A Little Taste of a New Obession
Chapter One: My Loves, My Wife, My Son
“I shall have thee in my arms or you will have me in thine, either way our reunion shall be sweet and soon. Yay, by the time you receivest this I may be with you and all my longings shall be moot.” Elizabeth Wyckes Cromwell read aloud from her husband’s letter, his faithful correspondence was the only thing that made his absences bearable. Their son, Gregory brought about a pause in her reading. He was seated opposite her beside the fire, anxious to her his father’s news, but not in the least bit pleased to hear of his father’s longing. At thirteen he understood full well what that meant and he didn’t want to hear about it, lest a mental image be conjured.
Mother laughed at her child, but complied, skipping the details of the kisses missed.
“Expect me home soon my loves, my wife, my son. Yours-”
“Yours faithfully and true. Thomas.” Elizabeth nearly toppled her chair as she jumped at her husband’s voice finishing the letter and not her own. She looked up and found him the door betwixt kitchen and Living room looking happy to be home and as handsome as ever.
“Thomas!” she exclaimed. Gregory rushed into his father’s arms. He was a young man but in moments like this he was still her little boy. Father embraced son just as delighted to see him. He kissed his child’s head and held him tight. Elizabeth watched the scene with a glad heart and mischievous smile. In that moment was not thirteen but three. To them, no matter how hard he fought, he would be their baby.
“How are you Gregory?” Thomas asked, stepping back to look over his son who’d grown so much in his absence.
“Very well Father, I have much joy at your safe arrival, how was your travel?” At this Thomas burst out laughing. Gregory tried so hard to be a man, his father couldn’t help it but his efforts made him laugh. Thomas ruffled his son’s thick dark hair, so much like his own.
“My travel was smooth my son and I am glad to be home.” The formality did not last. “Gregory, if you bring in my saddlebag from the stable there is a surprise for you in it.” The boy’s face beamed, but he was torn between running like a child and behaving as an adult. “Go on.” Thomas encouraged and the decision was made.
“Thank you Father!” the boy exclaimed darting from the room. Thomas watched him go with a chuckle.
“How disappointed he will be when he discovers that it is just your dirty clothes.” Elizabeth said. Thomas turned to her smiling. He was dusty and weary from the road, the beginnings of a beard clinging to his square jaw, yet he could not have been more handsome. Raven curls tussled, smile wide, eyes dark and lusty. Elizabeth took a step closer, looking up to accommodate the difference between her petite stature and his seemingly immense height.
“You spoil him Thomas; he does not need a gift every time you return from travel.” She scolded playfully. He took a step closer, placing his large hands on either side of her tiny waist and drawing her close to him. He lowered his head, bringing his thin lips just a breath away from her full ones.
“Would you still object if I said that I brought you a gift as well?” He kissed her.
“Oh Thomas.”
***
They lay together a time later in their large wooden bed, blankets wrapped around them now that their activities had cooled. Elizabeth lay on her husband’s strong chest, ear over his heart enjoying his simple presence as his long fingers drew a lazy design on her bare shoulder.
“The King is contemplating an alliance with France instead of war.” Thomas said after a time, he felt Elizabeth smile. Talking politics in bed was her second favorite thing to do with him there.
“That is very level headed, if France violates a treaty the act would look ten times worse on a world stage, we would have many more allies to avenge the wrong.”
“And in the mean time there is peace and parties.”
“It is a wise decision.”
“It was Wolsey’s idea.” Elizabeth laughed.
“Of course.”
“They will sign to permanent and universal friendship and seal it with the betrothal of Princess Mary to the Dauphin of France.”
“How does the Queen feel about this?”
“Naturally she is distressed; Mary is her only daughter-”
“And it’s the French.”
“Katherine is Spanish but she is too much of a diplomat to allow that bias to affect the politics, she is her father’s daughter.”
“Yes, but it’s the French.” Elizabeth looked up at her husband and pulled a face.
“Spoken like a true Englishwoman.” He said kissing her wrinkled nose. “I do no see this betrothal lasting. The friendship will strain and the terms will come to an end and Mary will be free once again.”
“Until his majesty sees another alliance and offers her as payment. She is too young to be treated as a pawn.”
“It is a Princess’s lot, look at Poor Katherine; she was volleyed between Author and Henry, their father even contemplated about marrying her.” Elizabeth shifted so that she could face her husband. She rested her slim hands on his chest and propped her chin atop them.
“I do not like it.” She said. Thomas smiled and tucked a honey colored curl behind her ear.
“Thankfully my Treasure, you do not have to, for you are no one’s princess but my own.” She kissed him.
“And you are my Prince Charming.” A natural lull quieted the conversation.
“When the treaty with France falls through Katherine would prefer an Alliance with Charles V.” Elizabeth said, Thomas’s thumb stroked the smooth skin of her hips as the fire cracked in its place and he thought.
“That would be logical; he is the most powerful man now that he has been named Holy Roman Emperor.”
“And Henry would betroth Mary to him.”
“Again that is the logical action.”
“But he is twenty two! Mary is only six, is that not a little long in the tooth for a girl?”
“He is not so much long in the tooth as he is long in the chin.” Thomas could feel Elizabeth’s laugh bubble through her. “And you are right, but I doubt they will marry, seven years is a long time to wait for a bride. Charles will marry and once again we will be in the arms of France.”
“And the wheel turns.”
“Speaking of the king’s children.” Elizabeth said after another lull.
“I did not realize we were.” He replied teasingly, she gave him a look and slapped at his chest.
“Rumor has circulated that the Lady Elizabeth Blount has retired from court.”
“Mmm.” Cromwell said.
“They say she is pregnant.”
“Mmm.”
“They say it is the King’s child she carries.”
“M-”
“Don’t you Mmm me Thomas Cromwell, what do you know?” Other men would’ve struck their wife for such cheek, Thomas only loved her more.
“I do not know anything. Wolsey made all the arrangements.”
“So it is possible.” He nodded. “Do you think the King will recognize the child?”
“I do no know; if it is a son and Katherine is not pregnant he might.”
“And place his bastard above his legitimate daughter?!” Elizabeth’s voice rose.
“He is desperate for an heir Elizabeth.”
“He has one in Mary! But wait, she is a daughter and therefore incapable and unworthy to rule.” The fire reflected in her clear blue eyes and it made her passion appear to burn.
“Elizabeth-”
“Do you not think it true?” She asked venomously sitting up on his hips. “Do you not think all women inferior? Do you not love sons better? Do you-”
“No!” Thomas broke in forcefully, feeling her fire spill into him. “No, I do not! I believe in woman as much as I believe in man, I loved our daughters as much as I love our son. But I am not the King.” She smiled, mood over, and nestled back into his chest.
“Good.” She said. Thomas took a deep breath, “How many mistresses do you think he has?” and groaned. Her head was tilted and one thick eyebrow was raised. He knew her looks, this was the ‘ask - me - how - I - feel - about - the - treatment - of - women’ look.
“Henry is young and amorous, Katherine may not be available and he feels the need to sow his oats at his leisure.”
“Do you not get aroused?”
“I am not young.”
“So you save all of your desire for me. I wonder, however, you are such a wonderful lover - how is it so? Do you practice?” the teasing light in her eye was soon over run by surprise as he growled and rolled her beneath him, pinning her body with his, her wrists in his hands.
“There are only two things in my heart - you and Gregory. And the only practice I take I take with you.” And he kissed her in a way that booked no rebuttal.
***
They lay together again, bedclothes messier than before.
“I do wish Wolsey would marry Joan.” Elizabeth said into Thomas’ shoulder. He sat up on his elbow and looked down at his wife.
“And I do wish you wouldn’t speak of other men so shortly after we make love.” Elizabeth looked up at him and with a laugh patted his cheek.
“Do not worry husband - mine, I was only thinking of how I love you and the small comfort I take in knowing that God forbid something should ever happen to you everyone would know of our love in my widowhood. There is a dignity in it.”
“And a wimple.” He joked.
“But poor Joan, she gives him her heart and when he is gone she does not even get his name.”
“But men of the cloth cannot marry.” She gave him a withering look.
“Men of the cloth also take a vow of chastity. He broke that rule willingly enough, why can he not break the other? It is the least he could do for the mother of his children.”
“Now Elizabeth.”
“I do not like his faults, Thomas, I do not like his faults.”
“Yes, but he is also a loyal friend in a great position to provide for us.” Elizabeth studied him, her blue eyes reading his face in a way that no one else could.
“I do not understand, provide for us? Provide for us what?”
“I am going to court as Secretary to his majesty.”