Festina Lente

Chapter Fifty-One: The Hunting Trip

It had been sometime since she had last been in his presence, she had served in the Infanta of Spain's household when she had been considered the Queen of England. 

"Thank you, Lady Seymour. We apologise for the inconvenience," Henry replied knowing that there had been no such warning for them arriving and it was a great ask to house a King on such short notice. 

He and his friends would try and not create too much trouble while they were guests in the Seymour home; afterall they were kin to his wife and loyal to them in all matters.

***

"The rain seems to have gotten harder," Clarice noticed looking out of the window at Anne's apartment, a frown on her face knowing that there was no way that the men would be able to avoid such weather while they were out hunting. 

George had left her early that morning, a kiss on her head as he had climbed out of bed with promises to return when he could; that he had been summoned by the King to come hunting with him. 

Instead, Clarice had spent the day in the royal chambers with Anne and her children; she was most thankful that she had been able to keep Contessina and Filiberta with her for a little longer. 

She adored her girls and every moment that she had with them was special, they seemed to grow up so quickly and she wished that she had more chances to be around them. 

"I should hope that His Majesty was able to find shelter, lest he finds himself ill," Anne murmured looking up from where she had been doting upon her nieces, a small moment of joy for herself when her own children had been returned to their royal nursery in Hatfield only days earlier. 

Court was not a place for children and Anne would visit Alexander and Elizabeth soon enough, she had duties of her own to attend to though as her father liked to remind her there was none more important than providing a little Duke of York for the succession. 

"It is unlikely in any case that His Majesty shall return this evening, it appears the rain will be on for the night," Clarice mused knowing that if His Majesty did not return then it was unlikely that her husband would do so. 

The idea of sleeping in their bed in their private quarters seemed rather foreign to Clarice, she doubted that she would get much rest without him sleeping soundly by her side. 

The ladies that were gathered in Anne's apartments were silent at such news, it was likely to be a dull night at court if the King were not here and they would likely spend the entire evening trapped in these apartments. 

"Perhaps Your Majesty should preside over supper," Lady Elizabeth Ughtred suggested, she saw no reason that the Queen alone could not host such things and it would be good for the people to see Anne not just as the King's wife but a Queen in her own right.

She was anointed after all and had been crowned Queen of England, the celebrations had covered England if she remembered right and no one could deny that in such miserable weather that perhaps the Queen should be seen not hiding away but embracing her royal duty. 

Anne pondered Lady Ughtred's suggestion, she had to admit that she was not fond of the idea of eating alone in the seclusion of her chambers with only her ladies for company. 

Since the King was away from court, it was her duty to preside over court in his absence and she would not have the people whisper that she hide away when Henry was not here. 

There could very well be a time where she would be expected to rule in the place of her husband should he go to war and she would be regent in his absence and their son was under age.