Margaery ignored Beth’s voice in her head telling her off for being so cruel to Renly; this was none of her concern, the girl did not understand how things worked. Renly had agreed to the marriage and everything it meant or had he? Had he truly thought beyond gaining the support of Highgarden? It is possibly he had not.
She could feel his heartbeat when she took hold of his hand and was surprised when he placed his other hand around her waist of his own volition. He seemed outwardly calm as she kissed him, careful to be slow and gentle. However he soon pulled away and she realized he had not been as confident as he had appeared.
Looking at him now she felt a surge of sympathy for him; he was after all the person her brother had chosen to love which counted in his favour more than anything else, in her mind, and he now looked utterly defeated. She was not heartless, truly she cared more than she let on to anybody, even Loras. Her capacity to love was well hidden not non-existent.
She moved towards him slowly, until she was standing beside him. She placed her hand on his head and stroked his hair as she had done to her brother numerous times in the past. There was nothing in her touch beyond the comfort and reassurance of a sister or friend. “I apologize your Grace” she said quietly, “I did not mean to distress you so. I fear Loras will be angry with me. We shall not try this again without his presence, I believe to do otherwise would be misguided. And, for now, unnecessary as we have greater concerns at hand”
She sat on the bed next to him and took his hand in hers, “I offer my support and advice; should you feel inclined to take it. And my friendship” she added with a genuine smile. She was asking so much from him yet giving so little of herself in return, she realized. He deserved to at least glimpse her true self, which she so rarely showed, having been raised all her life to hide her feelings behind the perfect facade.