Page 76 of Heart of Snow
“Many thanks.” I masked my disappointment. His chivalry thwarted any hopes of speaking to Friedrich again, of learning what he was on the verge of saying when Felipe had interrupted. My mind was playing over our conversation, guessing, hoping what he was about to say, when my name stood out in the flow of ladies’ conversation behind me.
“Do you think Lady Margaretha stained her dress in blood before the masque?” It was Dorthea’s voice.
“I think her dress is divine,” Anna pitched in. “The perfect color for a harlot.”
The women giggled. “Yes, doesn’t the Bible say your sins will be crimson if your name is ‘White as Snow’?” Dorthea asked, and they laughed harder at her distorted recitation of the verse.
“I think she’s given up playing Lady Snow White now,” said Lady Anna. “You see her singled out, arm in arm with the prince, alone with him all the time.”
“Hush, ladies,” Jakelina whispered. “She’ll hear you.”
“And what if she does? Yo-ho! Snow White!” Anna called.
Dorthea giggled while Jakelina continued to shush them.
I didn’t move. I wouldn’t betray that I’d heard them, but I couldn’t stop myself from squeezing my fists into balls so tight it strained the seams of my gloves.
Felipe returned with my drink. “For you, my lady.” He handed it to me with a gallant, overacted bow.
I took the cup from him, guzzling down the spiced wine, preferring the burn in my throat to the burn of my tears. When I finished draining the cup, Felipe gently took it from me.
“What troubles you?” His eyes were soft.
I shook my head, but he wouldn’t heed it, taking my elbow and leading me from the hall into the cool night and the beautiful gardens of Coudenberg Palace. I knew what idle prattle our time alone would cause, but considering what I’d just heard, there wasn’t much more I could do to tarnish my reputation.
Felipe stopped us at a fountain gushing perfumed waters. The strong scent, combined with the hastily drunk wine, left me in an odd, dreamy state.
“What happened?” Felipe asked. “Was it that servant man? Did he say something to you?”
“What? No! No, it was only idle court gossipers,” I answered, using the moonlight to inspect my gloves.
The prince took my hands in his, leaving me no excuse for a distraction.
“You worry too much what other people think. Do not let them rob us of our evening. I envied the men who danced with you tonight. I wished it to be me. I still wish to dance with you.”
Music from the great hall floated over the trees and shrubs into our little perfumed pocket of the gardens, and Felipe swayed to the beat.
I laughed. “Won’t we need more couples to dance the galliard?”
He paid me no heed, catching my waist with his hands and pulling me against him.
“This isn’t the galliard,” he said. “It’s a new dance entirely. Forget what you’ve learned and let the music teach you how to step.”
I felt the rhythm of the crumhorns and cornets, allowing Felipe to turn me and lift me and sway with me as he pleased until hewrapped his arms around me, pulling me to settle against his chest.
“I don’t think this dance will be taking hold in the courts anytime soon,” I said, and Felipe’s laugh rumbled through his jerkin.
“Tell me, what was it you heard that upset you so? Do the women tell sordid stories of your love affairs?”
I sighed. “Of one love affair in particular.”
“Ah, they speak of us, do they? Say you’re my mistress?” He held me tighter, and when I rested into his embrace, the weight of guilt sank in my stomach. Was it right, being here with the prince when part of me wished to be somewhere else? Tonight, for the first time in ages, I’d been back in Friedrich’s arms, the feel of them dulling the ache I’d carried since the day he’d cast me off. But he did cast me off. And even though I wanted to believe he was softening toward me, how could I really expect him to forgive me? Yet here was Felipe, a man who cared for me, who could provide exactly what I needed, and whose heart was pounding in his chest at my nearness. He was the one I should focus on now. I took a deep breath, letting the scent of Felipe’s pomander chase all thoughts of Friedrich to the quiet recesses of my mind.
“It’s not such a bad notion, you know,” Felipe murmured.
“What’s not such a bad notion?”
“You being my mistress. I can think of very little that would please me more than having you in my arms day and night.”
