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At the sight of the parchment resting in Anne’s delicate hands, Richard knew his wife well enough to know she was deeply upset. Her bright blue eyes had begun to rapidly fill with tears and for a few awful moments, as he ushered her into his waiting arms, he thought her tears would spill over.
“What is it, Anne, my love? What’s the matter?” His obvious concern was enough to make Anne’s tears finally break free as silent tears began to cascade rapidly down her pale cheeks.
Swallowing deeply, and breathing hard, she composed herself enough to answer her husband’s question. She didn’t want to repeat her mother’s awful, poisonous words, even to Richard.
“This is from my Mother, Richard,” Anne told him, gesturing to the letter she was still clutching tightly. Her grasp seemed almost painful as he noticed just how tightly she was holding on to it.
Her words took a steely tone and it immediately made Richard worried about what she was going to tell him. His wife’s obvious upset was one thing but her tone seemed to re-enforce his worry, so with baited breath he waited for Anne to speak.
“My mother has declared our son a bastard! Illegitimate and against the will of God….” Her words were full of sadness as she spoke and it filled Richard with regret to witness Anne getting even more upset.
His heart ached in need to give her the comfort she desperately needed, to soothe the painful wounds her mother’s words had created. Wiping away the tears tumbling down her cheeks seemed insufficient and so he couldn’t help but bring her closer into his arms.
The warmth of her husband’s embrace seemed to stop her flowing tears in their tracks but even so, when she thought of her mother’s words, a lump still formed at the back of her throat. To imagine her own Mother could write words so awful was bad enough, let alone to actually read them.
“Your mother is no longer in favour with the king. She is desperate and alone. Her words are merely a result of that, Anne. She is trying to invoke a reaction from you so that you decide to help her.” Richard explained to Anne, his voice calm as he spoke to her.
A look of complete and utter incredibility and surprise crossed Anne’s face as she listened to his words. It seemed ludicrous that he could be so calm about the situation. The look of incredibility turned to one of anger as she noticed the calm but slightly concerned expression adorning his face, which matched his words.
“How can you be so calm? Edward is your son, too! My mother isn’t just declaring MY child a bastard but yours, too!” Anne didn’t seem to stop her words from conveying just how angry she was.
Her anger did not escape Richard, it would have been impossible not to. His wife’s still tear filled eyes seemed to shoot angry sparks at him as she spoke and the familiar feeling of desire and love seeped into him as he gazed her.
Her anger would have to, most men, been a sign of disobedience and of her desire to independence but to him, he simply saw the woman he adored. The way her eyes sparkled when she was annoyed or angry and how her voice seemed much bigger compared to her petite stature all seemed to help enamour her to him.
Speaking softly to her, his voice low as he did so, he said to her: “Anne, of course, I’m angry with your mother. Her words aren’t just libellous but they are also completely hurtful but I will not let my family be torn apart by her vicious lies. Our son is not illegitimate and I won’t let her tarnish his reputation with her slander.” Unlike the previous time he had spoken, as he spoke, there was a hint of anger in his voice.
As much as Anne tried to be comforted by her husband’s words, she couldn’t help but still be bothered by her mother’s letter. The idea that the child she and Richard had created out of their love but wasn’t Richard’s heir by law seemed to hurt her to her core.
All she had longed for when her unfortunate marriage to Edward of Lancaster had occurred was for her to be with Richard. All she had longed for was to be in Richard’s arms, safe and adored. Looking at her husband, Anne couldn’t help but smile.
After all, her wish had come true. Night after night, she ended up safely nestled in the crook of Richard’s arm and their gentle and sensual love-making, earlier on in the evenings, would always leave her in no doubt of the affection and love he held for her.
At the sight of his wife smiling, Richard’s own smile mirrored her own subtle smile. Whilst her mother’s words still seemed to niggle at her heart, she moved even closer into her husband’s loving arms.
“You’re right, Richard. It’s just a letter. I should not let it affect me so.” Her tone was slightly pensive as she spoke to him but a frown came to Richard’s face as he listened to her.
Anne’s hurt and anger had only seemed to remind him of how she was. Caring and loving, and most importantly, a brilliant mother. Whilst she’d said he was right, the tone of her voice showed him she was very much bothered by what her mother had written.
“You don’t have to lie to me, my love. I know you far too well for you to do that!” Richard told her, softly, an almost loving expression on his face as he did so.
At his words, Anne couldn’t help but feel thankful for her husband. Not all ladies got a husband that so loved, cared and so considerate. Her first marriage had told her that. Thinking of Edward of Lancaster was not something she wished to but as she looked at Richard, still very much in his arms, it was impossible not to. She marvelled at how two men could be so different and she was still marvelling when Richard broke into her scattered thoughts.
“Your mother will come round, Anne. I promise you.” He told her, his words calming and soothing her in equal measure.