Love, Remember Me (44 page)

"Aye," he agreed with her. "We certainly cannot tell my grandfather, at this point. If it had not gone so far, we might have, and he could have exercised some control over Cat, but not now. The duke will protect himself first. The rest of the Howards and their kin will have to scramble for their lives. Damn! How could Cat be so stupid? I do not know why my grandfather chose her for the king. She is and will always be a heedless girl. She thinks only of her own pleasure. God help us all!" He ran an impatient hand through his dark hair. "You should have told me immediately, sweeting, and you should not have involved yourself with Sir Cynric Vaughn."

"I thought I could reason with Cat, Varian. I believed I could bring her back to her senses, but she simply refuses to understand how serious this is. She thinks if she can continue to please the king, all will be well. She will not accept the possibility that someone may expose her."

He shook his head. "Poor Cat. She does not understand that there is much more involved than just her marriage. The Church is divided between the more orthodox form of worship and the reformers. Each side thinks they have God's blessing on their endeavors. They will do whatever they have to do to gain their way, even if it means toppling a foolish little girl off her glittering throne. I do not want to be here to see that happen. You are right, Nyssa. There is nothing we can do. We must go home!"

"Oh, Varian, I feel so sorry for Cat, and for the king too," Nyssa said softly. She lay her head upon his broad chest.

He stroked her dark hair. It was soft and silky, and faintly perfumed. He had never before loved any woman until her. He knew that he would never love any woman but her. "We can do nothing for them," he said quietly. His voice was sad, and she raised her head up to look at him.

"What is it, Varian?" she asked him.

"Your sorrow is for the king and Cat. Mine is for my grandfather. I cannot help but wonder what kind of a life he would have had were he not so desirous of power. Why could he not be content with his lands and his family? His responsibilities are great, and yet he is constantly seeking more. Why could he not be happy with all that he has? He is so fortunate."

"He is a great man," Nyssa admitted reluctantly, "and great men are not like you and I, my love." Then she kissed him.

His head swam at the touch of her lips. He wrapped his arms about her and held her close. "I adore you," he told her softly.

She smiled seductively up at him. "You lust after me," she told him, caressing his cheek with a teasing hand.

"Aye, I do," he admitted, answering her smile. "I think we are wise to take advantage of this interlude, sweeting." A hand reached out to cup her breast, and her nipple puckered at his touch. "Such an eager little girl, she is," he crooned, stroking the firm breast beneath his fingers. Bending his head, he licked at her skin, faintly salty, yet sweet to his tongue. She murmured, and shifted against him so that they were closer. His mouth closed over the taut nipple, suckling hard upon it, making her whimper low. His teeth tenderly scored the tender nub, and she cried out softly. His hand cradled her head. His mouth now found her throat, and his hot kisses made her wild with her own deep longing for him.

"Oh, my darling," she whispered to him. "I do love you so very much! I can imagine no other life than as your wife and lover!"

He was almost ashamed of his eagerness to possess her, but her excitement was every bit as great as his. She sobbed with pleasure as he entered her, shuddering as he filled her with an incredible sweetness. There could be no more than this! It was so overwhelming that she could scarcely bear the pleasure of it. And afterward she lay contented in his arms, contented even as she knew he was contented. Later they would make love again, and the next time it would be long and drawn out. It was always that way with them. An insatiable hunger to possess each other, followed by a lengthier sweetness. She wondered as she did each time they made love if they had begun another child. She wanted more children, and knew that he did too.

Tillie awakened them before first light. Already outside their pavilion they could hear the sounds of activity as the encampment was dismantled about them. Their servants helped them to dress in warm, sturdy traveling garments, for the weather had turned wet overnight. Toby brought them food from the field kitchens: trenchers of hot oats, ham, hot bread, and cheese. They ate everything, knowing it would be late before they ate again.

"I've wrapped a loaf, some cheese, and apples for you, m'lord," Toby said, "and tucked 'em in your saddlebag. There's some in your bag too, m'lady. The king's groomsmen say he's anxious now to be home. He'll be riding everyone hard."

"You've scavenged for the rest of you too, I hope," the earl said. "This traveling is difficult for all of us."

"When are we going home, m'lady?" Tillie asked.

"We hope to have the king's permission to leave the progress at Amphill," Nyssa told her tiring woman. "He promised we could leave before Christmas. We are anxious to return to Winterhaven too, Tillie."

The sunny and warm respite they had had in Hull was over, and over too was the summer. It was October. The day was cool. The gray clouds lay low on the land, and the rain poured down. Here and there patches of bright color broke the bleakness as stands of trees, dressed in gold, showed off their autumn leaves. There was no hunting now. The court was eager to return south to lodgings with stone walls that the wind did not get so easily through.

The damp, cool weather was beginning to bother the king's ulcerous leg. He rode upon one of the great dun horses that the princess Anne had given him New Year's last, hunched against the rain, and with his pain. He could be approached by no one but the queen and his faithful fool, Will Somers. The Earl of March despaired, for they could not leave court without the king's permission.

"We must wait until we get to Windsor," he told his wife. "There is no getting to him at the moment."

Nyssa was disappointed, but she understood, and strove to be patient.

They stayed a day at Kettleby, where the queen was already excitedly planning for the Christmas holidays.

"We shall celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas at Hampton Court," she told her ladies. "I do love Hampton Court! Nyssa, come and play cards with me. I must have a chance to win back what you won from me these past few nights." She giggled. "Henry says I should not gamble if I cannot win at least sometimes."

I should have said something when she mentioned Hampton Court and the holidays, Nyssa thought, but she decided that had she voiced a request to return to Winterhaven immediately, the queen would have said no, and then they could not have asked the king without insulting her. It was better not to encourage her enmity. I must be patient, Nyssa thought. She played her cards carelessly, and allowed Cat to win back what she had previously lost, plus a bit more.

"You must learn to play as skillfully at other games, Lady de Winter, as you played at cards this evening," Lady Rochford said softly to Nyssa as she prepared to return to her own pavilion.

Nyssa looked at the woman. Her dark eyes were fathomless. Her expression said nothing. "I know not what you mean, madame," she replied. "You speak in riddles. I am not good at riddles." She fastened her cloak about her and moved past Lady Rochford into the night. As the encampment was set up in identical fashion at each stop they had made over the progress, it was not necessary for Nyssa to be escorted. The torches outside of each pavilion gave enough light to show her the way. Moving quickly along, she was suddenly aware of footsteps behind her. As she turned to look about, two cloaked figures came up beside her, and taking her by the arms, swiftly forced her from her path into the darkness beyond the pavilions.

"Do not scream, madame, or I shall cut your throat," a voice warned her.

Scream
? How could she? Her throat seemed paralyzed by fear. Who were these men, and what did they want of her? She wore little jewelry. How bold these robbers were to accost her within the king's own encampment.

The pavilions had been set up tonight just beyond the ruins of an old monastery. Nyssa's assailants half led, half dragged her into the shadow of its crumbling walls. At the very moment they stopped, the moon slipped out from behind a bank of clouds, revealing to her the faces of Tom Culpeper and Sir Cynric Vaughn. Knowing her kidnappers immediately eased Nyssa's fear; her throat relaxed and she drew a deep breath.

Then, yanking away from them, she hissed, "What do you mean by your behavior, sirs? How dare you accost me, and frighten me half to death!" She whirled about to return to the encampment, but cruel fingers closed about her arm and roughly yanked her back.

"Nay, madame, we have business together, you and I," Culpeper snarled into her face. "You have involved yourself in something that is not your concern at all. You have deeply distressed and confused a lady of our mutual acquaintance, madame. You must cease these actions. I will see that you do so." He smiled at her, but the smile did not reach his eyes.

"You involved yourself in something that could cost that lady her life," Nyssa spat back. "If you truly care for her, you would not do it, but I believe you to be nothing but a selfish, opportunistic bastard, Tom Culpeper! How can you believe yourself safe? Lady Rochford knows your secret, for she foolishly encourages you both. Every day the danger grows greater, and the chances that the king will learn of your treason increases."

"
You will not tell him!
" Culpeper said fiercely.

"
I
? Are you mad? I should never betray Cat, nor would I be foolish enough to destroy the king's idyll of love. Nay, I will not tell him! Is that what this is about? You thought I would tell him of your perfidy?" She laughed harshly. "You are a fool, Master Culpeper."

"I do not believe you," he told her angrily. "If the king had not wed Cat, the chances are good he would have wed you. Cat told me how her uncle, Duke Thomas, arranged for your hasty marriage to his grandson to prevent the king from choosing you over Cat. If you betray my ladylove, the king would turn to you again."

Nyssa shook her head. This was precisely as she had thought it would be. "Tom Culpeper, listen to me, and try to understand what I say to you. I never wanted to marry the king.
Never!
My marriage was forced, but I love Varian de Winter, and I love the children I have borne him. I may even be with child again by my husband," she lied. "I think Cat wrong to behave as she does. I think you are wrong to behave as you do, but I will not be the one to expose your treason. My family would suffer for it. I will not do that to them just to satisfy a principle, particularly when the two people most involved in this disgraceful matter have no principles. Now let me go! My husband will wonder where I am, and you do not want him coming to look for me."

"Perhaps you are telling me the truth," Culpeper said slowly, "and perhaps you are not. Mayhap you say these things simply so I will release you, Nyssa de Winter. Before I do, however, I will give you a little taste of what will happen to you should you attempt to betray my ladylove and I." He moved swiftly behind her and, linking his arms through hers, hoisted her over his back so that she was quite successfully immobilized, her feet just off the ground. "She is all yours, Sin," he said. "Did you know, madame, that Sin lusts after you?"

"I will scream," Nyssa threatened them.

"If you do, we will claim you lured us here for immoral purposes, madame," he threatened. "Gag her, Sin, for good measure."

Sin Vaughn stepped forward and quickly tied a silk square about her protesting mouth. He caressed her face gently, but his eyes were cruel. Carefully, with skillful fingers, he unfastened first her cloak, which he lay aside, and then her bodice, which he fully opened. He ripped her chemise away and her breasts tumbled forth. His hands closed over the trembling flesh, and he crushed her breasts cruelly, his fingers imprinting themselves like scarlet ribbons across her skin.

Nyssa tried to struggle, but Tom Culpeper was quite successful in keeping her pinioned and helpless. She tried to scream, but the gag prevented her cries from being heard. Her attacker smiled, and holding onto one of her breasts, he bent his head and began to suckle strongly upon the other's nipple. When he had satisfied himself, he bit down hard on the nipple. Tears of pain slid down her cheeks as he moved his head to her other breast. Both rage and fear welled up bitterly in her throat, almost choking her. She fought strongly to escape these two beasts, but she could not. Her body arched as he bit upon her other nipple.

Sin Vaughn raised his head and stared lustfully into her eyes. "Let me have her, Tom," he said. "I know that I promised you I would wait, but let me have her here and now! God, she inflames me with desire!"

"Nay, you fool!" Tom Culpeper said angrily. "Cat will have my neck if I let you rape her now."

"A moment more then, and you can release her," he said. Gathering her skirts up, he tucked them in her waistband and tore her silk drawers off, tossing them aside in his eagerness. Kneeling, he leaned forward, pulling her nether lips apart, his tongue seeking her out.

Nyssa did not know how she managed to do it, but she could not allow him to perpetrate this further outrage upon her. She sagged her entire weight against Tom Culpeper, and when he stiffened himself to straighten her, she brought one knee up hard. The crunching contact she made with Sin Vaughn's jaw was extremely satisfying. He groaned, and collapsed on the ground at her feet. Hearing the noise, Culpeper released Nyssa. She tore the gag from her mouth, gasping for air and frantically drawing her skirts down to cover her nakedness.

Culpeper knelt by his friend. Sin Vaughn was quite unconscious. "What the hell did you do to him, bitch?" he demanded.

She gave him no explanation, saying instead, "If you ever come near me again, Tom Culpeper—you, or that animal lying on his back in the muck—I will tell my husband of this incident. Nay," she told him in answer to the unspoken question in his eyes, "I will not tell him now, for he would come after you to kill you. How would we explain his anger without betraying Cat? And I will not tell Cat, for she fancies herself in love with you and would not believe me; but be warned. Stay away from me, or you will regret it!"