Festina Lente

Chapter Eighteen: Becoming A Boleyn

15th of March 1531 - London, England

The red dress with gold detailing that Clarice had selected for her wedding day fit her perfectly and she looked every inch a noble on a day which would see her elevated back to a Duchess. 

A fact that had been welcomed by the King of France who had sent his agreements of her marriage to the new Duke of Bedford. 

Knocking on the door to the chamber where she was dressing pulled Clarice from her thoughts and it was quickly opened for the woman to come inside by one of her ladies before the hurried back to helping Clarice. 

"You look beautiful," the woman announced eyeing Clarice for a moment before she made her way further into the room, her dark eyes taking in every inch of the woman that stood before her looking rather nervous. 

Clarice offered her a weak smile, she felt rather ill at the idea that she was getting married; she'd barely been able to sleep last night no matter how much she had wanted to. 

The very idea that today was her wedding day had haunted her all night, she had no idea what to expect and it was sure to be a grand affair especially with the King in attendance. 

"It seems only proper that we meet now and my daughter informs me that you have no mother to offer you words of wisdom on such a day," the woman stated softly recalling her own wedding day. 

Back then things had been so different and her family had been rather disappointed with the fact that her chosen match was a lowly courtier who had little to his name. 

"I am Elizabeth Boleyn, Duchess of Wiltshire and Countess of Ormond," the woman stated introducing herself to Clarice, they were to be family afterall and it was high time that she met the woman. 

It wouldn't be long before Clarice was married to George and Elizabeth Boleyn was greatly hopeful that this marriage would work out better than the last one that her son had been contracted to. 

"Your Grace," Clarice greeted quietly, her eyes darting away and trying to think of what else to say to George's mother; she had not expected to have to converse with her moments before she was married to George.

It was strange enough that they had somehow managed to avoid meeting one another, Anne having said that her mother preferred life in the country instead of at court after already serving two Queens. 

"Please we are to be family." Elizabeth Boleyn said dismissing the need for titles, she might be a Duchess now but she saw herself no different than the woman that had married beneath her station when she'd married her husband. 

There was no reason for family to address themselves by their titles especially given the fact that they had risen higher than any of them had thought possible once Anne had held the King's attention. 

"I am aware that I will never be able to replace your mother but I hope that we shall become close and that perhaps you should think of me in such a way one day," Elizabeth Boleyn said kindly. 

She recalled what it had been like when she had lost her own mother and was raised by her father's second wife; who had been as kind as she could be but had clearly favoured her own children not those left without a mother. 

"I have a gift for you," Elizabeth Boleyn continued reaching for the item that she had brought with her, she held the velvet pouch in her hands and hesitated for a moment before removing the necklace that was inside. 

The decision to make a necklace like the one that she and her two daughters wore had come to her one night and had been so overwhelming that she had not been able to ignore it.