Game Of Seduction

Chapter 19

The two ladies curtsey low as Catherine enters the room .

"Your Majesty-" they murmur in chorus.

Catherine sits down behind the polished wood of her desk and leans forward, steepling her hands. By the determined set of her narrow mouth, she means business."Ladies, I'm glad you both answered my summons so promptly. I have work for both of you?"

"Of course, Ma'am." Charlotte says, eyes cast demurely down.

"Madame de Sauve, if you would read the file please."

She picks it up and starts scanning rapidly through the Queen Mother's copious notes.

"You want me to seduce Henri de Navarre? At his wedding to your daughter?"

"We need a certain amount of power over him. A bit of leverage. The quickest way is if one of you does it, before he takes it into his head to find himself a mistress of his own. I know for a fact my daughter Margot is so infatuated with de Guise and her other lovers she will not give him up, marriage or not. Play your cards right and you can be his lover, his confidant. Are you up to the assignment?"

Charlotte inclines her head. "Of course, your Majesty. Your wish is my command."

"What about my assignment?"

Catherine's smile widens unpleasantly as she looks at her other agent. "Ah yes, Anne-Marie. I hadn't forgotten about you. I want you to infiltrate our English contingent. Find out what you can about them, why they're really here. I'd wager my pearls Sir Francis Walsingham is up to something more than mere negotiations, and I'd like to know what that is. I want you to get close to his entourage, see if you can get one of those delectable boys talking."

Anne-Marie smiles smugly. This is exactly the kind of assignment she likes and what better way to put her rival Charlotte's nose firmly out of joint. She has to cosy up to the unprepossessing Henri de Navarre, whereas looking at Walsingham's entourage and their appearance in the Garden that fateful day, they were quite the handsome bunch. Sir Brad Colbert with his impressive height and those golden good looks. Sir Walter Hasser's sweet innocent smile and big blue eyes. No wonder Margot is so taken with him.

This is a job that will be no hardship at all. Anne-Marie briefly wonders how swiftly she can attract them into her bed. How long before she can weave her spell on both of them.

Charlotte looks outraged, her dark eyes snapping with rage at her rival's good fortune."How come she gets them and I get Henri? That's hardly fair!"

"Are you displeased with your assignment, Madame de Sauve?" Catherine asks in a deadly polite tone.

Her lower lip juts out sulkily. "No, your Majesty."

"Good." She says crisply. "You don't have much time to waste before the wedding. I will expect full progress reports every two days. Failure is not an option, not when there is so much at stake."

It's a couple of days later when Charlotte catches up with Anne-Marie.'So how far are you getting on with your mark, Anne-Marie?'

She narrows her eyes at Charlotte's smug complacent tone. Please God, don't let her have succeeded! I'll never hear the end of it from the smug b***h!'As well as can be expected, Charlotte.'

She's not cowed by Anne-Marie's crushing tone of voice. 'Really? Am I to take it you've made no progress at all?'

'Go away. Your twittering is giving me a headache.'

'Of course, Henri and I are getting on famously. He definitely wants me.' Charlotte's bold insolent eyes look her up and down. That was a definite taunt, thinks Anne-Marie with a flash of irritation like a stone in her slipper. She aims to provoke me into a fight. 'Whereas as far as I can see, Brad Colbert takes no more notice of you than the statues in the garden. There's no need to hide it from me, Anne-Marie. It's just not happening.'

'I'm working on him!' Anne-Marie's blue eyes flash with annoyance.

'Trouble is, Anne-Marie, you just don't have time. The Queen Mother wants her report and she will be most displeased if you haven't made any progress.'

Anne-Marie glares at her rival. 'It's none of your business!'

'Such a shame-' Charlotte gives a languid, confident stretch, preening like a satisfied cat. 'Brad Colbert is as beautiful as an angel-'

'Isn't he just?' Henriette, her friend Madeleine and a couple of ladies in waiting saunter up and sit down, interrupting the conversation.

'Henriette, dear-' Anne–Marie greets her with an insincere smile pasted on her face.Personally she cannot see what her brother sees in the woman, but she's family by marriage, and she has Margot's ear, so it's worth keeping her onside.

'I thought Henri de Guise was one of the most beautiful men in the kingdom but the foreigner far outshines him. It's got to put poor Henri's nose out of joint.' Gillone says quite excitedly.

'I'd give half my diamonds for one torrid night with him, and it'd be completely worth it. So tall, stern and handsome.' giggles Elise Blondet de Gallais.

'Like an avenging archangel-' Madeleine de Rochechouart sighs.

'No archangel ever had a body like that.' Reneé de Chateauneuf says with a lustful gleam in her eyes.

'I know! When he killed that boar and saved his Majesty, I just wanted to jump him right there and then. Oh God, you have no idea how much I want that man!'

'You and everybody else, my dear Elise!' Henriette grins.

'See? Don't feel bad, Anne-Marie.' Madeleine says kindly. 'He's not snubbing you personally.'

"I wonder if he has a sweetheart at home." muses Henriette, chin propped up on her hand. 'Some English rose he's pining for?'

"I still think you're not trying hard enough, Anne-Marie." Charlotte says airily.

'You think you can do better, do you?'

Charlotte gleams with beauty and self-confidence. Anne-Marie has never despised her more.'Yes, I do actually.'

'Those are fighting words there.' Henriette smirks as if she is pulling up a pew at a cockfight.

'I bet you a thousand crowns I can lure Brad Colbert into bed and have him madly in love with me. In a fortnight too.'

Anne-Marie's de Guise pride is stung. 'I bet you two thousand crowns I'll have swived him and taken his heart before you do. When I've finished with him he wouldn't even look at you!'

Charlotte laughs mockingly. 'You're confident! Is that a wager, Anne-Marie?'

The two women stare at each other, taking the measure of her rival.

'Done.'

'Done.' They shake on the deal.

Anne-Marie is furious after Charlotte saunters off, smirking about her victory.

'Who does that arrogant slut think she is?' she fumes.

'Ignore her. She's just doing it to get a rise out of you.' Madeleine reassures her, eager to get on her good graces.

'She's got Henri de Navarre. Queen Catherine gave her that assignment herself. But oh no! A king isn't enough for her. She wants Sir Brad as well as a notch on her bedpost. Well, she will not have him, I swear it!'

'Are you really so confident you'll get him?' asks Henriette with a gleam of curiosity in her dark eyes.

Anne-Marie's eyes flash dangerously.'Of course I will. There is no question about it.'

'What if this is a job for 'Les Mignons'? What if he's not that interested in women?'

'Don't say things like that!' Elise wails. 'I don't want to hear he's out of reach, it spoils the fantasy!'

'What? Do you know something I don't?' asks Anne-Marie.

'No, no, not at all.' She hesitates as Anne-Marie gives her such an evil look, Henriette is convinced she would cut her in an alleyway for an ecù, sister in law or not. 'I just happened to notice-'

'What? Do not leave me in suspense, Henriette!' Anne-Marie practically shrieks.

'Well, he seemed very taken with Nate-' she mumbles, as if ashamed by spilling a confidence.

Anne-Marie leans forward, very interested.'Nate?'

'You know, the musician Margot is so fond of. Won't go anywhere without him. Very pretty lad, with those striking green eyes and that glorious tenor voice, like cream and honey.'

'Nate? He's so kind. He teaches me singing and lute sometimes.' adds Madeleine innocently. '-and he always listens if I'm sad, or have a problem. I can't think why he hasn't got a sweetheart.'

Anne-Marie recollects him now. The pet of all the ladies-in-waiting. Margot's troubadour with the voice of an angel, and the looks of one too. Charming to a fault. And yet, she has never yet heard of any romantic intrigue involving him. Either he is very good at keeping his private life exactly that, or he really isn't interested in any of them. She resolves to think about it later. There may be something more to this than meets the eye.

'Really? Well that's my plan of attack. I befriend Nate to get to Brad and then when his defences are down, that's when I'll strike. Now if you'll excuse me ladies, I have a strategy to plan and two thousand crowns to win-'

She sweeps off in her gold and cream brocade dress, which echoes the golden lights in her strawberry-blonde hair.

'Who do you think will win Sir Brad? Charlotte or Anne?' asks Madeleine.

Henriette is thoughtful, all playfulness gone. 'I'm not so sure that either of them will succeed. Charlotte is too confident of her charms. I mean, how does he appear to you, Madeleine?'

The girl considers. 'Polite but distant. Preoccupied.'

'Exactly.' says Henriette with a satisfied smile. 'Imagine how a man like that will react to Charlotte throwing herself at him eager to win him from Anne-Marie.'

'He won't react well?'

'Very Good, Madeleine. She'll irritate him to distraction.'

'What about Anne-Marie? She's very determined to win and she doesn't want to displease the Queen Mother. She can't afford to with rivals like Charlotte and Renée snapping at her heels.'

Henriette leans forward conspiratorially. 'Between you and me-' she says. 'I think she has less chance than Charlotte. If I were you, I'd quietly put your money on both of them failing and collect your winnings on the sly when the time comes.'

Henriette sees a flash of something, longing or hope in Madeleine's blue eyes and she impulsively makes a decision. After all, Charlotte, Margot and Anne-Marie aren't the only beauties at the French court. At least Madeleine would not chase Lord Colbert out of ambition and self-interest. In fact, she is probably the safest person to be assigned to them. Innocent, beautifu and harmless, this way she can play off one interest against the other most skilfully. Margot will be pleased how things have worked out!

Why not? she tells herself. Madeleine's family is one of the most prestigious in France. She's a gorgeous girl with her masses of golden waves and big blue eyes. Sweet, naïve and eager to please. If she plays her cards right, plays a more subtle game than the others, why shouldn't he look at her instead?

'Do you want Lord Colbert?'

She nods, her eyes shining. 'Oh yes, Henriette!'

'Listen to me. There's no reason why you couldn't win him for yourself, is there?'

'But Henriette, wouldn't that be stepping on Anne-Marie's toes?' Madeleines says somewhat timidly.

'So?'

Madeleine blushes. 'To be honest, I'm a bit scared of her. I wouldn't want to make her an enemy. And what of the Queen Mother?'

'Do you want him, or don't you?' Henriette snaps in sheer impatience.

Madeleine looks at her with those huge blue eyes.'Yes-' she breathes, her eyes shining and radiant. "I don't know. I would like to get to know him."

Henriette links the girl's arm in hers and gives her a winning smile. 'Stick with me, my lass and you won't go far wrong.'