All the Queen's Players

Informationen zum Autor Jane Feather is the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty sensual historical romances! including the Blackwater Bride series. She was born in Cairo! Egypt! and grew up in the south of England. She currently lives in Washington! DC! with her family. There are more than 10 million copies of her books in print. Klappentext "New York Times"-bestselling author Feather conspires with history to tell this dazzling story about two queens--Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Stuart! the imprisoned Queen of Scots--and one impassioned woman whose life they change forever. All the Queen’s Players Chapter One Scadbury Park, Chiselhurst, Kent, May 1586 THE LEMONY LIGHT of the early-spring sun seemed to accentuate the delicate new greenery of the apple trees and the soft blush of pink on the creamy white flowers. The blossom was so delicate, so fragile, so impossible to capture to her satisfaction, that Rosamund Walsingham, from her perch high in the crotch of an apple tree, muttered an imprecation under her breath, wiped the slate clean of chalk, and began anew. Chalk was not a good medium for such dainty work, but paper was a luxury as Thomas was always telling her. His usual refrain of not being made of money, so oft repeated, had become a mantra. Not that it prevented him from dressing as richly as he chose, or from riding a handsome gelding with the finest leather saddle and silver harness, she reflected, her nose wrinkling as she studied the blossom anew. And in all fairness, her brother kept her short of nothing important, and he only limited the supply of paper, which merely meant that she couldn’t afford to make mistakes. Once she’d captured something to her satisfaction with chalk on slate, then she could transfer it to paper with the sharpest, finest quill she could find. It wasn’t perfect, but she could manage. Absently she brushed back behind her ear a stray lock of chestnut hair that was tickling her nose and leaned against the trunk of the tree at her back surveying the slate with a critical frown. It was almost perfect, and it would be easier to capture the impression of the blossom trembling a little against the leaf when she had the fine nib of a quill pen at her disposal. Voices drifted into the orchard from below her hidden perch. Rosamund listened, her head cocked. It seemed her brother Thomas was back from his travels. He never sent warning of his returns from his frequent absences, so that was not in the least strange. And neither was it strange that he would bring a visitor with him. The voice was not one she recognized. Thomas had many visitors when he was down at Scadbury, some of them friends, others rather harder to define. The latter moved around in the shadows, it always seemed to Rosamund. They rarely acknowledged her with so much as a glance or a nod, and never spoke at all. They came and went at odd times of day and spent their time enshrined with Thomas in the study. Rosamund had learned to disregard them and was quite happy to keep to herself at such times. She peered through the pale greenery as the voices came closer. Something about being hidden up here, looking down at the two men as they strolled the alley arm in arm between the fruit trees, brought her a little thrill. She was about to announce herself when they stopped on the path and turned to face each other, their conversation suddenly ceased. Rosamund watched, fascinated as they kissed, murmuring softly, their hands stroking, moving over each other with increasing fervor. And now she wished she were anywhere but hidden in the apple tree. Her moment to declare herself was gone. Now she could only pray that Thomas would never find out that she had been a witness to this, whatev...

Dettagli sul prodotto

• Autori: Jane Feather
• Editore: Pocket Books USA
• Lingue: Inglese
• Formato: Tascabile
• Pubblicazione: 18.01.2011, ritardato
• EAN: 9781451613025
• ISBN: 978-1-4516-1302-5
• Serie: Pocket Books; Pocket Readers Guide; Pocket Readers Guide
• Categoria: Narrativa > Romanzi