How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"Good God, what do they do?"
"Everything, but the deed. She daren't allow it." (32.75-32.76)
Sexuality in 16th-century England isn't much different from sexuality now, where penetrative sex is given priority as the ultimate sex act, and everything else doesn't count the same way.
Quote #8
"Wouldn't you rather take me to your chamber?"
"If I wanted to be beheaded for incest, yes." (35.32-35.33)
There are many hints that George and Anne commit incest so that Anne can become pregnant with a male heir. Anne never confirms it outright, but the sexual tension between them is often brought to our attention. And it's not even clear if this possible sexual relationship is only about producing an heir; they may actually kind of have the hots for each other.
Quote #9
Then he lifted me up into his arms and carried me across the threshold of the house, and up the stairs into the bedroom, into the clean linen sheets of his duckdown bed, and into joy. (37.64)
This is the first time Mary has used a different three-letter word to refer to sex: joy. Being with William is pleasurable for her, which his unlike her experience with either of the previous two men she had been with.