Philippa did not turn about, but her hand stopped midway in a stroke. He said nothing, but he took the brush from her hand and began to skim it through her long auburn hair. She sat silently, barely breathing as he brushed. Finally he spoke.
“Have you kept count? Is it a hundred yet?”
“I lost count,” she said, “but it must be, or more.”
“Then we have finished,” he replied. “You have beautiful hair, Philippa.” He took a handful, and bringing it to his lips, kissed it. He sat next to her on the window seat, his arm sliding about her slender waist. She stiffened and he loosened his grip, but slightly. His hand pushed her long hair to one side, and he gently kissed the nape of her neck. It was a slow and lingering kiss. Philippa shivered slightly. The hand moved around to untie the ribbons holding her chemise closed.
“Please no!” she pleaded softly, her own hands going to stop his.
“I am only going to caress your sweet breasts, little one,” he told her, whispering in her ear, kissing it.
“I am so afraid,” she admitted.
“Of what?” he asked gently.
“Of this. Of you. Of what must happen between us tonight,” she told him, the words spilling out in a desperate rush.
“This,” he said, “is simply a caress.” He had pushed her hands away, and drawing the chemise aside had cupped her left breast. “I am your husband, Philippa, and you need have no fear of me ever unless you betray me. What must happen tonight between us is to satisfy your family that you are indeed my wife in every way, else I steal your dower, and put you aside for non-consummation.”
“But you would never do that!” she cried. “You are an honorable man.”
“I am delighted that you understand that,” he. told her, smiling. “And that is why our union will be consummated tonight, Philippa. Because I am an honorable man. Come, little one, there is nothing to fear. I will join my body with yours, and we will both receive pleasure in the union.”
“Why must it be tonight? Could we not wait?”
“How long would you propose we wait?” he asked her, amused.
“I don’t know,” she said, almost crying.
“Which is why it will be tonight, Philippa. The longer we tarry in our duty the more frightened you will become. Once the deed is done you will see it is not terrible at all. Mayhap you might even want to do it again, and yet again,” he teased her.
“The queen says that the union of a husband and a wife is for the sole purpose of procreation, my lord, and nothing more. And that is what the church teaches as well.”
“I will have neither the queen nor the church in our bed, Philippa,” he said, and his voice had grown hard. “There will be only two in our bed. You and me!” He pulled her roughly into his lap and, a hand grasping her head to hold it still, he kissed her hard.
His mouth worked roughly against hers until her lips parted, seemingly of their own volition. His tongue plunged deep, finding hers, stroking it, subduing it, kissing and kissing her until she was breathless. She shuddered, but to her surprise her arms wrapped themselves about his neck. “I like it when you kiss me,” she murmured.
“You were meant to be kissed,” he said roughly. “Kissed, and caressed, and made love to, little one. I find I can behave like a gentleman when I am not touching you, but when you lie in my arms like this and I pet those sweet breasts that you possess, then, Philippa, I lose control of myself. I cannot ever remember a woman lighting such a fire of lust in my loins.”
She looked up at him, surprised. “You desire me?” she asked him shyly.
The warm gray eyes engaging her hazel eyes gave her the answer even before he spoke. “Aye, I want you, little one,” he told her. “And now I am glad you held me off these past weeks, for tonight we shall take a journey of exploration together that can only end in sweet pleasure for us both.”
Philippa felt as if every bone in her body had just melted away. She wasn’t even certain she had the strength to move, or speak. He tipped her from his lap but momentarily, pushing her chemise from her shoulders. She felt the silk sliding down her body, her hips, her thighs, her legs. He lifted her from the fabric and took her into his lap again as he sat. She was naked! She didn’t know where to look. Her throat grew tight.
Only a few women had ever seen her naked. She had never been naked before a man until now. What would the queen say? Had the queen ever been naked before the king? Philippa didn’t think so. Katherine even wore a chemise when she bathed.
“This is not fair,” she said. “You are taking advantage of my innocence, my lord.”
“You are right,” he agreed, and tipped her from his lap again. “I should be naked too, and then we are equals once more.” He stripped his silk chemise off and tossed it onto the floor near hers. “There,” he said.
Philippa’s hands flew to cover her eyes. “Oh, my lord!” she cried. “The candles still burn and light the chamber.”
“Aye, they do,” he replied amiably, and he took her hands from her face, but Philippa kept her eyes tightly shut. “Why are your eyes shut?” he asked.
“Because you are naked, my lord,” she told him. “It isn’t proper that we see one another naked. God gave us garments to clothe our shame, the church teaches.”
“I cannot make love to you, Philippa, if you are clothed,” he said reasonably, “and if we are to follow the teaching of the church to procreate then we must be naked, I fear.” He was close to laughing, but he did not. Damn Spanish Kate and her over-pious ways. No wonder the king hadn’t managed to get a healthy son on her. How could someone so intent on her immortal soul enjoy her earthly body? And without enjoyment it was all for naught. How long had Philippa been with her? Almost four years? Well, he could not in a single night undo all of the queen’s foolishness, but he was going to make a very good try at it. “Open your eyes at once, little one!” he commanded her. “I am your husband, and I will be obeyed!”
