She wore a purple damask gown encrusted with thousands of gold beads and embroidered with gold thread that showed off her narrow waist advantageously, which was encased in a thick gold girdle studded with rubies and pearls. The low-cut gown revealed an immense amount of ivory bosom, making the Queen appear somewhat voluptuous. A ruby larger than Katherine’s thumb winked from her cleavage. The largest ruff Katherine had ever seen, a stiff pinkish white froth, framed her entire head. Her strawberry-gold hair was frizzed and pulled back severely, a dark velvet coif hemmed with multicolored gems pinned there. The queen was thirty-seven years old. Once, she must have been beautiful, and she was still handsome. Her skin was flawless ivory—she wore no egg whites, and her face a perfect oval, while her eyes, although kohled, were bright and keen with intelligence. Her figure was very slim. Had she not possessed her father’s longish nose and narrow mouth, she would have been a beauty in spite of her age.
William Cecil coughed.
Katherine realized she gawked like a country maid and she dropped into a curtsy, color flooding her face. When she righted herself, she saw the queen’s gaze flickering over Liam O’Neill. It was cool, imperious, yet a spark was there. She turned back to Katherine, who was still hot with shame. “Are you in conspiracy with your father against Us, mistress?”
Katherine gasped, and the whole world seemed to drop out from under her feet. “I—I beg your pardon?”
“You heard. Do you conspire with your father against the Crown of England?”
Katherine gasped again. It had never occurred to her that she would be accused of conspiracy—of treason! “No! Your Majesty—how come you by such an abominable thought?”
Elizabeth’s gaze flickered over Katherine from head to toe. “When the Master of the Seas has a predawn appointment with Gerald FitzGerald, the daughter in attendance, I must needs assume the worst.”
Katherine gaped, glancing at Liam, who was unperturbed. Indeed, the fool stood negligently, despite his sling, booted stance wide, as if relaxed. Beneath his open cloak, Katherine saw that his bare, broad chest did not heave. Was he not going to speak? To stop this dangerous tack before it went any farther? “Your Highness!” Katherine cried. “The Master of—I mean—Liam O’Neill abducted me on the high seas. He met with my father to ask a ransom—nothing more! I can assure you of that!” Katherine’s color was high now, for lying yet again, this time to England’s queen.
The queen eyed Katherine. “But why were you present, mistress, if not to plan treason?”
Katherine was white. Her mind raced to find some credible reply. “I begged h-him—I had not seen my father—in six long years!”
Elizabeth studied Katherine without any apparent softening. Then she turned to Liam. “What is true, rogue?”
He smiled. “I did capture a small French trader, never dreaming it held such a prize, Your Majesty. And surelyyou know the way of the high seas. The booty was mine. All of it. I went to FitzGerald to ask a ransom, nothing more.”
Katherine stared from Liam, who was still wearing a small smile, to the queen, whose mouth remained in a tight, unforgiving line. “This is a fantastic tale.” There was warning in her tone.
Liam’s smile flashed, more seductive than before. “The lady can be most persuasive. I saw little harm in her accompanying me to her father.”
The queen stared. “Issheharmed, Liam?”
He inclined his head. “Hardly.”
Katherine was still terrified, unsure if Liam had defended them against the charges of conspiracy, and she was also in disbelief. What was happening here? It almost seemed as if the queen knew Liam—it almost seemed that she was, just slightly, fond of him. But that could not be. Liam was a pirate. “Your Majesty, I have not been harmed,” Katherine said quickly. “And O’Neill speaks the truth entirely and I beg to be freed.”
Elizabeth turned to Katherine, who, too late, realized she had interrupted their private conversation. One reddish brow lifted. “You defend this man after all he has done to you?”
Katherine flushed. “I am a virgin, Your Highness. He left me my virtue. For that I am grateful.”
“How honorable you are,” the queen murmured to Liam. “Yet your reputation does not rest on honor—or on a soft heart.” Then she said to Katherine, “You defend him. Debrays said you were fond of Liam.”
“No!” Katherine cried. “I am not fond of him—not at all!”
Elizabeth stared at her grimly, as if she did not believe a word she spoke.
“He abducted me, prevented me from returning home, made it clear…” Katherine broke off. She could not bring herself to speak the entire truth—to reveal that Liam intended to make her his mistress.
“What did this rogue make clear, mistress?” the queen demanded.
Katherine blanched at her sharp tone.
“Your tongue!” the queen cried. “Find it!”
Katherine was frozen. Her face had drained of all color. She could not speak.
Liam stepped forward and calmly said, “I have asked Mistress FitzGerald to be my mistress. As she has no protector in this world, I will gladly assume that role.”
The queen stared at Liam coldly. Her regard flickered but briefly to Katherine. Then she said, “You have not changed, Liam. But your pirate ways are becoming far too daring.”
“If I have offended you, then I am truly sorry,” Liam said.
