“The Stafford girl is quite pretty, but with a little effort, she could be a beauty.” Queen Katherine made a disapproving tutting sound with her tongue. “She wears the most unflattering gowns. And a smile would do her no harm.”
Linnet was in no mood to hear this.
“Mon Dieu!Here they come.” The queen pasted a regal smile on her face.
“Your Highness, Lady Linnet.” Stafford made a bow and greeted them in a voice that easily carried above the noise of the hall.
Stafford’s orange and red tunic and matching hat and hose were so bright Linnet blinked. Perhaps his daughter wore such somber colors to avoid drawing more attention to them.
The queen appeared too stunned by his attire to speak.
“Where is Gloucester?” Stafford demanded, as if the queen were her brother-in-law’s keeper. “Haven’t seen him all evening.”
“Did you enjoy the mummers and the acrobats?” Linnet asked, seeking safer ground.
“Actors and acrobats are ungodly men and women,” Lady Agnes said. “I averted my eyes as best I could.”
Linnet was afraid to meet the queen’s eyes for fear of laughing.
“The money would have been better spent as a donation to the church,” Lady Agnes added.
The girl seemed unaware that she was judging the wisdom of royal expenditures—and to the queen, no less.
“Surely God would find no harm in a little entertainment,” Linnet said with a smile.
Lady Agnes looked at her as if she had spoken a foreign language.
“Lord Stafford,” the queen said, “I hear you must leave us soon.”
Praise God for that.
“I must take my leave on the morrow, but my daughter will remain here in Lady Elizabeth’s care.”
Poor Lady Elizabeth.
“You see, my health is not good. I…”
Linnet could not decide which was worse: hearing about Stafford’s digestive problems or listening to his daughter preach at her.
When the pair finally left them, Linnet leaned against the wall to recover. Before she could catch her breath, Edmund Beaufort glided between several people to join them.
“Your Highness,” Edmund said as he made his low bow, then turned to Linnet. “And the bewitching Lady Linnet. When will you run away with me?”
“Never.” When he paused too long over her hand, Linnet tugged it free. At least he had not started writing poetry to her. But then, Edmund only pretended to be a romantic.
She did not see Jamie until he stood beside her, scowling at Edmund as if he would like to rip him limb from limb. To Edmund’s credit, he did not step back.
Jamie gave Edmund a curt nod and clamped his hand on Linnet’s arm. “Excuse us, Your Highness. Lady Linnet and I have an urgent matter to discuss.”
Jamie’s jaw was clenched as he steered her across the room. He waited to speak until they were behind a pillar in the anteroom.
“If that man looks at you like that again, he will regret it.”
“Like what?” Linnet said, though she knew precisely how Edmund looked at her.
“Like he is imagining you naked in his bed,” he said. “Did he ask you to be his mistress again?”
The vein in his neck was pulsing.
