Read Online Le Temps Viendra: A Novel of Anne Boleyn by Sarah A. Morris - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Sarah A. Morris
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close by on his horse, causing my father to break off discreetly and talk to the young man.
I was exasperated. Mixed emotions weighed heavily upon me. On the one hand, I wanted to be in this extraordinary moment, basking in the love and adoration of so mighty and charismatic a prince. On the other, I could not forget what I already knew. I saw danger lurking where they saw riches; I saw enemies in every shadow, and I knew not how to change history. There was a momentum building that had begun to sweep us along.
Satisfied with the kill, Henry had remounted his horse, which he then manoeuvred towards me. As he approached I said,
‘Sire, I am clear amazed at your skill in the hunt!’ I did not lie.
‘Anne, sweetheart, do you remember the first gift I sent you; the young buck I killed in the forest near Greenwich?’ I smiled demurely and nodded. Henry then came right up next to my horse. Leaning over, the King whispered softly in my ear, ‘Then let the blood of this stag be spilled in your honour, a sign of my undying commitment to you, our love and our life together.’
Once more, he took my hand and kissed it gently, all the time holding my gaze with intense desire. I was struck by the contrast between the brute strength and savagery that Henry had demonstrated during the hunt, and the sweet tenderness he always seemed to bear toward me.
The King then turned to the group again. ‘The afternoon is yet young, my friends. Let us continue the hunt!’ Henry led the way, as together, our merry band headed off further into the forest.
I returned from the hunt, bone-weary and exhausted. Covered in dust from the roadside and sweating from the afternoon heat, I was uncomfortably sticky beneath the many layers of my clothing. When I reached my bedroom, I asked Bess to prepare me a bath. Slightly puzzled, for clearly this was not a common request, Bess and Alice set about the task with their usual quiet efficiency. I sank onto the bed, whilst the two women brought in a large wooden tun and lined it with linen sheets. Then running backwards and forwards, they gradually filled it with hot water from the kitchen. Hot bricks placed inside the tun kept the water warm, whilst Bess thoughtfully pinned posies of sweet, dried flowers and herbs to the linen, so as to infuse their heady perfume through the steamy water.
I could hardly move; I was so weary from the exhilaration of the afternoon. Still lying across the bed, I turned my head lazily to gaze out of a nearby window at a perfect sky. The afternoon sun had begun its slow descent, although its warmth continued to fill the air with the sweet scent of honeysuckle and the fragrance coming from the climbing rose that clambered up the castle’s exterior wall. Hever had fallen into a quiet slumber. The lords and ladies of the King’s retinue, indeed the King himself, had retired for a couple of short hours before the evening revels were set to begin.
‘Mistress, your bath is ready,’ Bess said.
‘Thank you.’ I dragged myself up from the bed before each layer of my clothing was finally, and gratefully, peeled away. With the last petticoat removed, I found myself naked. With some amusement, I realised I was not wearing any underwear. Although entirely strange to me, clearly this was the norm, as neither Bess, nor Alice seemed surprised. I looked down at my slim, yet curvaceous body. Anne was delicate and well proportioned; her breasts were pert and whilst not large, were certainly full enough to please a man. Finally, I stepped into the bath and sunk down into the water. Bess knelt beside me and began to wash my back.
Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming desire to be alone. In my modern existence, I lived on my own and was used to my own space. Since arriving in that strange and foreign world, I realised that I had not been left alone for one minute. It was something that I would get used to in the months ahead, but back then I had needed time and space to think. I turned to
I was exasperated. Mixed emotions weighed heavily upon me. On the one hand, I wanted to be in this extraordinary moment, basking in the love and adoration of so mighty and charismatic a prince. On the other, I could not forget what I already knew. I saw danger lurking where they saw riches; I saw enemies in every shadow, and I knew not how to change history. There was a momentum building that had begun to sweep us along.
Satisfied with the kill, Henry had remounted his horse, which he then manoeuvred towards me. As he approached I said,
‘Sire, I am clear amazed at your skill in the hunt!’ I did not lie.
‘Anne, sweetheart, do you remember the first gift I sent you; the young buck I killed in the forest near Greenwich?’ I smiled demurely and nodded. Henry then came right up next to my horse. Leaning over, the King whispered softly in my ear, ‘Then let the blood of this stag be spilled in your honour, a sign of my undying commitment to you, our love and our life together.’
Once more, he took my hand and kissed it gently, all the time holding my gaze with intense desire. I was struck by the contrast between the brute strength and savagery that Henry had demonstrated during the hunt, and the sweet tenderness he always seemed to bear toward me.
The King then turned to the group again. ‘The afternoon is yet young, my friends. Let us continue the hunt!’ Henry led the way, as together, our merry band headed off further into the forest.
I returned from the hunt, bone-weary and exhausted. Covered in dust from the roadside and sweating from the afternoon heat, I was uncomfortably sticky beneath the many layers of my clothing. When I reached my bedroom, I asked Bess to prepare me a bath. Slightly puzzled, for clearly this was not a common request, Bess and Alice set about the task with their usual quiet efficiency. I sank onto the bed, whilst the two women brought in a large wooden tun and lined it with linen sheets. Then running backwards and forwards, they gradually filled it with hot water from the kitchen. Hot bricks placed inside the tun kept the water warm, whilst Bess thoughtfully pinned posies of sweet, dried flowers and herbs to the linen, so as to infuse their heady perfume through the steamy water.
I could hardly move; I was so weary from the exhilaration of the afternoon. Still lying across the bed, I turned my head lazily to gaze out of a nearby window at a perfect sky. The afternoon sun had begun its slow descent, although its warmth continued to fill the air with the sweet scent of honeysuckle and the fragrance coming from the climbing rose that clambered up the castle’s exterior wall. Hever had fallen into a quiet slumber. The lords and ladies of the King’s retinue, indeed the King himself, had retired for a couple of short hours before the evening revels were set to begin.
‘Mistress, your bath is ready,’ Bess said.
‘Thank you.’ I dragged myself up from the bed before each layer of my clothing was finally, and gratefully, peeled away. With the last petticoat removed, I found myself naked. With some amusement, I realised I was not wearing any underwear. Although entirely strange to me, clearly this was the norm, as neither Bess, nor Alice seemed surprised. I looked down at my slim, yet curvaceous body. Anne was delicate and well proportioned; her breasts were pert and whilst not large, were certainly full enough to please a man. Finally, I stepped into the bath and sunk down into the water. Bess knelt beside me and began to wash my back.
Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming desire to be alone. In my modern existence, I lived on my own and was used to my own space. Since arriving in that strange and foreign world, I realised that I had not been left alone for one minute. It was something that I would get used to in the months ahead, but back then I had needed time and space to think. I turned to
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