Festina Lente

Chapter Thirty: Wedding Negotiations

21st of March 1532 - London, England

Staring at herself in the mirror, Mary Boleyn could not quite believe that she was being allowed to marry the man that she loved; she had feared that her family would disapprove and she would be forced take matters into her own hands. 

She had done her duty the last time when it had been arranged for her to marry William Carey, she had married him when she had been told to and given him two children before he had passed. 

The gown that she wore today was very different to the one that she had worn when she had been married to Carey; there was no denying that her family had risen high since then. 

Her sister was Queen of England, her brother and father were Dukes and Mary would be a Countess once she was married to her William; she could not be more thankful for Anne's support at this time. 

It was the birth of Anne's son that had secured Mary the life that she had always wanted, she didn't know what would have happened if Anne had failed the King in giving him his desired heir. 

Now not only would she marry the man that she loved but she would also be Countess of Buckingham, a position that would see her and her children from her first marriage comfortable for the rest of her life. 

Mary held her head high, she was being allowed to marry for love and she very much doubted that many around her could say the same. 

William was everything that she had ever wanted and they would be able to retire quietly to his new estates, he treated her children from her first marriage with great kindness and it gave her hope that he would be an amazing father when the time came for them. 

The very idea that they would have a house full of children pleased her and she adored the idea of them living in peace at their estate away from court. 

If she never returned to court again then that would be fine for her, she would happily attend to her sister of course but she preferred the quiet life that one could not find living at court.

"It's almost time," George stated popping his head into the room, a smile on his face at the sight of his older sister who looked beautiful in her gown and he knew that her William was a lucky man. 

He had never seen Mary this happy and after everything she desired this, she deserved a man that would love her and not see her as a step on a ladder to gaining favour with the King or the Queen. 

"Father is waiting," George continued doubting that this match had truly pleased him especially with the grand plans that he'd had for her second marriage; the fact that Mary would be a Countess made it easier for him to swallow. 

All three of his children would be married off again and George could not imagine that it would be long before Thomas started to consider the future of the Boleyn clan. 

When his father passed the duty would fall to George and he swore he would be kinder to his daughter than his father had been to his sisters; he would make sure that her marriage would not just be a political match. 

Contessina was the best thing to happen to George and he adored his daughter, he loved holding her and couldn't wait to experience life with her. 

"You look beautiful sister," George informed Mary, he kissed her cheek and offered out his arm for her to take as she approached him; he would not voice it even though his sister was a beautiful bride, he couldn't help but compare her to his own wife. 

It was strange to think in the year that he had been married that he had grown fond of Clarice, she was not what he had originally expected when told that they were to be wed.