At the King's Pleasure (Secrets of the Tudor Court) by Kate Emerson Page A

upon royalty.”
    Bess had left a son and two daughters, all under the age of ten, at Blickling in Norfolk, Anne recalled. She might have chosen to staywith them, but instead she’d come to court, where her husband was already in Henry Tudor’s service.
    “Do you love Tom?” Anne asked.
    “In truth, I do, and did so even before we married. He can be difficult at times, but he has a way about him. . . ” Her voice trailed off as her lips curved into a secretive little smile that made Anne suspect that Tom Boleyn’s excellence as a jouster in the tiltyard extended into the bedchamber.
    The same could be said of George Hastings. Each night of their marriage so far, he had come to their bed with gratifying enthusiasm. They coupled, sometimes more than once, before they fell asleep. But they rarely talked. And he had never
said
that he was in love with her.
    Unnecessary, she thought again. Marriages were made for the purpose of providing heirs. Had the priest not charged them to be fruitful and multiply? He had not said anything about romantic love.
    That night, however, after Anne and George had coupled, she lay awake listening to his soft snores and wondering if what they had between them would be enough to satisfy her as they grew old together. Would they drift apart as time passed, as so many husbands and wives seemed to? Would they have nothing in common but their children?
    Anne knew it was possible to have more than that between husband and wife. She had sensed the genuine bond of affection between Bess with her Tom even before Bess confided in her. And she had observed George’s mother with her second husband, Richard Sacheverell—the second husband she’d chosen for herself after she was widowed. Lady Hungerford enjoyed a true partnership with him. They were friends as well as lovers.
    She turned her head to look at George, deep in untroubled sleep beside her. She did not love him, but she thought that one day she might. In the meantime, she was determined to enjoy what they did have. With a wicked smile curving her lips, she slid one hand down his chest and lower, waking him in a way that pleased them both enormously.

9
Richmond Palace, Christmas 1509
    T he court traveled to Wanstead on the sixteenth of December and then moved on to Richmond for Christmas, where Lord and Lady Hastings once again had double lodgings. The queen often retired early, but the king and his companions kept late hours. Anne and George joined wholeheartedly in the revelry, which almost always concluded with dancing. Anne never lacked for partners.
    King Henry singled her out for the more energetic dances, knowing that her skill equaled his own. Anne was flattered.
    She was also anxious, but only at first. She soon forgot to be nervous of the king and threw herself into the performance.
    His Grace dominated every room he entered, drawing every eye. And he set every female heart to beating just a little faster whenever he passed by. Even though Anne was a full seven years older than King Henry, and married besides, she was not immune to his boyish good looks or his enthusiasm. By the end of each dance with him, her smile matched the expression of delight on her liege lord’s face.
    She told herself the warmth that suffused her entire body was only due to exertion. The rapid steps had her gasping for breath and wishing fashion did not require such tight lacing.
    “Your hood is askew, Lady Anne,” His Grace said, and reached out to straighten it himself.
    Even through the layers of velvet lined with silk that made up the gable headdress, Anne thought she could feel his touch. When he went on to adjust the bands that hung down at the front of both sides of the hood, his fingers trailed over the fabric of her bodice and she shivered.
    “Tell me, Lady Anne,” the king said, chucking her under the chin and lifting her face so that she was forced to meet his eyes, “is Lord Hastings to your liking?”
    For an instant, she thought she saw