An Endless Supply Of Rubies

Civil Unrest II

Amelia nodded in understanding.

"I am afraid, Lady Mary, I have not come here to discuss pleasantries," Sir Francis replied. "His Majesty urges you to sign this."

"What is it?" Mary asked, taking the parchment in her hand. There was a hint of suspicious in her voice as she looked between the menacing older man and her younger sister.

"A list of articles, recognizing the King as Head of the Church and your mother's marriage as incestuous and unlawful," Sir Francis responded. "You must also renounce Rome and freely acknowledge your illegitimacy, just as your sister has done."

Mary's eyes got wider and wider with each of his statements, and her eyebrows grew closer and closer to her hairline. "Is this true?" Mary whispered. She could not believe that her own sister had done something like this. She knew that Amelia had somehow stayed in their father's favor since her return, but she did not realize that it was because Amelia had doomed her immortal soul.

Amelia looked at her sister, a sad expression on her face. "I did, sister," she said with a nod.

"If you will not sign," Sir Francis continued, drawing back Mary's attention, "I'm afraid Mr. Secretary Cromwell cannot guarantee your safety."

Mary turned away from Sir Francis and Amelia, refusing to let the pair see the tears that were beginning to

Mary turned away from Sir Francis and Amelia, refusing to let the pair see the tears that were beginning to prick the corners of her eyes. "However much I love my father, Your Grace,and would do anything to please and satisfy him, I still cannot risk my immortal soul for the favor of an earthly King," she said quietly, the weight of the betrayal of her sister and father heavy on her heart.

"You are an unfilial daughter," Sir Francis responded, his voice low and dangerous. This caused Mary to turn and look at him. "Since you will not submit to your father," he said, taking a few steps closer to her, "he may yet proceed against you for treason."

Amelia's eyes widened. She didn't think that her father would go as far as do something like that. She felt her baby kick strongly, and placed a hand on her stomach. Her baby must have disagreed with the gentleman's statements as well.

"No," Mary said, trying more to convince herself instead of the man in front of her. "No, he would not. I cannot believe it!"

"Listen to me," Sir Francis continued. "I tell you, if you were my daughter, I would smash your head against the wall until it was as soft as a boiled apple." He paused. "You understand?"

Mary had turned away from Sir Francis and her sister once again, refusing to look at the man who had just threatened her.

"Lady Mary," Sir Francis said with a bow. He turned to look at Amelia, who now had both hands resting on her stomach. "Lady Amelia," he said, with another bow.

The menacing man left the room, leaving the two sisters standing there shocked. "Mary," Amelia said softly, taking a few steps towards her and placing her hand on her sister's shoulder. "Mary, please say something."

Mary shrugged violently out of her sister's touch and turned to face her, angry tears falling from her eyes. "I cannot believe that you would betray our mother like that!" Mary cried out. "You willingly said that our mother's marriage to our father was unlawful! How could you do something like that?"

"I was confused!" Amelia responded. "When I arrived, I thought our mother had died! Only then was I told of the annulment. But I was alone, and confused. I wanted to stay in the King's favor because I did not know what would happen to me if I did not." She paused, her voice getting quieter. "I wasn't like you, Mary. I was sent away for years. It was as if I was meeting a stranger, not reuniting with my father."

"You should have done the right thing," Mary said quietly, shaking her head slightly. She walked out of the room, purposefully hitting Amelia with her shoulder as she went.

Amelia was left alone in the study. The weight of what had just happened hit her suddenly, and she sank into one of the chairs by the fire. She did not want her sister to hate her at all. She thought that if she had accepted the articles, then maybe Mary would accept them as well.

When Charles was finally released from court and allowed to go home, he returned to a quiet house just as dusk was settling on the horizon. He had never come home to a house this quiet since Mary and Elizabeth had come to live with them. Charles found Mary in the front parlor, reading her book, an angry look on her face as she turned the pages. She looked up when he entered, her expression unchanged, before turning her attention back to the pages.

John and Elizabeth were sitting quietly as well, listening as William told them stories as he prepared supper.

His wife was in the back study, slumped in a chair, fast asleep. There were trails of tears down her cheeks, which tugged at his heart painfully. He knelt down beside Amelia and took one of her hands in one of his as he gently shook her shoulder. "Amelia?" he asked softly.

She stirred and woke. "My sister hates me, Charles," was all she whispered before fresh tears fell from her eyes and she buried her head in her husband's shoulder.

He could only hold her as she cried.