It was true, she reflected, though now everything seemed to have changed. A few weeks ago she had wondered if she would know love if it came to her. Now she knew without a doubt that she was in love, but she could certainly not confess it to Ellen or anyone else.
“Good.” Ellen squeezed her hand. “There will be plenty of time for confidences.”
A LITTLE LATER, CHARLES ANSWERED JANE’S SOFT KNOCK AT THE door of his little room and drew her in swiftly, holding her to him and kissing her.
“Oh, Jane, I feel so alive in your arms.”
Her head swam at the intensity of his presence, the taste and smell and feel of him.
“And I in yours.” She thought she had never felt so vibrantly aware of her body or been swept by such emotion as she felt now looking up at him.
“Come,” he said, drawing her down to sit beside him on the bed. “I must consult with you. I feel like a hare being chased by hounds, and I don’t know whether to hide in the thickets or run for it.”
“What’s happened?”
“I went down to the kitchen after you left, having a very good stomach after such a night.” He cocked an eyebrow at her and she blushed and smiled.
“The doctor saw me, and asked what news I had of Worcester. It took me by surprise and I scarce knew how to answer, and seeing my hesitation, he said, ‘I am afraid you are a Roundhead, but I will try what mettle you are made of.’ Then what should he do but takes me into the buttery and drinks me the king’s health in a glass of wine! So what could I do but drink as well, wishing myself good health, did he but know it.”
“Then he didn’t know you last night!” Jane felt a surge of relief.
“It would seem not, but things only got hotter from there. I went to the buttery hatch to get my breakfast and the butler Pope was there with two or three other fellows. We fell to eating bread and butter, along with some very good ale and sack he gave us. One, that looked like a country fellow, sat just by me, and began to talk of the fight at Worcester, giving so particular an account to the company that I concluded he must be one of Cromwell’s soldiers.”
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