A/N: I own nothing from Twilight. Anything recognizably Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. Anything else relating to the plot or my interpretations of historical figures, belongs to me.

Ch. 2: His Touch

May 1515

Sitting at supper with the other ladies-in-waiting was, at times, my least favorite part of the day. I have never considered myself unobservant: I knew exactly why the other ladies always regarded me with cold indifference. Whether it was because of my piety, my detest for gossip, my close relationship with the Queen, or the fact that half the men at court seemed to want to marry me-or at least my inheritance- they all had reason. I honestly couldn't find it within myself to care. Most of the other ladies hardly deserved the designation of lady, what with the way they threw themselves at some of the men; nevermind the barbs they threw at me. Still, I was the lady my mother raised me to be, and no matter the remark, I always held my tongue, did as the gospels say, and turned the other cheek.

But now, with Lady Alice back at court, I found my time at the ladies' table to be considerably more enjoyable. She kept me laughing relating stories of the French court, impersonating some of the more notorious women and men with shocking believability. The rest of the table—including the King's newest distraction, Mistress Bessie Blount, who I must say held herself with higher decorum than she had a right—was not immune to Lady Alice's charms, and they were, in turn, at least kind to her. Mistress Blount even went so far as to inquire if Alice had need for a bedfellow, to which the lady replied that she had already arranged with the Chamberlin to share with me. Ever the daughter of a Duke, Alice refrained from commenting that it wouldn't do to have a bedfellow who would very likely not be in bed that often, but I couldn't help but giggle as her eyes expressed horror at the thought of sharing a bed with the King's harlot.

I was enjoying myself so immensely it almost escaped my notice that the King was in talks with my father and the Cardinal. It didn't take much brainpower to realize they were, once again, discussing possible husbands for me. I was comforted that Queen Katharine, who was seated on her husband's right side, and well within hearing distance, was smiling a smile much more genuine than she normally wore at dinners of estate. It calmed me to know they were discussing things the Queen at least approved of.

Lady Alice nudged me with her arm. "Come, let us take a walk around the room before the dancing starts. My mother has come up from the country to see my brother and me. I know she would miss you if you did not greet her."

I raised myself from my stool and linked elbows with Alice, who took a chance to whisper in my ear, "I am so glad you are here. I don't know what I would do if I had to bear the company of some of those harpies alone. I mean, the airs that Bessie puts on…" she scoffed. "However did you manage to stay sane by yourself?"

"I spend a lot of time serving the Queen, which the others ought to do, but really, they just flirt with the men in the King's train all day." I stopped. I couldn't believe how judgmental I had been. "Forgive me, Alice, I'm afraid that was out of turn."

Alice just laughed. "Isabella, it is okay to speak your mind to me. Whatever you tell me, I won't tell a soul."

I turned so my brown eyes met her grey ones and I knew at that moment that I regained something that had been lost to me with my mother and Seth: I had someone I could trust. I could barely contain my smile and wished that we weren't in the Great Hall so I could hug her.

We walked until we reached Their Graces, the Duke and Duchess of Grafton. The Duke was one of the few of Henry VII's advisors still at court. The King had replaced most of his father's advisors but was smart enough to rely on the good Duke's solid wisdom. As we curtsied to Their Graces, I felt at peace in their presence. They were an anomaly at court for they were one of the few families that was not constantly conniving for more power and wealth. I had always respected them as good Catholics and good stewards over the blessings that God had given them.

Duchess Esme's grace of character was legendary, especially considering she was a Princess of the Blood in her own right and could have held herself as if she was above the rest of the noblewomen. The difference between the manner in which she held herself and the airs, Rosalie the French Queen, put on was staggering. She was also aunt to the King, but I believe even he saw her as a mother figure. She never was one to mention her own claim to the throne, content to be Duchess of Grafton. She had been great friends with my own mother, both of them sharing similar wit and a love for practical jokes.

Her Grace was the first to speak. "Dear girls, I cannot tell you how proud I am of the women you have become. It is as though the two of you have come into full bloom since I last had my eyes on you." She stepped back a bit as if to admire the two of us, her green eyes as kind and piercing as her son's. "My dear Lady Derby, I do hope that we will soon get to know each other very well. The Duke and I have decided to go on progress with the Court this summer, and I'm sure that will afford us plenty of time to become as acquainted as we were when you were small."

The Duke laughed good-naturedly. "Esme, don't meddle. I don't think Derby has had time to inform her yet."

I watched as both Alice and the Duchess rolled their eyes at the Duke. "Oh, pish posh. Lady Derby is a fine lady, and I would want to know her better no matter the circumstances. It's not meddling."

I was confused but laughed along with Alice at the exchange between her parents. The Duke turned to Alice and put his arm around her shoulders so that he could whisper in her ear. Whatever he said made her go pale, and I found myself whipping my head between Her Grace and my friend. The Duchess looked resigned, and my friend, who moments before had been laughing, looked heartbroken.

"Please, please, please," she whispered almost inaudibly.

"Alice, you knew this was coming as soon as you returned from France," the Duchess stated softly.

"This one time I wish I didn't know what was coming, because no matter what I think of trying, I know I cannot stop it."

"Nothing is set in stone. Do not let one premonition ruin what could be many happy years ahead of you."

I watched, not comprehending what was being said, as my friend's face fell further.

The Duke cleared his throat. "Lady Derby, will you please excuse my wife and daughter while Alice takes some time to compose herself? Come, let me take you to your father. I'm sure he would like to speak to you before the dancing begins."

I nodded as I took his elbow, and he led me to the front of the room where my father and the King were still speaking, the Cardinal long gone from the room.

As we were walking towards the two, I was able to hear a bit of their conversation.

"I am sorry that Wolsey is so opposed to the match," my father murmured.

The King laughed. "What do cardinals know of such things? My Lord Townshend is a trusted friend and advisor; he's put off marrying for too long to do his duty to his country, and he deserves something sweet to come home to. We both know that there is no one with a sweeter disposition than Lady Derby. I say it is a good idea. Let the Cardinal think what he wants."

My heart quickened as I took in the words exchanged between my father and the King. I looked to the Duke's smiling face, and I began to hope.

My father's eye caught mine, and he was smiling as well. "Ah, my beautiful daughter, I have good news for you. The King and I have decided on a husband for you. There are still a few details to hammer out, but I hope to have you formally betrothed to the Duke of Grafton's son, the Marquess of Townshend, by the time Court goes on progress."

I felt my blush come up fast and nodded my consent. "Thank you, my Lords, I'm sure I will be very happy with the choice you have made for me." I did not express that at the moment I was so happy, I felt faint.

The King nodded. "I'm sure you will be. Edward is a fine man, Lady Isabella. In my opinion, there is no one better in England! In him, you will find a truly loyal and caring husband."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, I do not know him well myself, but I hope to find in time that what you say is truth."

My father smiled at me, and I knew that to be the correct response. "You have the rest of your lives to get to know one another; however, I think you should start tonight. I believe that the Marquess requested that you dance with him this evening. I will escort you back to the ladies table and let him know that you are apprised of the arrangement."

"Thank you, Father," I said as he turned to lead me away. "Your Majesty, Your Grace." I curtsied.

When we were far enough away that I felt free to speak freely, I asked, "Why does Wolsey oppose me marrying the Marquess?"

"Heard that, did you?" I nodded. Father leaned close to whisper in my ear. "Wolsey fears that once the Marquess inherits my titles and his father's that he will wield too much power. Wolsey simply doesn't like the idea of the Cullen family gaining any more wealth. He is already wary of Buckingham and he does not want to have to worry about Grafton as well."

"The Duke of Buckingham has a private army; the Cullens have never paid more soldiers than necessary to protect the borders from the Scots."

"Aye, but the Cardinal is wary of anyone who holds more wealth than the King or himself. Edward will have to be very careful after he receives all that he will be entitled to. He will need your good head to guide him, my darling." Father paused for a moment, as if debating on telling me all that was on his mind. "Besides, he sees your marriage as an opportunity to extend his own patronage."

"Who did he propose for me?"

"Sir Jacob Black." My father laughed. "As if I would allow you to go to someone of so little rank. Sir Jacob would be the only one to benefit from the marriage besides Wolsey, and from what the King has told me, he is a philanderer and a spendthrift. I would never consent for you to marry him."

I nodded, grateful that my father would never let me go to such a cad. "One more question: why is the King so interested in my marriage? It isn't a front so that he can take me for himself, is it?"

At that, my father laughed hard. "No, my dear daughter, I believe the King has too much respect for you to ever think of asking that of you. There are women who are true noblewomen, and then there are mistresses. You are too pure to ever be somebody's mistress, even a king's. He has been suggesting that you and the Marquess would be a good match for a while. The Marquess is a good friend of the King's and I believe he simply wants him to be happy. Now, hush. It is nearly done. Within a fortnight you will be as good as wed in church; and you, the Duchess, and Lady Alice can plan the wedding while the court is on progress. Now, stop fretting, and wait for Lord Townshend to come fetch you." He walked off with a wink, leaving me to sit back on a stool at the ladies table.

I was alone for all of ten seconds before one of the ladies began questioning me. "My Lady Derby, what did the King say to you that made him look so cheerful? I hope it was good news for you as well." I smiled at Mistress Angela Weber, one of the few ladies-in-waiting that I felt I could count as a friend.

"It was good news; however, I fear to tell you because it is not official yet. Although, I trust that the entire court will be abuzz with the news before breakfast. You will not have to wait long to find out," I said, smiling.

I looked over to the other ladies at the table and noticed that Mistress Jessica Stanley and Lady Lauren Howard were looking at me with sneers on their faces. I steeled myself for whatever cruel remark they were crafting.

"Isabella," Lady Lauren started, with no mention to my title. "Did the King finally find a man who was so desperate for an earldom that he agreed to marry you? Surely some second son or a nobleman's bastard would jump at the opportunity."

I flushed because, indeed, it had seemed that the majority of my suitors had fallen into those categories. Also, I was embarrassed that I did not command enough respect from my fellow ladies to even warrant the address I deserved as Countess of Derby. I held back the desire to chastise them for their lack of propriety and refrained from pointing out that they both had forfeited their chance at a decent marriage by fornicating with the King, the Duke of Suffolk, and various other men in the King's train. But I kept my head high and began conversing with Mistress Angela as if I had not heard them. As I talked with Angela about the joust and laughed when she told me she had lost over thirty crowns in bad bets, I felt my heart quicken, and I sensed that my Lord Townshend was near. I tried to control my breathing as I did not want to give the ladies at the table any indication that I desired the Marquess. Heaven help me with what they would do with that information. I already feared what the harpies would say when they realized that one day they would have to address me as Her Grace. I turned my head and was met with kind green eyes as he walked towards me. His gaze made me feel secure amidst the malice that surrounded me from the other ladies. I began to hope again that I would find more joy in marriage than I dared to dream of before.

As I held the Marquess' gaze, Mistress Stanley was the first to speak. "Well met, Lord Townshend! I'm pleased to see you back from Spain. It has been long since we've been able to meet."

I shuddered at the implication of her words. I knew that he had likely dallied with some women, but I had hoped that it was only with whores in bath houses. I did not want to think of him inviting any women of the court into his bed, even a loose woman such as Jessica Stanley.

The Marquess had the decency to look abashed but acknowledged her with a nod. "Mistress Stanley, I too am pleased to be back in England; especially as it affords me time to get to know my newly betrothed. Lady Derby, will you do me the honor of partnering me for a dance?"

"Of course, my Lord," I said as I took his proffered hand. My skin tingled where it touched his, as if it recognized the touch. I kept my eyes to the floor, as I was sure that all of the eyes of the court were on me and the Marquess.

As we took our places across from one another, I found myself getting lost in his eyes, not willing to break contact to bow my head as I dipped down low for a curtsy. I saw my Lord smiling at me as he reached for my hand to move me in front of him so he could lead me in a Pavane. The contact between our bodies, his hands on mine and my hip, would have been enough to suffer me incoherent; however, coupled with the heat from his chest that I felt through my gown, it was nothing short of heavenly. I wasn't sure if I quite understood my own feelings-after all, I hardly knew him. I kept my head raised, my courtier smile permanently fixed on my face as I passed in front of the entire court, trying not to alert anyone to the sensuality of my thoughts. As we passed by the thrones of the King and Queen, I saw them watching the Marquess and me with smiles on their faces, whereas the tables below that seated the ladies-in-waiting and the gentlemen in the King's train were full of those who looked less than impressed.

As the Marquess turned me to face him again to end the dance, I saw the familiar look of pride in his eyes, the same look he had given me the summer he taught me to master a horse. He bowed to me as I curtsied to him, then he reached for my hand and placed it in his elbow before leading me off to a bench in the back of the hall. I smoothed my skirts and sat down to face him, his hand still grasping my fingertips.

"Lady Derby, please tell me that you are happy. I have heard that you did not wish to marry, and if that holds true, please know that I will not force you. When I last saw you, your brother told me that you wished to become a nun; if that is still your wish, I will make it so." His eyes were almost pleading, begging me to tell him otherwise. I could see that he was honestly giving me the choice to not marry him even though it pained him to do so.

"My Lord, I will tell you honestly, if I were engaged to any other man I would take that option without a second thought. As it stands, I do not feel compelled to run away from the life that is laid before me. All that I know of you is good, and I feel as though I can put my trust in you. I do not fear a life alongside you." As I looked into his eyes, I saw hope return with every word I spoke.

"Do you mean it? You will marry me?" he asked grasping both of my hands with his own.

I couldn't help but laugh a little at his boyish enthusiasm. "Yes, my Lord."

He shook his head, putting his finger underneath my chin. "No, none of that. When we are together, just us, I don't want to be your lord. You are to be my Marchioness and eventually my Duchess. I want us to be partners. I do not simply want you to bear my children; I want you as my friend, confidante and lover. To you, I simply want to be Edward. Will you allow that, sweet Isabella?"

I found that I could not meet his eyes; what he was offering was so beyond my dreams that I was hesitant to take it lest it be snatched back into oblivion. I felt tears prick my eyes, and his hand left mine to cup my face upwards, the pads of his thumbs wiping my tears.

"What is wrong? Have I said something that offended you?"

I smiled at the ridiculousness of anything he said offending me. "Not at all, my Lo—Edward. I have been dreading this day since Seth died and it became apparent that I must marry. I assumed that I would go to someone who only valued me for my inheritance and the sons I would bear. I've grown up in the courts of Europe, watching men treat their wives like chattel and seeking their companionship elsewhere. That was why I wanted to become an abbess, to free myself from that fate. I knew that I would have peace in serving God, but peace, or even joy, in a marriage arranged by my father was far from guaranteed. To hear you say that you would consider me even a friend is beyond anything I could have ever hoped for."

Edward smiled. "There is a priest in the chapel at Grafton Castle who had a great influence over me as a boy. He impressed upon me that a man is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. That he must be willing to sacrifice and forsake anything and everything for her, and that is what I mean to do. I know that it is not what most men of my station do, but that is the type of man I want to be. I want to be that type of man for you. "

After his admission, I found myself whispering his name like a prayer.

His eyes darkened as he allowed his hand to fall from my cheek and graze the swoop of my neck. The backs of his fingers drifted past my collarbone to just the top of my bodice. "You cannot possibly know what hearing my name on your lips does to me," he murmured.

"Tell me," I whispered, spellbound by his touch so near my breast.

He chuckled. "I would much rather show you, but it will have to wait until our wedding night."

Confusion came over me as I tried to understand his words, before it became painfully obvious what he meant. "Oh!" I gasped.

Edward laughed. "My dear, sweet Isabella." He then leaned into me to press a lingering kiss upon my forehead. It was neither a brotherly nor fatherly, nor was it a show of fealty or appreciation. I had no experience with this kind of kiss. In his simple gesture, there was the promise of passion and the possibility of love. I closed my eyes to savor the sensation of his lips against my skin, willing him to kiss me again so that I would not be long without the feeling.

I felt his breath on my skin as his mouth traveled to hover close to my neck. It sent a wave of desire through me that I felt in my now aching core. I heard him exhale a sigh, my yes still closed to savor his closeness.

"Isabella, we should rejoin the dancing and pray to the heavens that they do not play a Volte. I am nearing my breaking point already, and I do not wish to loose myself on you just yet."

I began to tremble at the thought of performing a Volte with Edward. The thought of him lifting me and then pressing me against his body as he brought me back down only increased the heat between my thighs.

As we joined the other dancers, I pondered my feelings towards the Marquess. Before today, I would have never imagined that I would feel desire for any man. I had even hoped to possibly take a vow of celibacy the way My Lady the King's Grandmother Margret Beaufort did; agreeing with my husband that after I had borne him an adequate number of heirs that I would deny conjugal pleasure. I did not know what to make of the feeling of need for his touch. Did it make me wanton? Was I guilty of the sin of lust? I could not believe that such feelings surely would be sanctioned by the church. The touch of his hand in mine alone was driving me to distraction when surely there were other things I should be thinking of. I resolved to talk to my confessor after mass in the morning. I hoped to get spiritual guidance to rid me of the foreign thoughts that now plagued my mind.

I spent the rest of the evening, selfishly enjoying the Marquess' touch as he led me through step after step, dance after dance. Every time he started to lead me away from the dancing, I would squeeze his hand and hold fast till he would relent and lead me into the next dance, chuckling.

Looking down at me as we made a pass through the tunnel of dancers, he smiled and said, "Is this all it takes to make you happy? Keep you dancing?"

I smiled and looked back up at him. "Only if it is with you, my Lord."

"Edward," he reminded, poking my nose with his finger. "I think I've spoiled you enough for tonight. The Queen is getting ready to leave and, I believe, would appreciate your service."

I nodded, knowing that the happiest night of my life was over and I would have to go back to my duty. I prayed that it would not be the only happy night in my future. I prayed that our betrothal would go through and I would marry him. I prayed most fervently that we would grow to love each other the way my parents had loved one another. And lastly, I prayed that what Edward had told me was truth: that we would be friends and partners and that our union would be filled with love.

A/N:

Thank you so much for your reviews and your follows! I'm hoping to update at least every two weeks, so keep checking your alerts!

The Pavane was a court dance that basically led the woman around the room to show her off. The Volte was the court dance of seduction, and it involved a lot of scandalous pressing together of bodies. If you watched the Tudors, you'll remember the Volte that Henry and Anne dance in season two.

Anyone wondering why the marriage was arranged, that's just the way the aristocracy was arranged at the time.

Please remember that this is only six years Henry VIII's reign, at this point he wasn't as bad tempered as he was in later years. At least that's the way I'm writing him for now.

Up next! What is wrong with Alice and more time with our favorite marquess!