Chapter 3

Step, turn right. Step, turn left. Join hands, then walk forward, take a full spin; repeat. All this had seemed much simpler when she had been practicing home with her aunt. It nearly made her laugh to think what a troublesome child she had been, always having to be scolded to stay still or concentrate. Her sisters had picked up immediately on the steps, dreaming of the day they would get their turn at court, or of dancing this very same dance in the arms of their new husbands. Clara had never entertained such thoughts; they seemed such foolishness to her when there were trees to be climbed or berries to be picked, a sun filled hillside on which to run about. Her argument had been that she would never need such lessons in dancing, that between the languages and the reading, she would be well bred enough for a king. Little did she ever imagine she'd one day be dancing with one!

"Are you enjoying, yourself, my Lady?", he asked, his feet still perfectly in step "I'm aware this is your first time at court."

"Yes, sire, I am", she responded, "a bit overwhelmed, but none the less honored and overjoyed to be here with your majesties."

"You are more than welcome, Lady Clara", he said, his smile widening generously as though to confirm the statement, "indeed, a presence such as yours would be welcome at court. My wife has already asked to know more of you."

Clara blinked back a bit in surprise at this. Had her aunt been right, had Queen Katherine really seen something in her that moved her to want to know more? She couldn't fathom what that could possibly be, seeing as they had barely spoken more than ten words in each others direction; but she was not going to ruin this moment with excessive analyzing or questioning.

"Has she, your majesty? I am deeply flattered, though there isn't much else to know, I'm afraid."

"Ah, but I disagree, Lady Clara", he said playfully as they spun, "there is much curiosity which surrounds the charming lady who is promised to our own Sir Edmund."

Clara couldn't help but blush at this. Why was it, she wondered, that when her father talked of her pending marriage, this lilting anticipation never fluttered about inside her the way it did now?

"Is there, sire? I must admit, I'm a bit curious myself. I hear that my fiance is well loved here at court, a man you yourself favor. Is that true?"

"He is indeed, my lady. An excellent man by all accounts, including mine," he stated as they swayed, " we've hunted together, I've even jousted with him a few times. A worthy opponent, and a man after my own heart."

"So you share similar tastes, then?"

"Yes, we do," he answered, with an unmistakable gleam in his eye, "in a great many things."

Clara's eyes widened a bit before going down towards her feet, hoping to calm the ever warming flush of her cheeks. While it was true that she was a mere maid, only just turned seventeen, the meaning of his words was not lost on her, neither was the meaning of the look in his eyes as he spoke them. They continued to dance, Clara suddenly deeply interested in her feet as they came to their final spin. Only the sudden noise from the onlookers applause broke her trance. She looked up again, smiling shyly into the crowd. While she had thoroughly enjoyed her dance with the king, she couldn't help the relief she felt at its being over.

"Thank you for the dance, my lady,"the king spoke, with a parting kiss to her hand, "I do hope it won't be the last."

"Your words are too kind, sire. Of course, I would be delighted to dance with his majesty again."

Henry smiled broadly at her answer. Such a ready, yet humble reply. Yes, she would indeed be an interesting bit of intrigue; as it was, Katharine already seemed to like the girl. It would not be long before he could persuade her to take her into her service as a maid. Katharine may even beat him to the thought! With all that was happening in his court and in his country, a little diversion couldn't be more timely. These thoughts still playing through his mind, he took his leave of Clara with a firm yet warm squeeze of her hand.

"I shall hold you to that, Lady Clara", and with this, he let her go, laughing inwardly at the flush that rose to her cheeks as he did. She was so fresh, so deliciously new to all this. For his sake, he hoped she learned fast, and that he'd be the one to instruct her.

Meanwhile, Clara willed herself to look around the room, trying desperately to focus on something else, anything else besides what had just happened. Her aunt had been right; a young woman could lose all sense in the arms of such a man! At this very moment, she felt that every sense she had flowed straight to his hand had squeezed. She still felt a twinge of heat where his lips had been, and he merely grazed her hand with a lingering kiss! Ugh! She had to pull herself together. She found herself trying to spot her aunt or especially her father. Catching sight of either of those two would surely plant her firmly to the ground. Her eyes scanned the grand room, shortly thereafter spying her aunt in lively conversation with the tall, handsome man who had been sitting beside the king. A few feet to their left she saw her father, talking to a man a bit taller he was, with white hair. It was the man's hawkish eyes, however, dark and bottomless, that arrested Clara. He had just turned to look at her, and she saw her father point and gesture in her direction. They were talking about her, it seemed.

Just as she had registered that thought, a young woman approached them both. She was about her height, if a bit shorter, with black, almost ravenish hair that seemed to catch all the light the room could spare. Then the young women turned, and Clara got to see her face; a pretty, rather unique charm surrounded her, and her gaze was even more dark and piercing than the man who was speaking to her father! They must be related somehow. Suddenly, her father signaled for her to come to him. When she got to him, however, it was the other man who spoke first.

"Ah, young Mistress Roerden!", he started warmly, though the feeling seemed to stop beneath his eyes, "at last we meet. You are as ravishing as your father said you to be."

"Thank you, sir", she responded, her eyes flitting over to her father's. First, the king and queen, now this nobleman; had her father really spoken so highly and tenderly of her throughout the whole of the king's court?

"Clara, this is Sir Thomas Boleyn, a diplomat and envoy in service to the king,"

"A pleasure, your grace", she said with a curtsey.

"Oh, I assure, my dear, the pleasure is mine", he stated, taking her hand in his, " I've been curious of your identity since the moment I caught sight of you dancing so gracefully with the king. One would never guess that this is your first time at court."

"The grace was all God's and the king's, I'm sure, sir", Clara responded with a small smile, "believe me, I felt every inch the novice."

"Nonsense, girl!", her father spoke before Sir Boleyn, "you danced well and obviously charmed the king. You do not give yourself enough credit."

"Yes, Lady Clara, your father speaks truthfully", the young women beside Boleyn rejoined, "I myself could not take my eyes off the two of you. You were the best dancers on the floor, and the king seemed positively entranced by you."

"Thank you, miss", Clara said shyly, becoming increasingly put off by the way both Lord Boleyn and this girl were eying her. Both their stares possessed an unnerving coldness, stiff and sharp like the jagged ice that hung from the rooftops at home this time of year. Just as she was about to ask, the name of the young woman, Sir Thomas began to speak again, to that very purpose.

"Lady Clara, allow me to introduce my daughter, Lady Anne Boleyn."

Anne's eyes never left Clara's as she bowed slightly in politeness.

"A pleasure, Lady Clara", she said smoothly, " I'm do hope we shall become better acquainted."

" I'm sure we will, Lady Anne", Clara replied, "I'm sure we will."

*Uh-oh! Looks like Clara might have dove in headfirst anyhow, huh? And who wouldn't give a penny for the Boleyns thoughts at this very moment? Lol don't worry; all in good time :) thanx for reading and reviewing!(cough, cough, hint, hint ;)