complaining, the not quite silent sobbing, the martyrdom. Would it kill her to smile once?”
Magnus chuckled. “Apparently she believes it might. Ye do hae tae spend a great deal of time with her.” My kirtle dropped to the floor and I stepped from the middle of it.
“I don’t mind it in the morning. We meet for prayers and we sit together in quiet contemplation. It gives me time to think about the children, to mourn. I need it, but the rest of the day she’s so sad, sighing and carrying on, and judging me.” I pulled my petticoat off, able to do that on my own.
Magnus raised my smock up and off my arms and tossed it to the side.
I was fully naked, but in such a rant I barely noticed. “She thinks God will smite her for smiling. She confuses bemoaning with piety, and is sucking all the oxygen from the room.”
“What does this mean?” Magnus’s hand was a hair’s breadth from touching my breast.
I waved my hands. “It’s a metaphor. Oxygen is what we breathe, she’s taking all of it with her over dramatic sadness, and the rest of us have to help her. I would like to take all the oxygen for once, but also — what are we talking about? Your hands are so close you’re making me dizzy.”
He grasped my breast, his eyes intent. “Ye take m’breath away all the time.”
“Thank you, that’s really nice.”
“I signed a decree, as a witness, twas tae turn a park tae the game of golf. Dost ye ken the game? Tis the same as golf in yer time?”
“Yes,” I moaned. “I think, but you signed it? Good.”
“I did, Lord Châtellerault likes tae hae m’signature on things. He said I hae a sure hand.”
“God yes,” I said as his hand stroked my breast. “I completely agree.”
He put his mouth on my neck and kissed down to my shoulder. “I was listening tae Châtellerault and the other men talk of King Edward and the French King, Francis, and the young queen Mary caught in the politics between them. The turmoil of the three crowns vyin’ for power. The court is so verra complicated, all the strict rules and shiftin’ allegiances, and maneuverin’.”
“That sounds rough.”
“Twas, and that was why I was thinkin’ I wanted tae simply hae ye.” His hand roamed down my skin. “Because ye are uncomplicated.” He nibbled and kissed on my neck.
“I will take that as a compliment and I agree, I was hearing about the Queen and the Dauphin and all the politics too. And it’s so much to pay attention to, to know, like our lives depend on it, and I simply want — but now I’m undressed and you’re still in your clothes.”
“Aye, because I’m of a mind tae take ye standin’. I was thinkin’ on it tae night, Châtellerault was discussin’ the current situation, the war with England is over but,” he squeezed one of my nipples.
I squeaked, and he chuckled and pressed his mouth to mine while he spoke. “...there is simmerin’ trouble and he is bowin’ tae pressures on all sides.” He roughly pulled my hips to his front.
I dropped my head back so he could kiss my throat some more. “It sounds so boring, I’m glad I get to sit with the women. Mary of Guise looks at him as if he is standing between her and the throne. She won’t take any of his shit.”
“Tis what the ladies were speaking of?”
His hands were all over me in a way that was causing me to lose my concentration. “What? Oh um, a little, but mostly we were talking about France and the fashion there, and the sun and...”
He lifted me around my waist and walked me toward the bed.
I said, “What were you talking about with the men?”
“Battles and coffers and whether the women were tae be trusted. Ye will forgive me for agreein’ that the answer was nae. I agreed that ye were nae trustworthy, because ye are a temptress and ye make me weak.”
He dropped my feet to the cold floor by our bed.
“Oh I do, do I?”
He grasped me hard and turned me away. “Aye.” His hand rubbed down my body, firm and grasping, “I am goin’ tae teach ye a lesson on it. Hold ontae the bed.”
“God yes.” I held onto one of the bed’s posts.
He said, “Hold still, daena move unless I tell ye tae.”
“Fuck Magnus, that is...” I held onto the post and glanced over my