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very unlikely that they would be going home in the near future, but Mag would learn to cope she knew. As soon as the older woman got her bearings, and found a place for herself amongst the others of her own kind she would feel better. Everybody needed someone. She yawned, her eyes drooping heavily. I wonder who my someone is, she thought as she slid off into sleep.

Chapter 2

    T he golden-red flames from the great fireplace cast their wild shadows all about the chamber in Greenwood House. Upon the great bed two nude figures were entwined in passionate combat. The big man towered over the woman beneath him, imprisoning her neatly between his muscled thighs, thrusting into his partner’s soft flesh over and over again with increasing rapidity until she suddenly shrieked a high-pitched wailing sound, and a moment later both figures collapsed, the man falling away from the woman.
    For a long moment only the crackle of the fire could be heard in the room, and then a husky female voice purred, “Jesu, Conn! Yer the best lover I have ever had! I would venture yer the best lover in the entire world. What a pity this will be our last time together.”
    Conn O’Malley was surprised. Usually it was he who ended his affairs, and Lettice Knollys wasn’t even really his mistress. She had never been, but they had been attracted to each other ever since he had come to court two years ago. In that time they had engaged in sweet combat any number of times although it had been done secretly, and discreetly for neither Conn O’Malley nor Lettice Knollys had any intention of endangering their hard-won positions in Elizabeth Tudor’s exciting court. Lettice was the queen’s cousin; a far prettier version of Elizabeth, and the queen had always been jealous of her. As for Conn he owed his place in the Gentlemen Pensioners to her majesty who greatly favored him. Elizabeth enjoyed her Adonis, as she had nicknamed Conn, not only for his physical beauty, but his quick tongue as well. No one could pass as pretty a compliment, nor spin as delightful a tale as Conn O’Malley.
    “Ye devastate me, Lettice,” he said in reply to her remark. “Have I done something to offend ye, sweetheart?”
    Lettice Knollys propped herself up upon an elbow, and looked down on her lover through narrowed amber-gold eyes. “Don’t tell me ye care, Conn?” she murmured.
    He chuckled. “I’m curious. In one breath ye tell me I’m the world’s greatest lover, and in the next ye say ye’ll not see me again. ’Tis puzzling, sweetheart, wouldn’t ye say?”
    “So ’tis yer curiosity I’ve pricked, Conn, and not yer vanity. What a man ye are! I envy the lady who’ll be yer wife one day.”
    He laughed. “I’ve no intention of marrying soon, Lettice. Women are like sweets, and I’m afraid I’ve got a terrible sweet tooth. I’ll not settle down until I’ve sampled all the tasties I can. Now, tell me why ye’ll not be seeing me again?”
    “Because I am getting married,” said Lettice Knollys.
    “ Married? I had not heard.”
    “ ’Tis a secret, and ye must swear to me that ye’ll not tell anyone.”
    “By anyone ye mean the queen. Don’t ye need her permission to wed, Lettice? Yer family.”
    “I am a widow, Conn, not some maid in the first blush of youth. Neither I nor my children will ever be any threat to my cousin’s throne, but ye know how she is, Conn. She’ll refuse me permission just to be spiteful.”
    “True,” replied Conn who had no illusions about the queen, although personally he liked her.
    “Promise me ye’ll say nothing,” Lettice persisted, and bending down she bit at the lobe of his ear.
    Reaching up he crushed one of her white breasts in his big hand. “Tell me who the lucky bridegroom is first.”
    “Not until ye promise me yer silence,” Lettice said.
    “Lettice, what are ye up to?” Conn O’Malley had a sudden premonition of disaster.
    “Swear first!”
    “I am not certain now I either should or want to