heard her shouting at him. Did he think he could defy her? It was dangerous to talk of swordplay, she told him. If he behaved so foolishly again someone else might be talking of an ax.
I think she boxed his ears, for when he came out those appendages looked very red and he was completely subdued.
Then it was Robert turn. I could not resist listening.
She was very angry with himore so than with Heneage.
od death,she cried, have wished you well but my favor is not so locked up in you that others may not have a share of it. I have other servants besides you. Remember there is one mistress here and no master. Those whom I have raised up can as easily be lowered. And this shall happen to those who become impudent through my favor.
I heard him say quietly: our Majesty, I beg leave to retire.
t yours,she shouted.
And as he came from her chamber he saw me and looked at me. It was an invitation to follow him and as soon as I could I slipped away and found him in that chamber which had previously been the scene of our passion.
He seized me and held me, laughing aloud.
s you see,he said, am out of favor with the Queen.
ut not with me,I said.
hen I am not unhappy.
He locked the door and it was as though a frenzy seized him. He was mad with desire for me and so was I for him, and although I knew that his anger with the Queen mingled with his need for me, I did not care. I wanted this man. He had haunted my thoughts from the first moment I had seen him riding beside the Queen at her accession; and if his desire for me was in some measure due to her treatment of him, she was part of my need of him too. Even in our moments of extreme ecstasy it was as though she was there with us.
We lay together, knowing full well that it was a dangerous thing to do. Were we to be discovered we could both be ruined, and we did not care; and because our need for each other transcended our fear of the consequences, it heightened our passion, intensified those sensations which I at leastnd I think the same applied to himelieved could come to me through no other.
What was this emotion between us? The recognition of two like natures? It was overwhelming desire and passion and not least of our emotions was the awareness of danger. The fact that each of us could risk our future for this encounter carried our ecstasy to even greater heights.
We lay exhausted, yet triumphant in some way. We should neither of us ever forget this experience. We were bound together by it for the rest of our lives and whatever should happen to us we should never forget.
shall see you again ere long,he said soberly.
es,I answered.
his is a fair meeting place.
ntil we are discovered.
re you afraid of that?
f I were I should count it worthwhile.
I had known he was the man for me as soon as I had seen him.
oue looking smug, Lettice,said the Queen. hat has happened to make you thus? could not say that anything has, Your Majesty.
thought you might be with child again.
od forbid,I cried in real fear.
ome, you have but two and girls. Walter wants a boy, I know.
want a little rest from childbearing, Madam.
She gave me one of her little taps on the arm. nd youe a wife who gets what she wants, Il warrant.
She was watching me closely. Could she possibly suspect? If she did I should be drummed out of the Court.
Robert remained aloof from her, and although this sometimes angered her, I was sure that she was determined to teach him a lesson. As she had said, her favor was not so locked up in any man that he could dare take advantage of her fondness. Sometimes I thought she was afraid of that potent attractivenessf which I had firsthand knowledgend she liked to whip herself into a fury against him to prevent herself falling completely victim to his desires.
I did not see him as often as I should have liked. He did come once or twice unobtrusively to Court and we met and made passionate love in the private room. But I could sense that frustration in him and I knew that what
I think she boxed his ears, for when he came out those appendages looked very red and he was completely subdued.
Then it was Robert turn. I could not resist listening.
She was very angry with himore so than with Heneage.
od death,she cried, have wished you well but my favor is not so locked up in you that others may not have a share of it. I have other servants besides you. Remember there is one mistress here and no master. Those whom I have raised up can as easily be lowered. And this shall happen to those who become impudent through my favor.
I heard him say quietly: our Majesty, I beg leave to retire.
t yours,she shouted.
And as he came from her chamber he saw me and looked at me. It was an invitation to follow him and as soon as I could I slipped away and found him in that chamber which had previously been the scene of our passion.
He seized me and held me, laughing aloud.
s you see,he said, am out of favor with the Queen.
ut not with me,I said.
hen I am not unhappy.
He locked the door and it was as though a frenzy seized him. He was mad with desire for me and so was I for him, and although I knew that his anger with the Queen mingled with his need for me, I did not care. I wanted this man. He had haunted my thoughts from the first moment I had seen him riding beside the Queen at her accession; and if his desire for me was in some measure due to her treatment of him, she was part of my need of him too. Even in our moments of extreme ecstasy it was as though she was there with us.
We lay together, knowing full well that it was a dangerous thing to do. Were we to be discovered we could both be ruined, and we did not care; and because our need for each other transcended our fear of the consequences, it heightened our passion, intensified those sensations which I at leastnd I think the same applied to himelieved could come to me through no other.
What was this emotion between us? The recognition of two like natures? It was overwhelming desire and passion and not least of our emotions was the awareness of danger. The fact that each of us could risk our future for this encounter carried our ecstasy to even greater heights.
We lay exhausted, yet triumphant in some way. We should neither of us ever forget this experience. We were bound together by it for the rest of our lives and whatever should happen to us we should never forget.
shall see you again ere long,he said soberly.
es,I answered.
his is a fair meeting place.
ntil we are discovered.
re you afraid of that?
f I were I should count it worthwhile.
I had known he was the man for me as soon as I had seen him.
oue looking smug, Lettice,said the Queen. hat has happened to make you thus? could not say that anything has, Your Majesty.
thought you might be with child again.
od forbid,I cried in real fear.
ome, you have but two and girls. Walter wants a boy, I know.
want a little rest from childbearing, Madam.
She gave me one of her little taps on the arm. nd youe a wife who gets what she wants, Il warrant.
She was watching me closely. Could she possibly suspect? If she did I should be drummed out of the Court.
Robert remained aloof from her, and although this sometimes angered her, I was sure that she was determined to teach him a lesson. As she had said, her favor was not so locked up in any man that he could dare take advantage of her fondness. Sometimes I thought she was afraid of that potent attractivenessf which I had firsthand knowledgend she liked to whip herself into a fury against him to prevent herself falling completely victim to his desires.
I did not see him as often as I should have liked. He did come once or twice unobtrusively to Court and we met and made passionate love in the private room. But I could sense that frustration in him and I knew that what
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