Cor Rotto: A novel of Catherine Carey Read Online Free PDF Page B

Margaret Douglas behind them. The maids-of-honour and other gentlewomen hung back to watch the spectacle.
    Once they met in the middle of the park, both the king and queen dismounted. The king doffed his hat and made reverence to the queen and, in return, she knelt low. The king embraced her and they both turned and waved to their court. Back on their horses, they processed to the inner courtyard where they kissed and celebratory artillery was fired. Though I am sure the king was smouldering with anger inside, he never once let on to his people that all was not well. The queen was led to her privy chamber so she could become better acquainted with her ladies. The king withdrew as well, probably eager to berate his councillors for getting him into this untenable situation.
    In the queen’s chambers I finally had a moment to take her in. I was struck by how sturdy she seemed. I knew that Aunt Anne had been very slight and of middling stature and I had heard that Queen Jane was quite delicate, but this new queen looked as though she could work the land. She was tall and rather stocky, her face ruddy as though she had been out in the fields in the wind and sun. But when she smiled, her face lit up, her doe eyes crinkling at the corners. She seemed nervous and kept her ladies from home near to her. I watched the noble-women of the court pay respects to her. She listened intently as though she were working out the words that they spoke to her and it occurred to me that she knew very little of our language. I knew that the other ladies would take advantage of this and I saw a few begin to cluster and whisper to each other, trying to hide their scorn beneath their hands. I became overwhelmed with pity. I knew that she would not last long in a vain court such as ours.
    The formalities done, the English ladies went about their business while the queen sat, hands clasped in her lap, and stared off into space. No one seemed to know what to do next. Most of us had never served a foreign queen before. After a moment, an idea came to me. I asked one of the pages for a deck of cards. I gathered Lady Rochford, Nan Bassett and Lady Dudley and explained my plan. I thanked the page for the cards and we approached the queen. She smiled at us curiously and I held out the deck. A great smile spread across her face and she clapped her hands together, nodding in excitement. We giggled in relief and spent the day before the fire playing card games with our new mistress.
    The day of the wedding fell after Advent so the celebrations would be short-lived, but it was a royal wedding after all. We dressed Queen Anne in a gorgeous cloth-of-gold gown, rubies and sapphires around her throat. Her golden brown hair fell loose down her back, crowned with a coronet of gold and jewels. A garland of rosemary hung around her waist. The ceremony would be private and we would not be there, so I prayed she would be happily received. I had seen the king stomping about the palace earlier in the day and my stomach quaked with fear for her. She smiled serenely and gave a wave as she was led to the king by the Dukes of Suffolk and Norfolk. As he led her out of the room, Charles Brandon, the Duke of Suffolk, gave me a wink and a smile. He had been so kind to me since my arrival and I was glad that he would be escorting her. It would be a nice contrast to my Uncle Norfolk’s stiff personality.
    After the ceremony the rest of the court was invited to the feast. The king and queen dined on the dais under a gold cloth of state, the premier nobles of the court on either side of them. Plate after plate came out of the kitchens, piled high with trout, clams, eel, plover and duck. During Lenten season there would be no red meat, but there was plenty of food from the sea. We ate until our hearts’ content, and then made our way to chapel for Evensong. After the service the masques could begin.
    The music and ale made me feel as light as a feather. I dropped my inhibitions and my