Page 79 of Love, Remember Me

"Are your fields not tilled?" she asked him, shocked. "What of your tenants? Have you no cattle or sheep?"

He chuckled. "You truly are a serious country woman. 'Tis no pose to make you stand out from the others, is it?"

"Sir, the land and its people are a trust. They are England. The king would tell you that himself," Nyssa said.

"I stand reprimanded, madame," he said with a smile. "You must teach me how to mend my ways and become a model landowner."

Now Nyssa smiled. "Sir, I think you mock me."

"Nay, madame, I should never do such a thing," he protested.

"Then perhaps, sir, you are again flirting with me?" Nyssa queried him lightly, thinking as she did that it was possible that Culpeper had confided his adultery with the queen to this man. The more people who knew, the more serious the situation had become. She had to find out.

"I think, madame, that it is you who flirt with me," Sin Vaughn said.

She laughed. "I thought you said it was Tom Culpeper I'd set my sights on," she said cunningly.

"Did I not warn you that Culpeper had a jealous mistress?" he growled, leaning over so that their faces were near.

"Why do you care?" she asked him daringly, and smiled into his handsome face. She was amazed at her behavior, but time was growing short. If Cat continued her dangerous course once they returned to London, she would surely be caught. The king's wrath would fall on them all.

"Because," Sin Vaughn said harshly, "I want you, Nyssa! The thought that you should want another infuriates me. Culpeper is a callow fellow. You deserve better!"

"I thought Master Culpeper was your friend," Nyssa taunted him gently, "and have I not told you, sir, that I am a happily married woman? I am aware of the direction in which your friend's interest flows. 'Tis a dangerous game he plays, my lord. You should tell him so."

"Do you think I have not?" Cynric Vaughn said. "He considers his lady a benevolent provider of all he desires."

They had reached the encampment. When they came to her pavilion, Sin Vaughn slid from his horse and, reaching up, lifted Nyssa down from her mount. They were standing very close. When she made to move away from him, his arm pinioned her hard, preventing her. Their lips were quite dangerously close for a brief moment. Then he smiled down into her eyes.

"You are really not experienced enough for this game, madame," he told her quietly, "but I will play it with you if you desire," and then he loosed her. With a quick bow he turned and led his horse away.

"Take yer mount, m'lady?" Bob was at her elbow.

"Aye, take him," she told the groom. "I've not ridden him hard. Just enough to get the kinks out of his muscles." She handed the reins of her horse to him and hurried into the pavilion.

What on earth had she been thinking of, trying to flirt with Sin Vaughn? The man was positively dangerous, a man without conscience or morality. She could sense it. I will not dally with him again, she thought. Now I know that he is aware of the queen's treason.

If Cat Howard fell, then all the Howards would fall, Nyssa knew. She remembered what Varian had said about it.I am the duke's only grandson. Surely the king in his anger would not strike out at the de Winters, but he could. Henry Tudor was a ruthless man. Everyone knew that he had slain Anne Boleyn when she could not produce a living son for him, and his eye lit upon Jane Seymour. Look how he had untangled himself from his marriage to the lady Anne of Cleves; had allowed Lord Chancellor Cromwell to be executed; had murdered the Countess of Salisbury. Nyssa shuddered. She had to know if anyone else knew of the queen's adultery.

The king issued an invitation to his nephew, James V of Scotland, the son of his sister Margaret, to join him at York. The ancient abbey stood refurbished and ready for the meeting between the two kings. James's queen, Mary of Guise, was enceinte with a third child. She must be brought safely to term, as their two young sons had recently died and Scotland had no heir. She did not want him to go. His council did not want him to go. James was no fool. Once he crossed over the border, putting himself into the lion's mouth, he could find himself a prisoner of his most dearly beloved uncle of England. He did not come.

Each day the English, stationed at vantage points on the border, sent word to Henry Tudor. There was no sign of the Scots. Indeed the border, usually a hotbed of activity on both sides, was unusually quiet. After five days the English king gave up and faced the truth. His nephew was not coming. Henry was not pleased by the slight, and those around him tread lightly until his temper had worked itself out. The queen was particularly clever at coaxing him. When finally his good humor was restored, the king gave the word that they were to move south. The time had come to return to London. Autumn was upon them, and the weather was beginning to turn colder, and wetter.

They crossed the Derwentwater moving southeast for the town of Hull on the Humber River. The emerald-green hills were almost treeless. The royal progress plodded on relentlessly. Its coaches and baggage wagons lurched over the gentle inclines, the court laughing and riding with it, the great packs of hounds barking excitedly, keeping pace with the horses.

Hull, a fishing port, had been granted a charter in 1299 by Edward I. It had originally been called King's Town upon Hull. Why the king wished to go there, no one really knew, but when he arrived on the first day of October, the weather changed for the better, to everyone's relief. The blue skies were cloudless, and the sun shone down brightly. The air was mild. It blew fresh and salty from the sea beyond. The pavilions were set up overlooking the water. The king, it seemed, wanted to fish. His energy appeared to be inexhaustible. But at least one could sit in a boat or stand upon the beach when fishing. The ladies, excused from such activity, took the time to rest, bathe, and repair their clothing, for the king had announced they would remain five days.

Arriving to wait upon the queen one afternoon, Nyssa saw Lady Rochford in deep conversation with Tom Culpeper, standing in the shadow of the pavilion's awning. They did not see her as she moved quietly past them, and then, safe from their view, stopped to listen.

"You must be patient, Tom, my laddie," Lady Rochford said. "She is as eager for you as you are for her, but we are not safe here. Too many of the ladies are about, and there is no excuse to send them away from her without arousing suspicion. There are many who are jealous of her, but of course she will not believe that. Her heart is so good. It is beyond her ken to even consider that many would betray her. We must wait for a more propitious time for you to meet again."

"You know that I would not place her in any danger, Jane," Culpeper said. "God help me, but I love her, yet I can barely stand the time I must be away from her. When I hear the king brag of how he has used her, and how she cried out with his expertise, I want to puke!"

"You must not be jealous, Tom laddie, or you will spoil everything," Lady Rochford cautioned him. "The king is an old man. How much longer can he live? Then you will be free to pursue Cat without fear. For now, however, you must not place her in any danger."

Nyssa moved on. She did not want them to catch her, but she also did not want to hear any more. The whole situation was appalling. That they dared to speak of the king's death! Such a thing was treason in itself, but should she accuse them, they would deny it, and it would simply be her word against theirs. She was Nyssa Wyndham, who had once had the king's eye and lost it to Catherine Howard. Nyssa Wyndham, who was mysteriously married off to the Duke of Norfolk's grandson. It was an impossible situation. What was she to do?

Perhaps if she spoke to the queen. Reasoned with her. Were they not friends? Aye! That was what she would do! She would go directly to Cat and tell her she knew her secret. That she did not want to hurt her friend, just bring her to her senses. That she wanted to help. That Cat must not continue to betray the king, for she was sure to be caught in the end. That they would all fall victim to the king's anger and hurt. Cat was not stupid. Cat would see the sense of what she told her. She would realize that Lady Rochford was nothing more than a bawd, encouraging her to bad habits. Aye! She would speak to the queen.

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