Sutton Place by Lake Deryn

Author:Lake, Deryn [Lake, Deryn]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Endeavour Press
Published: 2015-03-02T16:00:00+00:00

12

The sound of the sea as it swayed its way back and forth across the silver sands of Moresby seemed like that of a pleasured cat to the almost sleeping Francis. He lay flat on his back, his shirt beneath his head for a pillow, his nakedness facing the sun. Beside him lay Rose in a similar posture though with a wide-brimmed hat — borrowed from one of her gardeners — covering her face, for the freckles that Francis found so endearing were considered ugly blemishes by a Court that had tended to worship the fair until the dark beauty of Anne Boleyn had arrived in its midst.

To lie thus, naked with one another on an open beach — albeit Rose’s property so there could be no fear of prying eyes — was an act that would have horrified the majority of married people. But to this couple, who had sworn always to be free together, it was a natural part of their life. In fact they had just made love, not bothering even to hide behind the rocks and revelling in the freedom of sun and sand. And now they dozed, side by side, Francis’s hand gently stroking the very slight rounding of Rose’s belly.

The marriage had been an unqualified success — in fact Francis had surprised himself at what a good husband he had made. It had never occurred to him for a second that any part of the perfect relationship he enjoyed with his wife had been entirely due to her efforts and, in some ways, sacrifice. If anyone had told him so he would have looked first astonished and then angry. He sincerely believed that he had been blessed by Heaven — that the wife chosen for him by his parents was that magical thing known to only a fortunate few, his soulmate.

And now that sweetly growing stomach! Had there ever been a man more fortunate? Raising himself on one elbow, he gently leant over and kissed it. Beneath her straw hat Rose stirred lazily. Francis tickled her slightly and then went back to sleep. Looking at him through the holes in the straw Rose thought, ‘The most handsome man in England! And how very much I love him. But what will he do without me when this babe comes? He is so good-natured that he could be led into any mischief.’

She had always known that he was weak, of course. Known almost from the first time she had seen him when she had been a very young girl. And during their summer courtship in the year of the Sweating Sickness she had decided that, however much she disliked it, she must stay by his side at Court if their marriage was to be the experience of joy that she desired so much. And in order to do this she must get a place, for there was no room in the royal residences for wives and husbands who were not attached to one of the retinues.

So,

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