Dark Under the Cover of Night (The Kingdom of the East Angles Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

planted my
dear daughter or life will wear you down.”
    Raedwyn
shook her head stubbornly. “The man is a brute!”
    “Raedwyn.”
Seaxwyn gently took hold of her daughter’s chin and forced her to meet her
gaze. “There is more to a marriage than what happens between man and woman in
the marriage bed. You and Cynric are still strangers. Give him some time and
you may be pleasantly surprised.”
    Raedwyn
stared back at her mother, disappointed. She could hardly believe that her
mother was telling her to accept the touch of a man who had treated her so
roughly. She had always thought her mother would protect her from life’s sharp
edges, but now saw that she had finally entered adulthood and could no longer
hide behind her mother’s skirts.
    Raedwyn’s
world was not as simple as she had always believed, and nor was her place in
it.
                      
    ***
     
    Raedwyn
left Rendlaesham under leaden skies. A dull gray blanket blocked out the sun
and the air was heavy, full of the promise of rain.
    Raedwald’s
eyes glittered with tears when he hugged his daughter tight against him and
sent her on her way.
    “I will
miss you dear girl,” he said gruffly. “My hall will appear cheerless without
your laughter.”
    Raedwyn
choked back her own tears before hugging her mother and brother. Meanwhile,
Cynric mounted his horse, impatient to leave. Raedwald helped his daughter up
onto the back of her shaggy bay mare before rejoining Queen Seaxwyn and
Eorpwald.
    Raedwyn
looked back at her family. Her father was stone-faced, struggling to control
his emotions, while her mother gave Raedwyn a brave smile, her eyes glittering.
Eorpwald watched her solemnly, his quiet countenance giving nothing away. 
    Raedwyn
bit down hard on the inside of her cheek to stop herself from weeping, before
she chastised herself for being so ungrateful. Her father had done his best for
her and she could not bear to disappoint him. However, despite her mother’s
advice, Raedwyn could not imagine welcoming Cynric’s touch. Just the sight of
his self-satisfied face this morning made her want to slap him.
    Mounted
alongside Raedwyn, Cynric gave his king a hearty salute before urging his horse
on, down the incline, and away from Raedwald’s Great Hall.
    “Raedwyn!”
Eanfled appeared at Raedwyn’s side, her cheeks flushed with excitement. “Were
you going to leave without saying goodbye?”
    “Dearest
Eanfled!” Raedwyn reached down and clasped her maid’s hand in hers. “Of course
not, I knew you’d be here to see me off!”
    The truth
of it was that Raedwyn had avoided seeing Eanfled today. She knew her friend
would have asked her about her wedding night, and Raedwyn would have had to
tell her the truth. Eanfled had been so excited for her that Raedwyn could not
bear to see the pity and worry in her eyes.
    “Don’t
forget me Raedwyn!” Eanfled called after her. “Please visit!”
    “Of course
I will!” Raedwyn called black, her vision blurring with tears as she waved to
her friend and dug her heels into her horse’s sides. “I will never forget you
Eanfled!”
    Moments
later, they were riding out of Rendlaesham. Townsfolk lined the streets to
farewell the newly-weds. Fifteen warriors rode out behind Cynric and Raedwyn;
their escort back to the long ship moored on the banks of the Deben. A few
children straggled behind them for a while before the company of seventeen
found themselves alone, riding through open country dotted with clumps of
woodland. 
    The
farther they rode from Rendlaesham, the better Raedwyn started to feel. Bidding
her family farewell had been too raw. Now that she had left them behind, the
pain dulled and Raedwyn felt her mood lift.
    Cynric did
not converse with his new wife during the journey. Instead, he rode ahead with
one of his warriors. Raedwyn watched him laugh at something the warrior said
and wondered if he would ever be that at ease with her. He was a man who clearly
preferred male