Tamsin brought her finger tips to her temple. Her head had begun to ache from all the noise. She looked around the room hoping to catch sight of Joan so that her companion could accompany her back to their room.
She gasped when her eyes finally landed on Joan who was looking quite cow eyed at her companion. Normally, Joan's attention to men didn't even warrant a sigh from Tamsin. This time was different. This time Joan was giggling in the arms of King Henry Tudor.
Tamsin tried to remember if Joan had ever said anything about seducing the king. Was she, like Tamsin, sent to Hampton Court by her parents with the hope that Henry would put aside his wife and make her his next queen?
If the words Arthur had spoken were true, then there was no shortage of women who had been sent to court on the same errand she had.
Joan might well be one of them.
The look Henry was giving Joan made Tamsin sure that getting the king into bed would be no problem for Joan. She just hoped her friend knew that getting from bed to throne might be an insurmountable problem. Henry had put away one wife on the promises of a seductress. He obviously cared for Queen Anne but she had failed in her promise to give Henry a son. Still, he had changed his religion and angered many countries that he had once called friend.
Now he had the anger of the Catholic Church to deal with and he needed a werewolf guard to prevent assassinations.
Tamsin doubted he would be quite so quick to repeat his past mistakes and remove one wife for the sake of another.
She hoped Joan would use care and good sense in the dangerous game of hearts she was playing.
Tamsin sighed and stepped out of the Great Hall and into the corridor. She knew she would be best served to go to her room and steal a few extra hours of sleep. She was sure Queen Anne would call on her voice the next day and she needed to be ready to again bring pleasure to the queen's ears.
Instead of heading in the direction of her room, Tamsin found herself on her way to the chapel as if her feet were moving of their own accord.
***
The restlessness in the room was palpable as Walter and his companions lounged on a bed of straw deep within the dungeons. The sun had risen several hours again and so their door was open and no guard was posted. It was agreed that none would wander far lest they not make it back to the cell before dusk.
The night confined had made him feel restless and if the scent of his companions was any indicator they were equally bothered by the unnatural circumstances. It wasn't right for a wolf to be caged. It made them foul tempered and angry. Wolves should be off hunting under the moon with their pack.
"Here is some food and ale," a young man said bringing in a tray. He placed it on the floor near them. He looked much like the witch guard from the night before and Walter wondered whether he was a brother or son.
"Thank you," Walter said tossing the boy a coin from his change purse.
"Is there anything else you need?" the boy asked.
"I should like to write a letter," Walter said after a moment's thoughtfulness.
"Of course," the young man said. He rushed away and returned moments later with the accoutrements needed. Walter handed him another coin before dismissing him.
Walter dipped the quill in ink before pressing it to the paper.
He had not received a response from his last letter. He had been meaning to send another letter to his brother. He was growing more and more curious about Tamsin as he spent time with her. His companions had even begun to notice that he was seeking her out whenever the opportunity presented itself. Surely, if he didn't mention her to his brother they would mention it to him. He wasn't entirely sure that Owen hadn't already let the information slip. No, a letter to his brother was long overdue. He thought carefully about what he wanted to say. He decided to present his interest in her as merely curious. He didn't dare tell his brother that every time he saw her his heart beat fast and hard in his chest.
Dearest Edward,
Brother, I bid you to send me word of the health of my children. It is my most earnest prayer that you and they are well and in the best of health.
How does our father fare? Did you share with him the news from my last letter that we spared King Henry from death at the hand of an assassin but that the attempt on his life has soured him further to the authority of Rome?
King Henry has allowed us to remain by his doors during the night to guard him but none of us have earned his favor enough to assist him in his bedchamber or privy. I expect it is extremely unlikely that he ever will and so wonder if our time here is for naught regarding cementing our place among the king's favored.
There is another development that I did not include in my last letter only due to the restraint of time. Tonight is the full moon so during this day there is nothing for me to occupy my time with except sending you word of the latest news.
The daughter of Wolstenholme is at court. I do not know her honest purpose though the rumors about her are true as far as her being nothing unusual. I have spoken to her several times. Her brother, the heir to Wolstenholme, died though she does have a younger brother who is being raised to fulfill the duties that are now his birthright.
Is this news we were aware of? Have you any idea why Wolstenholme sent her?
Tell my children I love them with all my being, heart, and soul. I pray for their health and happiness every day and long for the moment I can return to them.
Your Brother and Faithful Servant,
Walter
The nights in the dungeon locked in a cell and the effect of the moon had made Walter's heart further long for home. He missed his children and his pack with a longing that overpowered his senses.
If not for the alpha command he had been issued he would have returned to them in the space of a breath.
Just as he thought that an image of Tamsin appeared in his mind. Would he really be so eager to leave her? He hated to admit, even to himself, that he felt something for the girl. It was the kind of feelings that youthful follies were made of but that didn't change how he felt.
There were few women in the world he had less business feeling anything for.
Tamsin was years younger than him. She was a Wolstenholme but not a werewolf. He couldn't think of a poorer choice of a woman for a man in his position to lose his heart to.
Chapter 9
Tamsin's eyes flew open when a shadow fell upon her. The momentary rush of fear and confusion subsided as she realized that the shadow belonged to Joan.
"Were you in the chapel all night?" Joan asked softly. Tamsin nodded. She wondered if Joan was the only other visitor the chapel had during the quiet hours of the evening. How many people might have wandered in and out of the chapel too preoccupied with their own sorrows to notice her sleeping in the corner pew?
"I could not sleep. I thought saying a few prayers would do me good," Tamsin said. Prayer was when the aching stopped. Prayer was when she felt a connection to her brother.
"You pray as if there is some terrible sin eating away at your soul but I doubt anything you have done is worse than the rest of us here at court."
"Perhaps," Tamsin said. It was not penitence she was seeking. It was peace.
"I do not rush to the chapel to pray though I am sure any priest would tell you my sins are enough to send me to hell," Joan said.
"I am no priest," Tamsin said.
"You are not. But I have a confession and no one else to share it with," Joan said. The look on her face was one of excitement and not penance so Tamsin knew she had no plans of using her to unburden a troubled soul.
"I cannot offer you forgiveness but I also will not stand in judgment of you," Tamsin finally said.
"Last night I was called to the king's chamber," Joan said.
Tamsin closed her eyes and took in a breath. Joan had done what Tamsin had been sent to do but she did not mind her failure. She was glad that she had not managed to seduce the king though in her heart she had hoped he would remain faithful to Anne. The qu
een might be all that people said she was but Tamsin could not dislike her. Tamsin did not wish to see Anne removed from the throne and her daughter declared a bastard. She looked at the king with such love in her eyes. It was wrong of a man to bring another woman to his bed when his wife looked at him in such a way.
"You are no longer a maiden?" Tamsin asked as casually as she could.
"I never claimed to be a maid before," Joan said with a laugh.
"Was the king's bed all that you hoped for?" Tamsin asked.
"It is all the same really whether with a king or a servant. The king is skilled but not exceptionally so. The roundness of his belly makes his cock small and his breath is not as sweet as I had hoped. Still, I could easily learn to suffer those things," Joan said.
"Suffer them for love?" Tamsin asked though there was a sinking feeling in her stomach.
"Of course not for love. I would suffer them for the throne," Joan said.
"Do you imagine being the next mother of a king?" Tamsin asked. Both queens had given Henry healthy daughters. It might have been one thing if either queen was barren but they were not. They simply bore daughters instead of sons. Sons inherited titles and packs. Daughters were traded to breed and make alliances. Tamsin understood the truth of it perhaps even better than Joan.
"I am younger even than Queen Anne. She had already failed to make a prince once. Perhaps it is time to let another woman try," Joan said.
"I wish you well with that," Tamsin said though in truth she felt nothing but weary. Joan might well woo the king from the queen. She might even be the next mother of a king. In the end, it made no difference to Tamsin. If Henry was enjoying Joan then she needed to write to her mother. Perhaps it was time for her mother to call her home though Tamsin wasn't sure what was left for her at Wolstenholme if she did return. She would not be assured to breed pups for a pack so she could not be given in marriage to make alliances with another werewolf family. She also knew too much about the were-world to marry anyone not of it.
If she left Hampton Court it would only be to the life of a spinster sister of the pack alpha.
***
Walter was surprised by how fast his heart ached when his eyes fell on Tamsin. He knew he had missed her while they were in the dungeons during the moon but it wasn't until he saw her walking in the courtyard that he realized how much she was growing to mean to him.
He and Owen had barely gulped down breakfast when the Lord Chamberlain ordered them to accompany King Henry to the courtyard. He had no idea what Henry had planned but it did not take long for Anne and a group of her women to approach. Tamsin was the only one whose name he knew.
At first he wondered if she was unwell. She seemed smaller somehow and she was walking stiffly. She looked as if she wished she could turn into a mouse and scurry away from the cluster of women that were with her surrounding Queen Anne.
He sniffed the air. There was no sign of illness on her or any of the other women. He cocked his head wondering at the change in Tamsin. He knew he shouldn't worry about her. She wasn't his responsibility. Not really. But he couldn't help his concern and he couldn't even pretend that it was only a paternal concern for the daughter of a prominent werewolf. No, he knew deep in his heart that his concern for Tamsin was brought on by the increase in his feelings for her. Try as he might to prevent it, he was finding himself fonder and fonder of her every day.
"I believe you will love the entertainment I have arranged especially for you, my love," Henry said reaching out his hand to Queen Anne. She took it but there was none of her usual warmth in it. It made Walter wondered if some lovers quarrel had broken out during the three nights they were away. He knew the signs of an angry wife well enough though Mary had overall been a pleasant woman to live with.
Everyone followed as Henry led the way to an open area of the courtyard. Boards had been laid down to create a platform though at that moment the platform was bare.
Jesters, jugglers, and tightrope walkers were busy before it. Each began their performance once Henry gave a nod.
One of the women accompanying Anne squealed in delight and clapped her hands but the rest remained still. Queen Anne did give a smile but it was not one of utter delight which seemed to frustrate Henry. Walter could only guess that the entertainment had been ordered by Henry to get back in the good graces of his wife. During his marriage he had made similar gestures though none on such a grand scale as the one King Henry was making to Queen Anne.
Tamsin was near the back of the group and Walter casually made his way to her side. She was looking ahead in wonder at the entertainers and he couldn't blame her. They were a sight to be seen.
"I wish my children were here to see this," Walter whispered.
"You have not spoken much of them," she said bringing her gaze up to his face. He noticed the length of her lashes. He had not been close enough to her to do so before or perhaps she had just not looked at him so wide eyed and curious until that moment.
"It pains me to speak of them because of how my heart misses them," Walter said. He also needed to think of them now as his heart pounded at the sight of Tamsin and he felt a tightening in his groin. He could not let himself be caught up in a courtly flirtation. He was a father. He had responsibilities.
"They would be amused?" Tamsin asked.
"Jonathan, my oldest would favor the jester. Since his birth he has been a lad filled with good humor. He laughs easily. It is the biggest worry I have of him. Since my brother has no children it will be Jonathan who inherits. I worry he will not have the temperament for it," Walter said. He didn't know why he felt the need to tell Tamsin about his children but he did. Perhaps if she remembered that he was the father of seven she would stop looking at him like she had missed him too.
"Perhaps the humor will help him lead by love instead of fear. My father is not a cruel man but he is unyielding and stern," she said. Walter knew that Wolstenholme had that reputation.
"Bess, my littlest, would like the tightrope walker. She is adventurous. Likely, she would want to try walking on it herself. I would not gamble against her having skill at it too," Walter said imagining Bess and her antics. Images of her pink cheeks and cherub face made his heart ache for home. His children needed their father. They had lost their mother and he was all they had left.
"Thomas was like that. I was always much more cautious than he was but if he wanted to have an adventure I always went with him even when it terrified me," Tamsin said. Walter was glad she smiled when she said it for he feared memories of her brother might make her weep.
"Did you have many adventures?" he asked. He wished he understood why he so desperately wanted to know everything about her. It couldn't matter. She was the daughter of Wolstenholme. Surely, her father would have no interest in allowing her to be married to a second son with seven children.
"Very many. He would have loved Hampton Court. It is so big and thrilling here. He would have loved the tennis and the fencing. I like to imagine he could have bested every contender but I cannot know if that it really the truth. Perhaps he was only a champion in my mind," she said.
Walter was not normally a man of impulse but in that moment he lost his usual composure. He took a step nearer until their sides were inches apart and he reached out and engulfed her hand in his. It was cold which did not particularly surprise him. The autumn day was chilly. Winter would be upon them soon.
Of course, it might not even be just the air. Mary's hands had often been cold as well and when he jested with her she said it was common of women's hands.
Tamsin looked at Walter with surprise but she did not pull away from him until Queen Anne whirled around and began walking back towards the palace with the line of women trailing at her heels.
She gave him a hesitant smile as she dropped his hand and hurried to take her place at the end of the line of women following the queen.
King Henry's shoulders slumped. For a moment Walter thought that Henry would go after his wife but he didn't.
Instead, they remained to watch the entertainers long enough for several young traveling actors to hop up on the platform and perform a short show. Walter tried to concentrate on the story they were telling but he could not draw his attention fully from his hand which could still feel the softness of her skin.
***
Joan was standing in the doorway when Tamsin returned to her room. She wished that Joan hadn't been. She wanted a moment to explore what she was feeling. Walter's hand had been warm over hers. She didn't know why he had taken it but the touch of his skin had made her heart race. She wanted to hold his hand again.
Deep in her belly she felt a strange longing. It was not like anything she had ever felt before.
"Did she ask you to sing for her?" Joan asked. She hadn't been invited to join them. In truth, Tamsin wasn't sure why she had been invited to accompany the queen to the courtyard either. As soon as they had entered the doors of Hampton Court Queen Anne had coolly dismissed her.
"There was no need. There was entertainment enough," Tamsin said sitting down wearily.
"I just do not understand why she would invite you to join her and not me. You are from no better family and aside from your musical talent there is little that separates us," Joan said.
"Perhaps she intended for me to sing but decided differently once she saw what the king planned," Tamsin said.
"You do not think she suspects that I was in the king's bed do you?" Joan whispered though they were alone in the room.
"How am I to guess what Queen Anne may or may not know? She did seem angry with the king though that could be for any reason," Tamsin said. She thought it likely that Queen Anne had her share of spies and that she likely knew every person, male or female, who entered her husband's bedchamber. Tamsin was glad that she had resisted her father's orders and decided to stay as far from Henry's bed as possible. She did not wish to have the wrath of Queen Anne upon her. Tamsin had heard rumors of the lengths Anne had gone to become queen. Tamsin did not want to be against such a strategist. She knew that she would surely lose.
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