Chapter V - A Game of Tennis
Princess Mary did in fact keep the king busy. Her ladies prepared her daily for visits, well after the week-long celebration of their wedding. While this happened, Anne would quietly dismiss herself and go back to her apartments. She took this time to write letters home. She hadn't heard from George in a while or her mother and told them quite a bit what was happening. She waited for the letters to dry before sealing them shut with her wax stamp. The red wax contained her initials and she wrote her brother's name on one and then her mother's name on the other. It would take some time for the letters to arrive, but better late than never.
Once she was through with her letters, Anne grabbed another book on philosophy and went to recline on the chaise by the fire. This book was written by Thomas More - Utopia. It was rather interesting so far - his beliefs on government reform and possibly changing some aspects of the nobles-servants lifestyle that everyone should have a chance to learn, but Anne still continued to read it. She hadn't even noticed when Mary came in with three of the ladies-in-waiting. The girls were all giggling and talking over themselves and sat down around the fireplace.
"Oh look, isn't Anne always such a bookworm?" Lady Jane exclaimed, with a teasing look. "Why don't you put that book down and come with us to admire Francis and his friends? They will be playing tennis in a little while."
Anne bookmarked her page and closed the book. She glanced over at Lady Jane and rolled her eyes.
"You really enjoy watching men whack a ball over a net and screaming at each other like buffoons?" Anne asked, with a smirk.
"It's quite attractive, honestly. You can see them shirtless, Anne!" Lady Jane exclaimed, nearly bouncing in her seat. "How often do you get to see men half undressed?"
"Clearly not enough," Anne replied, glancing at her sister who tried to hide her amused look.
Jane looked at Anne pleadingly and nearly went on her knees in front of Anne, who continued to lie on the chaise, on her back.
"Anne, pleeease, won't you come with us? Princess Mary is going to join later, once she's - you know - recovered. Mary, tell your sister she HAS to come watch the tennis match. All she ever does is read! How are you going to find a husband if all you do is sit here and read books all day?"
"I do other things!" Anne retorted, defensively while sitting up.
"Like what?"
"I'm great at dancing, as you all saw me during the wedding party. I like archery and horseback riding, and politics is always entertaining for me. I'm good at playing Piquet and other card games." Anne answered, matter-of-factly. "I just like the peace and quiet sometimes and getting the chance to read and educate myself. There's so many that don't have the luxury of getting to read."
"You mean the peasantry?" Lady Jane asked, rolling her eyes.
"Well, yeah - they don't have much opportunity to learn and educate themselves. I try to not take things that I have for granted, even if I am just a woman." Anne explained.
"So noble!" Lady Jane said, dramatically. "Now that your book is finally down, you can come with us! Come on!"
Lady Jane got up and pulled Anne up off the chaise. Anne sighed heavily and agreed to go with the girls. It would be good for her to get out and socialize, she thought.
"Fine! You win! Let's go watch these princes play tennis."
"Do you want to place bets on the match with us?" Lady Kate asked, as they made their way down the corridor to the tennis courts.
"I suppose. Ten francs on Francis," Anne said.
"You picked Francis only because he's with Mary." Lady Kate exclaimed, raising an eyebrow at Anne.
"Suppose I did - I don't know the other contenders yet."
"Well, it's Francis' friends, Philippe de Boudin - his brother, Francois, and Henri, Duc de Bourdeilles." Lady Jane answered, peering back at Anne and Kate. "Anne, don't you know Philippe?"
"I briefly met him during the wedding party. I hardly know him. We shared one dance; ONE, that's it." Anne replied, irritably, her tone was still playful however, it hadn't been said out of anger.
"Well, you should place your bets on him then! Besides, I think Lady Mary, your sister, is already calling the shots on her man." Lady Jane declared, winking at Anne.
Anne inwardly groaned and rolled her eyes before releasing a frustrated sigh.
"Fine! I'll place ten francs on Philippe de Boudin, if he wins you owe me!" Anne remarked, pointing her finger directly at Jane.
Jane smiled victoriously and playfully twirled back around. Anne could sense that this young lady was plotting something, but she didn't know what. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that there were four girls making their way to the tennis match and there were four men playing. Charles was obviously taken, but the other three had no known ladies pining and chasing after them. They found the tennis courts and several ladies and some younger men too shuffling under the white canopies. It was outdoors and the weather was quite lovely outside. There was a chill in the air but that made it all the more splendid to watch. There were nets all around the court, keeping the crowds safe from the ball should it go out of bounds. Anne, Kate, Jane and Mary were directly in the front, somewhere near the middle of the court.
They had a direct view of the men playing and Anne spotted Philippe. His dark curled hair was wild and unkempt, his skin olive toned and tan. His upper torso wasn't half bad either. Anne could feel her cheeks turn hot when he looked her way. Philippe smiled and it was a charming smile. He greeted her with a nod and she gave him a subtle nod back. Anne looked over at Francis who was clearly eyeing her sister. Mary was smiling flirtatiously at her man and the other ladies too were trying to get the attention of the other two young men.
Francis was the first to serve and he passed it onto Philippe who was diagonally across from him. Philippe caught the ball and whacked it back. Francois was able to block it and sent it flying to the other side, well past Philippe and Henri. Henri shouted a couple vulgarities which the young women gasped and then whispered to each other, giggling as they heard the foul speech. Philippe retrieved the ball and threw it to Francis who caught it. Francis tossed up the tennis ball again and the game was afoot. The men were shouting and shuffling back and forth on the court, crying out when they missed a point or it went out of bounds. Anne did her best to keep score. At the moment it had been four to one. Francis and Francois were ahead on points. Before their matches would begin, Philippe quickly stole glances at Anne, his breathing heavy as they moved around.
"Seems Philippe is into you, Annie," Lady Jane whispered, nudging her friend.
"What makes you say that?" Anne wondered, glancing over.
"He keeps looking at you, are you really that blind?" Lady Jane exclaimed, barely above a whisper.
"No, obviously, I just choose to ignore it." Anne replied.
"But why?"
"Because it's the sort of attention I don't want; if I marry Lady Jane, it'll be the whole package. I want love and a title, if I can have it. I can have standards."
"What if Philippe could do that for you? Isn't he a count of some sort? Don't be so quick to push him aside. You never know until you ask him or he asks you."
"Well, either way, I'm not looking to make any kind of attachments right now. I'm fifteen years old."
"You know when you turn twenty you'll be an old maid?" Lady Kate said, peering over. "I'd get married now if I could but no one is eager enough, or maybe I'm too desperate."
"If I'm an old maid by twenty, then that's fine. I'm not going to settle for just anyone."
"Suit yourself," Lady Jane exclaimed. "That means there will be more single men to chase after for the rest of us."
"Have fun with that!" Anne replied, with a smirk.
"And also, it looks like poor Philippe and Henri aren't doing so well. It's seven to two. You might owe me ten francs."
Anne kept her opinions to herself. She'd rather not start an all out verbal war with Lady Jane. She didn't need to talk smack and try to egg other people on with words. She could have if she really wanted to, but Anne was far more poised than that. It wasn't worth any of her time or energy. But, still, she let her friends keep up the sport of betting and shit-talking each other. Her sister Mary even joined in occasionally, revealing a sassy attitude that she never knew Mary had. The French court really did do things differently than what Anne was used to.
There was a fifteen minute pause after the first thirty minutes of the tennis game. The gentlemen who played walked around and stretched, they socialized and laughed. There was an attendant who brought them wine to refresh themselves. Philippe had walked with a hint of swag over to Anne and smiled when he saw her.
"Good afternoon, Lady Anne," he greeted. "How do you fare on this fine day?"
"I'm well, thank you. You're playing very well, my lord."
"Ah, I suppose. But if you've been keeping score you know that Francis and his man are ahead by five points. Lady Anne, might I have your favor on my wrist so we might have a bit of luck?" Philippe asked.
"I can do that for you, my lord. There is a divide in the net over there down the way, walk with me there and I can tie this red ribbon on you." Anne said, shuffling through the crowd. "Jane, save my spot!"
"I will!" Jane called.
Anne carefully made her way through the crowd of people and found the divide in the net. She slipped over and after Philippe gave his wrist to her, she took the ribbon out of her hair and tied it on. Philippe smiled.
"Thank you, Lady Anne. Now I believe we will have a chance to catch up at least, maybe win if this luck rubs off."
"Good luck, I have ten francs betting on you now." Anne replied.
"Ten?" Philippe asked, raising a brow.
"Is that too low? Should I up the bets?"
"I'm worth at least twenty, my dear Anne," Philippe exclaimed, with a chuckle.
"Well, aren't you all full of confidence?" Anne teased, raising a brow.
"Even more now that I have your support," Philippe said, winking at her and then running back onto the court, his racket spinning in his hand.
Anne could feel her cheeks going hot as she made her way back to the other ladies. Anne prayed she wasn't blushing when she returned. Jane, Kate and Mary were all staring at her wide-eyed in amazement.
"Anne!" they exclaimed and spoke all at once.
"Oh my gosh, you're blushing!"
"Philippe is so cute!"
"He is so lucky!"
"There is nothing going on between us, just so you're aware. If anything should happen, Princess Mary and you three will be the first to know. I promise. Sure, he's handsome, but nothing even happened. We just talked a little." Anne explained, being careful with her words.
"He wanted your colors on him, Anne, that's something." Mary said, matter-of-factly.
"Next time he comes over, please have him introduce Francois to me, Anne! I really want him to notice me at least once." Lady Kate begged, nearly swooning as she looked over at Francois.
"Lady Jane, do you want me to have him ask Henri for you also?" Anne wondered, raising a brow at her friends.
Lady Jane looked at Anne guiltily and nodded.
"Alright, fine! I'll do it, but you owe me!"
"If he loses, you don't have to pay the ten francs then!" Lady Jane said, excitedly.
"That works for me!" Anne said, decidedly.
The rest of the afternoon was spent watching the hour and a half long tennis match and by the time it was finished, Francis and Francois had one by two points. Philippe returned to greet Anne and her friends. Anne told him the compromise she had made with the ladies and Philippe agreed to introduce Jane and Kate to Francois and Henri. The two couples seemed to hit it off fairly well right from the start.
Henri offered his arm to Jane and they went to socialize with other courtiers in the midst of the finale. After the tennis match, there were tents set up in the gardens and the crowd of people made their way there. There was one tent that had a long table set up with a feast and attendants serving wine for them. Anne walked beside Philippe and the other ladies close behind with their young men. Anne spotted Princess Mary joining the crowd a little while later with her husband, the king. The other six ladies followed close behind her.
There was laughter and merriment and the royal musicians had even been requested and soon enough in the corner of the tent, the music began. Throughout the afternoon, there were games being played all around in groups. Some ladies and gentlemen stood around talking, drinking wine and watching the other games that went on. Philippe and Anne took to walking in the gardens, in a quiet part but still within eyesight of her father. Ever so often, he'd glance at the pair - eyeing them curiously.
"Lady Anne, does your father always watch you so closely?" Philippe asked, nervously.
"I'm afraid so; he's just protective of his family. Don't pay any attention. If you like, you can turn around and I can face my father."
"That might be more comfortable for me." Philippe admitted, with an awkward smile and chuckle.
They sat down by a bench, facing away from Thomas Boleyn. Unbeknownst to them, he huffed in annoyance when he saw Anne giving the young lad the idea to turn away. Thomas knew Anne wasn't reckless so he let this one go, he turned his attention elsewhere and continued in the festivities with the others. Anne turned around after a few moments and smiled when she saw her father was no longer paying attention.
"He's gone, which means that he trusts me not to do anything I might regret."
"It was probably me he was concerned about then, I suppose."
"I wouldn't worry about it too much, my lord."
"You may call me Philippe, if you wish to. I hate sounding so formal when it's just the two of us."
Anne smiled kindly and looked down at her hands.
"Then you may call me Anne."
"Might I kiss you, Anne? I've been desperately wanting to since we shared the dance at Princess Mary's wedding." Philippe confessed, taking hold of her hand.
"You may," Anne said, softly.
Philippe smiled and leaned forward, his forehead lightly brushing against hers. Anne closed her eyes and felt a tingling in her chest when he kissed her. It was a soft, gentle kiss and quite a pleasant one for her first one. His hand came up and gently caressed her cheek, cupping the side of her face. He allowed his thumb to graze along her cheekbone carefully. Anne pulled away and gasped lightly. She touched his hand and gave it a tender squeeze before removing his hand away. She got up and walked a few steps away from him.
"My Lady Anne, are you well?" Philippe asked, getting up.
"I'm sorry, Philippe, I - I don't," she paused and kept looking away from him.
"You what?" he asked again, wondering why she was being cold and distant.
"I'm sorry, I have to go!" Anne whispered and made her quick escape.
Mary Boleyn had been secretly watching them from afar. She had seen her sister kiss the young man but suddenly turned away in haste. Mary was quite surprised at Anne's reactions. Something must have happened in Anne's mind to make her run the way she did. It perhaps hadn't been because of Philippe, something else had troubled Anne. Mary knew her sister well enough. Philippe looked dejected when Anne fled the scene. He turned around and caught Mary watching in the distance. Her eyes went wide and she turned back to her conversation with Lady Jane and Lady Kate, hoping to avoid confrontation with Philippe de Boudin. For now, he would let it go. He knew that Anne was young and inexperienced, but he eventually would like to talk to Anne about what had happened. It was the least she could offer, he thought. Until then, he would wait.
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