Read Online This Heart of Mine by Bertrice Small - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Bertrice Small
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you’re mad! The maid is right, and well you know it.” Ralegh admonished. “The queen does dote upon you, though why I cannot see when she has a far brighter fellow in me. Besides, I have heard the stories of this girl’s mother and father. Either one of them could have you for supper, my lord earl, and not even belch daintily afterwards.”
Velvet gazed at Ralegh with interest. He was older than the handsome earl, yet still a youngish man. Far more stylish than Robert Devereux, he wore a doublet of deep brown velvet richly embroidered with copper threads. It complemented his dark amber eyes and ginger-colored hair and beard. He was sturdier than Essex, but, though not as tall, he was even better proportioned with supremely elegant legs. She had never seen boots that fit so beautifully.
Suddenly mindful that her place was with Deirdre, Velvet boldly gave the earl a shove and hurried past him. Essex looked startled that she had laid hands upon him, but then he laughed.
“God’s foot, the de Mariscos seem quite fierce, Wat! Perhaps ’twould be best if we were just friends with the maid. Besides, virgins are so emotional.” He chuckled, and then, arm in arm, the two courtiers made their way through the crowd entering the priory, in order to regain their places by the queen’s side.
Elizabeth Tudor was already in the Great Hall being offered refreshments by her host while the hostess had found her sister and was angrily reproaching her.
“How could you, Velvet!”
“How could I what , Deirdre?”
Deirdre sighed. “What are we to tell the Earl of BrocCairn when he arrives, Velvet? He is coming to marry you! You knew that!”
“Why is it,” Velvet demanded, “that everyone is so concerned with the earl and his feelings, and no one thinks of me or mine? Mama and Papa made the match for me when I was just a child. I can’t even remember the man! Mama has said I should not marry without love, and, Deirdre, I will not! You certainly refused to do so. I will also not marry without my parents by my side, and it is several months until they will return. Perhaps I shall fall in love with the earl, but then again perhaps I won’t. Whether I do or not, I won’t be hustled willy-nilly down the aisle before I have at least been to court. I shall have my time at court, Deirdre, andthis wild man from Scotland will be forced to wait upon me until my parents return, for it is a well-known fact that the queen does not like gentlemen poaching among her maids. I shall be safe with my royal godmother!” She looked archly at her elder sibling.
“I am going to tell the queen, Velvet! You cannot embarrass us like this!”
“If you tell the queen, Deirdre, I shall flee to my grandparents in France and cause a great scandal! The betrothal will then be broken, and it will be all your fault! If my parents truly desire this match, they will not thank you for your meddling. I am as determined to have my way in this as you were to have yours in the matter of your marriage to John! We are sisters—with different fathers it is true—but the blood of our mother runs fiercely and hotly through both our veins. Why should I be any different in my desires than you were in yours?” Velvet look searchingly at Deirdre. “Wouldn’t you rather I remained in England, safe with the queen?” she wheedled, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“Damn you, you minx!” Deirdre muttered. “Oh, all right! The earl doesn’t have to know that when you learned he was coming you practically begged the queen to become a Maid of Honor. Although you will give Uncle Conn a fit, sister!” Then she giggled. “I should not like to be our poor uncle and have to tell the earl that you are not at Queen’s Malvern but rather with the queen, and therefore at the moment unavailable to wife. Lord, what a tangle!”
Conn St. Michael was, however, strangely unperturbed when he was told that evening of Velvet’s tactics. “She’ll be safe
Velvet gazed at Ralegh with interest. He was older than the handsome earl, yet still a youngish man. Far more stylish than Robert Devereux, he wore a doublet of deep brown velvet richly embroidered with copper threads. It complemented his dark amber eyes and ginger-colored hair and beard. He was sturdier than Essex, but, though not as tall, he was even better proportioned with supremely elegant legs. She had never seen boots that fit so beautifully.
Suddenly mindful that her place was with Deirdre, Velvet boldly gave the earl a shove and hurried past him. Essex looked startled that she had laid hands upon him, but then he laughed.
“God’s foot, the de Mariscos seem quite fierce, Wat! Perhaps ’twould be best if we were just friends with the maid. Besides, virgins are so emotional.” He chuckled, and then, arm in arm, the two courtiers made their way through the crowd entering the priory, in order to regain their places by the queen’s side.
Elizabeth Tudor was already in the Great Hall being offered refreshments by her host while the hostess had found her sister and was angrily reproaching her.
“How could you, Velvet!”
“How could I what , Deirdre?”
Deirdre sighed. “What are we to tell the Earl of BrocCairn when he arrives, Velvet? He is coming to marry you! You knew that!”
“Why is it,” Velvet demanded, “that everyone is so concerned with the earl and his feelings, and no one thinks of me or mine? Mama and Papa made the match for me when I was just a child. I can’t even remember the man! Mama has said I should not marry without love, and, Deirdre, I will not! You certainly refused to do so. I will also not marry without my parents by my side, and it is several months until they will return. Perhaps I shall fall in love with the earl, but then again perhaps I won’t. Whether I do or not, I won’t be hustled willy-nilly down the aisle before I have at least been to court. I shall have my time at court, Deirdre, andthis wild man from Scotland will be forced to wait upon me until my parents return, for it is a well-known fact that the queen does not like gentlemen poaching among her maids. I shall be safe with my royal godmother!” She looked archly at her elder sibling.
“I am going to tell the queen, Velvet! You cannot embarrass us like this!”
“If you tell the queen, Deirdre, I shall flee to my grandparents in France and cause a great scandal! The betrothal will then be broken, and it will be all your fault! If my parents truly desire this match, they will not thank you for your meddling. I am as determined to have my way in this as you were to have yours in the matter of your marriage to John! We are sisters—with different fathers it is true—but the blood of our mother runs fiercely and hotly through both our veins. Why should I be any different in my desires than you were in yours?” Velvet look searchingly at Deirdre. “Wouldn’t you rather I remained in England, safe with the queen?” she wheedled, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“Damn you, you minx!” Deirdre muttered. “Oh, all right! The earl doesn’t have to know that when you learned he was coming you practically begged the queen to become a Maid of Honor. Although you will give Uncle Conn a fit, sister!” Then she giggled. “I should not like to be our poor uncle and have to tell the earl that you are not at Queen’s Malvern but rather with the queen, and therefore at the moment unavailable to wife. Lord, what a tangle!”
Conn St. Michael was, however, strangely unperturbed when he was told that evening of Velvet’s tactics. “She’ll be safe
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