In The Shadow Of The Queen

XXXII

23rd April 1548

"Jane, I'm not going forever." Kitty laughed as the girl latched herself onto her. "I will be back in only a week, and then we will go to Sudeley with her Grace together. And we will not have to worry about court or all that mess."
Jane laughed a little but kept hold of Kitty.
"I will miss you." She whispered, stepping back.
"I will miss you too." Kitty smiled and climbed into the litter behind Kate.

The coach ride was quite short, especially compared to the one they took to Wulfhall. Before she knew it, Kitty was following Kate out the litter.
The couple outside the house bowed and curtsied respectively. One Kitty recognised as Sir Charles Abbott. The other Kitty assumed was Tom's mother. She was almost as tall as Sir Charles with wisps of bright red hair falling out of her hood. She looked nice enough, but like she had the ability to be terribly scary at the same time.

"Your Grace, Mistress Seymour," Sir Charles smiled at them both. "We welcome you to our humble home. This is my wife, Alice."
"It is nice to meet you." Kate smiled as Kitty curtsied politely.
"Please, come inside." Lady Alice smiled at them both and led them inside. "Thomas will be back soon, he is hunting with his brother."
"Ah." Kate nodded. "I will not stay long, the child takes a toll on me."
"I understand," Lady Alice nodded. "But please, stay for luncheon."
"Of course." Kate smiled as Lady Alice brought them into the drawing room. It was a modest house, larger than ones in the city but much smaller than the castles and manors that Kitty had lived in the entire time she had a home.
Lady Alice let them settle in the drawing room as she went to check on the food. Kitty glanced at Kate, who was smiling at her. But it wasn't her normal smile- her smile was laced with pain ever since that night she'd found Lord Thomas and Lady Elizabeth.

"Kitty." Kitty turned towards the door to see Tom, still in his hunting gear, sauntering in. "Your Grace, it is good to see you again."
He bowed and kissed Kate's hand before seating himself on the chair next to Kitty's.
"I hear you are moving to the countryside." Tom smiled at them both.
"I do miss it after these years in court." Kate nodded. "My Lord has had his new castle in Sudeley renovated, so we are to move there."
"It will be good for the child too, I am sure." Kitty added.

~~~

"Let us be alone together before my mother coddles us until we cannot breathe." Tom pulled Kitty into his room. It was pretty similar to Kitty's, but smaller- almost reminding her of the room she slept in at Wulfhall.
Kitty stifled a giggle and let herself be pulled into his arms. He was more muscular than when she last saw him, and less gangly.
"I have missed you so." Tom hugged her close. "And I will miss you more when you leave London."
"I have missed you too." Kitty smiled at him. "But it will be better for the queen and her child. And we will probably be back in court at Christmas and events as such, so I will see you then."
"Of course." Tom kissed her forehead and cupped her cheeks. Reaching up, Kitty tilted his head lower and her own higher so their lips met.

"You are too tall Tom." Kitty chuckled, taking his hat off and ruffling his hair up.
"Or perhaps, you too small, Kitty." Tom raised his eyebrow. "I shall have to get a step stool for you."
"I'm not short." Kitty shook her head. "I am taller than Queen Kateryn."
"She is an incredibly small woman," Tom laughed. "You just happen to be, just small, instead of incredibly small."

Kitty just smiled up at him as he locked their lips again. She ran her fingers through his hair, feeling herself being pushed back until her back hit the wall.
"Is this wise?" Kitty whispered, noticing him start to fumble with his clothes.
"You are to be my wife anyway," Tom smiled down at her. "What harm could it do?"
"I could end up with child, Tom." Kitty looked at him, confused why he didn't think of that.
"Only if I release inside of you," Tom cupped her cheeks with his hand. "I will make sure not to."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Kitty said nothing and just kissed him again, helping Tom unlace his hose.

~~~

Before she realised it, Kitty found herself curled up on Tom's lap as he wiped her tears away. It had ended up being a lot more painful than she had expected- it was nicer towards the end, but still hurt a lot.
"I am sorry." Kitty whispered, sniffing and hiding her head in the crook of Tom's neck. "I ruined it."
"No you did not," Tom kissed her temple. "It will feel good soon, you just have to get past this part. At least, that is what my father told me."
Kitty nodded and let out a deep breath. Running his fingers through her hair, Tom murmured gentle nothings in her ear until she calmed and the only sound was their quiet synchronised breathing.
All this was strange to Kitty. To be this close to a man. To be close to a man in any fashion was unheard of in her eyes. Yet, being around Tom, being close to him felt right- like God had brought her onto Earth only for this reason.

The silence was shattered by a knock on Tom's door. Kitty scrambled to the spare seat, trying to make herself look at least half decent. She didn't need another person thinking she was a whore after barely knowing her.
Lady Alice entered and Kitty stood to curtsy, fixing her skirts into place.
"No need to curtsy, dear," Lady Alice smiled at her. "You both should not be alone together, but it is time for supper anyway."
"Yes, Mother." Thomas stood up and followed her out of the room, Kitty following quickly behind.