Francis Bryan's Study Room

Francis shook his head "I tell everybody I meet that I am a married man." he admitted to her and he shrugged "I don't go around acting single."

Not exactly what Joan had been told. She slumped down in the chair opposite him wondering where he hide the wine. "I did have a lovely time in Lisbon the weather was amazing."

Francis looked at her "I know what the weather is like." he admitted to her "Don't you remember that I travel a lot too?"

"But you travel for work don't you ever want to travel together." Joan asked curiously Ireland was the only place they had been together.

Francis looked at her and he nodded "Of course I do." he said to her and he smiled before looking back at the work on his desk "I want to bring you and the children we have to Spain, Italy, France maybe even to humour those Germans."

"Having children in this marriage would be evil. I don't trust you Francis." Joan longed to go back to Lisbon at least queen Joanna of all people understood her.

Francis looked at her and he raised an eyebrow "And why don't you trust me?"

"I think you jolly well know why. If you choose another woman over your wife then it is not a marriage. I won't have my named tarnished because of women who claim to have bedded you." Joan couldn't understand the minds of men but over the months Joanna was helping her to understand.

Francis let out a groan "How else am I supposed to satisfy my needs when you're gone?" he asked her and he looked at her before pinching the bridge of his nose "We have not performed the marital duty in..i don't know how long."

"Well I'm here now I think it's best to have the marriage annulled having a mistress isn't everything in life. But if that is all you want then clearly you don't respect me."

Francis raised an eyebrow at her "Who is my mistress, Joan?" he asked her and he folded his arms "Mary, certainly isn't, i ended that."

"I always find out especially from your Second cousins ladies in waiting and other noble ladies of court. I myself am a high ranked lady to the court and as my husband you should respect that. At least I have never belittled you like others would." Why he wanted a flimsy mistress was beyond Joan. She had given up her last morsel of happiness in trying to save this marriage.

He puffed out a breath and he shook his head "I haven't got a mistress Joan!" he shouted at her "I have been too busy with my families business."

"Jesus! Francis don't raise your voice to me and if you did have a mistress I would publicly humiliate her in front of the entire court. Unlike other women I like playing with fire." Joan remembered Joanna advice about mistresses and couldn't wait to get her hands dirty. You could learn a lot from a woman scorned.

He pinched the bridge of his nose again and took a deep breath "Leave." he simply said and he shook his head "I am not in the mood to speak with you."

"I've travelled along time to be here with my husband!" Joan ran her fingers across her necklace staring at Francis. She quite liked him angry it suited him unlike other men.

Francis shook his head "You have travelled to hassle me!" he shouted at her and he took another deep breath to calm himself, and he looked back at her "You tell yourself your here to be with me, but you really arent."

Joan stood running her fingers over the table as she stood in front of him. "No no believe it or not I actually do love you. If I didn't think you were worth fighting for I wouldn't be here. "

Francis looked at her and he took a deep breath "And I love you too!" he admitted to her and he walked over to her and gathered her into his arms "I wouldn't have married you so willingly if I didn't! I didn't care for the dowry, for the politics or anything but you, my sweet beautiful Joan."

Joan clung to him burying her face in his chest. It was nice to shut the entire world out concentrating solely on what was standing in front of her. "I'm sorry Francis! I'm just use to being used. The last thing I want is to push you away. "

Francis put down his act, his hellish way and he held her "You are not being used my dearest wife." he whispered and he kissed her cheek softly and he put his hand under her chin and made her look at him "I promise from now, no more mistresses, nothing." he said to her softly "Because you are my wife, you are my love."

"I feel as though I have deprived you of your happiness now." Joan looked straight back into his eye's feeling safe in his presence. Underneath it all she adored him and out of all the rogues in the world she was glad to have this one.

Francis shook his head and he took a deep breath "That isn't my happiness." he admitted to her and he stroked her face softly and shook his head "You are my happiness."

Joan stood on her toes her lips lingering above his. "Take me Francis." Her eyes searched his as she held her breath.

Francis looked at her and he took a deep breath before kissing her deeply and he backed her up to the desk before lifting her up onto it "My Joan." he whispered to her softly.