Sudeley Castle (July 1530)
The King's court was on its annual summer progress across the country. Presently, the court was residing at Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire. It was Bessie's favourite of all the royal Tudor palaces that she had stayed in.
The soft-coloured brickwork and the delicate architecture, set amongst the lush rolling hills of the countryside, made for a beautiful and relaxing residence, especially compared to the bustling palaces of London.
Bessie had spent much of her time reading, sewing and riding. She had unusually spent little time with Anne, for Anne was with the King almost every hour of the day. In fact, the whisperers and gossipers of the court murmured that she was all but Queen in name, except for the most formal events where Queen Katherine would make a rare appearance.
Whilst Bessie had missed the company of her closest friend, Anne's absence had allowed her interactions with Edward to almost double.
Frankly, the pair had spent the majority of the time exchanging longing and intense glances in the corridors, across the seats of the chapel, and during court events. Yet, there had also been times when Tom, the Seymour messenger who had delivered the necklace to Bessie, had been able to carry small notes and gifts between them.
They had to be subtle, for they knew the risks that came with their secret courtship. But Bessie could not bring herself to stay away from him; nor did Edward seem to wish to let her go again.
…
Following an unsettled day of wind and rain, a wonderfully warm and sunny week had graced the royal court in Gloucestershire.
The courtiers made frequent visits to the archery butts and attended long hunting trips whilst the weather was glorious.
Indeed, most of the court had left that day to attend a festival run by the local village, whose inhabitants were thrilled at the sight of their King. They were less thrilled with the presence of Anne Boleyn.
Bessie, on the other hand, was greatly relieved for the tranquillity that the absence of the majority of the royal court afforded. She was sat under the shade of a sizable willow tree within the vast grounds of the castle, reading her copy of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.
A gentle breeze tickled Bessie's long mane of curls as she turned her face towards the sun to bask in its warmth. She could almost hear Mrs Morely's admonishing in her ear, telling her to not let the sun ruin her pale complexion, and smiled to herself.
The soft bird song that had been delighting her ears made way for the sound of light footsteps that approached behind her.
She turned her head to see Tom, the Seymour messenger, with a broad grin on his face.
"Greetings Lady Elizabeth! What a fine summer morning," he greeted cheerily, and offered her a quick bow.
"Good Morning, Tom," she replied with a warm smile.
"God's Bones! I have been running around like a knave searching for you all this morning," he said good-naturedly, "Why are you hiding out here?"
"My apologies, Tom, but I just had to make the most of such a peaceful day," she teased. Moving her hands up to feel her face, she laughed. "Oh, I hope I am not sunburnt."
"Nay, my lady, you are a vision as always," Tom grinned.
"Flatterer," she admonished playfully, "So, what brings you here Tom?"
"I have a message from Sir Edward, though it is more of an invitation."
"Oh? Pray do tell."
"My lord would like you to accompany him on a ride today whilst most of the court are absent."
Bessie felt speechless for a moment. An opportunity to spend time with Edward. Alone. She felt her stomach knot in anticipation and excitement, but also worry. What if someone saw them together?
"What if we get caught?" she asked, worry etched on her face.
"My lady, I will circulate with my horse to make sure no one sees you. Sir Edward has also made precautions to make sure the servant's tongues do not wag."
"Bribery? He is certain I shall join him then," Bessie remarked, amusement written across her expression.
"His lordship is always well prepared my lady," Tom said with a cheeky grin.
"Very well, when should I make ready?" she asked, as she stood and smoothed down any remaining grass from her blue skirts.
"An hour from now, meet us at the back of the stables."
….
She was late.
Adrenaline spurred Bessie on as she hurriedly made her way to the back entrance of the stables. She was dressed in one of her plainest green riding gowns in an attempt to go as unnoticed as she could.
Gossip travelled far at court. She knew she was playing a very, very dangerous game. The reaction of her father, Anne, and the Howard faction would not be pretty if they found out she was secretly meeting a Seymour.
Yet, she had also reached the point of caring little for the opinion of her family. Whilst Bessie cared deeply for Anne, she wanted to pursue something for herself for once.
She finally arrived at the stables, where she could see Edward and Tom waiting by three saddled horses.
Tom noticed her first and quickly bowed to her.
Edward turned, and his handsome face lit up at the sight of her.
He moved to greet her and reached for her hand to place a soft kiss on it. Her heart sang as she felt his facial hair tickle the back of her hand.
"For a moment I thought you were not coming," he said ruefully, running his hand through his hair.
"Do you doubt my word?" she asked teasingly.
He laughed and led her over to a small, grey mare.
"Where is Sampson?" she enquired, looking around for her own horse.
"I thought it best to leave Sampson here so that anyone who looks for you will think that you are present," he said. "Though perhaps I am also slightly worried I will have to save you again if he bolts," he added teasingly.
"It was because of a snake!" Bessie replied indignantly, "He has a lovely temperament."
Edward raised his eyebrows but did not reply as he moved to help her onto the mare.
"Here, let me help you mount."
Bessie tried not to react to the feeling of his strong hands upon her waist.
"Where are we going?" Bessie asked curiously, as she watched him mount his own black stallion, and Tom his bay stallion.
"You will have to be patient, my lady," Edward replied with a small smirk.
The trio kicked their horses into a trot and swiftly left the stables.
…
They rode for about half an hour. The lush, green countryside coupled with the brilliant sunshine made excellent conditions for riding, and Bessie thoroughly enjoyed herself as she conversed with Edward and Tom.
She had not felt this free in a long time; she was always constrained by protocol or tied down with formal conversation. Here, she could truly be herself.
Tom's announcement broke Bessie from her thoughts.
"Here it is, my lord. I will ride around the route a few times to make sure you are undisturbed," Tom announced, "Enjoy your afternoon, Lady Elizabeth!"
"Thank you Tom, and please, you must call me Bessie," she said.
Tom smiled cheekily at her and kicked his horse into a gallop.
Bessie watched him ride away with a smile and turned to Edward. He was watching her with an expression of affection on his face.
"Follow me, we are just going around this tree," he said, gesturing where to ride.
"This is all very secretive," she remarked.
He flashed a grin at her as they rode past a large oak tree.
Bessie drew in a breath as she took in the sight.
A mahogany-coloured blanket had been laid out carefully under the tree. On top of it were two glasses of wine, and an array of sugared pastries.
Her eyes flew to Edward. He looked nervous.
"Does this please you, Bess?" he asked, as he searched her face for her approval.
Bessie felt her lips curve into a dazzling smile.
"It does, Edward. This is truly wonderful."
He looked pleased with her answer as he dismounted and came to help her down from her own horse.
He left the horses to graze on the grass and took Bessie's hand to lead her over to the blanket.
Bessie gathered her skirts carefully, and sat gracefully on the blanket, whilst Edward sat down next to her, with his legs stretched out in front of him, leaning upon one forearm to balance.
The couple basked in the atmosphere for a moment.
"Is this your way of courting me?" Bessie asked, taking a sip of the wine. It was delicious and crisp on her tongue.
"I have been trying to court you for a while now Bess, this is just the first time I have been able to successfully get you alone for months," he replied, humour written upon his face.
"Well, when you are the daughter of the Duke of Norfolk, and the friend of the infamous Anne Boleyn, it is difficult to stay out of the spotlight," she said ruefully.
"Does Norfolk still wish to marry you to Lisle?"
"I hope not, he was vile."
"I will not let him put his old hands on you," Edward said.
She turned to face him fully, amused. "Oh, and how would you stop that?"
Her face was burning, but it was not from the sun. The intensity of Edward's expression made every inch of her skin warm.
"I will make you mine," he said.
She laughed gently and looked down at her hands in her lap. "You know it cannot be, you said so yourself a few years ago," she said quietly.
He reached out and turned her face back to him gently with his hand.
"Is one not allowed to change their mind?"
She searched his face for any type of teasing or joke. But he looked sincere. His eyes flickered down to her lips for a fraction of a second.
"Do you wish to marry one day?" she blurted out.
Her question surprised him, and his lips quirked into a grin.
"I do. Why, are you offering Bess?"
She felt her face flush. "Yes…I mean, no. No. I was just curious."
"Do you wish to?" he asked.
"Yes," she answered quickly, "But not someone of my father's choosing. Which is inevitable, really."
He looked curious as he slowly moved to hold her hand. His thumb gently began to stroke her hand. Bessie found it soothing.
She smiled sadly. "I long for children, too. Yet I am still unmarried."
"How many?" he asked.
"As many as God wills, I suppose. Do you wish for children?"
He smiled. "I do."
The pair stayed that way for over an hour, conversing about all manner of things. Bessie's life at the French court. Edward's time in the army in France. Bessie's family. Edward's family. Their favourite books. Their favourite court dance.
Until Bessie asked Edward a question that he did not seem to expect.
"What do you desire most in this world?"
Surprised flitted across his face. He was still holding her hand, and they were sat extremely close. Close enough for Bessie to almost see the thoughts running through his head.
"There are two things that I desire most," he began.
"The first?" she asked.
"Greatness."
Bessie thought about this for a moment. "What do you mean?"
"I have an ambition to rise, Bess. I come from fairly humble origins, and I want more. I guess you could say I want power and fortune, but also influence," he explained clearly.
Bessie digested his words. "Over the King?"
"Not necessarily."
She thought she should be wary, but she was not. He was ambitious and wanted to do well, and she liked that.
"And your other desire?" she asked.
He was quiet for a moment as he looked at her. Keeping hold of her hand, his other reached up and cupped her cheek. She automatically lent into his familiar touch.
"I desire you, Bess. More than anything I have ever wanted. I want to court you. I want to marry you. I want you in my bed. I just desire to have you by my side."
Her heart thudded almost painfully.
"Edward-"
"It is okay if you do not wish for the same, I just-"
"Edward," she said firmly, placing her free hand over his mouth. "I desire you too, of course I want all those things. More than anything too, I-"
Her words broke the last vestiges of his self-control.
He brought his lips to hers in a passionate kiss. The kiss caught her off guard for a moment, but she quickly reciprocated.
He deepened the kiss with a desperate sense of urgency, his hands moving to touch her face, her hair, her waist.
At that moment, nothing else mattered to Bessie. It was just her and Edward.
Her heart raced as he continued to kiss her. She laid down on the blanket as he hovered over her, his hands still roaming down her body. She tentatively moved her own hands to run them through his hair, and she felt him moan slightly at her touch.
They broke apart for a moment and gazed into each other's eyes, both of their chests rising fast against each other. She could feel the whole length of his body against her.
All she could see in the stormy depths of his eyes were affection, passion and lust.
"If we do not stop now, I-" he started, but Bessie cut him off.
"Please do not stop," she whispered imploringly, and his mouth was instantly upon hers again.
They were so wrapped up in each other that they did not even notice the arrival of Tom on his bay horse.
Tom subtly tried to clear his throat to alert the couple he had seen them.
Bessie quickly moved away from Edward and tried to sort out her appearance. She pulled her gown back over one of her shoulders and smoothed down her hair as best as possible. Edward looked both amused and irritated that they had been interrupted.
"What is it, Tom? I thought we agreed for you to come later on," he said.
"My apologies, my lord, but I have it on good authority that the rest of the court is due to return in an hour from now. If we leave now, we will be back before them."
Bessie felt anxious. Tom's news had quickly burst her bubble of happiness with Edward, as they hurriedly moved to mount their horses.
Edward went to help her onto hers, but not before pecking her mouth quickly before he boosted her onto the saddle.
Tom worked quickly to pack away the blanket and condiments.
The trio, once all mounted, kicked their horses into canters to make it back to the castle.
…..
Back in the safety of the stables, Bessie thanked Tom as he took away her mare.
Luckily, no one was in the stable when they arrived, so she hoped with all her heart that she had been able to enjoy her time with Edward undetected.
She smiled as she thought of their blissful afternoon.
"What are you thinking about?"
Edward's voice broke her out of her daydreaming. She was stood in a stall, and he moved to join her.
"This afternoon," she replied, looking up at him with a teasing smile.
"What about this afternoon?" he asked. She could see the same passion in his eyes that she had witnessed when they kissed.
"The wine was perhaps the best part," she answered coyly, and started to turn away from him.
His hands reached out and grabbed her waist, pulling her closer to him to further conceal them in the stall.
Now flush against him, and blushing, she could no longer tease him.
"Shall I ask that question again?" he asked.
"You were the best part," she whispered, her hands moving to his chest.
He hummed as he lowered his head and kissed her again. This time, it was gentle and soft.
"I must see you again, Bess. Alone," he murmured against her lips as they tried hard to break apart.
"How?"
"I will find a way. I promise you. We can trust Tom to help us too."
"I hope so. I must go, Edward, before Anne returns."
She went to leave, but he quickly pulled her to him again to connect their lips one last time.
….
A/N- Apologies for the huge delay in updating, life has been hectic. I hope this long chapter was worth it