But it seemed that for once the King was unaware of Mistress Anne and her business; matters of state had evidently spilled from the council chamber to the banqueting table.
The eating of the forty courses took up almost four and a half hours, every long minute a torture for Anne and Harry who only wished to be in each other’s arms. However at last the company finished the huge meal and the trestles were pushed aside in order that the entertainments might begin after a suitable interval for the digestion process.
Having been in love for just a few short hours, Anne and Harry did not care who guessed their secret. She danced with him every time she took to the floor and in between exertions they found that they could not stop talking. They desperately needed to know every detail of each other’s lives so that their love could take root and flourish strongly.
Whilst she and Harry were recovering their breath after a particularly energetic galliard, her brother and Tom Wyatt appeared at her side. Still breathless, her hand on her rapidly beating heart she gasped “George, Tom, I am glad you are here; I want you to meet Harry Percy”.
The three men greeted each other courteously, then George, who knew her better than any, drew her aside from the other two saying in a low voice “Anne, you are in love with this man?”
“Does it show that much?” she asked, exchanging a little smile with Harry over her brother’s shoulder.
“How long has it been going on?” George demanded.
“But a few hours. Why George, are you jealous?” Anne giggled softly.
“You realise who he is?”
“Lord Henry Percy”.
“He is Northumberland’s heir, sister, and what is more, he has been betrothed to the Lady Mary Talbot these last six months to my knowledge!”
She screwed up her face, remembering “Someone once told me that a betrothal could be broken like a snap of the fingers…yes, I think it was Princess Mary. Francis said that to her when he asked her to marry him after Louis died”.
“Oh Anne!” George sighed. “You are possessed of the sharpest wit at court and yet still you do not see. Mary Talbot will bring much gold to Northumberland’s rapidly emptying coffers for she is the daughter of the Earl of Shrewsbury. In comparison, our father is a nobody!”
“My breeding is as good as any!” she flashed, finally moved to anger.
Henry Percy, in deep conversation with Wyatt, looked up at the sound of her raised voice. Her angry expression caused his gentle face to crease with consternation.
She glanced apologetically at him, then voice lowered, turned back to George. “Am I not related to the Earls of Ormonde through our father and the powerful Howards through our mother? Why, but very recently I was considered an acceptable bride for Ormonde’s heir”.
“Yes, yes. But whether such connections will placate mighty Northumberland, only time will tell. I think the issue here is as much to do with riches as breeding”.
Thus it was a much chastened Anne who returned to her beloved’s side minutes later. She decided that at the earliest opportunity she and Percy must slip away from the court and find somewhere private where they could talk. As luck would have it, her chance came sooner than expected, when the King ordered that the floor be cleared for wrestling.
Signing to her brother to say nothing, she seized Harry’s hand and together they backed out of the great hall unobserved, or so she hoped. Besides George only one other noticed their going and that person sat on his dais watching them slip away with narrowed eyes and pursed mouth. That person was the King.
Hand in hand they raced down deserted passageways and did not slow until Anne pulled up outside a small ante chamber which she knew to be rarely used. However, she opened the door slowly and checked that the room was indeed empty before she pulled Harry in behind her and closed the door.
Once inside, they both began to giggle crazily for neither had thought to bring a torch, and with the door shut the room was in almost total darkness. There was a faint glimmer of moonlight from the tiny window and it was towards this that Anne stumbled, pulling Harry with her.
Finally they stood in each other’s arms, both desperately trying to make out the features of the other’s face in the dim light.
“I can barely see you my love” Anne whispered.
“No matter my sweet” he replied. “For if the sense of sight is missing there is only one other worth using”.
Mentally Anne began to run through the five senses, then as his lips came down on hers, she knew just what he meant. “Touch!” she murmured.
Once the kiss was ended, Anne broached the subject which had been uppermost in her mind since her conversation with her brother. “Harry, are you truly betrothed to Shrewsbury’s daughter?”
“Regrettably yes” he affirmed. “But maybe when I tell my father of our love he will reconsider”.
Hope sprang into her heart “You really believe he would break the alliance?”
“He is a hard man” admitted Harry, “although there are times when he is approachable. I may be able to persuade him if I can catch him in a mellow mood”.
“I do believe you are proposing to me, Harry Percy!” Having said what she hoped was in his heart, Anne caught her breath and looked searchingly into the dimmed features.
“Did you ever doubt my intentions?” he cried. “Did you think that I meant to treat you as a mere light o’ love?”
“No…” she admitted slowly, “although a girl does like to be acquainted with her man’s hopes and desires”.
“All my hopes and desires are caught up in you” he told her earnestly. “I love you more than life; would you do me the honour of consenting to be my wife?”
“Well…” she pretended to consider, then backing away a little dropped a cheeky curtsey and said demurely “I should be greatly honoured to accept, my Lord!” and threw herself again into his arms. “Promise me you will settle the matter with your father as soon as you can?”
“As soon as he comes to court” he promised, holding her tightly.
So caught up in each other were they, that it took a little time for them both to become aware of the tramp of many feet passing their hiding place. “The court is preparing to retire” she told him. “Do not worry, no-one will come in here but we must take our leave now, separately, before we are missed”.
They indulged in one last lingering kiss, then she, after listening at the door to ensure nobody was near, slipped out into the passageway, blowing him one last kiss as she gently closed the door.
For a long time after she had left, Henry Percy stood by the window staring into the night. But it was not the beauty of the moonlit gardens which so absorbed him, more how to break the news to his father that he wished to reject his intended bride.
Chapter 12 – Shattered Dreams
Similar ante chambers in all the King’s palaces became secret meeting places for the lovers. After that first wild and indiscreet evening, they had come to realise that it was necessary to keep their true feelings for the moments when they were hidden from prying eyes. They feared that to bring their innocent love to the attention of the King or Cardinal would bring about instant separation.
In public they were careful never to be seen alone together, always remaining within the circle of their friends. Since that first heady night of their love, they had not danced with one another exclusively.
Meanwhile the King was playing his own little game; that of observing those who thought themselves unobserved. It would do no harm, he decided, for their friendship to continue for a little longer. Perhaps when Mistress Anne tired of the boy she would look to a more mature man for her security. The King sat in his chair, these thoughts coursing through his head, puffing out his chest in mute pride as he thought of Anne comparing the worldliness of his thirty two years to the awkwardness and inexperience of a mere seventeen year old.
Anne’s friends, with the exception of Wyatt, were delighted that she was at last experiencing true love. Wyatt, whilst glad f
or her in a way, found it hard to keep his jealousy under control, although he had to admit that he liked Percy.
Love itself had a miraculous effect on Anne. Gone were her flirtatious ways with others, her somewhat cynical outlook on life. All her hardness had melted away, leaving her soft, loving and very vulnerable. George, still keeping a close brotherly eye on her, compared this new Anne to their sister Mary. Anne had acquired all of Mary’s gentleness and submissiveness but thankfully not her morals.
Mary herself, still clinging to her position as the King’s favourite, had little time with which to associate with her sister, but she too noticed the change.
Sadly Anne’s pure innocent love was doomed. The King came in to the great hall one night in a foul mood; his privy council had dared to cross him over some small matter and Henry was a man who hated to be crossed.
His smouldering eyes alighted on Anne and Harry executing one of the newer dances straight from France which involved the partners exchanging courtesy kisses, the merest brushing of lips, during certain parts of the dance.
The King noticed jealously that Percy kissed Anne just a little more heartily, his lips lingering on hers just a little longer that convention demanded. With a barely stifled roar the King leapt to his feet and stamped out of the hall, calling for the Cardinal to follow him as he cast a murderous glance in Percy’s direction.
Once alone with the Cardinal the King made some trifling excuse for his bad temper, then as the Cardinal prepared to leave said casually “Lord Henry Percy; he is betrothed to Shrewsbury’s girl is he not?”
The Cardinal’s shrewd blue eyes immediately flew to the King’s face as he affirmed “Indeed he is, Your Grace”.
The King did not flinch from his gaze as he said lightly, “then maybe it is time the boy married her, before he commits some indiscretion with one of the Queen’s ladies”.
The Cardinal’s mind worked quickly. Just who had Percy been dallying with of late? Ah yes, Anne Boleyn. Backing from his Sovereign’s presence with a series of bows the Cardinal murmured “Rest assured Your Grace that I will waste no time in acquainting the Earl and his heir with your observations”.
Henry allowed himself a self-satisfied smile “Then see to it!” he muttered.
It so happened that the conversation between the King and Cardinal had been inadvertently overheard by Wolsey’s gentleman usher, Cavendish. He had been sent by the Queen to deliver a message to the Cardinal, but as soon as he had gleaned the nature of the King’s instructions, message forgotten, he returned swiftly to the great hall.
The dance which had so inflamed the King long finished, Harry and Anne stood talking with her brother. “A word in your ear my friend” whispered Cavendish, laying his hand on Percy’s shoulder and drawing the surprised young man aside. “You and Mistress Anne are found out! Even now the King is instructing Wolsey to summon your father and arrange the marriage to Mary Talbot without delay”.
“It is what I feared might happen” Percy admitted sadly, “but I thank you for the warning my friend”.
“Now I must take my leave Harry, for I am supposed to be delivering a message from the Queen to the Cardinal. If she spies me talking here, you will not be the only member of the Cardinal’s household to incur royal displeasure!” Quickly George Cavendish left the great hall in search of his master.
As Percy stared unhappily after his departing friend, he felt a hand on his arm and heard Anne asking “You are deeply troubled, my love?”
Closing his hand over hers, Harry gently told her of Cavendish’s warning. “There is no hope for us now, Anne” he told her sadly. “My father will be greatly angered that I have incurred the displeasure of the King and have caused him to travel down from Northumberland. At best he will disinherit me, at worst, marry me immediately to Mary Talbot”.
“But there is still a way Harry”. Anne’s dark eyes were full of love as she gazed appealingly at him.
He frowned as his eyes met hers. “You do not mean…. Anne, I would not have you bear the shame!”
Standing on tiptoe, her lips close to his ear, she said softly “There is no shame in bearing a child to one’s husband. Whatever happens, there need be no shame. If I conceive your child, they must let us marry. If I do not, then no-one need know. Quickly, we must leave this place before the Cardinal thinks to part us!”
Their minds whirling, they somehow found themselves in the chamber they had lately been using to meet whilst the court was at Greenwich. Anne barred the door, then leaned against it facing Harry, wishing that her heart would not pound so furiously.
Gently he took her into his arms. “You are quite sure you want this?” he asked, tilting her earnest little face up to his. “And if you do not conceive what then?”
“Then we must find another way to win your father over to our cause, but should our child leap into being this night then all our wishes will be granted!”
And so it happened that on a dusty floor in a locked chamber somewhere in the heart of Greenwich Palace, Anne Boleyn gave herself utterly, body and soul, to the only man she believed that she would ever want to marry.
It was well into the small hours before he could bring himself to leave her. Helping her to her feet he gently brushed the dust and cobwebs from her hair and helped her rearrange her disordered clothing. She did the same for him, her fingers lingering lovingly over his body, until eventually they stood before one another in some sense of sartorial order and prepared to say goodbye.
Not wishing to take the risk of meeting a guard whilst creeping around the silent palace at such an hour, Harry elected to climb out through the little window and return to the Cardinal’s lodgings by way of the gardens.
One last kiss, then he climbed nimbly through the small casement and dropped the few feet to the ground. As he raced silently across the gardens, he paused to turn and wave several times, aware that he would carry the image of her framed in that moonlit window, her hand raised in farewell, in his heart for the rest of his life.
When at last he had disappeared from sight, Anne shut the window and heaved a great sigh. Then gazing at the dusty floor with a secret smile curving her lips, she relived their love. Folding her arms about her body she closed her eyes and tried to will the spark of life within her to blossom. If they had not succeeded in their endeavours, then it was not for the want of trying!
As she basked in the warmth of their delicious secret, she was not to know that it would be many long years before they would meet again.
It was George who brought the news to her. As she watched his approach, his face betraying his compassion, her heart sank.
It had been some days since the consummation of her love and she had heard that the Earl of Northumberland had already arrived at Hampton Court, purple in the face with rage, in response to the Cardinal’s summons.
“Wolsey sent for Harry early this morning” began George. “Harry tried to tell him that you and he were committed to each other and that your bloodline was every bit as good as his, but the Cardinal would have none of it”.
Her great eyes mournful, Anne whispered, “and?”
“The Cardinal went on to say that Harry should not so lower himself by aspiring to marry the daughter of a paltry knight, whatever her lineage. Then the Earl appeared and there ensued a mighty row, the upshot being that even now Harry and his father ride north”.
Tears spilled from her eyes as she buried her face in her brother’s doublet and sobbed “He is gone then, without even saying goodbye?”
“Believe me he tried to get to you, but the Cardinal has had him under virtual house arrest since he discovered the attachment”.
She was aware of some small relief at her brother’s use of the word ‘attachment’. At least Harry had not revealed the extent of their love. All that was left for her now was to wait and hope.
“And” George continued, “I am afraid there is still one more piece of news I have to impart”.
Anne raised her head and drying her t
ears with the back of her hand, asked “Which is?”
“On the King’s command you are banished from court for your indiscretion in seeking to entangle yourself with Northumberland’s heir”.
Shocked, she gasped “For how long?”
“I do not know, but I hope to God the King misses you sorely!” George exclaimed furiously. As one of the gentlemen closest to the King, he knew how much Henry relied on Anne for his amusement.
“This is surely the Cardinal’s doing!” she burst out. “I truly believe that the King would not seek to part true lovers”.
“But Anne, surely the King could overrule the Cardinal should he so desire? More likely the King is behind this because he did not want Percy to have you”.
She shook her head. “No, not the King. Why should he be jealous of Harry? You’re wrong George; it’s all the fault of that red-cloaked imbecile!”
In vain George tried to calm her, but she was determined to give full vent to her anger. “As God is my witness, I hope one day that it will lie within my power to destroy his life as he has surely destroyed mine!”
George put his arm around her shoulders. “Come” he said gently, “I will help you pack; it is Hever for you sweet sister. Remember you once said that the place would always make you feel happy and safe? Mary is there at present, so you will have some company”.
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