His Secret Slave to Scandalous Queen

Theodora looked at him, then returned to Livia with a small, charming smile. "No mistress I sent to his bed would satisfy him then. He wanted Bella. Only Bella. The servants spoke of it endlessly. Then Bella conceived...And, well, you know the rest."

"Of course, Your Grace." Livia said. She folded her hands in her lap. "I thank you for the lesson."

"Good. A favourite must be sensible. She must understand that kings are not like ordinary men."

"I am learning that."

"They hunger quickly. They tire quickly too," Theodora added. "Today, a woman is a treasure. Tomorrow, a burden. The day after, a memory. But do not take my words too deeply. His Majesty has always been passionate. Passion, by its nature, burns."

Livia looked down at her plate. The food before her had lost every bit of appeal. Theodora had meant to humiliate her. Livia knew what Theodora was doing. She understood every calculated word, every mention of Bella designed to make her afraid of wanting too much.

It did not stop Livia from thinking of when the king would get bored of her too.

"You would know a great deal about bored kings, would you not?" Henry’s voice was calm.

Livia, who had only just begun to understand the geography of his temper, felt the warning in it at once.

"My father tired of you after what? A few weeks?"

Theodora’s face changed. Rage lit her from within. "Your father loved me."

"Did he?"

"He loved me," she said again.

"So you have always claimed. Curiously, only your version of history says so. My father loved his queen," Henry continued. "His lawful wife. The woman whose place you spent years circling. He died the night she was to be cast aside and you were to stand in her place. Perhaps the thought of you beside him was revolting."

Theodora rose. "You are a man now, are you?...A king who can sit before his mistress and mock his mother. I made you."

Livia looked between them, suddenly aware that this argument had gone far beyond her. Theodora was not speaking to the king of England now. She was speaking to the boy she had shaped.

"You were a forgotten child," Theodora said. "A spare life. You had no great destiny, no path, no dream. I gave you one. I placed power within your hands. I made you king."

"Then I shall be grateful," he said. "You gave me a throne." Henry’s eyes turned colder. "You also gave me the authority to remove you from it. If I wish, I can have you banished from court before sunset. I can send you to a house so far from London that even gossip would need two horses to reach you. I can strip your attendants, your influence, your little army of whispering servants, and every door you think still opens because men fear your name."

"I have permitted you far more power than wisdom advised. Confinement at the tower clearly taught you nothing. Do not test how gladly I would throw you beyond reach."

It was astonishing, Livia thought faintly, how many people could be present and yet no one seemed to breathe.

Theodora straightened. She understood the threat. She believed Henry might carry it out. "I have suddenly lost my appetite."

Henry glanced at her abandoned plate. "The first good news since you walked in."

She turned to Livia. All the rage Henry had drawn from her narrowed into one point. "You will never be queen. As long as I live and breathe, you will never wear the English crown."

Livia met her eyes, stood and curtsied.

Respectfully.

"Understood, Your Grace." Livia’s courtesy seemed to anger her more.

Theodora turned and swept from the hall, Mistress Agnes hurrying after her, her meal abandoned behind her.

Only when the doors closed did sound return. Livia lowered herself back into her seat, her heart still beating fast beneath her calm face. She looked at Henry, whose eyes fixed on the doors through which his mother had vanished.

She released a slow breath. "That was intense."

"Conversations with my mother are usually like that," Henry said. "I am used to it."

"I suppose I should not have suggested you take your meals here."

"Oh no. I rather like it." His gaze settled on her. "As long as you are here with me." He reached across the table and took her hand. "Do not take what she said to heart," Henry murmured.

Livia gave him a look. "That is rather difficult when she aims every word directly at it. She did make some solid points."

"There is no pattern, Livia." Henry’s thumb brushed her knuckles. "If I were going to tire of you, I would have done it the first time I fucked you."

Her entire face burned.

The doors opened again and Lionel entered.

He bowed. "Your Majesty. My lady."

"Lionel," Henry said. "If you are here, then you bring news."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Leave us."

Servants bowed and began to withdraw at once. Tabitha turned to leave with the others. Stephen moved as well.

"Stephen," Henry called.

The valet stopped at once. "Sire?"

"Stay."

"Of course, Your Majesty." Stephen returned to his place near the high table, face calm, eyes attentive.

Livia rose halfway from her chair.

Henry looked at her immediately. "Where are you going?"

She paused, one hand resting on the edge of the table. "I thought... I thought perhaps you would prefer privacy."

Henry’s gaze remained on her. "Sit."

Livia lowered herself back into the chair. "Of course, Your Majesty."

He turned to Lionel. The hall had emptied now, save for Lionel, Stephen, Henry, and Livia. Livia’s hands folded in her lap.

Henry’s voice dropped. "Tell me."

"The princess’s maid, Elodie, has confessed," Lionel said.

"Everything?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Lionel continued. "She admits she did intend to kill Lady Bella. She was sent by Princess Madeleine. Elodie claims the princess believed you had begun to favour Lady Bella again."

Livia’s stomach turned.

Jealousy, then.

Madeleine had seen Bella as an obstacle.

Henry’s gaze did not leave Lionel. "And my son?"

Lionel looked briefly at the floor. "Thomas FitzRoy was smothered."

"By whom?" Henry asked.

"By the princess’s late maid. Sophie."

Henry drew in a slow breath. "Under Madeleine’s instruction?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Henry looked down at the table. "I am such a fool."

Stephen moved at once. "Your Majesty. You did not know."

"I should have known."

"You were not here to investigate it properly," Stephen said, firmer now. "You were carried away to the Tower almost at once. You were half-mad with loss, and everyone around you let the matter close too quickly."

Lionel inclined his head. "Stephen is right, Your Majesty. Guilt is not a road you should walk now. Not if you mean to reach justice. What next? Sire" Lionel asked.

Henry straightened. "Princess Madeleine is to be arrested immediately."

Lionel bowed his head. "On what charge, Your Majesty?"

"Murder of Thomas FitzRoy, attempted murder of Lady Bella, conspiracy within the king’s household, and treasonous violence committed under royal protection. She is to be held under confinement."

"And Elodie?"

"Keep her alive. I want Geoffrey to take her deposition before witnesses." Henry turned to Stephen. "Prepare me to leave for France as soon as possible."

"My lord?" Lionel said.

Henry looked at him. "I have business there."

"Then I go with you."

"No. You remain here."

Lionel’s face hardened. "My place is at your side. I trust no one else to protect you."

"I know."

"Then do not ask me to stand aside while you cross the Narrow Sea at the edge of war."

"I am not asking. I need you to stay here because I trust you to protect Livia. Her life is my life, and I place it in your hands."

"Pardon my insolence, Your Majesty," Lionel said carefully, "but I am sworn as your personal guard. My life belongs to your protection, not—" He stopped.

"As I said, her life is my life. The Italians are still out there. We have no news back yet. I trust you to keep her alive and unharmed until I return."

"Your Majesty," Livia said at once.

Henry looked at her.

"Surely you can assign me someone else," she said. "Lionel should go with you."

"I shall be well guarded."

"You are crossing the Narrow Sea into a court that may soon become enemy ground," Livia pressed. "What if news of the princess’s arrest reaches France before you do? What if they decide to seize you?"

"I will be fine." Henry’s eyes warmed, but his voice stayed firm. "Lionel has his orders. Go. Have Madeleine arrested and secured. Geoffrey is to be informed at once and Elodie kept alive for formal deposition. Then prepare for tonight."

Lionel bowed, though every inch of the bow protested. "Yes, Sire." He turned and left the hall with a stiff stride.

Livia turned back to Henry. "My lord, I will be fine."