The Tudor Witch Book 1 Mistress

1525 Early Spring (QE)

Everything was going perfect, too perfect.

I clench my hands together tightly in annoyance but place a cheery look upon my face. I wished it to say I am happy to see you, I am glad you are well, but the truth is: I wish she had never stepped back into court.

"Welcome back, Mary," I say pleasantly leaning in for an embrace.

"I am glad to be back, thank you." She says pleasantly.

We both know our words are false, a courtly feign in front of so many eyes. She despised me for taking her lover and I hated the fact she had him first and his offspring. Putting aside all that animosity and I would still find her to be an annoying self-centred bint whose presence is insufferable.

I move back to my seat, giving room to all those who wished to welcome her back. I notice the Queens expression and for once find a grin playing on the old woman's thin lips. She can sense the already mounting tension between the two of us, and no doubt finding it an amusing spectacle. The Queen is smart in her hatred, no doubt she will begin to play us against one another, pairing us in activities and such. She will make us squirm and we most likely deserve it, we have both hurt her. She would remove us both if she could.

I hoped lady luck was playing in my favour for once. I now have a husband of relative standing with no need for me to play the dutiful wife. I also have a man in my arms who loves me. It is love. Three months have been and gone and he has shown no decline in his feelings for me, in-fact, his lust is as it was before but now we had our outlet.

Mary was out of both our minds. Her family bringing her back to court can do me no favours. I do not want her to ruin what I have with Henry. I eye her critically as she embraces ladies of the court. She is definitely plumper, pregnancy has rounded her out. Her dress hides most of the flaws but I would be stupid to think that proven fertility did not trump a bit of fattening around the hips, bust, and face.

"Eyeing the competition?" Jane Boylen whispers for my ears only.

I stare at her flatly. She watched everyone too closely, and she was too close in her assumption than I felt comfortable with.

"Not at all. She looks well, time away from the court has done her good." I say in a normal tone of voice.

I did not want to be seen whispering to the courts biggest gossip, it would look childish on my part, based on jealousy. Although there was no harm in normal chatter, because if the Boylen family deemed it the right time to bring their prized daughter back to court then Jane would most likely know the reason. She had her uses.

"Very well. Pregnancy has made her appear more womanly, a glow to her features which has lasted." She replies easily.

I swallow and it sticks in my throat. I can feel the tendrils of jealousy beginning to take hold, their grip allowing me to think the worst. I knew things had been going too well, now this plump tart was going to take Henry away from me in revenge.

"Is there an event she had to return for?" I ask.

Jane eyes me with humour. I could not have been more blatant in my question. I knew there was nothing happening except her family's plans to have all their pieces of their game at court.

"I expect the same reason she has always been at court. You are Anne's friend, but you are not family. What good is it to have you bed their King?" She says lowering her voice.

My need for answers out-weighs my caution. "She is used up no matter how pretty, she will be stretched and not as pleasant as before. He has me, he will not want her." I say quickly under breath.

She smiles widely at my response and I instantly regret my words. She has caught me off guard, at a peak of emotion and I have tumbled all my truths on her, she is lapping it up like a cat with cream.

"She has had a child by him, why not a second, or a third?" She whispers.

My nails dig into my palm at her words. "He did not claim the first, so you would be fools to think he would claim any others from her," I reply.

"He would claim a son." She says almost too quiet to hear.

I hear her though and I know she speaks the truth. Is he getting tired of me? Have I been living in a blissful world not knowing what has been creeping up on me? I feign an errand. They all know it is not the truth but surprisingly Queen Katherine allows me to go. I rush through to my own rooms, those of a mistress. William would not be in our chamber at this time but I wanted the comforts of my station, a reminder of where I am and why.

Lady luck is a myth truly, for she gives then takes away like everything I have learned. When I am alone. I take a deep breath and instinctively move my hands to the base of my stomach. I am only a week late, but that is more than enough to lay the seed in my mind. I am pregnant, I am certain.

I had planned to tell the King as soon as I was without a doubt but he will not bed me if he learns the truth, and now that Mary has returned I will not tell him, for it would push him straight into her arms. I try to relax. Stress was not good and I had the key, I just couldn't use it, yet.

Somewhere in my mind a worrying sensation strikes. I feel like they know. Why bring her back? Why now of all times? If they were a normal family I would push it to chance but I know they are not. I am not certain myself but I feel the Boylens are playing with something more than luck and chance.