(Thanks for the reviews and the great ideas. Have an idea now where I'm going but am a bit unsure about this chapter, especially the first bit - let me know what you think :))

And she really was his Kate. Her cries were never silent for me, much to the pain of my state of mind, no matter that it was I who feed and changed her. No matter what I did, her crying would never cease for me! They would just grow louder and louder, until my head felt as though it would explode! She was only ever silent for her father. Kate also, even at that young age, seemed to sense when her father was near, for her cries would suddenly be replaced by gurgles of delight, minutes before Thomas would appear.

'I don't know why you complain,' he said, bent over her cot, late one night, 'she is an angel,'

'You are not here all hours listening to her cries!,' I sneered, folding some linen, 'it's I who feeds her, but she's only be silent for her father!'

I threw the linen into the wooden chest, that lay at the foot of my bed and slammed the lid down, causing the sound to echo around the bedroom. I sat down on the chest, completely fed up. I was tired, I was lonely. Alys had tried to help but she could escape from Kate's cries, but I could not.

'Don't be cruel, Bathsheba,' he smiled kindly at me, 'she's only a baby,'

I snapped at this, picking up a bowl of watery broth, Alys had suggested feeding Kate with and hurled it across the room, letting it smash against the wall.

'She's no baby! She's the devil!' I shouted, getting to my feet, 'I've never known scream like it! You would think I was torturing her on the rack! And as for you!'

'Bathsheba, I don't need this!' replied Thomas sharply, but I did not care-at that moment in time I wanted to rip him to sheds.

'Oh shut up! Shut up! You stroll in here whenever you feel like, gush over that thing, without even a kiss to greet me and then you stand there and lecture me!'

He tried to grab hold of my arms but I knocked him away, still waving my arms frantically.

'And don't think your ever getting another one of those off me. Cause believe me, you are never ever getting beneath the sheets with me ever again!'

I bite my fist, my body trembling at the rag still within me, and the black cloud had still hanging over me. I felt so pathetic and useless, as I looked up at Thomas, who was stood by the cot with a look of fear on his face.

'The Queen's with child,' he mumbled.

I started to laugh and laugh, throwing my head back as I did so. Thomas looked at me puzzled for a moment before joining in. I felt tears in my eyes, I laughed so hard.

I managed to smile, 'More fool Queen Jane for letting the King get her in that state,'

I let him take hold of my hand and lead me over to the cradle. Kate was still awake, kicking and punching the air with her little limbs. She looked almost angelic, in her little white night gown.

'See she's no demon,' said Thomas, his voice once again in his normal tone, though I sensed that he was worried that I would snap again.

'She loves you! She loves to torture me!'

'Bathsheba...'

'If you had to listen to her endless cries, you'd say the same thing,' I sighted, but with a small smile on my face.

We stood there in silence, watching over the cot. Kate's little body was trying to fight sleep but in the end she closed her little eyelids and surrendered. I lead him away from the cot, for fear that she would wake, and we sat down on the chest.

'Talk to me about anything!'

'The North been regained,' he said, calmly, as if we were still talking about Kate.

'It's over then?' I asked. Thomas had spoken nothing of the rebellion to me, all the information I had was from Alys, who had repeated the news of the rebels to, from what she had heard at market, as she prepared dinner, while I tried to bathe a crying Kate before the fire.

'There will be deaths,' he muttered, looking at his feet, 'Brandon better not fail me,'

I felt my blood run cold at the mention of death, the image of my mother's copse swinging in the early summer breeze. I found the notion of speaking of death in the causal manner Thomas now did, hard to understand.

'Surely,' I said, quietly, 'there must be another way,'

'The people have to learn,' he replied firmly, lift his head but he still did not look at me, 'it's for their own good!'

He leant over and start to undo is boots, I noticed his hands were shaking a little, as he undid one of the buckles. I slide off the chest, kneeling in front of him, started to help him.

'You don't have to do that,'

'I want to,' I murmured, pulling off one boot, 'tell me Thomas, do you really believe this or are these the words of the King,'

'Bathsheba, the people need freeing!'

I leaned towards him, placing my hands on the side of face, forcing him to look at me. We were now so close that our lips were almost touching. His eyes, for the first time looked cold but I knew that it was not because of me.

'And hanging them from trees, makes them free, does it Thomas? I know I'm not as clever as you, but you once told me importance of bringing people closer to God. Well how does ending their lives make this happen, other than increasing their journey to him!'

He smiled, that sad smile I had seen on lips in times of trouble, as placed a hand on the back my head and pulled us even closer together.

'Why?'

'Because I love you!'

For the first time, in what had seemed like an eternity we kissed. Not simply a gentle kiss on the lips or cheek, but one that showed the hunger of our two bodies. When we finally parted, we found we were both gasping for breath.

'You are wrong,' he said, catching his breath, 'you are more clever than ten of me. You are all fair, my love; there is no flaw in you,'

****

'Look, Kate! That's where your dada works,' I said secretly to Kate, as we passed the great palace of Hampton. Kate was just over a year old now and starting to show an interest in the world around her, especially the little gold cross on my necklace, that Thomas had brought me after Kate's birth, that she was now playing with.

Gone were the days of her endless screaming. She now loved her mother and would cling to me on our adventures out, but her greater love was reserved for her father-her dada.

'Da...da,' cried Kate with delight as she waved her arms frantically, in the direction of the Palace, 'da...da,'

'If you're good girl,' I whisper, kissing her little head, 'we might see dada later,' failing to add that he would probably be surrounded my secretaries and others trying to make their name at court.

The barge came alongside the bank and one of my fellow travellers, helped me and Kate, along with my basket on to the riverbank. The plan was to go to market, then drop the small package of clothes I had been ordered to stitch for the new Prince to Hampton. (Maybe that should have been my first propriety, but I wasn't going to miss out on the best food, just so a baby could be deck out in cloth that was more expensive than the clothes most adults wore).

'Mama is going to have to carry you, Kate,' I said, firmly as she tried to wriggle free from my arms wanting to show the world she could now use her legs, as I was trying to buy some apples.

'Bathsheba! Bathsheba!' yelled a female voice, through the crowd of people. I turned round wonder who would know me in this part of the world.

'Bathsheba! Over here!'

A woman appeared from the crowd. There was no mistaking the mouse brown hair, even though it was now lined with grey or those crystal blue eyes, that knew everything-it was Cecily!

'Cecily!' I cried, dropping the basket and throwing my free arm around her. It had been almost three years since I had last seen my greatest friend and I felt tears in my eyes.

'Now,' she said pulling away, 'whose this little angel. Please tell me it's not Anthony Dixon's,'

'No,' I replied, holding Kate more tightly, 'he is dead, for all I care!,'

'Bathsheba!' Cecily, said crossing herself as she did so, 'though I am glad to hear it. So are you married?'

'As good as,'

I could never lie to Cecily, she had an aura about her that gave her the appearance of being all knowing. I picked up my basket and we started to walk through the crowds.

'You silly girl,' murmured Cecily, taking my arm as we walked, 'well, the sin this girl's father has brought you to is probably less serve than the sin of working for Lucifer,'

'He is not!' I felt anger boil in me. Despite being my closest friend, Cecily and I had often argued, even in the presence of God, 'he is kind and generous! He is the father of my child!'

Cecily let go of my arm and turned, to stare at me opened mouthed. We stood like that for a moment, neither of us moving as people knocked into to us. Finally, Cecily crossed herself and started to say a prayer in Latin.

'You fool!' she hissed, 'having one bastard is bad enough but another with a creature like...'

'Cecily!'

'Does he say he loves you? Does he tell his family and friends about the child he has with his serving girl!' Cecily was never one to mince her words and she continued with anger, ' Does he tell you about the blood he has on his hands? Does he mention the innocent who swung from the trees in North, because of him!'

'That's enough, Cecily,' I screamed, causing Kate to start crying. People were starting to look, so I held my head up high and started to walk away but Cecily caught hold of my arm.

'I do not mean to be cruel to you, Bathsheba,' she said, her voice now trying to fight back tears, 'I was so happy when I saw you, but look at what your lover's reduced me too. St Agnes is gone, I have nothing left. I am forced to live in poverty, with my brother and his wife, who can stand the sight of me! Who makes me eat food that even dogs would turn their nose up at,'

For the first time, I looked her up and down. Her simple faded blue dress was covered in patches of different tones of blue and while she was only a few years older than me, her face was already bore the scars of old age.

'Oh Cecily!' I said taking her once again in my free arm, as we both cried.

****

It was quiet when me and Kate finally arrived at the Palace. The place was usually full of activity with people wanting this or that, but this afternoon it was surrounded by an eerie silence. I had left Cecily on good terms, with a promise that I would help her. She had also told me something interesting concerning Magdalene, which I was eager to tell Thomas.

I knocked on the door, expecting a secretary to open it, but this time it was open by Thomas, who pulled us both through the door before slamming it shut. The moment we were safe inside, he threw arms around us and held us to him.

'Thomas, what's wrong?'

'The Queen is dead!' he said sadly, his arms shaking a little as he held us.

I don't know how long the three of us were stood there, nor how long that young page was stood watching.

'Er excuse me Sir,'

Both of us jumped and Thomas very quickly pulled away from me and Kate, as if he was a naughty schoolboy.

'Yes!' he snapped, which caused me, as well as the page to jump again.

'The... King... wishes...wishes to ...see you,' stuttered the boy, before quickly retreating.

'Shit,' I heard Thomas mutter, before hurrying out the door. I tried to add, that the boy probably didn't understand the scene but it was too late-the door slammed shut on me and Kate.

I sat down in his chair before the desk, after placing the sleeping Kate in the window seat, my mind racing. Did he love me? He had never actually said he did. I had said it many times to him, but he only responded by kissing me. He always said I was his Bathsheba-' You are all fair, my love; there is no flaw in you,' but was he secretly ashamed.

The door open, and was then forcibly slammed shut. Thomas was back and, noticed he securely lock and bolted the door, before hurrying over to were little Kate lay sleeping. He knelt beside her, kissed her on the head and then gently stroked her little dark curls.

'Thomas, do you love me?' I asked, from across the room. He looked at me almost puzzled.

'Of course I do,'

'But you never actually say it!,' I was trying to keep my voice level as I didn't want to wake Kate but it start to rise, as I added, 'and love shouldn't be something you hide!'

'You know why we have to keep everything secret. Hopefully that boy will know to keep his mouth shut!'

'And what if he doesn't? Do you leave me and Kate?'

'No!' he hissed, ' You and Kate are good, you deserve better than this place!'

'Then Gregory knows he has a sister?'

He looked away from me and back to Kate, who had started to stir at the sound of my raised voice.

'I though not,' I mumbled quietly to myself. We sat there in silence, both of us listening to the sound of Kate breathing. Suddenly she started to snort, as if she was struggling for breath. I jumped to my feet, as Thomas called out to me in a panic, 'what's wrong!'

But by the time I had run over, she was back to breathing normally, a little smile on her sleeping angelic face. I felt my heart sigh in relief but I noticed Thomas was still trembling.

'Would you believe me if I said I'm scared?' he said, looking up at me, 'I said I love you many times to Elizabeth. I welcomed her into every inch of my world and she left me. I could not bear to live through that again,'

'But I'm not leaving you,' I smoothed, kneeling down beside him.

'Elizabeth said that,' he replied, lying his head on my shoulder.

****

A week had passed since the death of the Queen and while the country was morning, the leaves on the tree where turning gold and falling to the ground. Alys was away, visiting her son in Canterbury, so it was just me and Kate. The sky was clear and though the house was a mess, I decided to leave the housework, wrap Kate up in her sheepskins and take her outside to play.

'It is the day of all the year, of all the year the one day
When I shall see my mother dear and bring her cheer a-mothering Sunday
It is the day of all the year, of all the year the one day
And here come I my mother dear to bring you cheer a-mothering on Sunday'

I picked Kate up as I sung, spinning her around in the air as I did so, taking great joy in listening to her laughter. When I was too dizzy to continue, I placed her back on the ground and sprinkled the fallen leaves over us, pretending it was snow.

'Da...da,' Kate, suddenly called, pulling herself on to her tiny feet and toddling down the garden, 'da..da'

'Is that your dada?' I said scoping her up in my arms. We had spoken little since the day of the Queen's death and I felt there was much more that needed to be said, but as I saw Thomas get out the barge, I noticed he was not alone. As they got closer, I noticed that the man with Thomas was very young and seemed very nervous.

'Bathsheba!'

'Da...da,' cried Kate with delight, literally jumping for my arms to Thomas' but my eyes were fixed on the young man-he looked so familiar. Then as Thomas threw Kate in the air and caught her, I realised that man not meeting my eyes was his son, Gregory.

'Bathsheba, I want you to meet my son Gregory,' he said with smile, 'and Gregory, I want you to meet Bathsheba and your sister, Kate,'

I watched as Gregory, tried to smile at me and Kate, who was now using all the strength in her little arms to hug her father tighter, as if to say, 'I'M NOT SHARING!'

****

'You might have warned me!' I yelled in a whisper, chopping furiously at some carrots, while Thomas just stood in the kitchen doorway, smiling.

'I though this is what you wanted,'

'Yes!' I hissed, throwing the carrots into the pot over the fire, 'but not like this! The house is a mess! I look a mess!'

He slipped his arm around my waist, as I stirred the various bit of food I'd found laying around the kitchen, into the some form of soup, (cooking has never been one of my strengths).

'You look beautiful,' he whispered, kissing me on the cheek. I turn round in his arms, still holding the wooden cooking spoon.

'It doesn't change anything,' I said still flustered and waving the cooking spoon in the air, 'we still need to talk. Now go and look after your son and daughter!'

He smiled, before kissing me on the lips. I lingered for a moment before responding, then pushed him away, out of the kitchen, trying hard not to smile.

****

In the end, dinner went well. Gregory, who seemed a bit nervous at first, started to talk with the encouragement of his father, telling me about Cambridge and the is forth coming marriage to the departed Queen's sister, Elizabeth, (he seem too young to be getting married). Even Kate manage to stop her jealous glares at Gregory and started to smile when he made a funny face for her.

Later, I watched from the door of the kitchen, as Thomas played chess with Gregory, with Kate sat on his knee, who was pointing frantically at the different pieces on the board; I couldn't help but smile at the three of them.

'Now what's my next move, Kate?' said Thomas, in a serious voice to his young daughter.

Kate pointed at one of the piece with her chubby little hand, which Thomas then moved across the board.

'Check,' said Thomas, as Kate shriek with delight, clapping her hands together, as if she actually understood the game. I return to the kitchen and the dirty dishes, laughing as I heard the word 'checkmate' and Kate's laughter.

'I wanted so much to hate you,' a voice said from behind me as I scrapped the remainder of the soup away. I turn round and found Gregory stood in the doorway looking at his feet.

'I can't say I blame you if you did,' I said, trying to laugh, but really I was just as nervous as he was. I had only meet him once, when he was still a boy and I had served dinner to him and his father.

He look up at me now, a bit more confidence in his cheeks. Looking closely at his face for the first time, I saw there was very little of his father in him, that he must take after his mother; for the first it felt like I was standing face to face with my rival.

'I don't,'

'I'm glad to hear it,' I said, feeling my stomach tie itself in knots, as I spoke.

We stood there for a moment, in an awkward silence, occasional hearing snippets of the story Thomas was telling Kate, (it sounded like David and Goliath).

'You're nothing like my mother,'

'Oh,' I said not sure how to reply, deciding to add, 'I bet she kept a cleaner house,' hoping it would lighten the situation.

'I think we should blame father for that,' he laugh, then said this with a kindly smile on his young face, 'he looks at you, in the same way he looked at her, though'

Again, I didn't know what to say to this. I tried to keep the smile on my face, while my stomach was churning as he spoke.

'I could see it long ago, before he even told me about you,' he said with such kindness, 'The time when I visited home and you were working there. I saw the way he looked at you as you served the dinner, even when he spoke to me, he couldn't take his eyes off you. I tried to put it down to lust- I couldn't bear the thought of someone replacing my mother, but deep down I could see it was love, especially when I saw him catch hold of your hand, when he thought I wasn't looking.

'I had no idea,' I whispered, feeling my legs starting to shake, trying desperately to grab hold of the kitchen side before I fell. In the other room, Kate once again began to shriek with laughter, at the end of her father's story.

'She's sweet, Kate. She reminds me of Grace. I can see why he loves her and you'

'Thank you, though I think she'll have to get use to sharing her dada,' I said feeling a weight lift off my shoulders and my leg regain their balance. I felt a new person as I walked across the kitchen, to were Gregory was standing and kissed him on the cheek.

'Thank you,'

We both stood in the doorway, watching Thomas and Kate. I felt so happy, but then I felt a twinge in my heart as my mind found Magdalene, the one child missing from this house. Cecily's words came back to me, not that I had forgotten them, but an till now I was happy to hear some news but now I wanted more.

'Come now Kate, kiss dada and your brother goodnight,' I said, going over and taking Kate from Thomas' arms, 'it's time for bed,'

'I think we should go too, father,' echoed Gregory, from behind me.

Mine and Thomas eyes meet. Despite the thoughts of Magdalene, I felt desire start to creep into my veins. I had no rival. I was loved and I needed love. I sensed Thomas was feeling the same way.

'You could always stay the night,' I suggested, with a small shrug of my shoulders.

****

'Don't say a thing,' I said softly, as I put my arms around Thomas and kissed him with such force, that we stumbled against the bedroom door. He kissed me back, matching my force with an equal passion, his arms strengthen their grip round my body. Slowly, they undid the ribbons of my dress, then carried me over to the bed.

'I can I say one thing,' he said tenderly, as he laid down on the bed next to me, our lips almost touching. I kissed him quickly on the lips to say yes. With a smile, he ran a hand gently down the side of my cheek, as he said, 'I love you,'

We made love until our bodies couldn't take any more, the words 'I love you' echoing every rhythm of our bodies. Afterward, we laid in each other's arms, gasping for breath but our lips still kissing.

'I saw Cecily the other day,' I said, trying to catch my breath in between kisses, 'she told me Magdalene is alive but she's not sure were,'

'I was thinking about Magdalene earlier,'

We stopped our kisses briefly and for a moment, just stared at each other, before saying at the same time-

'We need to find Magdalene,'