March 31st, 1522
Palace of Whitehall
"My lady? My lady!"
Kathryn felt the coverlet being ripped off her and she instantly sat, ready to scream but relaxed when she saw that it one of her servants.
She yawned as she pushed her blonde tresses from her face. "Is there a reason that you are waking me before noon?"
"Lord Richmond requests an audience with you, my lady." The girl replied.
"Does he not have any common decency? Why is he here so early? Send him away, I am not properly dressed." Kathryn ordered.
"He said that he is willing to wait until you are properly dressed to receive him."
Kathryn sighed. Of course he is.
"Very well, bring me the green." Kathryn muttered.
She forced herself out of her bed and allowed the maid to put her in the green dress and a matching french hood to cover her hair. Kathryn glanced at the mirror and decided that she was pleased herself before nodding to her maid to allow Lord Richmond entrance.
His eyes widened when he saw her. "Good morning, Kathryn."
She dipped into a curtsy. "Yes, Edward. It is morning, however, not a good one."
"Why? What has happened? Is there anything that I can do that will make it better." He looked concerned.
Kathryn nodded. "Please, do not wake me before noon ever again unless it is serious."
Edward chuckled. "So, if the king breaks with Rome I can wake you up?"
"Yes, you have my leave. Now what was so urgent that you decided to interrupt my sleep?" Her annoyance was clear.
"Well, I wanted to take a walk in the gardens and I thought of no better person than my betrothed."
Kathryn groaned. "What about Anne? She is always awake around this time, if not earlier."
Edward shook his head. "Well firstly, because you are my betrothed, not Anne. Secondly, I do not wish to be in anymore conflicts with George, nor do I wish to begin having confrontations with Henry."
"Henry? You surely do not mean the Marquess of Monmouth?" Kathryn felt her heart drop.
Edward nodded. "Wolsey would not allow me to leave Anne unattached so the only reasonable match to replace a future Marquess was a current Marquess. Besides, it is about time for Henry to get married and beget an heir to his estates."
Kathryn nodded slowly. "I suppose,"
Edward smiled. "I do not wish to discuss all of these things with you. I have brought gifts as well."
He clapped and a servant in his livery brought a trunk to her and opened it, revealing an emerald necklace and matching earrings.
She smiled as she ran her fingers over the jewelry. "Thank you, Edward."
"Green is still your favorite color, correct?"
"That is one of the few things that has never changed."
Her maid took the trunk and placed it beside the rest of her jewels. Edward was watching her expectantly, and she remembered his request to visit the gardens.
"I suppose I will have to agree to that walk now." She mused.
He took her hand and kissed it. "That would make me very happy, my lady."
Anne paced the courtyard, one of Wolsey's men had delivered the news that she was no longer betrothed to George, but to Lord Henry Churchill and she needed to speak to those she knew best: Elizabeth and Sir John, the younger brother of the Marquess of Nottingham. She felt herself trembling and she was wondering why Edward would do such a thing. She had trusted him to protect her, and he had given her a political match without even consulting her.
"What is it, Nan?" John's voice came from behind.
Anne sighed in relief. "I am no longer betrothed to George."
Elizabeth nodded. "Then what is the issue that was so urgent?"
"I have been betrothed to Lord Monmouth in his stead."
Elizabeth's eyes lit up, for what reason Anne did not know, but she quickly composed herself. "Lord Henry Churchill?"
John shrugged. "I am not familiar with him. I did not see him the other night when we were celebrating Kathryn and Edward."
"Speaking of Kathryn, have you spoken with her?" Elizabeth inquired.
Anne shook her head. "No I have not, I believe she was with Edward this morning. I saw them in the gardens."
Elizabeth nodded. "Forgive me, but I need to speak with her immediately."
"Farewell, Elizabeth."
Elizabeth hurried off in the direction of the palace, leaving Anne and John alone.
"I wonder what has gotten into her," Anne muttered.
John shrugged. "Marriage nerves?"
Anne giggled. "Elizabeth? Nervous? Surely you jest, John."
He grinned. "Perhaps, or perhaps not."
Elizabeth knocked on Kathryn's doors and a timid maid came to answer. Elizabeth waited to be ushered in and Kathryn was sitting in a chair near the fireplace. She seemed serene, but Elizabeth saw the sadness in her eyes underneath the facade.
"So I suppose you heard the news." Elizabeth chuckled as she took a seat across from Kathryn.
Kathryn raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean that my betrothed has put Anne in the position that I have wanted since I met Hal? Yes, Lord Richmond told me himself, Bess."
Elizabeth giggled. "Someone is quite angry, I see."
"You would never understand. You and Richard chose each other!"
Elizabeth shook her head. "Our betrothal was called off by my father."
"Yes and then you estranged yourself from him and used Edward to have it reinstated." Kathryn shot back.
"It is not as if Edward knew you were actually in love with Henry. What he did was smart if you truly think about it."
"Damn him!"
"Kat! If it is any consolation to you, Nan is none too keen on the match either." Elizabeth offered.
Kathryn paused. "She is not? Why is she not? Hal is the most kind, generous noble in all of King Henry's court!"
Elizabeth noticed the trunk on Kathryn's vanity. "Where did that come from?"
"Lord Richmond."
"You mean, Edward?"
"I said, Lord Richmond."
Elizabeth broke out laughing. "You are extremely angry about this, are you not?"
Kathryn glared. "I am not happy about it in the slightest. I believe that he suspected Monmouth and I-"
Kathryn stopped and stared at Elizabeth with disgust. "You told him!"
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "It would not even be worth my time to tell him. What do I stand to gain from it?"
Kathryn relaxed. "Well, what would make him choose Monmouth of all the unbetrothed men at court. Why did he not pick Thomas or Charles?"
"Maybe because Thomas is not of the status to marry Anne and Charles is betrothed to Lady Susanna?" Elizabeth countered.
"Lord Digby?"
Elizabeth sighed. "Anne was to become a marchioness, correct?"
Kathryn nodded slowly.
"That means, for Edward to have obtained a suitable match for Anne the man he chose had to be at least an earl, like her father was. She is the eldest of three daughters, the Dowager Duchess of Wessex would not have accepted anything less and you know that as well as Wolsey and Edward. knew that."
Kathryn sighed. "Yes, I am aware. However, that also means that her aunt would accept Edward's suit if he were to approach."
"Edward is attached to you, but her aunt does enjoy Ned, yes." Elizabeth conceded.
George saw Edward walking towards the stables, clearly heading out to hunt with Thomas, Charles, and Arthur. George felt betrayed that his friends were taking Anne's side and preferred Edward to himself.
"Just like Anne!" he hissed under his breath.
He had been informed earlier in the day that he had been promised to Lady Maud Haddock. He was unhappy with the new developments, although he did find Maud to be prettier than her name would allow. She was named for her grandmother and George had taken to calling her Matilda, a more distinguished version of her name and even then, he called her Tilda. She joined him and took a goblet of mead.
"Hello, George." she said cheerfully.
"Tilda," He nodded shortly, his eyes still fixed on Edward.
He knew Edward had something to with his new betrothal, Edward was planning something with Anne and George saw right through it all. He may have been pretending to be Kathryn's knight in shining armor, but he was watching Anne from the corners of his eyes. George got up, ignoring Maud's protests and stalked over to Edward.
Edward raised an eyebrow. "George?"
George chuckled. "Lord Richmond, did you hear that we will be jousting against each other in a few days?"
"No, I did not actually." Edward looked a bit uncomfortable.
George nodded. "Yes, it would be...unfortunate if you got injured and someone else married Kathryn."
Edward took a step forward. "What are you saying, Southampton?"
George also took a step forward. "I do not mean myself, I mean Lord Monmouth."
Edward narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"
"I mean to say that Kathryn is cuckolding you and you have not even married her yet."