By the King's Order

Chapter One: An Unwanted Betrothal

Wiltshire Townhouse, London

“No,” Countess Chastity Reese Wiltshire, widow to the late Earl of Wiltshire shook her head as she looked at the man before her. “I cannot marry again…No…The King promised me that I would not have to and I shall not,” she said. The first time she had wed, she had been but fourteen and her husband had been cruel and heartless. Even widowed a year she could still recall the horrible way he treated her. After his death, she’d gone to King Henry beseeching that she not have to marry again and he had agreed to her request. He had given his word that she would never again be forced to wed and yet now he was arranging a match for her to the Duke of Kent. A man, aged twenty-six, who had recently come into his title after his brother had died with no heirs. Now King Henry wanted her to marry him and combine their houses together. She had a daughter and thankfully, had been able to keep her husband’s title as he had no close relatives of the male sex. She had thought that title would protect her and now…now this…

The man before her was the king’s best friend the Duke of Suffolk who was looking about as exasperated as she felt. He was considered handsome by all accounts or he had been in his youth. Now his nose was knobby and slightly crooked and he had pasty white skin with a body that could use a bit of weight loss. To say so however, might be considered inappropriate. She had never cared for him that much but then, she had scarecly cared for any man. Her blue eyes watched him as he sighed and she could see his mouth tighten in a thin line before he spoke.  “Countess…it is the King’s wish that you marry…he states that you need a father for your daughter and a man to look after the large estate that your husband left you. He realizes that he made a previous promise to you that you would not need to marry again, but times have changed in the past year…”

Chastity swallowed and glanced at Suffolk and then looked away. She was only twenty and her daughter five years old. She was still young enough to marry and bear an heir and it was apparently what the king wished. He wanted her to marry and have a son who would inherit a lot of land and be loyal to his crown. Even if he was not around when her son came to be full grown. If she even bore a son. Sinking down on the nearest chair, she looked blankly at the table where goblets had been placed with a pitcher of lemonade. She swallowed and took a deep breath.  It would have been her decision whom her daughter would wed. If she had to marry again then her husband would decide upon who her daughter married. It made her ill to think her daughter would have to marry a man who treated her as her now dead husband had treated her. Her stomach turned just considering the idea and she shook the thought aside.

Her hands clenched her knees and she looked up at Suffolk who was looking at her, no doubt awaiting her reply that would of course be diplomatic and accepting. What else could she do honestly except to accept what the king wished. To refuse might be considered treason. Taking a deep breath Chastity slowly stood after gathering her composure. Even if women could not be an actor, she was certain she rivaled the best actors upon the stage. Barely anyone knew what her true thoughts were. She was the Countess of Ice in public circles and only the King and Suffolk had seen her break down in tears, begging to never marry again. Now, it seemed, her tears had been useless.

“I suppose there would be no changing the King’s mind on this matter?” she asked

Suffolk cleared his throat, answering her question with a statement. “His Majesty has invited you to Hampton Court to meet your betrothed James Ainsleigh, the Duke of Kent. He is coming from his castle in the country and will be arriving within the next two days. Your daughter, of course can attend with you…He knows how attached you are to your daughter and wouldn’t want to separate child and mother…”

Chastity had to hold back a derisive snort at that particular sentence. His Majesty had separated mother and child twice now. His last wife,Anne Boleyn, had managed to get her head taken off for crimes that Chastity was not certain were true, leaving behind a young princess Elizabeth with no mother. Of course there was also his divorce from Queen Katherin of Aragorn. During the proceedings and after, he had ensured that the Lady Mary had been removed to the country, far from her mother until the woman had been close to her death. Looking to Suffolk, she returned her mind to the situation at hand. “I see…I suppose I should arrive on the morrow then Your Grace?” she asked of the man and he gave a nod.