Festina Lente

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Sisterly Support

27th of January 1532 - London, England

Staring down at the letter that she had received, Anne could not help but wonder how her father had taken such news; she was very aware that he had been expecting both her and Clarice to deliver boys. 

The news that Clarice had delivered a daughter would not have gone down well with Thomas Boleyn, he was desperate to secure his family legacy and Anne could not imagine just what he would say to this. 

"Your Majesty?" Mary Boleyn asked approaching her sister, she had been keeping Anne company while she was in her confinement; she had never thought that she would see the day that Anne was Queen. 

It had taken five years for Anne to get to this point and Mary knew that it could have all gone wrong and Katherine could have remained Queen if it weren't for the fact that the Medici had stepped in. 

"A letter from George. Clarice has been delivered of a daughter," Anne stated sharing the news of their niece's birth with her sister, it was glorious news even if it did make Anne worry. 

She moved to rest a hand on her own swollen belly, Anne couldn't help but think of the child that she was carrying and how Henry might react if she failed to give him the son that she had promised. 

"I am sure papa was thrilled," Mary Boleyn replied shaking her head, she recalled how disappointed their father had been when she'd given her late husband a daughter first. 

Catherine Carey had been the first child that Mary had bore for her then husband, she had been so happy to hold her baby for the first time but that had been taken from her with how disappointed Thomas Boleyn had been. 

William Carey had not said much to her, their relationship already strained by the fact that Mary had spent a short time as King Henry's mistress but the birth of a daughter had not helped. 

But he had been kind to her and had made sure that she had a comfortable life away from court with their children; it had greatly saddened her when he had passed from the Sweat. 

Moving to fix some of the baby clothes that Anne had been making for her child, Mary tried to distract herself from her worries knowing that she should focus on other things.

"Mary, what is the matter?" Anne asked turning to look at her sister, she had been rather quite since she had arrived from the family estate on the orders of their father since their mother was at Beaulieu with George and Clarice. 

She set down the letter and moved towards her, she had noticed how quiet her sister had been since she had married and become Queen of England; she wished to help but she couldn't do that if Mary didn't talk to her. 

"I have met someone," Mary confessed quietly, a small smile on her face as she thought of him and knowing that he did not care what others said or thought of her. 

It did not matter to him that she was called the Great Whore, he saw her for her and not what her family could do for him or the fact that she was the sister of the new Queen of England. 

"And who is this gentleman that has wooed my dear sister?" Anne asked her with a smile, she couldn't remember the last time that she had seen her sister like this and it made her happy. 

It was no secret that their father and uncle had grand plans for Mary's second marriage, they were looking for a husband that would support Anne should she need it and there had even been mention of the Duke of Hertford as a possible match. 

The smile dropped from Mary's face and Anne moved to take her hand, she wanted Mary to find happiness like she had with Henry and that George was finding with Clarice.