The Lady Carey

by Anne R Bailey

  After their vows were exchanged and the final contracts signed, the couple were led to the courtyard where her mother had arranged a picnic for the tenants and servants. They stood as each and every one of them gave their blessings and congratulations — occasionally, a basket of goods was handed to her.

  Finally, this was followed by a feast in the great hall at Rochford. They danced well into the night, and Catherine was sure she was going to pass out from exhaustion before nightfall.

  When they were put together to bed for the first time, Catherine couldn’t look at him. She had become a statue, too worried to even move. She had been happy enough to joke and dance with him earlier, but, now that she was left alone with him, her fear was greater than her happiness.

  He took pity on her and did nothing but kiss her brow goodnight.

  “You are tired, there’s no need for us to rush.”

  “They will say the marriage wasn’t consummated.” Her voice was cracking from nervousness.

  “We can make sure they don’t know.”

  “How?”

  He turned her around and unplaited her hair from its braid. His gentle hands made her sigh with pleasure as he tousled her hair a bit. Then he untied the front of her nightgown, which made her freeze, but he did nothing else but retie it in a hasty manner, leaving it parted open more. Standing up, he took a needle from her chests across the room and pricked his finger, letting a few drops of blood stain the sheets.

  “There,” he declared looking her over. “You look positively un-virginal.”

  This made her laugh but also shift uncomfortably under the sheets.

  “Good night, wife,” he said after climbing into their shared bed.

  “Good night, husband.” With that he blew out the last remaining candle in the room.

  A week later, they heard through the grapevine that the King was rumored to have married Kitty Howard. Catherine had to remind herself that she couldn’t call her that any more. She would now be Queen Katherine. It sounded strange on her tongue and completely unsuited for the light girl who was too young and playful for the title of Queen.

  The King had not returned to court. Instead, he continued honeymooning in the country. There was sickness in London and rumors of plague, so he began his progress with his new bride by his side.

  Catherine was excused from attending her until they returned to London, so she would be able to enjoy a few lazy weeks of her own with Francis. They spent two days with her family, playing with Elizabeth and riding out with Henry to join them on hunts around the grounds.

  Henry was not as annoying as she had remembered him, or, perhaps he had matured from his bullying ways. They had plans to send him to Oxford to finish his education before joining the King’s household.

  Then, Francis declared that he wished to show Catherine her new home, and they prepared for the long journey to Reading. The pair left with the blessing of her parents.

  They had to go around London to reach Reading from her home in Essex. Their journey would cover nearly a hundred miles. Their small retinue traveled a quick pace, but they still had to take shelter every night at an inn or great house that gave them permission. With the sickness spreading, they were met with distrust and had to bribe their way inside at times.

  It was on one of these evenings that Catherine reached for her husband as they lay in bed. She brazenly took initiative and kissed him awake.

  “Catherine?” He was just coming out of his sleep. “What are you doing?”

  They had shared kisses and caresses in the past but now she wanted more.

  “I am no longer content to just be your wife in name.” He was alert at that and couldn’t help but grin.

  “If you are sure?”

  “Quite sure.” She reassured him with a laugh.

  In the end, they had to spend two more days at the inn while she recovered enough to travel.

  “I could have seen about a litter.”

  But Catherine slapped his arm. “There is no need, I am feeling much better.” Indeed, the pain had gone away now after they had paid handsomely for a hot bath to be brought to her room.

  By the time they finally arrived at his manor in Reading, they were clinging to each other like a lovesick couple.

  “This is your new home.” He announced it proudly and introduced her to the household staff assembled in the courtyard.

  The two story building was of decent size, but it was the large park around it that was more impressive. Inside, the servants had scrubbed everything clean and opened the windows to let fresh air in. It was sparsely decorated but seemed to be a comfortable home.

  “You shall do what you like with it,” he said, knowing it did not compare to Rochford Hall.

  “It’s perfect for us,” she reassured him.

  That night as they lay side by side in the aftermath of their heated union, he turned to her.

  “Mistress Knollys, tell me the truth. Are you upset by the demotion?”

  Catherine sat up considering. She was no longer a lady, but she did not think it mattered too much. Not to her.

  “A little, I suppose, so you shall have to find a way to make it up to me.” She was grinning mischievously.

  “Mistress Knollys, I am not sure this wanton behavior is proper in a wife.” He pulled up the covers in mock modestly as she had leaned over to kiss him.

  “Catherine,” she corrected him and pulled down the shift of her nightgown again.

  They kept to themselves, enjoying each other and were lucky to have their household avoid the sickness that now plagued London in full force.

  In the mornings, Catherine would make possets from herbs, like she had seen her mother do at Rochford. Then she took over the reins of the household, making sure it was running smoothly, that their servants and tenants prayed as they were supposed to and paid their taxes and fees as they were supposed to.

  She took the Queen Anne’s example and tried to be as generous and gentle a mistress as she had been. She didn’t yell or make unnecessary demands, and they seemed to appreciate her for it. More than that, she asked for help when she did not know something, instead of imposing her own beliefs.

  Francis himself kept busy hunting and going out with the steward over what needed to be done on the land, from making sure the flock of sheep was well tended to the wheat that was growing higher and higher in the fields. They would rely on it to feed the animals and for profit.

  Their seemingly carefree days did not last long. They had been at Readings for barely two months when they received the summons to court. Catherine was to return to the Queen’s side to serve as a lady in her household and Francis would return to serving the King.

  “I shall have my own rooms.” Catherine sighed thinking of the one happy thing about this.

  “And shall you let me visit them?” He was joking, but, since they were not in private, Catherine cuffed him lightly.

  They traveled to join the rest at Hampton Court without delay.

  Catherine had ordered two new gowns, and she sported the stormy blue one as she entered the Queen’s chambers. It did not surprise her to find the ladies in disarray. The Queen was playing with a dog, tossing the ball for it and then chasing it around the room when it refused to return it.

  Other ladies were just as idle, playing on lutes or gambling.

  Catherine was shocked to see how young the new ladies were. Only Lady Rochford and herself remained from Queen Anne’s ladies. Lady Bridgewater, the sister to the Duke of Norfolk, emerged from her rooms too, looking as though she was suffering from a headache.

  But she did not recognize the rest of the girls.

  “Oh, Catherine, you are here!” Queen Katherine said loudly when she saw her.

  Catherine hesitated only for a moment before falling into a deep curtsey. “Your Majesty, thank you for having me at your court.”

  Queen Katherine seemed pleased with her deference. “You are most welcome. You may stand, Lady Carey.”

  �
�Mistress Knollys now.” Lady Rochford stepped forward with a grin. Katherine allowed her to kiss both cheeks in greeting. “We have missed you, niece.”

  It didn’t take long for her to notice the difference between the new Queen and the old. Katherine Howard had remained as greedy as ever, and she loved frivolity, spending much of her time dancing in her rooms rather than doing anything productive.

  The King continued to shower his new bride with gifts, happy to be rewarded with her smiles and kisses. Henry seemed like a new man. Invigorated by the excitement of a pretty bride, he began riding out more frequently to hunt with her and stayed up late into the night watching her dance and perform in pageants for him. The Master of Revels was kept busy with an endless stream of requests for more costumes, more plays, more dances.

  Then every night, without fail, the King visited the Queen’s bed. It seemed whatever impotence he had suffered with Queen Anne had lifted. Catherine did not wish to dwell on it. After he arrived and the royal couple retreated to the Queen’s bedchamber, she herself was released to go to Francis.

  They would steal away together whenever they had a moment to spare. Sometimes they would sneak off into closets or once, as the court was out hunting, they snuck off, hidden by the trees to share each other’s company.

  So in these early distracted days, Catherine did not notice anything amiss about the Queen except that she was as unqueenly as a girl her age might be.

  The spell was broken with the arrival of Christmas and the Ladies Anne and Mary. First, the King’s daughter, who arrived in the Queen’s apartments, had been shocked by their appearance and the lack of decorum displayed by the ladies. Catherine had seen the awkward first meeting between the new stepmother and daughter.

  At first the Queen had been gracious, but the condescending tone with which she addressed Mary insulted the princess. Catherine had seen Mary positively glare at the Queen. She would wager the princess was hiding a clenched fist in her long sleeves.

  Mary was older than her new stepmother by nearly a decade. They painted a strange picture.

  Unlike Anne, who had played the part carefully, Katherine Howard was unsure how to act and her attempts to play mother to Mary had been rebuffed most famously. Catherine had watched from the sidelines struggling to keep her expression impassive for the awkward meeting.

  “You shall come to me if you need any new dresses. And I can assign you a chaplain and tutor,” the Queen said, looking pleased with herself despite the glares she was receiving from Mary.

  “Madame, you are too young to know any better, but I have been raised and prepared for my great station my whole life.” Mary took a great breath. “You are merely standing in the place of greater women.”

  The ladies gaped at her audacity, and Queen Katherine was looking around her aghast at the way she was being treated.

  But Catherine knew she had no retort.

  “Y-you shall be very sorry indeed. You have spoken to me most rudely. I am your stepmother and Queen. You shall show me respect.”

  “If you need to ask for my respect then you have not earned it.”

  Katherine took a step back, clearing her throat and, like a child, threatened the infamous princess.

  “I shall speak to the King. He shall be displeased you have spoken to me like this.”

  This finally made Mary blanch and the Queen smiled triumphantly even though running to the King made her seem more like a child than ever.

  Still, Princess Mary did not ask for her forgiveness. She stood before her, waiting to be dismissed. Court protocol forbade her from leaving without permission.

  At length Queen Katherine waved her away.

  Then Lady Anne of Cleves arrived. The court found her much changed. Now wearing a fashionable English hood and dress, she appeared quite attractive and her gracious manners put Queen Katherine’s to shame. She brought lavish gifts for the King and Queen, including a pair of matching horses trapped in purple velvet, and gave all deference to the new Queen.

  The two women provided a perfect contrast to the new court growing around the Queen. They reminded the courtiers of what proper behavior should look like, and, indeed, during those Christmas days, they managed to get a hold of Katherine’s ladies and make them behave.

  There was no more sneaking off in the middle of the night to meet with lovers. There were no more romps late into the night. No more idle gossip and chit chat all day. They had been shamed into good behavior.

  For her part, Catherine was glad to be reunited with Anne and found time to walk with her, hearing how she was settling in at Richmond. Anne never spoke of anything except pleasantries and Catherine did not dare ask more.

  The Duke of Norfolk, who had arrived for the Christmas feast, had tried to rebuke his niece for her mismanagement of her household but it was to no avail. The minute Christmas was over and the Ladies Mary and Anne departed, the Queen’s rooms fell into playful chaos.

  Catherine did not care too much — she could have warned her uncle that this would happen. He feared that the King would find this lewd behavior unpalatable after the initial newness of his marriage wore off.

  Lady Rochford and Catherine were summoned to his rooms, just like in the old days, but, unlike before, Catherine did not feel the same sort of loyalty or devotion to her new mistress.

  “Has she shown any signs of being with child?”

  Catherine shook her head.

  “I am keeping track of her cycles,” Lady Rochford offered helpfully.

  “Good. It is imperative that she conceive as soon as possible. There should be no trouble, the King visits her every night.”

  Catherine saw Lady Rochford grimace.

  “What is it?” he snapped.

  “She confided in me that sometimes the King… cannot perform or struggles to do so,” she whispered.

  The sharp intake of breath from the Duke showed his displeasure. “She will have to do what she must. I haven’t put a Howard girl on the throne again to see the chance of a Howard Prince disappear!”

  “I shall encourage her,” Lady Rochford was practically quaking in her shoes.

  “And why can she not control her maids?” he demanded.

  “She is just as silly as them,” Catherine retorted, and he did not seem to like that.

  “She is Queen now. The King favors her but he can just as quickly tire of her. You must make her behave.”

  After their lecture from the Duke, both she and Lady Rochford tried to keep things calmer in Katherine’s rooms. But there was nothing to do when Queen Katherine herself instigated games.

  Francis came to her one evening and asked her to come to his rooms later that night. Catherine expected he wanted her company in bed but rather he motioned her to sit by the fire.

  “Do you know of a man in the Queen’s rooms named Francis Dereham?”

  Catherine scrunched her eyebrows thinking hard. “I have seen him. He used to live at Lambeth, working as a page for the Duchess.”

  Francis clicked his tongue in displeasure.

  “He has been making claims that could put the Queen and your family in danger.”

  Now he had her full attention. “What has he been saying?”

  They were speaking head to head — even if someone was listening at the door they wouldn’t be able to hear anything.

  “He was heard saying that he had been in the Queen’s council before any other man.”

  Catherine bit her lip. “He could mean anything by that.”

  “Yes, but she often favors him and anyone could twist the meanings of his words.”

  Catherine gulped. “What should I do?”

  “I would tell your uncle. This is too dangerous and I don’t like it at all. If anything goes wrong, the King’s fury would fall on you all.”

  As her husband suggested she went to her uncle. He seemed just as concerned but the man could be silenced.

  “I’ll have a man have a word with him and I’ll speak to the Queen myself.” He looked an
noyed at having yet another disreputable girl in the family. But what did he expect? Did he not set her on her path to seduce the King into leaving his previous wife?

  “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I think I can trust you to keep your mouth shut, can’t I, Catherine?”

  “Yes. I don’t want to be ruined by her behavior.”

  “We shall all be ruined if we are not careful.”

  The Queen’s entry into London had been put off long enough, and, with some final preparations, it would finally happen in March. Queen Katherine was jumping with joy, but she was disappointed to learn that she would not be crowned.

  “Why not?” She pouted and Lady Rochford, who was brushing her hair, gave it a tug to remind her to watch her tongue.

  “The King will decide when. Likely after you have given him a son. If Jane Seymour had not died, he would have crowned her.”

  Katherine sulked but the arrival of a pair of sable furs finer than those given to Anne of Cleves put a smile on her face again.

  The royal barge was decorated with roses and wreaths hung around the boat. Katherine was dressed in a gown of silver beside her husband, who wore a stately suit made from cloth of gold. The Mayor of London, who had greeted Queen Anne just a year ago, put on yet another pageant for the new Queen.

  Other Barges joined the royal couple, equally decorated and filled with amusements. One had acrobats and jugglers, while another carried musicians. Everyone cheered for the pretty Queen and the guns sounded off a salute. The cannons of the ships in the harbor also greeted her with great bellows.

  They feasted at Westminster and Katherine danced with her ladies all night as the King watched.

  Queen Katherine was not one to forget about her family, and she was insistent upon visiting the Lady Elizabeth. On a hunting expedition with the King at Baynard Castle, she took a small entourage to meet the former Princess at Chelsea. The official excuse was to oversee the setting up of her new household.

  Catherine rode at her side, intrigued by the prospect of meeting the child again. Like before, she waited prim as a rose for the party to appear, and she curtseyed neatly to the new Queen. Whatever she thought about meeting yet another Queen she kept to herself.