Tavern

Francis decided to visit the tavern after the ceremony for his cousin to become Marquess. He took a mug of ale and sat down and took gulp before looking around, eyeing up the females in here before turning back to his drink.

Anthony tumbled into the tavern chuckling with some nameless noble, both discussing the ceremony in equally bawdy terms. They had taken the short ride to the local inn after the ceremony-in high spirits.

Anthony's companion eventually disappeared behind a door with a giggling maid and Anthony smiled to himself and finished off his first cup. He glanced behind him and noticed a man sitting on his own, he thought he recognised him from the ceremony so he raised his cup to him with a friendly smile after it had been refilled.

Francis looked up and he raised an eyebrow at the man before nodding his head and he raised his own mug of ale before downing it and he stood up and went up beside the man to get a refill of his ale. He took a deep breath "Impressive, isn't it?" he asked him "How one Lady can climb so high."

Anthony nodded and began his second cup, running a hand habitually through his hair,"I admire her industry. I say those who despise her are the most jealous of all."

Francis nodded her his "I was hoping you would say that." he said and he gave the bar man the money for his ale "Seeing as she is my cousin."

Anthony laughed and took a swig of ale, "Well so am I now..."

He started to walk over to one of the tables by the burning hearth and joked, "You see I'm rather attached to this head of mine. I'm Anthony Denny by the way."

He followed the man and he nodded "And I am Francis Bryan." he said to him and he took a swig of his ale and he smiled "I think a lot of people are rather attached to their heads, not just you."

Anthony chuckled and scratched his stubble as he said jokingly, "Ah but I think I have a particular fine head."

He then sighed and took another drink, "Do you live at court?"

Francis nodded at him before looking thoughtful "I actually travel a lot." he admitted to him and he shrugged "But now and again, I do live at court."

Anthony smiled and took another few drinks, "A wild vagabond, eh? Well...I imagine England isn't much compared to the foreign lands I'm sure you've travelled to."

He then chuckled into his cup, "And I'm sure the woman are...quite... exotic."

Francis laughed loudly and patted Anthony on the back "The French ones are the best!" he exclaimed to him and he took a deep breath "Although, those Italian woman have a way with things as well."

Anthony smiled, sensing a certain camaraderie with Francis. He raised his hand and gestured for more ale.

He finished his cup and leaned towards the table, "I remember when I was...nineteen. My brother had just been married a year or so and he decided to go to Germany with his wife-God knows why...it's hardly Spain...but his wife brought back a German girl to be her hand maiden. Now she Francis, was something...I swear I fell in fast love with her."

Francis raised an eyebrow "Is that so now?" he asked him and he took a swig of his ale and he set down his mug "Now, I have never had interest in the German women..but now.." he had a smirk on his face and he looked around then at him "I think I do."

Anthony nodded and raised his winked, re-filling his pitcher and Francis', "With my recommendation. I promise you won't be disappointed!"

Francis nodded and he took a deep breath "Tell me of this German maid then."

Anthony leaded closer and theatrically whispered, "Rosamund she was called," he said and chuckled, "She was lovely."

He took a large drink from his cup and continued, "She was small, young and very...giggly-she laughed at everything. Her skin was tanned, so unusually so but her hair was spun gold...she was very...skilled, eager really and very...well endowed."

Anthony then chuckled and slammed his cup on the table, "Come now-do not make me a solitary bawd. Tell me of these French women."

Francis grinned at him and he nodded "Now I can dream of this woman." he said to him and henodded at him again "Ah, the french!" he said "Very skilled with their mouths if you know what i mean." he admitted with a faint laugh and he cleared his throat "Full bosoms, plump lips, tanned skin...and very eager."

Anthony smirked, "Then I must pay a visit to their court soon...I hear they are not as frigid as the English women either. She is your cousin - so forgive my candour - but I am sure, "he began and finished off another cup, "Anne's French education made her seem more exotic than the English."

Francis almost choked on his ale and he nodded "Alas yes." he said to him "She would seem more exotic, would she not?" he looked around and he took a deep breath "But I believe that at times, there is something about innocent women...so unknown of the world and the ways of marriage."

Anthony nodded with a grin, "I see you are a man of very good taste...after all you share mine, "he joked.

Francis nodded at him and he smiled "My wife, she was not innocent." he admitted to him and he took another swig of his ale "And now, I look elsewhere to quench that desire."

Anthony took another drink, "Was?"

"I am sorry for you that it was an unhappy union...women can be...manipulative."

Francis took a deep breath "It will be fine." he said to him and he smiled at him "I always find a way to sort out things."

Anthony smirked, "I'm sure you do...so what became of her?"