circumstances.
She caught Cecily’s eye, who frowned at her to raise herself up again, and as she turned to see what her hem was snagged on, she was unnerved to find John Harper staring straight at her from his position at the back of the church. The essence of a smile crossed his face before he lowered his eyes. Margaret inadvertently smiled back. Mother of God, she panicked, forgive me! ’Twas not seemly of me. I pray he did not see. But she knew her plea was too late.
A splendid feast followed the final ceremonies. Edward invited the gentry among his neighbors to dine with the royal company. Cecily had suggested that he might gain support from the landowners in the surrounding region with the gesture and that word of his goodwill might spread. Edward loved a party. “The more the merrier,” he had cried upon hearing the idea.
The large company overflowed into antechambers and the noise was deafening. Margaret could see the musicians blowing and bowing away on their instruments, but they were drowned out by the loud conversation. She had consumed one too many glasses of wine, and the din was giving her a headache. Despite the freezing temperature outside, she wanted some air and thought she would go up to the ramparts. She left the table when Cecily’s head was turned and slipped past the arras that hid the staircase to the family’s private chambers. The heavy tapestry instantly dulled the noise from the hall and she felt better. She mounted the circular stairway in the tower to an arrow loop where she could feel some fresh air through its narrow opening. She leaned into the deep sill of the loop and breathed deeply.
“I hope you are not ill, Lady Margaret.” John Harper’s voice held quiet concern. “I saw you leave and you looked pale. Forgive me if I intrude.”
Margaret jumped at the sound of his voice. She saw him standing a few steps below her, the trailing train on her red velvet gown preventing him from coming nearer. His black, curly hair disappeared into the shadows behind him, and the torchlight flickering on his face gave it a ghostly look. They were alone, and Margaret was suddenly aware of all the implications of her action. She should have asked Jane or Ann to leave with her, she knew, but her need for air had caused her to be impetuous.However, she reasoned, she did not fear harm from John Harper, and so she let down her guard a little.
“I thank you, Master Harper. I had need of some fresh air, but now I am feeling better, I would ask you to escort me back to the hall.” She hoped she sounded as regal as her mother.
She lifted the train of her dress and draped it gracefully over her arm, revealing a white satin underdress embroidered with marguerites, her own special flower. She had put out her hand for him to help her descend the winding steps when her foot slipped. In a second, she was in his arms, feeling the strength in his shoulders as he stopped her from falling. Again the rosewater, and again her pulse raced. He had her captive, and she found she could not pull away. The urge to be kissed was too great. She closed her eyes and their lips met. Her fingers caressed his curls as she pulled his tongue deeper into her mouth. Somewhere in the back of her mind she wondered how she knew to do this, but the thought was lost in the wonderful sensation she was experiencing all through her body. Then, without warning, Cecily’s face intruded on her brain, and shame suffused her. One of John’s hands was fondling her breast and the other held her buttocks firmly against him. She could feel something hard through the layers of clothing pressing against her thigh, and his desire was mounting as surely as her panic. Then Edward’s familiar, lazy voice pierced the moment.
“Why, Margaret, ’tis early in the evening for such sport. Our lady mother inquires after you. I do believe ’tis time to return to our guests.”
John released his hold instantly and tried to bow awkwardly on the narrow
She caught Cecily’s eye, who frowned at her to raise herself up again, and as she turned to see what her hem was snagged on, she was unnerved to find John Harper staring straight at her from his position at the back of the church. The essence of a smile crossed his face before he lowered his eyes. Margaret inadvertently smiled back. Mother of God, she panicked, forgive me! ’Twas not seemly of me. I pray he did not see. But she knew her plea was too late.
A splendid feast followed the final ceremonies. Edward invited the gentry among his neighbors to dine with the royal company. Cecily had suggested that he might gain support from the landowners in the surrounding region with the gesture and that word of his goodwill might spread. Edward loved a party. “The more the merrier,” he had cried upon hearing the idea.
The large company overflowed into antechambers and the noise was deafening. Margaret could see the musicians blowing and bowing away on their instruments, but they were drowned out by the loud conversation. She had consumed one too many glasses of wine, and the din was giving her a headache. Despite the freezing temperature outside, she wanted some air and thought she would go up to the ramparts. She left the table when Cecily’s head was turned and slipped past the arras that hid the staircase to the family’s private chambers. The heavy tapestry instantly dulled the noise from the hall and she felt better. She mounted the circular stairway in the tower to an arrow loop where she could feel some fresh air through its narrow opening. She leaned into the deep sill of the loop and breathed deeply.
“I hope you are not ill, Lady Margaret.” John Harper’s voice held quiet concern. “I saw you leave and you looked pale. Forgive me if I intrude.”
Margaret jumped at the sound of his voice. She saw him standing a few steps below her, the trailing train on her red velvet gown preventing him from coming nearer. His black, curly hair disappeared into the shadows behind him, and the torchlight flickering on his face gave it a ghostly look. They were alone, and Margaret was suddenly aware of all the implications of her action. She should have asked Jane or Ann to leave with her, she knew, but her need for air had caused her to be impetuous.However, she reasoned, she did not fear harm from John Harper, and so she let down her guard a little.
“I thank you, Master Harper. I had need of some fresh air, but now I am feeling better, I would ask you to escort me back to the hall.” She hoped she sounded as regal as her mother.
She lifted the train of her dress and draped it gracefully over her arm, revealing a white satin underdress embroidered with marguerites, her own special flower. She had put out her hand for him to help her descend the winding steps when her foot slipped. In a second, she was in his arms, feeling the strength in his shoulders as he stopped her from falling. Again the rosewater, and again her pulse raced. He had her captive, and she found she could not pull away. The urge to be kissed was too great. She closed her eyes and their lips met. Her fingers caressed his curls as she pulled his tongue deeper into her mouth. Somewhere in the back of her mind she wondered how she knew to do this, but the thought was lost in the wonderful sensation she was experiencing all through her body. Then, without warning, Cecily’s face intruded on her brain, and shame suffused her. One of John’s hands was fondling her breast and the other held her buttocks firmly against him. She could feel something hard through the layers of clothing pressing against her thigh, and his desire was mounting as surely as her panic. Then Edward’s familiar, lazy voice pierced the moment.
“Why, Margaret, ’tis early in the evening for such sport. Our lady mother inquires after you. I do believe ’tis time to return to our guests.”
John released his hold instantly and tried to bow awkwardly on the narrow
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