Festina Lente

Chapter Forty-Seven: Mary's Child

3rd of January 1534 - Ragley Hall

Staring around her chambers, Mary could not help but frown feeling rather bored having been trapped in the darkened rooms for a month now; her belly swollen and her baby's kicks the only reminder of why she endured this. 

It had thrilled her when she had finally fallen pregnant, her prayers being answered and she ensured that she continued to eat well instead of fasting like she had been taught by her mother. 

Mary swore that she would never listen to any advice that she had been given by her mother again, she should have known better especially since she was the only child of her mother's that had lived. 

The last thing that she wished was for anything to happen to her own child, she loved feeling her baby kick and she was most grateful for the arrival of Clarice who had come to help her during this time. 

It had allowed Mary to bond with the woman that was now her sister, she loved hearing more about how Clarice and Ippolito had grown up. 

She was most thankful that she could learn more about her husband's life before he had come to England and about the place that she hoped to one day soon would be calling her home; a place where she could happily raise her children. 

"I hear the Queen is with child again," Mary mused softly turning her attention to Clarice, the other woman sewing and preparing a blanket that she wished to gift Mary's child. 

It was thoughtful of her and Mary was thankful that she did not have to do this alone, her mother should have been the one to share in this moment but she was a traitor and would have only made this situation about her. 

Mary doubted that her mother would ever forgive her for turning her in to the King for her plans of treason but she had done what was needed to protect herself and her own future. 

Now she had her own child that she would soon bring into the world and Mary would do anything to keep them safe; she would not risk anything for her mother's plots or lies. 

"It is true, although the King has already taken a mistress," Clarice admitted quietly, while she had come to Ragley Hall to help Mary it had been left to George to deal with the mistress.

Though Clarice had no doubts that her husband would deal with Lady Eleanor and she would be gone before Clarice returned to court; she had little doubts that it would be long before the King would have another of Anne's ladies warming his bed. 

It made Clarice most thankful that her own husband had not been swayed from her side, his eyes did not wander through court at the other ladies like the King's did. 

George was loyal to her alone and Clarice doubted that many ladies could say that, she thought many ladies of her station could not say the same; she heard enough around court especially when her ladies shared such gossip with her. 

"That is his way. I doubt he has it in him to be faithful," Mary replied softly, there was no doubt in her mind that her father would continue his ways; though she prayed that Anne would have a better time than her own mother had done. 

With a healthy son in the nursery and a daughter following soon after, Anne had done well in the short amount of time that she had been Queen; she had faired better than her predecessor in any case. 

A part of Mary prayed that she might never feel the sting that her mother and Anne felt at her father's betrayal; she adored her husband's attention and he had been kind to her since they had married. 

Here at Ragley Hall, she could enjoy his attention and could even grow to love him without people getting in the way; her ladies had remained at her side and she did not think he had strayed.