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Authors: A Rogues Embrace
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I shall not write anymore,” he replied, rather abruptly businesslike.
Momentarily confused by the change, she nevertheless regarded him skeptically. “Indeed? You will give up your fame?”
“I will gladly give up what I did out of necessity, since it will no longer be necessary.”
“And how will you find Leicester after London, I wonder? We shall all be too dull for you, I’m sure.”
She did not doubt he would find the countryside boring—and her, too, probably, after his fame in London and life among the courtiers, which was perfectly fine. She had no desire to live the kind of supposedly exciting, indulgent existence he did.
“The country life will be a pleasant change, if nothing else,” he replied, regarding her witha cool smile which unaccountably seemed to raise her temperature.
Or perhaps it was the close confines of the Banqueting House and the multitude of people in it that were responsible for making her perspire as if she were under a midsummer’s sun.
“Richard, Mistress Winters confides she is confused by your new play, charming though it is,” the king said loudly enough for all to hear. “Will you have the goodness to explain it to her?”
“Delighted, Majesty,” Richard replied.
In spite of his ready agreement, as he shoved back his chair, he muttered under his breath, “It would take that woman an eternity to understand anything except lovemaking.”
“Like most of the court, I imagine,” Elissa added in a mutter of her own.
To her surprise, her husband’s lips twisted into a wry smile.
“I’faith, madam,” he whispered, bending toward her so that only she could hear, “I would keep such opinions to yourself, lest you find yourself in the Tower. Again, a most disastrous way to spend a wedding night and not at all what I desire.”
Chapter 5
I f these silly, giggling, drunken women didn’t leave this bedchamber soon, Elissa thought, she would scream. She had put up with their unwelcome escort from the Banqueting House to the bridal chamber, and they were supposed to assist her in her preparations for retiring. Instead, they talked and joked about the activities to come and made disgustingly rude speculations about Richard Blythe’s physical attributes.
The ladies of the court also seemed far more intent on talking about the various other noblemen who had been in attendance, and their looks and their habits and who had noticed whom, and what they had said to each other than on helping her.
The exception was Mistress Winters. She didn’t do anything except stare in rapt fascination at the large brocade-curtained bed inthe gaudily decorated room near the king’s apartments.
Elissa felt as if she were in a brothel, not a palace.
Not that she had ever been in a brothel. However, she could easily imagine that the atmosphere would be similar, if not the furnishings.
“Thank you. Now you all may leave,” she declared.
Astonishingly, she was impertinently hushed by a young woman in a grotesque gown of the most brilliant and bilious green Elissa had ever seen. Another young woman whose name Elissa couldn’t recall staggered to the door and opened it a crack. She was so drunk, Elissa expected her to collapse if she let go of the latch.
“I will tell you when they’re coming,” she slurred in a lascivious whisper.
Mistress Winters finally roused herself from her blissful contemplation of the palatial bed.
“Let me help you with your lacings,” she said, moving behind Elissa.
“I think I can—”
Mistress Winters ignored Elissa’s protest. “Odd’s fish, madam, you must be very hot in this gown.”
She took hold of the knot at the back of Elissa’s dress and almost yanked Elissa off her feet. “Not so hot as you’ll be in a little while, of course, but very hot indeed!”
The women laughed uproariously while Elissa maintained a dignified silence.
“Such an unusual choice of color for a bridal gown.”
“I am a widow.”
“Not anymore!” Mistress
Momentarily confused by the change, she nevertheless regarded him skeptically. “Indeed? You will give up your fame?”
“I will gladly give up what I did out of necessity, since it will no longer be necessary.”
“And how will you find Leicester after London, I wonder? We shall all be too dull for you, I’m sure.”
She did not doubt he would find the countryside boring—and her, too, probably, after his fame in London and life among the courtiers, which was perfectly fine. She had no desire to live the kind of supposedly exciting, indulgent existence he did.
“The country life will be a pleasant change, if nothing else,” he replied, regarding her witha cool smile which unaccountably seemed to raise her temperature.
Or perhaps it was the close confines of the Banqueting House and the multitude of people in it that were responsible for making her perspire as if she were under a midsummer’s sun.
“Richard, Mistress Winters confides she is confused by your new play, charming though it is,” the king said loudly enough for all to hear. “Will you have the goodness to explain it to her?”
“Delighted, Majesty,” Richard replied.
In spite of his ready agreement, as he shoved back his chair, he muttered under his breath, “It would take that woman an eternity to understand anything except lovemaking.”
“Like most of the court, I imagine,” Elissa added in a mutter of her own.
To her surprise, her husband’s lips twisted into a wry smile.
“I’faith, madam,” he whispered, bending toward her so that only she could hear, “I would keep such opinions to yourself, lest you find yourself in the Tower. Again, a most disastrous way to spend a wedding night and not at all what I desire.”
Chapter 5
I f these silly, giggling, drunken women didn’t leave this bedchamber soon, Elissa thought, she would scream. She had put up with their unwelcome escort from the Banqueting House to the bridal chamber, and they were supposed to assist her in her preparations for retiring. Instead, they talked and joked about the activities to come and made disgustingly rude speculations about Richard Blythe’s physical attributes.
The ladies of the court also seemed far more intent on talking about the various other noblemen who had been in attendance, and their looks and their habits and who had noticed whom, and what they had said to each other than on helping her.
The exception was Mistress Winters. She didn’t do anything except stare in rapt fascination at the large brocade-curtained bed inthe gaudily decorated room near the king’s apartments.
Elissa felt as if she were in a brothel, not a palace.
Not that she had ever been in a brothel. However, she could easily imagine that the atmosphere would be similar, if not the furnishings.
“Thank you. Now you all may leave,” she declared.
Astonishingly, she was impertinently hushed by a young woman in a grotesque gown of the most brilliant and bilious green Elissa had ever seen. Another young woman whose name Elissa couldn’t recall staggered to the door and opened it a crack. She was so drunk, Elissa expected her to collapse if she let go of the latch.
“I will tell you when they’re coming,” she slurred in a lascivious whisper.
Mistress Winters finally roused herself from her blissful contemplation of the palatial bed.
“Let me help you with your lacings,” she said, moving behind Elissa.
“I think I can—”
Mistress Winters ignored Elissa’s protest. “Odd’s fish, madam, you must be very hot in this gown.”
She took hold of the knot at the back of Elissa’s dress and almost yanked Elissa off her feet. “Not so hot as you’ll be in a little while, of course, but very hot indeed!”
The women laughed uproariously while Elissa maintained a dignified silence.
“Such an unusual choice of color for a bridal gown.”
“I am a widow.”
“Not anymore!” Mistress
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