily, ‘you’re right.’

  ‘Discipline,’ de Jumieges stammered through lips, which by now had small flecks of foam in the corners, ‘this country needs discipline, and plenty of it.’ Then as an afterthoug
ht he added, ‘And to be rid of all those whores,’ indicating with a jerk of the thumb some of the noblest ladies in the land.

  This had been a poor start to the festivities but next day the wedding was one which nobody would forget. Countess Judith was everything Godwin had said she would be: erudite, gracious, wealthy and in her physical appearance tall, fair, elegant and, to Tostig’s relief, attractive, if a little austere looking.

  But as the perfect day was coming to an end the arrival of the King’s messenger would change the mood of the evening. Entering with minimum fuss and directly approaching the King, he whispered hurriedly in his ear for up to two minutes. Edward’s serious expression conveyed the importance of the news and the looks cast Godwin’s way informed him that whatever had happened, it would have a direct bearing on him. When the messenger had finished, the King stood and the hall fell silent.

  ‘My noble friends, there is bad news. It seems King Magnus of Norway is on his way with a massed fleet to invade us. Let us continue with the celebrations now but we must rise early in the morning and travel with all possible haste to Sandwich, where we will make preparations to greet our northern friend in a manner he will never forget.’

  A deep murmur ran round Godwin’s Bosham hall.

  The King continued, ‘There is some good news. Earl Sweyn, with the help of Gruffydd of North Wales, has routed the South Welsh and put an end to their raids, at least for the time being.’

  A cheer went up at the news.

  ‘Now I will continue to enjoy the festivities and I suggest you do the same.’ The King then sat down, beckoning for Earl Godwin to approach.