The Boleyn Effect (The Boorman Ending) (12 page)

His speech gives me a
glimmer of hope and now I've set down the terms. Just like Boleyn
did when she told Henry that she didn't want to be his mistress.
She wanted to be his queen.

'I have to go. I'm
supposed to be working,' I say moving away.

Harry grabs my arm and
pulls me to another hidden area of the garden, behind the
hedgerow.

'I'm not ready...I can't
let you go. Please don't say goodbye to me just yet.'

His mouth is on mine like
shot as my back hits a tree. Pulling the ribbon of the cape, it
falls to the floor at our feet. His mouth travels down to my
cleavage, where his hands push my breasts up. He's pulling at the
tight material in order to get more, but to no avail. He would need
to unzip me in order for that privilege, because I am tightly
packed in.

'We can't do this,' I
protest. 'Your wife...'

'Sshh,' he murmurs between
kisses. 'Just let me taste you.'

I can still hear the
sounds of the party and the smell of the food. Any moment
someone...anyone could find us. The risk is immense and sexy as
hell. He fingers my stockings and he moans. He grabs my thigh so it
lifts and it's my turn to groan as he presses his groin against
mine. He's so hard and wanting and I'm so wet and
waiting.

'This outfit...I thought I
die when I saw you walk in,' he whispers.

'I take it you approve,' I
whisper as his tongue licks my mouth.

He pushes his hard crotch
against me and Jesus' name leaves my lips.

'Does that answer your
question,' he murmurs. 'You have no idea what I've thought about
doing to you.'

'Tell me,' I
whisper.

'Not this time,' he
says.

Suddenly, he drops to his
knees and hooking my leg over his shoulder he ducks his head under
the red netting and places his mouth on me. I bite down on my lip
to stop from crying out. His tongue delves deep and I am barely
able to keep my legs from buckling. The bark rubs my back as I
grind against his mouth.

Using his tongue in slow
rhythmic motion, I am rocking against him. His hands clench my rear
end as he burrows deep. This isn't one of my favourite acts,
because many men get it so wrong. But with Harry on his knees, I
love every minute and it's so right. He's learned his art
well.

'Harry, my god,' I
gasp.

With one hand clutching
the tree and the other on his head, my body tenses and shakes as
the orgasm ripples through me. I am normally a noisy lover, but
this time I've almost drawn blood on my lip in order to keep the
cry leaving my mouth. Lifting his head there is smile of
self-satisfaction on his face.

'You shouldn't have done
that,' I say.

Harry picks up my cloak
and wraps it around my shoulders, tying around my neck. This act of
affection seems a little un-nerving.

'I didn't hear you
complaining. In fact you likened me to god,' he smiles.

'I see modesty is a strong
point,' I laugh.

He shrugs as he pins me to
tree with his hands either side of my head. His face is so close to
mine and I can smell myself on his breath. We are close enough to
kiss again with his head tilted towards mine and I am aroused once
more. What on earth does this guy have? Whatever it is it should be
bottled. I am sure certain body sprays could make a fortune with
it.

'Plus, now I think you owe
me,' he smirks.

'Oh I see, we are playing
this game,' I say.

'How else am I going to
keep you?'

'But he can't keep you can
he Leigh?' George's voice resounds in my head and I push it
away.

'You're just going to end
up breaking my heart,' I whisper.

Seriousness fills his face
and he takes a step back releasing me from his hold.

'I'll do everything I can
not to,' he promises.

Voices coming closer break
the moment and we both jump away from each other as worry fills his
face.

'I need to go,' I
whisper.

'Ok,' he answers. 'You go
first. I'll leave through the other side.'

I start to walk back to
the party and Harry's hand holds me still.

'Don't ignore me again.
Promise me,' he says.

'Don't give me a reason
to,' I answer.

With a nod, he releases
me. Stepping from our hiding place, I quickly scan the place to see
if anyone is looking, but no one seems interested in me. From the
far corner, Harry steps out and grabs a beer. No doubt to wash me
from his mouth, before he kisses his wife.

'Where have you been?' I
jump at Jamie's voice.

'Where have you been? I've
been looking for you everywhere,' I answer. 'Where's my
drink?'

'I drank it.'

I smile as I move towards
the drinks table with him close behind. Katherine is now at Harry's
side and they are now arm in arm. I catch his eye and there is a
flicker of a smile as he turns his attention back to his wife. He
wants me. That I am confident of. I'm not worried about Katherine
being my competition, because I'm the better woman.

CHAPTER
SIXTEEN

Liza and Katherine are
pleased with the results of the party. A montage of all the events
on DVD with Liza's favourite songs. The substantial payment
electronically banked and I’m confident that I’ll get more work
through recommendations. George seems impressed by my actions at
the party and how Harry has played straight into my
hands.

'You are truly an
incarnation of Anne Boleyn. I'd go as far as to say you are a
witch,' he laughs.

'Becareful,' I mock. 'You
might get me burned at the stake.'

'Hanged, witches were
hanged.'

I stick my tongue at him.
This is the easiest it's been between us in weeks and I’m relieved
to be back to the good old banter. I miss him and this really isn't
worth losing him. He's also leant me a book written by David
Starkey on the Boleyns and Henry and I find that every night I am
engrossed in its contents.

Anne Boleyn was hated more
than any other queen that Henry married. Queen Katherine of Aragon
was loved by the English and to take her on and overthrow her, made
Anne unpopular. There are two schools of thought, one that Anne was
merely a pawn used by her ambitious father and uncle to gain power
and influence in court. But there are others believe that Anne was
just as ambitious. She played Henry with the promise of not only
her virginity but a much needed son. Something that Katherine had
been unable to deliver. Only a son could continue the Tudor line.
The thought of Henry's then only daughter, Mary being crowned was
unthinkable.

But my reading saw her in
a different light. She loved him beyond any doubt and wanted to
give Henry everything he desired. When Anne delivered the Princess
Elizabeth, Anne became a desperate woman. She'd let her husband and
King down and already his eye was wandering.

Lies were soon constructed
to bring about her downfall and the more desperate she became, all
in the hope of giving Henry the much needed son. She died by a
French sword taking off her head and in shame. But what they all
seemed to forget that despite her faults it was her daughter that
carried the Tudor dynasty into greatness. But I'm not that
desperate to please Harry and he holds no power to destroy
me.

Of course, I'm inundated
with messages from Harry and Jamie. The latter is ignored, but the
former, I enjoy the sexual banter that goes between us. We've not
arranged to meet which makes the sexual tension even
hotter.

The threat that I owe him
still lingers, and I have to decide whether I break George's
request not to sleep with Harry or just keep things simple. My
sexual energy is becoming pent-up and I've been tempted to go out
and just burn some off it with some guy. But something is stopping
me. Maybe I just want to save it all up for our next meeting. Make
sure I’m the best he’s ever had.

Now the day, I've been
dreading arrives. The shoot arranged for Katherine. We meet at the
hotel where I've hired out the honeymoon suite for the afternoon.
Clair is with me to help with the lighting etc. and Katherine has
brought someone called Marti, to help with hair and make-up.
There's a definite change in the woman that arrives at this
photo-shoot to the one at the party. She seems quiet and withdrawn
and I'm assuming she's just nervous.

Wearing a white and baby
pink corset with a little netted skirt, she looks beautiful. Her
hair is curled slightly and hung loose around her shoulders.
Make-up light and perfect. This Marti knows her work. Taking a deep
breath, I position the camera on the tripod and instruct Clair with
the lights then guide Katherine onto the bed.

'Now, just be natural. We
don't want it to look too staged,' I say and she gives me a small
nod.

Going back to the camera,
I wait until she's in position and then press the shutter. Looking
over at the laptop, I glance at the shots already taken.
Something's not right. She's far too tense and everything looks
forced. Grabbing the camera, I try some free-styling without the
tripod. Moving around her, standing on the bed then kneeling on the
floor, but it just isn't working. I could just keep taking the
pictures, but I'm too much of a perfectionist.

'Katherine, do you wanna
take a break?'

She gives me a look of
relief and grabs a bathrobe and shrugs it on. Sending Clair and
Marti out for some refreshment, I sit on the bed beside
her.

'What's going on?' I ask.
'You seem really nervous, like you don't want to be
here.'

She turns her face to mine
and to my horror, tears are streaming down her face. Jesus Christ
what have I done to her? I'm not good with tears.

'Shit, we don't have to do
this. We can do something else. You're in control,' I
say.

'I'm sorry, I do want
to...it's just...I don't want to burden you with my problems,' she
sobs.

I get up and grab a glass
of water and hand it to her. She takes it and sips while taking
deep shuddering breaths

'You don't have to tell me
anything, but I'm a good listener.'

She looks at me for a
moment as if debating whether to trust this new friend she feels
she's made. Part of me wills her not to be so stupid and not to
trust me, but the other half wants to know why she's so insecure. A
need to know what the glitch is in her perfect armour.

'You remember me saying
that when you get to my age you have to work harder to keep your
husband interested, well there is something I didn't tell you. My
marriage is a sham. A show and I don't know if I can carry on with
it.'

'I don't understand. You
both looked really happy at the party. He clearly loves you,' I
struggle to say.

'Loves me enough to
continuously cheat on me,' she registers the fake shock on my face
and gives me a slow nod. 'Yes, I've forgiven him time and time
again, because despite it all I still love him and if we
divorced...well all our assets are all entangled...it would be
messy. I've always known that these other girls were nobodies. Just
quickies to boost his ego. Never a real threat.

'Don't get me wrong the
last time I nearly left him. I couldn't do it anymore. She came to
me, this pretty blonde thing barely twenty, told me that she was
pregnant. Turned out to be a false alarm, but I'd had enough. He
begged me not to go. Swore never to do it again and I gave in,
because I do love him and just the thought of him with someone else
terrifies me. Now I think it's happening again.'

My heart is pounding hard
that I'm sure she can hear it. My mouth is also dry. I wish now I'd
got myself a drink.

'What makes you say that?'
I ask.

'Honey, the signs are
always the same. But there's something different this time.
I...'

She stops for a moment and
takes a breath and I realise that I'm holding mine and slowly start
to release it.

'You?' I
question.

'I came on to him—after
the party. Basically laid it out on a plate for him and...well he
knocked me back. Complained that he'd drunk too much.'

'Maybe that's true,' I
say, even though inside I’m doing jumps of triumph.

'Honey, my husband has a
very high libido. Always has done. Even when he's been with other
women, he's had enough energy to have me too. He never says no to
sex. Never! Until now.'

'But if the others were
nothing then why worry about this one. He'll probably use her and
then come back to you. He probably just got too drunk and was
embarrassed.' I say.

'You know George offered
me a way out,' she says.

'Out of what? The
marriage? How?'

She dabs her eyes with a
tissue.

'He offered to set Harry
up. Let me catch him in the act and divorce him for adultery. It's
a tempting offer, but if I've let him get away with it before, then
a lawyer would rip me to pieces...And he would never leave me...I
don't know. Maybe I should accept that this is my marriage. He is
what he is.'