Contents ( 59)
- Prologue
- Amy Robsart, Cumnor Village
- 1
- Lizzie: Amelia and Dudley’s Wedding, 2010
- 2
- Amy: Stanfield Manor, Norfolk, August 1549
- 3
- Lizzie: Present Day
- 4
- Amy: Stansfield Manor, Norfolk, April 1550
- 5
- Lizzie: Present Day
- 6
- Amy: Sheen Palace, June 1550
- 7
- Lizzie: Present Day
- 8
- Amy: Castle Rising, Norfolk, Summer 1551
- 9
- Lizzie: Present Day
- 10
- Amy: Whitehall Palace, Summer 1552
- 11
- Lizzie: Present Day
- 12
- Amy: The Tower of London, March 1554
- 13
- Lizzie: Present Day
- 14
- Amy: Baynard’s Castle, London, Spring 1557
- 15
- Lizzie: Present Day
- 16
- Amy: Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Summer 1557
- 17
- Lizzie: Present Day
- 18
- Amy: Throcking Manor, November 1558
- 19
- Lizzie: Present Day
- 20
- Amy: Melford Hall, Suffolk, May 1559
- 21
- Lizzie: Present Day
- 22
- Amy: Cumnor Place, Oxfordshire, April 1560
- 23
- Lizzie: Present Day
- 24
- Amy: Cumnor Place, 8th September 1560
- 25
- Lizzie: Present Day
- 26
- Lizzie: Present Day
- 27
- Lizzie: Present Day
- Epilogue
- Amy Robsart, The Citrine Pool
- Acknowledgements
The Land Rover roared over the gravel and drew to a stop at the front door.
“The High is an interesting name,” Arthur said, “considering it’s halfway down the hill. Where did it come from?”
“I’ve no idea,” Lizzie said. “I’ll ask Avery. She’s bound to know. Before I forget, there was one other thing I wanted to tell you.”
“Only the one?” Arthur said.
“It’s the stone angel,” Lizzie said. “The one that Johnny took the night he disappeared. That day at Amelia’s wedding when I cut my hand on the gazing ball and you bandaged me up—”
“Yes?” Arthur was smiling at the memory. “You were a sulky teen in those days.”
Lizzie pulled a face. “Please don’t remind me.” She sighed. “When I touched the stone angel that afternoon, I saw a vision. Or more accurately, I experienced one.” She swallowed hard, holding Arthur’s gaze. “Arthur, I felt as though I was falling. I could feel the air rushing past and I felt utterly terrified.” She broke off. “I think... I’m scared that I foresaw Amelia’s death.”
“Or had a flashback to Amy’s,” Arthur said grimly. He put his hand over hers. “God, Lizzie, how horrible.” His grip was warm and strong. Lizzie had the sense of him drawing comfort from her touch as much as giving it.
“I know,” Lizzie said miserably. “I wish none of this had ever happened. I wish I’d never met Dudley and I wish I didn’t have this gift and that I didn’t think Johnny was lost—”
“Hey,” Arthur said. He put his arms around her and drew her closer. It was awkward trying to hug in the Land Rover but she really didn’t mind because it was lovely. “We’re all tired and emotional,” Arthur said, against her hair. “Don’t think about it for now.”
Lizzie tilted her face up to look at him. She could smell the scent of his skin and feel the warmth of him. She swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry. “I sometimes wonder what it would be like if we...” She stopped.
“I wonder about that too,” Arthur said. His gaze held hers.
Lizzie took his face in her hands and kissed him before she could change her mind. For a second he didn’t respond and terrifyingly, she could read nothing of his emotions, and then everything changed. He slid a hand behind her head and the kiss became hotter and more urgent, and Lizzie felt the emotion explode, fusing his feelings with her own, and leaving her in free fall.
“I have a sense,” Arthur said, as they finally broke apart, “that we’ve just made everything a whole lot more complicated.”
“Well, at least now we know,” Lizzie said. “We’d better avoid doing that again. It could ruin the experience with anyone else.”
She saw Arthur smile. “Tell me again that you’ve never had this sort of connection with anyone before.”
Lizzie couldn’t begin to deal with how she was feeling. “It happens to me with everyone I kiss,” she said shakily. “It’s very commonplace. I’d be lying if I said otherwise.”