The King's Courtesan by Judith James Read Free Book Online

What do you think Charles wants?”
    He groaned in exasperation, giving up. “I would expect His Majesty grows bored, little bird, as he always does. He wil cal us back to court. He is eager to see if you have turned from a lovely brown wren to a plump little partridge now you’re married. He wil want to see if I stil bite and you stil resist him. He wil invite us to come for his wedding.” Elizabeth shifted position, laying her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. “I have been so blissful y happy this past year, Wil . If that’s what he wants of us, is there some way we can refuse?”
    “I’ve no great desire to return to court, love. The country air agrees with me and I have al I need right here.” He smiled as her stroked her hair. “I can make some excuse or another. Charlie rarely maintains a grudge. It’s too much work. We shal write him and thank him and send a nice gift. A fine mare for his breeding stock. And if he presses the thing, one or the other of us shal fal deathly il .”
    “Do what you think best, Wil iam. You know him better than I. But shouldn’t we hear the message before crafting a reply?”
    “Saucy chit!” He snatched her stockings from where they lay discarded on the ground and set off across the meadow with them flung over his shoulder, trailing behind him like a scarf.
    “Wil iam de Veres, you give those back!” Barefoot, Elizabeth chased after him.

    CHARLES HAD INDEED RECALLED THEM to court to attend his impending wedding. It was both command and invitation. The haughty messenger in his royal livery was accustomed to fawning and deference. He was not accustomed to being made to wait, particularly by a country gentleman who dressed like a farmer, and his barefoot hoydenish wife. “I say again, sir. I am His Majesty’s representative and you have kept me waiting half the day. I require a response. I require it now, so I may be about my duties.”
    “You’ve received your response. Thank His Majesty for his kind invitation and tel him I wil write.” Two minutes later His Majesty’s fuming courier was escorted out the back door like a menial by Tom and one of the footmen.

    “Was that real y necessary, Wil iam?”
    “Feeding hubris only makes it grow, love.” He poured them both a drink and sat down on an oversize upholstered couch. Elizabeth picked up the mail and came to lie with her head against the far bolster and her feet in his lap.
    “Poor little shepherdess. Your feet are roughened and bruised.”
    “Whose fault is that?” She wiggled her toes in his lap and he took a dainty foot and began massaging it.
    “Mmm. That’s heavenly.” She could feel his interest growing, quite literal y under her feet, but a familiar heavy scrawl had caught her eye. It was a reply from Robert at last. She had just about given up on him. He had been her only friend through some difficult years and she didn’t want to lose him. She knew he would be hurt, possibly angry at the news of her marriage, but it was hardly something she could keep from him, any more than she could have kept it from Charles. Her cheeks flushed and she gave Wil iam a guilty look from underneath her lashes.
    “What have you there, love? A billet doux from a secret admirer?”
    “It is a letter from Robert.”
    “Robert?”

    “Yes. You remember. Captain Nichols.”
    “Ah, yes! Marjorie’s nice young man. The one who wanted to marry you. How did a little wren gain so many admirers?
    Poets, captains and kings. I was lucky I kidnapped you when I did.”
    “Yes, you were.”
    “Did I ever meet him? I think not. Some stuffed country Puritan, wasn’t he?
    “No. He’s very elegant and handsome, if somewhat private and intense. A military man. He had his own company of horse. I am hoping you wil get to meet him soon. I rather invited us to his home. I believe you would like each other.” He chuckled and she made a face at him. “That’s an evil laugh.”
    “He’l not like