Page 41 of Love, Remember Me

"Between people who desire each other, yes, my love," he told her, catching at her hand, turning it and kissing the palm.

She nodded gravely, and lay her head back down upon his chest. "Will the king be satisfied that we have done our duty?"

"Aye, Nyssa, he will," the earl told her.

She said nothing more. Very shortly he realized that she had fallen asleep. He lay awake for some time, listening to her slow breathing until, finally lulled by it, he fell asleep too, his arms wrapped tightly, protectively, about her.

They were awakened several hours later by a loud knocking upon their chamber door. Before he might arise and answer it, the door swung open and his grandfather entered the room. Varian de Winter drew the coverlet over his wife's nakedness.

"It will be dawn soon," the duke said without preamble. "Is the girl breached?"

He looked directly at Nyssa, but she was not in the least intimidated by him. She glared back, angered not merely by his intrusion, but by what she considered a great lack of delicacy as the old man ran an appreciative eye over her.

"Well, my lord? Is she breached?" he repeated. "She's fair enough to have aroused your lust."

"If you will leave the room," Varian said tightly, "I will obtain the proof for you that should satisfy the king, Grandfather."

"We have something to discuss first," Thomas Howard said bluntly. "Stop looking as if you would plunge a knife into my heart, girl," he ordered Nyssa. "What's done is done, but now we must have an explanation for your marriage to silence the gossiping tongues."

"You are so skilled at scheming, my lord," she answered him, "that I will leave it to you. What can you possibly tell people that they will believe? My virtue is well-known in a court not known for virtue. What will you say? That I was suddenly overcome with a reckless passion for your grandson, and he with an equal desire for me?That we eloped?" She smiled with false sweetness at the Duke of Norfolk.

"It has already been decided, madame," he replied coldly. "You have but to go along with the explanation. Your aunt and uncle see the wisdom of my plan, and have agreed to it. The king also agrees, for he will have no shame fall upon you for your wicked behavior of last evening."

"My wicked behavior?" Nyssa's voice rose dangerously. "Cease this charade, my lord, I beg you. I know how I came to be in the earl's bed last night. I know of your wretched plot to make poor Cat queen."

"Do you? Then you know enough to hold your tongue, girl, else you and your husband end your days in the Tower," the duke snapped.

"Were it not for my loyalty to Queen Anne," Nyssa said, "I should leave Greenwich this very day, sir!"

"You are free to leave, madame," he said.

"Nay," Nyssa answered him. "I will not leave my queen alone and defenseless, my lord. I will stay until the end. His grace has said that I may continue to serve her for the present."

"Then listen to what I tell you both. Last night Varian de Winter stole you from the Maidens' Chamber and raped you. You escaped him and fled to your relations. They protested to the king, who saw to your immediate nuptials. In this way your virtue remains intact, madame. You become the innocent victim in this affair," the duke said.

"Which I certainly was," she snapped back at him, "but I will not allow you to defame my lord husband in this manner! It is not right! Have you no heart, my lord duke, that you would blacken your own grandson's name further like this?"

"Considering his reputation," the duke told her, "it is the perfect explanation for what has happened. You, madame, will abide by it."

Nyssa opened her mouth to protest further; to tell him that she knew her husband's reputation was a false one, that he was innocent of the crime he had admitted to. But Varian suddenly squeezed her hand very hard beneath the coverlet. Nyssa's mouth closed abruptly. She turned to look questioningly at him. He put a warning finger to her lips and shook his head at her. For some reason he did not want her arguing further with his grandfather. She wondered again if perhaps his black reputationwasdeserved. Had Varian told her the truth or had he lied to win her over last night?

"I hope, at least," the earl said, attempting to inject some humor into the situation, "that you will claim I was driven by my passionate love for Nyssa, Grandfather."

"Considering the king's affection for me," Nyssa said wickedly, "will people not wonder why he has not clapped Varian in the Tower for this crime of passion he has committed against me?"

"The king is a married man for all intents and purposes," the duke said, discomfited by her continued show of spirit. "He could hardly admit to having loving feelings toward another lady, madame."

"He did toward your niece Anne, under similar circumstances," Nyssa answered him.

"Madame, you tread on dangerous ground," the duke growled at her. He turned to his grandson. "Obviously I have given you a viper to wife, Varian. Perhaps I should apologize to you."

"Aye," Nyssa returned angrily. "You should apologize to us both, my lord. You are a cruel man."

"Be silent, sweeting," the earl said softly to her.

"You know what you must do," Thomas Howard said coldly. "I shall wait outside for the proof, Varian. Be quick! The king will be awakening at any moment. I would have this over and done with." He turned and departed the room, closing the door behind him.

"How can you give him your loyalty?" Nyssa asked her husband when they were once again alone. "He thinks nothing of sacrificing your name in order to advance his ambition."

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