Philippa by Bertrice Small

and then she laughed again.
    With a wicked grin he took her hand, and they slipped into the darkness near the river. “Your lips are sweet,” he told her. Then stopping, he gathered her into his arms, and kissed her well and truly.
    When he finally released her Philippa smiled up at him satisfied. “That,” she told him, “was most pleasing, my lord. Will you do it again?” And when he had obliged her Philippa said, “I am a fool for having waited so long to be kissed. In retrospect I wonder how a maid can know if her husband kisses well if she has not some small experience. Ceci says you kiss well, and while I lack any comparison, I am inclined to agree with her. I hope you will continue to offer me your kisses while you are yet unmarried.”
    Sir Roger Mildmay laughed aloud. “Mistress Philippa,” he said, “I think I am envious of the gentleman who will one day husband you. Now let us return to the others lest we be gossiped about for our absence. Kissing is an innocent pastime, but I would not have your reputation disputed or misunderstood by remaining here with you in the dark for much longer.”
    “I think I should like to go on kissing you for some time, sir,” Philippa told him.
    He smiled. “I shall be most happy to oblige you, sweetheart, but when we are in a less public venue,” he told her as they returned to join the rest of the court.
    In the bed they shared in the Maidens’ Chamber later that night Philippa and Cecily spoke softly behind the drawn curtains, and Cecily giggled as her friend recounted her kissing adventure with Sir Roger.
    “Didn’t I tell you?” Cecily said. “He really is the nicest man. It is too bad that he is promised to another.”
    “I don’t care,” Philippa replied. “I just enjoy kissing him, but I cannot see him as my husband. Now tell me, was Millicent angry? What did she say?”
    “Not a great deal, for the queen was there, but I know she was angry that Sir Walter was paying such close attention to you. When I pointed it out she pretended it wasn’t him at all, but then one of the other girls said it was. She was very silent, but she watched you both like a hawk, and when you disappeared by the river for a brief time you could tell she was angry. After you had left him she excused herself from the queen’s presence, and ran to find him. But I could tell she was not scolding him. Her position is not yet that secure with him. She clung to his arm, and gazed up at him. She looked quite like a ewe sheep gazing at her lamb, I vow.” Cecily giggled. “Will you play with Sir Walter again, or are you now satisfied? Tony told me you pretended not to know how to dice. You are the best player amongst us girls!”
    “You were right earlier when you said Millicent is not worth bothering with. She isn’t. I have far more important things to do now. I want to kiss as many men as I can so that when I am forced back north to marry some bucolic dullard I will have wonderful memories of my last days at King Henry’s court!”
    “Sir Roger has certainly inspired you,” Cecily said with a small laugh. “He really is a darling. Now let’s get some sleep while we may. Tomorrow we move on to Richmond before the summer progress. I think we go north this year.”
    The following day the court decamped Greenwich for Richmond. To everyone’s relief there was no sign of the sweating sickness or the plague now. It seemed to be dying out. Many of their companions began to depart the court as the time for the progress drew near. Some of the girls were going home to marry as Millicent and Cecily soon would be doing. The thought of losing her best friend began to tell on Philippa, and she began to grow more reckless in her behavior: dicing with the young gentlemen of the court, losing just enough to keep them coming back; paying off her debts with kisses, and of late if the gossip were to be believed, cuddles. Her servant, Lucy, scolded her but it did no good. Lucy would have written