Precious Bones by Irina Shapiro

men I knew.  It might’ve been the fact that he’d spent a decade in places torn by conflict and war, but there was a ruggedness beneath his urban veneer, and I suddenly wondered exactly what he was capable of.  He was witty and flirtatious, but I’d seen a different side of him earlier, and I wondered which was the real Adrian. 
    We had a pleasant meal discussing the play , then moving on to politics and our favorite books and movies.  Adrian seemed very happy and relaxed, and I realized that I felt comfortable in his company.  Whatever his intentions were, he was being the perfect gentleman.  After all, a man and a woman should be able to spend an evening together without it being a date.  Shouldn’t they?  I wondered if there was a woman in the picture, but he hadn’t mentioned anyone and I didn’t dare ask. 
    By the time we left “The Bistro” it was well past midnight and Adrian hailed a taxi, giving the driver my address.   I could feel his thigh brushing against mine in the close confines of the cab as several shameful thoughts surfaced in my mind before I sternly told them to go away.  The driver pulled up and Adrian got out first, opening the door for me.  He instructed the driver to wait and walked me up the path to my door.  This was the awkward part.  I fumbled for my keys while Adrian waited patiently.
    “Well, thank you for a lovely evening, Adrian.  Tell your gran that Mr. Fiennes was in fine form tonight. “
    I expected him to say something polite and appropriate, but Adrian bent down and kissed me.  The kiss wasn’t passionate.  It was tender and sweet, and I still tasted his lips on mine as he walked toward the waiting cab and disappeared into the night.
    “Maddening man!” I mumbled as I let myself into the silent house.

 
    Chapter 25
    June 1586
     
    Constance was in the kitchen slicing turnips to add to her stew.  It was late afternoon and the spring sunshine sent shafts of light through the diamond-paned window, dappling the floor with sunlight.  Connie was humming a tune she had heard at the May Day celebration at Whitehall Palace, as she checked on the loaves of bread rising in the oven.  It had been written to honor the Queen, and she recalled Her Majesty gaily singing along with the players.
    Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
She shall have music wherever she goes
     
    Tom would be home soon and he would be hungry.  He would most likely eat and change into clean clothes before going to see Jane.  Her parents approved of their plans to marry, but he would still have to formally ask her father for his consent.  Once they married, Jane would move into the house on Carter Lane, and she would be the lady of the house, putting Constance in the position of the spinster sister-in-law, but she didn’t mind.  She liked Jane enormously and knew they would get on together.  Tom and Jane would move into her parents’ bedroom and leave Tom’s old room for future offspring.  The idea of children made Connie a little sad.  She desperately wanted to have a baby of her own, and probably would have had one had she married Henry.  She hoped that she would not remain a spinster forever. 
    A loud banging on the front door brought her out of her reverie , and she ran to see who it was.  Jane was on the doorstep looking disheveled and frightened to death.  She ran into the hall and slammed the door behind her before trying to catch her breath. 
    “Oh, Connie.  I ran all the way.  It’s horrible.  There were so many of them.”  She was babbling , so Connie sat her down on the window seat and took her by the shoulders. 
    “Jane, what happened?”
    Jane took a deep breath to calm herself and some of the color began to return to her face, her eyes filling with tears as she began her story.  “Tom and I quarreled yesterday.  I told him that I was tired of waiting and wanted to be