(Thank you for all the reviews and a big thank you to SSLE, for your advice on this chapter-it was a great help. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter)

'I told you we should have stayed where we were,' muttered Lucy, loud enough so Thomas could hear it, 'I knew we wouldn't make it through the rain,'

'They only had one room left,' replied Thomas, staring out into the rain, which was pouring down so hard that it was impossible to actually see what was in front of you, 'given the circumstance...'

'Given the circumstances,' said Lucy, pulling the cloak Thomas had given her, to help her keep dry, tightly around her, (even though it was now soaking wet), 'we are now sheltering in a barn, having not even made it to the end of the village,'

She sighed, sitting down on the heap of dry straw, trying to stop herself from shivering, as she freed her hair from its hood, whose starch fabric had gone soft in the rain.

'I thought it was for the best,' sighed Thomas, sitting down next to Lucy. It had been for the best, how could they possible share a room and a bed, 'Lucy, you're shivering,'

Putting an arm around Lucy's shoulders, Thomas felt guilty as he could feel her trembling against him. When the innkeeper had kindly suggested to him, that he and his 'wife' should take their last room, instead of taking their chances in the storm, Thomas had felt his chest tighten with panic. He's mind wandering on him and Lucy in an embrace that was most unholy, was bad enough in the nights when he laid by himself in his darken chamber, so sharing a room with Lucy could only made those imaginings beyond unbearable.

'You're cold too,' whispered Lucy, as she moved herself closer to him and put an arm round his waist.

'I'll survive,' smiled Thomas, 'your worth the worry. I, I'm afraid, am not,'

'You are to me,'

Lucy placed her hands, gently on side of Thomas' face, which was cold with rain, and her lips on top of his. Thomas responded quickly, finding that despite his fears, he could never help himself once he felt Lucy's mouth on his skin. As they kissed, they turned towards each other, finding warmth in their embrace. Their senses disappeared, as they moved closer together, crushing their mouths and bodies against one another, Lucy placing her fingers through Thomas' hair, pressing her mouth hard against his, as Thomas tightened his hold on her waist. The passion running through them, they fell back on the straw, their lips refusing to part.

Suddenly a flash of lightening and a roll of thunder erupted from the skies, causing them both to jump apart. It was then, as they both tried to look at each other, they realised how close they had been-so close that Thomas hand, had been on Lucy's leg.

'I think,' said Thomas, finding it hard to look at Lucy as he help her to her feet, 'we should go back to the inn. I'm sure we can get separate rooms somehow,'

'You said yes!' replied Wolsey with a raised eyebrow as he and John More sat before the fire place, 'we are meant to separating them, not walking them down the aisle,'

'I asked Thomas,' answered John More, as levelly as he could, given that his head was still causing him grief, 'if the woman was excepting. My son turned completely white and informed me that not only is she not, but there was no chance of her being so,'

'So you told him, he could marry the girl and get has many children off her as he could,' muttered Wolsey, getting to his feet and going to the fire and warming his hands. He was the youngest of the two men, in fact he was only a few years older than Thomas, but unlike him, Wolsey had sacrifice his conscious and integrity, (the two things Thomas most held dear), a long time ago and at the moment, he felt the most sane one in this mess.

'No, I said he had my blessing,'

'You know as well as I do, Sir John,' said Wolsey, turning back to stare hard at John More, who met his glare despite the difficulties, 'that your word to Thomas, is as good as the Angel Gabriel blessing the union himself,'

'That why I have done, what I have done, Wolsey,' snapped John More, getting out his seat and wondering over to the fire. He was not proud of what he was doing to his eldest son, he himself thought it was wrong, but it was for the best. Thomas would have tormented himself, if he had forbad the marriage, but if Thomas himself could come to see that his feelings for this woman...Lucy...were simply lust, not love, it would mean less pain, 'Thomas will never see that his feels for this girl are false as long as I simply say no, but now he knows that he has my blessing, he will start to see his feelings for the girl are simple those of lust-and now his guard really is down,'

'Sir John, are you aware' smiled Wolsey, looking down at the flames as he let out a little laugh, 'that for the first time since this business began, you have not referred to Goodwife Giggs as a trollop, madam or wench, simply as the girl. Is it possible that you have started to go softy on her also,'

'I don't think her a harlot, if that's what you mean,' said John More, rather wearily as his head continued to cause him pain, 'in truth, I am sure she is rather pleasant, if a little over confident in her manor,'

It was true. John More, try as he might, he could no longer be bitter towards this woman, who was causing him many worries. During his time as a lawyer, he had come across many deceitful women, who through their lies, tricks and whoring had caused many, (not just to men), heartache, but this woman did not seem to fit in with those whores.

'I think she does care for Thomas,' continued John More, sitting back down, 'but that does not alter my mind. The contracts are signed. Thomas will marry Jane,'

'Please Thomas,' pleaded Lucy, as she kicked off her shoes as she sat on the edge of the small double bed, 'you can't sleep in the chair. Sleep in the bed, we don't even have to look at each other. I'll face one wall and you can face the other. Please Thomas, don't make me feel guilty,'

'Don't feel guilty, Lucy,' replied Thomas, looking away as Lucy peeled off one of her stockings, trying not to think on earlier in the evening, when his hand had been on her leg, 'I...I will wait outside. Call me when you finished undressing,'

He hurried towards the door to their room, without looking back, desperate to be out of there as quickly as possible, as he was finding it difficult to breath.

'Thomas!' Lucy called, but he had already shut the door and collapsed against it, gasping for breath, pulling desperately at the neck of his doublet.

'Thomas!'

Coming slowly back into the room, Thomas' found Lucy sat on the edge of the bed, dressed in her simple white shift. She had unpinned her hair, which was still wet from the heavy rain and was now hanging lose around her, covering her face as she looked down at the floor, studying her pink cold toes.

'Do you know how selfish, you can be, Thomas?' she said, almost in a whisper, 'you're not only one whose suffering?'

'Forgive me, Lucy,' replied Thomas, sitting down next to her but as he did so, she got to her feet and went over to the other side of the bed, 'it was never my intention to be cruel to you,'

'I know,' sighed Lucy, pulling back the many blankets on the bed, climbing under them, lying down her with her back to Thomas, 'I know,'

Thomas turned to look at Lucy, biting his lip as he saw her blonde hair lying on the pillow and hesitated as he debated whether to reach out and take Lucy's hand, but decided against it. Instead, he blew out the candles by the bed and got undressed in the near darkness, trying to forget Lucy presence.

'I never liked it with John,' Lucy said, breaking the silence as Thomas sat back down on the bed, 'it always hurt. He use to hold me down, leaving burses on my hands and neck. I use to countdown the moments till it was over. I use to stare at the crack in the ceiling until he'd finished with me. And when it was over and he was asleep, I use to prayer to God and all the saints in Heaven to make me clear again. So don't you think that you're the only one whose scared or confused, Thomas. Don't think you're the only one, whose mind and body is plagued with wants that you don't understand,'

Lucy felt a tear run down her cheek as she spoke and wiped it away with back of her hand. She felt so silly as she did so, she thought she was stronger than that but Lucy did not understand what was happening to her, anymore than Thomas understood what was happening to him. She had never wanted John to touch her in anyway, but with Thomas it was different.

'But I'm not dirty, Thomas!' Lucy continued, her voice trying to sound strong, 'whatever you might think,'

They lay there in silence, listing to the rain pounding hard against the firmly closed shutters. The thunder and lighten had died down, but just at that very moment the thunder start again, echoing around the room, causing Lucy to jump and close her eyes against it. She did not like thunder and lightning, for all her toughness, as it reminded her of being a child alone in her little bedroom, crying for her mother to comfort her-only there came a day, when her mother stopped coming.

Lucy screwed up her eyes and pulled the blankets tight around her, but as she did so, she felt a hand on top of hers.

'I could never think of you as dirty, Lucy,' whispered Thomas, through the darkness as his hand gently stroked her's, 'it's me whose unclean,'

'Thomas,' said Lucy, turning around so that she was facing Thomas' back, but then he turned around and joined her, 'I won't say we are both pure, cause that would be wrong, but we are getting married...you do still not want to marry me?'

To both of their surprise, Thomas reached out and pulled Lucy towards him, holding her against him.

'Never doubt me, Lucy,'

By the light of the fire burning in the small fire place, Lucy slowly placed her hand on the side of Thomas' face and guided his lips to hers, kissing him gently, not sure of how this night would end.

'Its not the same pattern,' smiled Lucy, as their lips parted and she felt Thomas' hand on the lace of her shift, causing her to bite on her lip as she feared she might groan at feeling his touch so close to her skin, 'its all off cuts, Mistress Martin let me have them for a few pennies. I try and match them up as best I can,'

'Lucy,' started Thomas, as his hands continued to caress Lucy's body through her lace gown, forgetting the tiny voice in his mind telling him no, 'te amo,'

'Te amo,' replied Lucy, before once again kissing him, though this time despite the nerves, passion re-entered their kiss, as their bodies moved so that now Lucy was now almost lying beneath him, 'Thomas we, don't have to,'

'Do you want to?' asked Thomas, nervously as he pulled slightly away from her and Lucy lowered her eyelids briefly, before once again looking straight into his eyes and pulling him back to her.

'I want to,'

'I want to too,'

They kissed, like they had done earlier that the evening when they had been sheltering from the rain in the barn, their arms wrapped tight around each other as was humanly possible. When they finally managed to part, Lucy, trying to hide her nerves and reassure Thomas with her most confident smile, as she guided one of his hands to the bottom her shift, parting her legs as she felt him gradually pull the fabric up to her waist. As he did so, Lucy started to giggle.

'Your hands are cold,' she smiled, as Thomas looked hurt by her sudden outburst and moved his hand away from her waist, only for Lucy to catch hold of it and guide it back on to the flesh of her hip, 'can you kiss me, Thomas?'

It was Thomas' turn to reassure Lucy now, who was just as scared as him. As they kissed, Lucy wrapped her arms tight around Thomas shoulders' clinging to him as she tight as she could, as they moved their bodies into position.

Biting on her lip, Lucy felt him enter her, but it was not like how it was with John, it did not hurt or feel dirty, so when she threw her head back and gasped, it was in pleasure, not in pain.

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, uncleanness, immodesty, luxury, . . . Of the which I foretell you, as I have foretold to you, that they who do such things shall not obtain the kingdom of God."

With the words of St Paul, echoing in his mind, Thomas knelt before the cross at the altar of the small parish church and prayed feverish to God-what had had he done?

'Pater noster, qui es in caelis: sanctificetur Nomen Tuum; adveniat Regnum Tuum; fiat voluntas Tua, sicut in caelo, et in terra. Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie; et dimitte nobis debita nostra, Sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; et ne nos inducas in tentationem; sed libera nos a Malo '

It was still early morning, still dark in the village, when he had left Lucy fast asleep in the tangled sheets. She looked beautiful, with her long blonde hair covering the pillow, but he had ruined them both.

When they had both collapsed in gasps and groans, they had smiles on their flushed faces as they had part and kissed, before falling asleep with Lucy's head resting on his chest, his arms around her. Lucy had fallen asleep before him, snuggling against him, her long hair covering them both. He had not panicked then, as he had fallen asleep, he had though how at peace she looked, but as he had slept, he found his dreams plagued by visions of Hell, his body being twisted and snapped amid the flames. Leaving Lucy, he had quickly dressed and rushed over to the church that faced the inn and had thrown himself before the cross and God.

They had sinned. They had committed the worse offence in the eyes of God, listening to their bodies, instead of their conscious'. No, Lucy was not the one to blame, it was all his doing. She had been venerable and he, instead of helping her, had taken advantage and thrown the both of them into the claws of Satan. He had made a whore of Lucy, he had stained her, as well as himself.

Feelings his nails dig into the backs of his hands, he was prayer so hard, Thomas tried to look at the statute of the Virgin Mary and utter the words of Salve Regina but found he could not and the words stuck in his throat, almost choking him. Lucy was devoted to the Queen of Heaven, how could he face asking for the Virgin Mother for her blessing and guidance, after what he had done to her loyal daughter?

' Ave Maria gratia plena Dominus tecum Benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus Fructus uentris tui Iesus sancta Maria mater Dei ora pro nobis peccatoribus nunc et in hora mortis Amen'

The words echoed in Thomas' mind, as he opened the door to the small room, where he and Lucy had given into want. He found Lucy awake, kneeing on the bed, in which they had sinned, with Georgie's rosary in her hands and her lips moving in rhythm with the moment of her fingers on the beads.

Closing the door, slowly behind him, Thomas watch with guilt as Lucy prayed. She had lit some candles, as the room was now full of light, that made her hair look golden, against the white of her lace shift. Thomas found himself more racked with guilt as he found himself, thinking how stunning she looked. He loved her so much it hurt, but all the time he was dragging her down with him.

'Do you know Thomas,' said Lucy, after saying 'amen' and kissing the cross, before placing it back around her neck, 'if the Blessed Mother appeared in this room now and commanded me to dedicate my life and love to her and her, only, I wouldn't hesitate,'

'I should hope you would,' replied Thomas, surprised at himself, as he found he had a small smile on his lips. Lucy reached out a hand to him and Thomas, hesitantly at first, took hold of it, let her guide him to the bed.

'I love you,' Lucy smiled, not letting go of Thomas' hand as he sat down on the bed, 'and I hope you still love me?'

'Lucy, my love for you frightens me it's so strong,' said Thomas, looking at their linked hands, 'but I fear I do you no good. I will ruin you,'

'Thomas,' cried Lucy, sternly but with a soft edge, 'you couldn't ruin me. I chose to give myself to you. We have done nothing wrong,'

'You have not, Lucy. The fault lies completely with me. Please forgive me,'

'Thomas, there is nothing to forgive!'

'There is everything to forgive! I have made a whore out of you!'

'Thomas,' smiled Lucy, trying to move her sight in line with the Thomas, only he still wouldn't look at her, 'you have not made me a whore!'

Thomas shock his head from side to side. He wanted to see Lucy reason so much, but the words of Thomas Aquinas and St Augustine were so embedded in his mind, he could see only the flames of Hell.

'Lucy, I lust after you, not just tonight, but almost every night since I first laid eyes on you. Not for the only reason God allows, for the getting of children, but because I wanted to feel your body close to mine, to feel your flesh against me...and I enjoyed every moment of us lying together,'

Lucy still with a smile on her lips, rested her head on Thomas shoulder, and placed an arm around his waist. She did not feel hurt by Thomas words, unlike most women, she found them only make her love him more-no one had ever cared for immortal soul, as well has her mortal body before.

'Thomas the only thing that has made me feel like a whore, was waking up and finding the man, I had just given myself to, gone,' she said, raising an eyebrow, 'we are flesh and blood Thomas, we make mistakes and I may not be as clever as you, but I'm sure even the Saints made mistakes in their lives, before they were blessed. One night will not commend us to Hell and as for all the other nights, once we are married- well, then we'll have to have a lot of children, won't we?'

Thomas with all the strength he could find, managed to look into Lucy eyes and found, that she too suffered from fear, but with it, he saw that compassion and comfort in her eyes-things he did not deserve.

'But don't you see, Lucy, that this is the problem. I want you, because I want you, not for the getting of children, but because I...'

Lucy did not let him finish, but lent forward and kissed him on the lips, waiting for Thomas to respond, which he did after much hesitation.

'Do you love me, Thomas?'

'More than I thought possible,'

'Then that is all that matters,' smiled Lucy, 'we have done nothing wrong. Maybe we should have waited, but we still have not committed any great wrong. Have you considered that maybe it was enjoyable, because it was with the right person?...I don't have any simple answers Thomas, but just promise me, you won't send yourself mad with guilt over me. I couldn't live with myself, if you did,'

'It should be me, protecting you,' replied Thomas, returning Lucy's smile as he pulled her against him.

'You do protect me, Thomas,' said Lucy, snuggling against him, 'more than you'll ever know...Come, it is still night. Let's go back to bed,'

Lucy climbed back under blankets, as Thomas undressed, before joining her. Feeling not yet free of guilt but comforted nevertheless, as Lucy rested her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her, Thomas felt surprisingly at peace.

'Te amo,' he whispered, kissing Lucy on top of the head, as she cuddled against him.

'Te amo, Thomas,'

Wolsey was getting scared. He had worked hard all his life to get to the position of power, he was now in. He was on the eve of greatness, all that was need was for King Henry to die and for his son to ascend the throne. It had been a long struggle and while Wolsey was not a cruel man, he was not about to have his destiny taken away from him by Thomas and his little serving wench.

'I want to know everything,' said Wolsey, staring hard at the messenger, who he had summoned to his house before daybreak, 'every little aspect of Goodwife Lucy Giggs life, I want reported back to me. I do not care how small a detail it is, I want to know everything. If she once cough loudly during mass, I want to know about it. Do I make myself clear?'

'Yes, your eminency,' replied his messenger, with a nod of the head before turning to leave, only for Wolsey to call him back with the wave of his hand.

'From what I can recall,' continued Wolsey, looking over the papers he had left on his desk only a few hours earlier, 'her deceased husband, John Giggs was a man of interesting character. May I suggest you start there?'