Page 81 of Love, Remember Me

"And the others? The ones who stoop to blackmail?"

"They do not know about Tom," Catherine Howard said. "They are Joan Bulmer, Katherine Tylney, Alice Restwold, and Margaret Morton. Then, too, there's Francis Dereham, my secretary. I've told you about him. They were all with me at Lambeth. The old dowager did not keep as tight a rein upon her charges as she should have. We were sometimes very naughty. But by giving them places in my household, I have silenced their wagging tongues. They are not dangerous, Nyssa. You need not worry about them."

"Were there others, Cat? Others who knew you at Lambeth?"

"Aye," she said, "but I could not offer them places, for it would have seemed odd had I done so. I cannot employ everyone who knew me in my childhood, after all. They understood." The queen turned back toward the encampment. Their private interview was at an end.

Catherine Howard is teetering upon a precipice, and she does not even realize it, Nyssa thought, amazed. The whole situation was absolutely terrifying. She and Varian had to go home. They had to go home to Winterhaven before the king found out about all of this and wreaked his vengeance on them. She could no longer bear the burden alone. She must talk with Varian. They must leave the progress at Amphill. If they were out of sight, the king would forget all about them. Cat had not promised to give up Tom Culpeper. When she was caught in her misbehavior, and she would be, at least the de Winters would not be held responsible. Nyssa was almost frantic in her determination to flee the court now.

Because of the early departure planned for the next morning, there was no banquet or dancing that evening. For the first time in many days Nyssa and Varian had time alone together. A charcoal brazier warmed their bed space, its orange coals casting a faint glow about the chamber, the candles making shadows upon the walls. Propped up by pillows and bolsters, they sat naked in their camp bed sipping wine.

Nyssa knew this would eventually lead to lovemaking, and she needed to broach the subject of the queen before that happened. "I must speak with you on a serious matter," she told him.

"Hummmmm," he said, a finger trailing suggestively down her thigh and then back up again. "Why do you want to be serious now?"

"Because," she said with a small chuckle, "it seems to be the only time I have to do so. Do you realize that ever since we joined the royal progress, we have hardly been together at all except at night in bed? And some nights one of us has retired ahead of the other and fallen asleep. You spend your days with the king ahorse. I spend mine with your cousin. That, Varian, is where the problem lies."

"Has Cat been whining at you about her boredom?" he said. He reached over to take her in his arms and kiss her, but she pulled away.

"She is having an affair, Varian," Nyssa told him.

He stiffened and looked sharply at her. "Who the hell told you such a treasonous thing?" he demanded.

"No one told me, my lord. I caught them myself, but until today Cat did not know that I knew. Sin Vaughn is also aware of what is going on between the queen and his friend Tom Culpeper. I have been flirting with him in order to find out, Varian. Lady Ferretface knows too, I fear. She seems to encourage Cat to this madness."

Nyssa then went on to tell him the rest of the sordid tale of blackmail and adultery. When she had finished, she said, "Sooner than later, it will all come out, Varian. The king will be like a mad, wounded animal. He will strike out at the Howards for causing his pain. Your position is not safe. If we go home, however, then he is less likely to think of us in connection with Duke Thomas and the rest of the Howards. We have Edmund and Sabrina to think about. I can see no other way."

"Aye," he agreed with her. "We certainly cannot tell my grandfather, at this point. If it had not gone so far, we might have, and he could have exercised some control over Cat, but not now. The duke will protect himself first. The rest of the Howards and their kin will have to scramble for their lives. Damn! How could Cat be so stupid? I do not know why my grandfather chose her for the king. She is and will always be a heedless girl. She thinks only of her own pleasure. God help us all!" He ran an impatient hand through his dark hair. "You should have told me immediately, sweeting, and you should not have involved yourself with Sir Cynric Vaughn."

"I thought I could reason with Cat, Varian. I believed I could bring her back to her senses, but she simply refuses to understand how serious this is. She thinks if she can continue to please the king, all will be well. She will not accept the possibility that someone may expose her."

He shook his head. "Poor Cat. She does not understand that there is much more involved than just her marriage. The Church is divided between the more orthodox form of worship and the reformers. Each side thinks they have God's blessing on their endeavors. They will do whatever they have to do to gain their way, even if it means toppling a foolish little girl off her glittering throne. I do not want to be here to see that happen. You are right, Nyssa. There is nothing we can do. We must go home!"

"Oh, Varian, I feel so sorry for Cat, and for the king too," Nyssa said softly. She lay her head upon his broad chest.

He stroked her dark hair. It was soft and silky, and faintly perfumed. He had never before loved any woman until her. He knew that he would never love any woman but her. "We can do nothing for them," he said quietly. His voice was sad, and she raised her head up to look at him.

"What is it, Varian?" she asked him.

"Your sorrow is for the king and Cat. Mine is for my grandfather. I cannot help but wonder what kind of a life he would have had were he not so desirous of power. Why could he not be content with his lands and his family? His responsibilities are great, and yet he is constantly seeking more. Why could he not be happy with all that he has? He is so fortunate."

"He is a great man," Nyssa admitted reluctantly, "and great men are not like you and I, my love." Then she kissed him.

His head swam at the touch of her lips. He wrapped his arms about her and held her close. "I adore you," he told her softly.

She smiled seductively up at him. "You lust after me," she told him, caressing his cheek with a teasing hand.

"Aye, I do," he admitted, answering her smile. "I think we are wise to take advantage of this interlude, sweeting." A hand reached out to cup her breast, and her nipple puckered at his touch. "Such an eager little girl, she is," he crooned, stroking the firm breast beneath his fingers. Bending his head, he licked at her skin, faintly salty, yet sweet to his tongue. She murmured, and shifted against him so that they were closer. His mouth closed over the taut nipple, suckling hard upon it, making her whimper low. His teeth tenderly scored the tender nub, and she cried out softly. His hand cradled her head. His mouth now found her throat, and his hot kisses made her wild with her own deep longing for him.

"Oh, my darling," she whispered to him. "I do love you so very much! I can imagine no other life than as your wife and lover!"

He was almost ashamed of his eagerness to possess her, but her excitement was every bit as great as his. She sobbed with pleasure as he entered her, shuddering as he filled her with an incredible sweetness. There could be no more than this! It was so overwhelming that she could scarcely bear the pleasure of it. And afterward she lay contented in his arms, contented even as she knew he was contented. Later they would make love again, and the next time it would be long and drawn out. It was always that way with them. An insatiable hunger to possess each other, followed by a lengthier sweetness. She wondered as she did each time they made love if they had begun another child. She wanted more children, and knew that he did too.

Tillie awakened them before first light. Already outside their pavilion they could hear the sounds of activity as the encampment was dismantled about them. Their servants helped them to dress in warm, sturdy traveling garments, for the weather had turned wet overnight. Toby brought them food from the field kitchens: trenchers of hot oats, ham, hot bread, and cheese. They ate everything, knowing it would be late before they ate again.

"I've wrapped a loaf, some cheese, and apples for you, m'lord," Toby said, "and tucked 'em in your saddlebag. There's some in your bag too, m'lady. The king's groomsmen say he's anxious now to be home. He'll be riding everyone hard."

"You've scavenged for the rest of you too, I hope," the earl said. "This traveling is difficult for all of us."

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