Page 21 of The Uprising
Cara ran her hands through his thick wavy hair, which was smudged with steely grey and gave him an even more dashing appearance than in the present day. His hair was the quickest way to remind herself she was in Tudorville.
George’s hard mound pushed against her and cried out for attention. She grasped his cock in her hand and pleasured him in the firm way she knew drove him wild, and her own excitement built until neither of them could wait. George moved closer to the edge of the bed and Cara mounted him, and their red-hot passionate desire reached fever pitch. George cried out, and they exploded in a pure pool of soul-sex ecstasy.
They lay naked and entwined in each other’s arms, satiated and joyful.
‘Well, that was worth waiting for,’ he said.
He breathed her in and touched her hair which cascaded over her shoulders like an unruly wave. ‘Cara, I love you. There has only ever been you since the second we met. And there will only ever be you. That much I promise you. I have no desire to be with other women. Goodness knows, if I did, there are enough of them ready and willing wherever I go with the king. Do you not understand yet that I want only you?’
Cara was silent as she tried to contain her jumbled emotions. His words served as a soothing balm to her hurt, frightened soul. When he was away she had thought she had lost him and been mistaken about the depth of their love. But no; he was saying the tender, reassuring words she’d longed to hear. She knew he spoke the truth and her pain dissipated as quickly as it had arisen to grasp and throttle her spirit.
Her eyes welled up with tears. ‘That’s beautiful. I needed to hear that. Why didn’t you tell me that when I was so upset before you left?’
‘I was furious when you interrogated and accused me like that. You never behaved in such a way before, and you didn’t give me a chance to tell you whether it was true; you simply decided I was guilty. You were the judge and jury.’
Cara saw the flash of pain in his eyes. She bowed her head, and the tears slid down her face. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, and meant it. ‘Are you saying you didn’t go with Marianne, after all?’
‘That’s exactly what I’m saying. I met her when I was with the king, but we didn’t consummate the relationship. Her sister is the king’s mistress—the gossips got that bit right, but nothing more. I admit I was tempted for a moment when I was drunk in my cups, but I quickly came to my senses.’
Relief flooded through Cara, and she took his hand and said, ‘I shouldn’t have believed what I heard so readily. I should have asked you first, and I apologise for thinking the worst. Can you forgive me?’
‘Of course, I forgive you. But please don’t do it again. If you’re upset about something, ask me about it first before condemning me.’
Cara raised his hand to her lips and kissed it. ‘You have my word,’ she said. ‘I seem to have to keep learning the same lesson.’ She sighed. Fortunately, they’d not been through relationship turmoil in Tudorville before this misunderstanding, and she was grateful harmony was restored. They rested quietly in each other’s arms, dozing to the sounds of the chaotic chorus of chirping birds as the sun rose in the sky, proclaiming a new October day in the year, 1536.
Rose Cottage, York, Present day
The line crackled in Cara’s ear; she could hear Eddie speaking but couldn’t make out what he was saying. ‘Eddie? Can you hear me?’
‘Cara...Cara? Can you hear me now?’
‘Ah, yes. That’s better.’
‘I’m on the train so the connection’s dipping in and out. How are you?’
‘I’m well. Any chance of you coming to stay for a few days?’ She raised her voice, so he could hear her over the rumble and screech of the train in the background.
‘Not at the moment, I’m afraid. There’s too much going on at work.’
‘George told me we’re having dinner together later in Victoriana; you, George, Carlos and me,’ she said.
‘How wonderful. Does George remember what’s going on in Tudorville too?’ asked Eddie.
‘No, and it’s annoying as hell. He told me you called the other week, but I have no recollection of it. That’s when I went back to Tudorville for the first time in ages, so I’m wondering if your call triggered the vortex, somehow.’
Cara pressed her phone tightly against her ear.
‘I doubt it,’ said Eddie.
‘Have you made any progress in your quantum time travel research?’
‘I’d love to say yes, but I’m not much further along. The only thing which seems true but is as yet unproven is that when we travel, something big is usually going down in the timelines. It’s as though our consciousness wakes us up and we automatically gravitate to where the high drama is in a past life.’
‘Like when Anne Boleyn was about to be beheaded, you mean?’
‘Yep.’
‘I miss our quiet life without all of this intrigue.’
