Sense of Touch: Love and Duty at Anne of Brittany's Court by Rozsa Gaston

Author:Rozsa Gaston
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Renaissance Editions
Published: 2016-05-22T23:00:00+00:00

An hour later, she crept out of the house. In the early August afternoon, everyone had found a place to rest after the noonday meal. Cook had gone to her room behind the kitchen to lie down, and no one at all was about the courtyard, save for a gray and white cat licking its paws in the shade of the staircase. It hadn’t been hard to steal away.

As she spotted Philippe on the hill above her, she put her hand to her throat. Sweat trickled down between her breasts from the exertion of climbing under the hot sun. He would scent her once she was near. It would stir him, she knew. The autumn before, they had both tried to quench the flames they had fanned together. This time, she would see. To begin with, was he married? And if not, would she feel the same way about him as she had eight months earlier?

Her head bursting with thoughts, her senses on fire, in a minute she reached the small copse of trees on the hill. She walked to the other side of the widest tree, out of sight from the paddock.

Suddenly, there he was: taller, more manly, yet the same; only more grown up, as was she. The sight of him made her heart throb.

“How have you been, my lady?” Philippe asked as he took in Nicole’s face, his green eyes scrutinizing hers.

“I have been well. And you?” She kept her face composed, her tone neutral.

“Well, indeed.” He lowered his voice, “But missing you.”

“I heard news of you in April after the king’s accident.” She would cut to the chase. No point keeping him in the dark as to what she knew.

“What news was that?” Was she mistaken, or had Philippe’s face colored slightly?

“News of a widow you were to wed.” She looked straight at him, curious to see what color his eyes would turn with mention of the other woman.

The roses in Philippe’s cheeks deepened. But his eyes stayed the same, clear and gray-green as he held her gaze.

“My lady, ’tis not what you think.”

“What do you know of what I think?”

“I think you missed me. As I missed you,” he breathed out to her as he leaned near and reached for her waist.

She stepped back.

“What difference does it make if you missed me, if you are a married man?”

“I am not . . . ”

“You are not?” Nicole was confused. What did he mean?

“Not now.”

“Not now?”

“Not yet.” He breathed out heavily, then looked away.

“So you will be, then.” Best to state the facts. They would have less power over her if she gave voice to them.

“It looks to be that way,” he mumbled, looking at the ground.

“And are you not pleased? Your Jeannot said it was a good match for you, one that will raise your position.”

“Aye. All of that. ’Tis a way to gain a higher place in Agen, and Jeannot has arranged it for me.”

“He was ill last year?”

“Aye, he was ill, but he recovered.

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