The Sixth Wife_ The Story of Katherine P - By Jean Plaidy Page 0,18

eyes which might have betrayed too much. He noted the softness of her delicate skin, the provocative powdering of freckles.

She lacked the beauty of Jane, but, by God, thought Sir Thomas, she is the one for me.

He laid his hands on her shoulders.

Haughtily she glanced first at one hand then at the other. “You will take your hands from me, sir.” She was very proud, very much the daughter of the King.

He took her chin in his hand and jerked her face up to his. Now he could see her eyes; he could see the curve of her lips which betrayed her excitement, her pleasure in this badinage, which he knew and she knew was not the play between a grown person and a child, but an encounter between a man and a woman.

Nine years old, he reflected. Is it possible?

His hand touched her throat. She was as yet too inexperienced to hide her feelings. She was delighted to have his attention. She had known that his tricks with Edward and Jane had been the preliminaries that should lead to this encounter between them.

He brought his face close to hers. “Will the Lady Elizabeth tell me the secret?”

“How would that be possible, sir, when there is no secret?”

“Are you sure that you hide nothing from me?”

“If I wished to hide matters from you, Sir Thomas, I should do so.”

How exciting she was! A nine-year-old girl, a Princess as ambitious as himself. Was her glance telling him now: “Who are you to dare look at me in that way? Do you forget I am the King’s daughter?” And his eyes answered: “I do not forget. It but adds to your charm. And I beg of you, do not forget that the King calls you his bastard daughter, and that I am the uncle of the King-to-be. Anne Boleyn’s daughter and Jane Seymour’s brother—what a delightful partnership! How the ghosts of Anne and Jane must be laughing—if ghosts can laugh!”

“What shall I do?” he asked. “Prize the secret from you?”

“Do not disturb yourself,” she answered. “I think that to which you refer is no secret. My father is to marry again, we have heard. Is that the matter which you call a secret?”

Did she know of his ambitions? He could swear that she mocked him when she continued: “It is on my Lady Latimer that the King’s choice has fallen.”

He dropped his hands then; he could not meet her eye. She must have heard rumors regarding himself and Lady Latimer. The saucy young coquette was reproaching him with that, as though he were indeed her lover.

“We are all well pleased,” said Edward. “For we know her and like her well.”

“She is a good lady,” said Sir Thomas; and he felt depressed suddenly, but only momentarily; he had complete faith in his destiny. But he had been so fond of Kate. He had visualized such a pleasant life with her.

The Prince then demanded that his favorite uncle should sit beside him and tell him a stirring story of the sea, and this Sir Thomas was pleased to do. Very soon all three children were listening to him, under the spell of his charm, and at that moment it seemed that they were all children, even Elizabeth, excited by his stories of adventures at sea. They watched his face as he talked; he was their hero. There was not one of them who could be in his presence and remain untouched by his charm.

Before he left he drew Edward aside and whispered to him: “And what is the state of Your Grace’s purse?”

“Very low, I fear, Uncle.”

“It is a shame to keep you so poor. You know that the purse of your favorite uncle is at your disposal.”

“Uncle Thomas, you are the best man in the world.”

“It is good enough for me that I am your favorite uncle. And would you care to dip your royal hands into my willing purse?”

Edward hesitated. “Well, there are one or two items…”

“I knew! I knew it.”

“I will tell you,” whispered the boy. “I wish to buy green ribands.”

“Green ribands? Why have you need of green ribands, my Prince?”

“For Elizabeth’s hair. She longs for green ribands to adorn it. They become it so. And she, like me, is kept very poor.”

“Poor little Princess! Between us, nephew, we will give her green ribands to adorn her hair.”

It was not the first time that Sir Thomas had given his nephew money. It was money well spent, decided Sir Thomas. Edward