It was overhead by the time the church was reached, and the heavy
rain that began to fall caused the priest to bid the whole party come
within for the part of the ceremony usually performed outside the
west door.
It was very dark within. The windows were small and old, and filled
with dusky glass, and the arches were low browed. Grisell's
mufflings were thrown aside, and she stood as became a maiden bride,
with all her hair flowing over her shoulders and long tresses over
her face, but even without this, her features would hardly have been
visible, as the dense cloud rolled overhead; and indeed so tall and
straight was her figure that no one would have supposed her other
than a fair young spouse. She trembled a good deal, but was too much
terrified and, as it were, stunned for tears, and she durst not raise
her drooping head even to look at her bridegroom, though such light
as came in shone upon his fair hair and was reflected on his armour,
and on one golden spur that still he wore, the other no doubt lost in
the fight.
All was done regularly. The Lord of Whitburn was determined that no
ceremony that could make the wedlock valid should be omitted. The
priest, a kind old man, but of peasant birth, and entirely
subservient to the Dacres, proceeded to ask each of the pair when
they had been assoiled, namely, absolved. Grisell, as he well knew,
had been shriven only last Friday; Leonard muttered, "Three days
since, when I was dubbed knight, ere the battle.
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