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."I shall be so glad to have you back, Amethyst," he said, taking her hand, looking deeply into her eyes."If only you'd waited.I told you how I needed—""You need not explain, Sire."No one dared interrupt the King in mid-sentence, but they were beyond that.She was sure Anne wouldn't dare interrupt him.Ever."I feel no jealousy toward Anne.I understand that the royal line needs to be continued.But.why her?"He shrugged one shoulder."In my desperation, I thought she would make a good wife and queen.I did not look very far.""Nay, I daresay you didn't.The end of the handle of Catherine's hairbrush is certainly not far."Henry sighed heavily."This does not change a thing between us.My feelings for you are as deep as ever.I so much wanted you to be my queen.The first choice was yours, but you ran away like a frightened doe.So please understand that I did what I had to do.""I fully understand, my lord.I harbor no resentment.Have you told her exactly where you and I stand and that she should bear no ill will towards us because of our relationship continuing?" she asked in an almost casual tone."The entire court knows how we feel about each other, Amethyst.It is no secret.With her royal duties as queen consort, and her subsequent pregnancies, and pray the Lord there will be many, she will have no time for petty jealousies or resentments.My goodness, that is a child's game.We are adults."Anne seems to be mature beyond her years.Her youth abroad has given her a fiery independence and strong will.She is secure in who she is and becoming queen consort will reinforce that security.She will not see you as a threat.You and I shall continue to see each other just the same.This will work out for all of us.I know it will.""Well, I shall never run away again."They stood for a silent moment, just looking into each other's eyes, drinking in what their separation had deprived them of."If you must marry Anne, will you not just divorce her once she has the baby?""Amethyst, please, I am not even completely divorced from Catherine yet.One divorce at a time.""I missed you so much, Henry.""And I missed you.I was very lonely and turned to Anne only in desperation.She was so willing—"She waved aside the details with a moue of distaste."Never mind her.She will be a thorn in my side until you dispose of her.Why must you marry her at all?""Because she is carrying my heir, and he must be legitimate.""She may have a girl.""The chances are fifty-fifty, and I must not gamble.The future of the kingdom is at stake."Amethyst felt tears prick the back of her eyelids."If she gives you a son, I shall never give you your heir.The child we talked so much of, a product of true love."He heaved another deep sigh."We shall see.Lord knows life is so full of uncertainties.So please, let us not talk of these matters any longer.I am finally back with the woman I love, and I want to enjoy the time we have together.I shall do my duty, and you yours to your King, but for the present, let us be as we once were, before all this political turmoil.Everything to each other through the gift of love.""It sounds perfect.If only it could last forever.""It can if we let it."She bit her lip, not wanting to remind him that he had the power to make it so if only he dared.So she squeezed his hand and then went to pack her things.On the morrow, she bade farewell to her family and set off back to London.As she rode along with Henry and he was once more his smiling and charming self, she decided that the game was not over yet.Anne Boleyn might well have bedded Henry and might even claim she was with his child, but the woman was nothing if not cunning.Amethyst would just have to take a leaf out of Topaz's book and be even more so.She told herself that she was willing to wait as long as she had to this time to at last secure the future Henry had promised them both.CHAPTER THIRTY-FOURHampton Court Palace, Christmas, 1532The familiar rumblings of the Yuletide season were underway, and the entire court was preparing for the festivities.The palace glittered with gold, silver, red, and green hangings in the shapes of stars, angels, and trumpets.Amethyst was especially jubilant, for the King had invited Matthew and the lads to court for the holiday.He was to arrive that evening, having sent her a message from his last stop, which had been Waddesdon Manor, another of his residences northwest of London, where they'd spent the night.If the roads were passable and no more snow fell, they would be on the palace grounds by nightfall.She rehearsed Christmas carols with the King's Musick, her favorite of all songs.She was in her solar with three other musicians, playing a tune on the virginals composed by Henry called "Greensleeves" when the door swung open and Anne stood there, surrounded by several of her ladies-in-waiting.Anne wore a tight-fitting coif tied under the chin, and a bright yellow satin gown.Her sleeves billowed out like those of a specter fluttering through the night, slashed at the tips of her fingers.The underskirt was embroidered with a delicate gold braid, accentuating the layers of gold ropes suspended from her neck.A sumptuous three-tiered diamond choker was wound round her throat.The deeply plunging neckline revealed breasts that had been pumped up and pushed together, to create this rather questionable effect, for if she made one jerky move, out they'd pop like the tiny charms concealed within Christmas crackers [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]