Festina Lente

Chapter Twenty-One: Someone to Trust

20th of May 1531 - The Palace of Beaulieu

"His Majesty seems to be in good spirits," Elizabeth Boleyn mused walking alongside Clarice, she had come to the Palace of Beaulieu to visit her son and his wife wishing for a break from court while she had the chance to do so. 

Wedding planning was in its final stages and her youngest daughter's wedding was shaping up to be quite an affair; nothing was being left to chance and the King was eager to make this a day to remember. 

"It is said that King Francis has gifted his blessing on the marriage and hopes that they shall form an alliance against the Emperor," Elizabeth Boleyn continued softly, she was sure that the news would come as no surprise and it was a glorious sign that things were going right for them. 

Of course, there were still naysayers at court that held hopes that the King would forsake Anne and perhaps choose another bride even accepting that he would not go back to the Dowager Princess of Wales now. 

However, nothing would deter the King from Anne now not when he was so close to finally having all that he had desired for years; he hadn't taken another woman to bed since he had become infatuated with Anne. 

Her daughter would be Queen of England and Elizabeth Boleyn could only pray that Anne would not suffer a fate worse than the Dowager Princess of Wales should she fail in giving the King a son. 

It didn't matter what the astrologers said or what they told the King, there was no telling what children Anne might nor might not give His Majesty or what he would do if she could not perform her duty like his last wife. 

To promise the King something that could not be guaranteed was not an easy task and Elizabeth Boleyn truly feared what might become of her family should Anne not be able to give the King what he desired. 

"That is good news," Clarice agreed wishing that she might have been allowed to travel to France, if only too bid farewell to the life that she had left behind; she was a married woman after all now and her life would not be the same. 

A part of her was most thankful to His Majesty for allowing her and George to remain at their new home instead of travel with the court. 

It had allowed them time to get to know one another and Clarice couldn't help but wonder if she'd found herself with child already; her blood was late and after sharing her bed with George each night she was hopeful that she had conceived quickly.

Elizabeth Boleyn nodded her head, their walk around the gardens of Beaulieu giving them the chance to speak freely and she hesitated knowing that should her next action be discovered then they might find themselves in trouble. 

"I have a letter from your cousin, Catherine de' Medici," Elizabeth Boleyn stated, she didn't look at Clarice knowing that Thomas would not be pleased to learn that she had delivered such a letter. 

He would have insisted upon reading it but Elizabeth hoped to inspire loyalty from Clarice in a different way, she did not wish for the young woman to feel trapped like George's last wife had done as an outcast within the family. 

"Caterina?" Clarice asked surprised to hear of such a thing, she did not dare hope that her beloved younger cousin would go against the Pope to write to her. 

There was no doubt that Catherine had heard about what Clarice had done and her turning her back on Clement would not have gone down well in Rome especially now that it had been proven that Katherine was a liar. 

Elizabeth Boleyn nodded her head and reached for the letter that she had hidden on her person, she handed it over to Clarice and watched her break the seal on it before starting to read.