The old familiar sense of being unworthy washed over Christopher, but he shoved it away. “Because of my betrothal to Rosalind Llewellyn?”
“Of course.”
“Yet, as far as I can tell, you have made no effort to dismantle that betrothal. Why is that?”
“Because it might still prove useful to us.” Edward closed the book of sermons on his lap with a snap. “In a way, having you locked together with the Vampire slayer nullifies you both. Her family doesn’t quite trust her anymore, and—”
“And you’ve never trusted me anyway.”
His uncle’s smile confirmed Christopher’s worst fears. “So you refuse to tell me what is going on either.”
“Actually, I’d prefer it if you used your influence to find out what your betrothed knows.”
“You want me to spy on Rosalind.”
“That is your duty to your family. It’s hardly a problem for you, is it? From all accounts, you are besotted with the wench.” Edward’s gaze sharpened. “Women tend to grow very confiding after a tumble in the hay.”
Christopher stood up so abruptly his chair rocked back on its legs. “I am loyal to the Ellis family, but I resent being excluded from your confidence. If aught befalls me or anyone I care for because you have kept me in ignorance, I will not let it go unchallenged.”
“Brave words from a man who already faces a death sentence.”
“You are right.” He gazed steadily at his uncle. “I regret my decision to join the Cult of Mithras more than you could know.”
“And yet you begged and pleaded with me to be inducted.
Begged
, Christopher.”
“Because in my youth, I wanted your approval. I realize now that I would never have gained it whatever I did. I will always remain suspect, firstly because of my tainted blood and now because of Rosalind Llewellyn.”
His uncle stood up. “Do you expect me to feel sorry for you, nephew? You were given a home and a creed to follow, which is more than most half-breed Vampire spawn get. I could’ve had you killed at birth.”
“I am no half-breed, sir. And you chose to keep me alive and in your thrall for your own selfish reasons.” Christopher bowed. “Please let me know if you have a change of heart.”
Not that his uncle had a heart. Christopher left and walked out into the warm sunshine of the formal gardens. He needed to breathe the clean air to get the taste of deceit out of his mouth. Surely his uncle didn’t want the Vampires to rule England. Or was he simply too complacent and arrogant to believe the Vampires could succeed without him?
And then there was the matter of the Mithras Cult. His uncle was the current overlord of the English branch, and held all the power in his hands. After Christopher refused to kill Druids in cold blood, Edward had barred him from celebrating the Mithraic rites and branded him a coward. Christopher knew that if the vote went against him, his uncle wouldn’t stir himself to save his life.
Laughter and the sound of music drifted out of the open windows that led into the queen’s rooms. After sending up a quick prayer of forgiveness to Queen Katherine, Christopher made his way into the state apartments and toward Lady Anne Boleyn’s domain. At least there he could pick up a lute, play for a while, and hopefully forget his troubles.
Chapter 5
A
fter leaving the obliging Lady Wilkinson in the upper reaches of the ladies-in-waiting quarters, Rosalind went to find Rhys. In the immense and unfamiliar Hampton Court stable yard, it took her quite a while to locate him. She eventually found him in the tack room repairing one of the horse’s bridles. He looked up briefly as she entered the room, and then returned his gaze to the bridle.
Rosalind sat opposite him and watched the intricate movement of his fingers as he sewed two of the crosspieces more tightly together. Just watching Rhys work steadied her. He was such a calm, methodical man with an undercurrent of such deep passion. After he used his dagger to cut through the thick thread, he looked at her again.
“Thank you for your patience, my lady. I was at a particularly difficult spot. Now, what can I do for you?”
“I am to stay here at Hampton Court for a while and serve the Lady Anne Boleyn.”
“Aye?” Rhys rebuckled the noseband of the bridle and gazed at it critically. “Then I expect that when the carrier arrives from Wales, you’ll want the rest of your belongings moved here.”
“Do you think you could arrange that for me?”
Rhys stood and walked across to one of the racks, where he hung the bridle up. “Of course, my lady. I’ll go back to Richmond Palace this afternoon, gather up our belongings, and bring them here. I can leave a message for the carrier with the stable boys.”
“Thank you, Rhys.” Rosalind stood up, her hands clasped tightly at her waist. “Do you have a moment to check on Geithin for me? I think he might have a stone in his hoof.”
“Of course, my lady.” Rhys’s eyebrows rose, but he walked her to the narrow row of stalls until they found her horse munching contentedly on some hay. Rhys gestured for her to precede him into the stall and then locked the door behind them. They both bent down as if to examine Geithin’s hooves.
“I know there’s nothing wrong with Geithin, so what do you need to tell me?” Rhys asked quietly.
“Jasper was correct. Anne Boleyn is a Vampire.”
Rhys hissed a curse. “She is far too close to the king. Why didn’t Jasper warn us earlier?”
“That is my concern too.” Rosalind sighed. “The king seems so enamored of her that I fear any word from me would enrage him. I’m already hearing stories that the king has fallen out with some of his closest allies over Lady Anne. It’s as if she has bewitched him.”
Rhys shifted position and felt Geithin’s front right leg. “I’ll contact your grandfather and ask him what we know about the Boleyn family.”
“Anne and her sister lived in France for many years, so that might be why we know so little about them.” Rosalind swallowed hard. “I’m not sure how well, but Christopher definitely knows Lady Anne. She seems to hold him in quite high regard.”
“Lord Christopher spent most of his early life in France and Spain too, so it is possible that their acquaintance is of long standing.”
Rosalind and Rhys stared at each other. “I’ll have to talk to him, Rhys, and find out where he stands.”
Rhys straightened and patted Geithin on the rump before helping Rosalind up. “I’ll write to your grandfather today. You can deal with Lord Christopher.”
“And how do you expect me to do that without giving away how much I know?”
Rhys smiled. “You’ll find a way. You have the man wrapped around your little finger.”
“Hardly.”
Rhys’s expression sobered. “If you can think of another way for us to deal with this threat, then tell me what it is. Otherwise, I suggest you use your wits and be pleasant to your betrothed.”
“He’ll be even more suspicious if I’m pleasant to him,” Rosalind grumbled as she patted Geithin, and then left the stall. “I hate having to ask him for anything.”
Rhys slapped her on the back. “You are both as stubborn as a pair of cart horses. Sometimes I think you deserve each other, and that I had a lucky escape.”
Rosalind stopped walking. “Now, that is the first sensible thing you’ve said all day.”
He looked down at her, a smile lingering on his lips. “I’m beginning to think you are right. How will you feel seeing me find another woman to adore?”
She touched his hand and closed her fingers around his. “I’ll feel happy for you, once I get over being unreasonably jealous and wanting to stick my dagger in the unfortunate woman.”
He kissed the top of her head. “
Cariad
, there will always be a corner of my heart dedicated to you.”
“I know. It would have been much easier if I hadn’t met Christopher, wouldn’t it?”
“But it was always your destiny to do so. Don’t you remember the prophecy?”
“Oh, the prophecy.” Rosalind sighed and dutifully recited, “ ‘The kiss of the rose is death to kin, and three will stand alone. The bonds of blood will reunite and enemies become one.’ I suppose that did come true, after all. You, Elias, and Christopher supported me, and we did kill the rogue Vampire.”
“Don’t forget the part about your and Lord Christopher’s blood bond.” Rhys held open the door for her and Rosalind blinked at the sunlight. “Thanks to the prophecy, you are bound to Lord Christopher in other ways as well, aren’t you?”
Rosalind made a face. “Don’t remind me.”
“It is quite amusing, my lady.”
“For you perhaps.” She sketched him a curtsy. “I must go and present myself to Lady Anne Boleyn.”
Rhys paused. “Take care of yourself, and watch out for her brother, too. I have a suspicion he is dangerous.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep as far away from them as I can without calling attention to myself.” Rosalind picked up her skirts and started back toward the guest apartments. If she was lucky, Christopher would be dancing attendance on the Boleyns as well. She had no choice but to talk to him, but it was a risk. He already knew her far too well, and had no compunction in using all his wiles to extract information from her.
She found herself smiling at the mere thought of matching her wits against his and ruthlessly suppressed it. She would
not
let him charm or bully her. Despite his explanation about the letters, Christopher still had a lot to answer for.
Christopher sat in the window seat ostensibly strumming his lute, but actually watching who came and went from Anne Boleyn’s chambers. Because of his peculiar heritage, he could sometimes sense the presence of Vampires, even the old ones. It was a bitter legacy from his mother, who’d turned Vampire during his birth and tried to turn him with her.
There were certainly more Vampires at court than there had been previously, especially around the Boleyns. Christopher wasn’t sure why, but it worried him. He struck a discordant note and rearranged his fingers more gently on the fret board. When he looked up he saw Rosalind coming into the rooms. She glanced across at an oblivious Anne Boleyn and then headed straight for him.
“Christopher.” She held out her hands and smiled at him.
The glory of that smile coupled with the melting softness in her fine brown eyes made him instantly suspicious. He propped the lute against the window and rose to kiss her hand. “My lady. What a pleasure it is to see you.”
She simpered and looked away from him, her hand still in his. “I am to serve the Lady Anne.”
Christopher squeezed her hand. “That is a great . . . honor.” He didn’t need to tell her that his sympathies were divided between Queen Katherine and his old friends the Boleyns. Rosalind slipped her hand through his arm and he obediently strolled beside her out into the wide hallways.
“Lady Anne said that she knew you well.”
“That is true. I met all the Boleyns when I visited the French court with my uncle.”
“Ah, I wondered where you had formed that acquaintance.”
“I have not seen them for several years. It was quite a surprise when Lady Anne appeared to capture the king’s interest.”
“A surprise to many, I suspect.”
He drew her out of an open doorway and into the knot garden to the south of the building. “I assume you do not approve.” She glanced up at him, her gaze wary, and he smiled. “It’s all right; you can still speak freely to me. I’ll never betray your confidences.”
“Yet you are friends with the woman who, for all intents and purposes, has usurped the queen’s position.”
“I must confess, my loyalties are torn. I am very fond of Anne, but I truly hope to see Queen Katherine restored to her rightful place and the end of this dalliance of the king’s.” He frowned. “I’m not sure what Anne hopes to achieve. I fear she is after the crown.”
“I fear that you are right.” Rosalind shivered. “And yet, how can that be accomplished?”
Christopher lowered his voice. “I believe the king is well on the path to dissolving his marriage. Even though Cardinal Wolsey failed him, he is now plotting with his chief minister, Thomas Cromwell, an intelligent, well-learned man and one the queen should fear.”
“And the Lady Anne is aware of this?”
“She is no fool, Rosalind. She is probably pushing the king as hard as she can.”
Rosalind stopped and bent to pick a sprig of rosemary. The pungent scent reminded Christopher of his Spanish childhood.
“I hear that Lady Anne refuses to become the king’s mistress as her sister did.”
“From my observations as a member of the king’s inner household, I believe that is true.” He leaned close as if to smell the rosemary and whispered, “To the best of my knowledge, she is refusing to let him in her bed.”
Rosalind arched her neck and his mouth brushed her ear, making his heart beat faster and his body react in more primitive ways. “I wish you would let me in your bed, Rosalind.”
She dropped the rosemary on the ground and moved away from him. He had to wait a moment to compose himself before following her. She had the most delectable effect on his senses. He wanted to breathe in her scent, cover her naked flesh with kisses, thrust his aching prick into her warm, wet tightness . . .
He looked up to find her staring at him and he stared right back. Let her see the warmth in his eyes, the need, and the lust, whatever she wanted. He couldn’t lose her again. She held his heart in her hands. “I want you, Rosalind.”
She sighed. “It’s never been a question of ‘want,’ has it, Christopher? Since our first joining on the Beltane altar, I have known we were destined to love each other. I’ll always want you.” He took a more confident step toward her, and she backed up two. “But we are still on different sides. How can I trust you when you are allied with the Vampires?”
He spread his hands wide. “What do you want me to do, Rosalind—walk away from every loyalty, from every pledge I’ve ever made? What kind of man would I be if I did that? Not the kind you should love.”
“But that is what you expect me to do, isn’t it?” Rosalind demanded. “How well would you love me if I was capable of giving up everything for you?” She obviously saw something in his face that made her continue. “You think that because I am a woman, I should cleave unto you and no other.”