Page 28 of Breath From the Sea
And yet, Titus still had to shake his head. He could not have heard her correctly. Nay. He’d not marry her for an alliance. Antónia would only laugh at him. Hold her blunderbuss to his head and pull the trigger.
“Majesty?” He raised his gaze to his queen’s, stunned to find her smiling.
“Oh, you heard us correctly, Lord Graves. You will marry the wench. She is of noble blood—however tainted it is by her Irish parentage, it is noble.”
“But…” He trailed off, stopping himself from complaining before the queen had a chance to lash him truly.
The queen stiffened, staring him down as though he were no greater than a rat that had trampled across her table.
He held his breath, waiting for the quick death that was certain to take him. A fit of apoplexy.
Marriage. Antónia. Hisforever.
A death sentence for certain, and yet it gave him another chance to see her face. To kneel before the woman who’d been able to claim him so thoroughly.
Though his heart pumped a hearty tune, it did not burst. Nor did it pain him. If anything, he felt a great weight lift from his body. An elation taking hold. He bit the tip of his tongue to keep from smiling, for he was actually… happy. Excited.
“She will not have me,” he said.
“She has no choice. I am queen and I have ordered it.” Elizabeth turned to Cecil. “Write the edict, bring it to me to sign, and then we can wave Lord Graves off from the quay.”
“My ship…” He stared. “Her ship…”
“Oh, for goodness’ sake, you do strike a hard bargain, Lord Graves.”
“Majesty?” Again he was perplexed.
“You are lucky we feel in good spirits today. We are weak and ornery most. We see something in you, something in her.” She sat back in the throne, some of the energy she’d boasted sapping, and then she switched to less formal tones as she spoke, a wistful note to her tongue. “I long for the days when Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Hawkins regaled me with stories of the sea. I want you to follow in the footsteps of my great Sea Dogs. I want you and Lady Antónia to be the new Sea Dogs. My privateers. You’ll sail the Channel together. And when you come to court, you’ll bring me great treasures and tales.”
Shock made him blanch. “You do me a great honor, Majesty.” Titus knelt to the ground, his hand over his heart.
“I’m giving you a new ship, Graves. One that has been newly built and will be commissioned next week. We’ll name itTheodosia,seems fitting. Send me your Lieutenant Grenville. I am giving him a promotion.”
“Aye, Majesty.” Titus was breathless as he stood. “He awaits me in the Presence Chamber.”
“Send him in. Cecil will bring you the edict tomorrow and in a week’s time, you will set sail on theTheodosiato Ireland, delivering Lady Antónia Burke the news.”
“And a crew, Majesty?”
“You may set sail with half a crew. The lady should supply the other half.” She snapped her fingers at her secretary. “Cecil, make certain it states that as part of her dowry, Grace O’Malley and the Devil’s Hook will provide one half a crew for theTheodosia, paying their salaries indefinitely.”
It seemed the queen did not believe Grace O’Malley was as impoverished as she let on. Perhaps, the older Irish wench had touched on a warm spot with his bitter queen. A place in her heart where she longed to be set free from the responsibilities. Perhaps that was why she’d so loved her Sea Dogs. She longed for adventure. To be free. And she saw in another woman the chance to do so, and she wanted to claim it as her own. To allow it to continue and to thrive from it.
Mayhap.
Titus would never presume to know the mind of his queen, for she was often fickle, smiling one minute and roaring the next. Much like her father, though Titus had not been alive during Henry VIII’s rule. He’d heard enough. Knew enough.
“I will see your will done, Majesty.” Titus bowed low once more, kissing the ring she offered toward him.
When he stood, there was still some sparkle in her old eyes.
He backed out of the Privy Chamber to find Lieutenant Grenville anxiously waiting in the Presence Chamber.
Titus held out his hand and Grenville stared at it a moment before taking it in his grip. “Congratulations. The Queen wishes to speak with you, my good man. I wish you well.”
“Is she…?” Grenville swallowed hard. “Is she sending you to the Tower?”
Titus laughed. “She has doomed me to marriage, my good man. And a new ship. TheTheodosia.”
Grenville’s eyes widened. “To whom?”
“The woman I fell in love with.” The moment the words were out of his mouth, Titus could have fallen over. He’d known he felt deeply for Antónia, but love… Aye, he was in love. They’d teased while aboard his ship, but sometime in the past days since he’d returned the emotion had solidified. Taken hold. He couldn’t live without her.
Titus left the palace with a spring in his step, a whistle on his lips, and a determination to make his bride fall in love with him.
