'(Thanks for the reviews. Maddie's having another tantrum, I'm afraid. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter.)

'My god, mother!' barked my oldest daughter, her beautiful face twisted with anger, 'you shout at me and yet you let that woman, who tried to steal your child sit in our study!'

'She didn't try and steal Daniel, Maddie,' I replied, trying not to loss my temper with her, 'she was lonely and scared,'

I had left Katherine in the hands of Elizabeth and Daniel, whilst I tried to find out from my Maddie, the reason for her vile words this morning and why she was refusing to come out of her chamber. But all I had got was scowls and angry words from my daughter, who use to be so sweet and liked feeding the ducks in the Thames.

'She's a little trollop!' roared back Maddie, banging the table with her fist, 'and a liar. Everyone says so,'

'You shouldn't listen to gossip, Maddie,'

'Why's that, mother?' she replied, coolly, 'are you scared what I'll find out about you and father?'

'You are treading a very fine line,' I warned, feeling anger boiling up inside me. I knew she was having a difficult time with the changes her body was going through, but she was just being vindictive. She hardly spoke to her sisters and when she did, they would usually end up arguing, while Thomas was lucky to a get 'yes' or 'no' from her and I just got the full brunt of her moods; the only person she spoke to properly was Edmund.

'Why? Because I'm the only one in this family who speaks the truth? Do you know how many men, that woman has been with? Almost every man in England, from what I hear!'

'Maddie!' I shouted, 'I...'

'At least she doesn't have children to think of,' Maddie screamed back, trying to stand face to face with me, 'I know what you and father were doing, when she was taking Daniel! You were more concerned about...god it's sick...then your own children!'

'Right that is it!,' I shouted at the top of my lungs, my temper finally reaching boiling point, 'how dare you speak to me like that! You are staying in your room until you're sorry! And don't think your getting any meals either!'

'I hate you,' she roared, but I choose not to reply to my child's hurtful tantrum and simply left the room, closing the door behind me. As I walked down the corridor, wondering where had I gone wrong in raising her, I heard her slamming her belongs around the chamber.

'So you have no family at all, Katherine?' asked Elizabeth, as I came back into the study. Elizabeth was sat on the floor, with some paper and ink before her, with Katherine sat opposite her, playing with Daniel.

'None,' replied Katherine, quietly, looking down at Daniel, who smiled back at her, 'well, I have brothers and sisters but none of them want anything to do with me,'

'I'm sure once they know your plight,' I smiled, joining the both of them on the floor, 'they'll be more than happy to help...Daniel be careful with Katherine, those broken rips won't heal themselves,'

'I'm fine, Bathsheba,' she replied, 'the physician gave something for the pain. Elizabeth thinks we should write to the Queen and ask if I can come home-though once I'm back in England, I'm not sure what will happen then,'

I was about to mention her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk but then thought better of it. If she was back in his hands, he'd soon have her whoring herself for him once more. I smiled and put an arm round her shoulder.

'The Queen is the kindest woman on Earth,' I reassured her, 'she'll make sure you are...'

But I didn't get a chance to finish, as screams and shouts came echoing down the hall from downstairs. Katherine burst into tears and held Daniel to her, as she heard the voice of her husband, threatening one of my servants.

'Don't let him near me,' she cried, 'please don't let him near me! He'll hit me, please don't let him hit!'

'Don't worry Katherine,' I replied, kissing her on top of the head as I got to my feet, 'Elizabeth and Daniel will look after you, and I'll make sure he never hurts you again,'

'Get off my property,' I shouted from the front door, to Culpepper, who was now standing in the garden, having been thrown from the house by two of Thomas' men, 'or...'

'Or you will do what, Lady Cromwell?' he smiled back, at me. A sinister smile, that showed off his white teeth and made me feel sick.

'Keep pushing me and you'll find out!'

He laughed, a really hollow laugh that scared me, though I refused to show it, unlike the young servant who stood next to me, clearly shaking.

'You'll get these two goons to knock me about or will you do it yourself, Lady Bathsheba Cromwell? Except I think I'll enjoy that. I bet your fire between the sheets. You're wasted on that weasel of a husband. You need a real man,'

'Except a real man doesn't beat women black and blue,' I screamed, picking up a plant pot and throwing it at him, but unfortunately he ducked and it smashed on the ground, 'get away from my family and stayed away from Katherine. If I catch you anywhere near her...'

'Don't worry,' he spat, 'I could not care less what happens to that trollop. Your welcome to her-I have my eye on other things,'

And with that he knocked off the servants, mounted his horse and galloped away. I glared after him, as he rode away and didn't go back into the house, until he was out of sight.

My blood was boiling, as I felt sick gathering in my stomach. I hated that man so much, he was just like my father-only rich.

'Lady Cromwell,' stuttered Ebba, the servant, who had been shaking beside me, 'but I caught that man leaving a letter on the table by the door. I swear it was still there when Albert and George threw him out but it's gone,'

'Letter? For Mistress Culpepper?'

'No, Lady Cromwell' she whispered, staring at the floor, 'I thought it was strange when I saw it out the corner of my eye-it was for Mistress Cromwell,'

Mistress Cromwell! Maddie! My chest tightened as I heard Culpepper's voice in my head-'I have my eye on other things,'

'Frau Schwartz! Frau Schwartz!' I screamed, running to the stairs, 'Frau Schwartz!'

'Yes, Lady Cromwell,'

Frau Schwartz, ran to the stop of the staircase, her face white with panic.

'Has Maddie left her chamber in the last half hour?'

'No, Lady Cromwell. I've been sat with her sewing for the last two hours,'

I breathed a sigh of relief as I heard her words. Maddie was safe from Culpepper's claws. The letter must have fallen down the side of the table or perhaps one of the other servants had taken and destroyed it. I would speak with them all later.

'Everything alright, Bathsheba?' asked Edmund, appearing at my side, 'I was in the garden walking and I heard shouting,'

'Yes,' I said, collecting my thoughts, 'we just had an unwelcome visitor, that's all,'

He smiled and nodded, then made his way to the stairs. As I watched him climb them, I remembered his words from this morning, when he had been comforting Katherine.

'Edmund,' I called and he turned back, smiling, 'thank you for helping with Katherine,'

'I was happy to help. She's had such a terrible time, though I must say, cousin, you must be a saint, leaving her alone with Daniel after what happened last night,'

'Daniel's the only person that brings her comfort,' I replied, my arms suddenly missing my baby boy, 'talking of comfort, Edmund, I couldn't help but overhear your words to Katherine earlier. I couldn't help but think, that they sounded like the words of Luther,'

'That's right,'

'But,' I started, uneasily, 'you often told me, you were of the old faith and regretted the day King Henry left Rome,'

'Well,' he paused, his smile failing but returning quickly to his lips, 'you've made me feel so welcome in your family and being round you all has made me rethink my faith,'

I smiled, as I watched him walk away, thinking that I should be happy and honoured with this answer but I still couldn't help but feeling uneasy.

'Got you!' laugh Lily-Anna, grabbing hold of my skirts and hugging my legs, 'it's your turn now, mummy,'

It was mid afternoon and Katherine, still upset over Culpepper's brief return had gone to bed for a lie down, while Elizabeth and her children had gone home. I still felt at bit uneasy about Edmund but pushed it to the back of my mind, as I played with my three youngest children. Me, Kate and Lily-Anna had tired Daniel out and he was now asleep in his cot, at the side of the room, whilst the three of us played blind man's bluff.

Lily-Anna took off her blindfold and handed it to me. I tied it around my eyes and both her and Kate spun me around three times before running away. I could hear Lily-Anna giggling as I tried to catch one of them, whilst not falling over, as being spun round had made me feel dizzy. I reach out thinking I had one of them, but they ran away, their shoes heavy on the floor. Then there was silence for a moment, before I heard the door slowly creak open.

'Dada,' I could hear both girls, quietly gasp, as I felt Thomas arms around my waist and him kiss me on the cheek. I turned around, as Thomas undid my blindfold and as it fell away, I saw my husband smiling back at me.

'Home early two afternoons in a row, Thomas,' I smiled, 'it must be a record. To what do we owe this honour?'

'Does a man need a reason to come home and see his beautiful wife, daughters...'

'Ahum!' coughed Kate, coming over to us and standing next to her father.

'Sorry,' continued Thomas, ruffling Kate's hair, before returning his hand to my waist, 'to see his beautiful wife, beautiful daughters and handsome baby son,'

'That's better,' remarked Kate, 'now dada, you're it,'

'It?'

'Yes, it,' I laughed, taking the blindfold from his hands, 'I was it but you walked into my trap, Thomas. So now I have to blindfold you...'

'Blindfold,' he exclaimed, as I tied the scarf around his eyes.

'Yes, blindfold, Lord Cromwell,' I whispered in his ear, 'you don't usually complain when I do this to you,'

'That's because I know I will enjoy what you've got planned,' he replied, placing his arms round waist and pulling me tightly to him. It was eleven years since we had first been together, but no matter how many years had passed, I still felt the same tingle up my spine, every time our bodies were close together. I leant forward and placed my lips on top of his mouth, finding him responding almost instantly. In the background, Kate made sick noses as Lily-Anna laughed, waking Daniel, who started to gurgle.

I tried not to laugh, as I spun him around, before running away to join the girls in hiding. But Thomas was a lot better at this game, than he'd been making out and he had soon caught me, then I caught Lily-Anna, who then caught Kate-though she claimed she just let her sister catch her.

The four of us continued to play, until Frau Schwartz came in and said that the girls dinner was ready. Both me and Thomas kissed them and told them we'd join them in a moment.

'Frau Schwartz,' called Thomas, 'could you take Daniel with you, as Lady Cromwell and I are going for a walk,'

'Of course, sir,' she said, her voice still shaking, as she had still not recovered from yesterday, 'you still trust me,'

'Yesterday, was not your fault, Frau Schwartz,' I smiled, taking Thomas' hand, 'it was no one's fault. Now we just have to put the past behind us and look to the future,'

Leaving Kate, Lily-Anna and Daniel with Frau Schwartz, me and Thomas went for a walk in the garden. The sun was still up and instead of it looking like evening, it felt as if it were the middle of the day, as Thomas place an arm round my waist as we walked. I rested my head against his shoulder, wondering if I should tell him about Edmund-but was I over reacting?

'Thomas..' I started, deciding it was best to tell him, as it would help put my mind at easy but Thomas interrupted me.

'You told me, you were carrying Daniel, under this tree,' said Thomas with a small smile, as he kissed me, gently on the forehead.

I smiled back, as I remembered that day. I had been feeling ill for a few days before that evening, but hadn't said anything, as I wanted a midwife to confirm the news before telling anyone. As soon, as she confirmed that I once again was with child, I couldn't wait to tell Thomas-though I did rather enjoy having a little secret, even if all the girls already knew. It was evening when I told him, he was going to be a father again and for some reason as I spoke, I had started to feel nervous.

'Do you know,' I smiled, going over to tree and sitting down underneath it, leaning against the trunk, 'it was first time, I had told you, you'd got me with child, without us having a row?'

'That cannot be true,' replied Thomas, softly, sitting down opposite me and looking at the ground, 'I was happy on all the times you told me,'

'You turned white when I told you about Kate,' I laughed, 'we rowed about you being away at court, when I told you about Lily-Anna and with Kate...well lets just say Kate's always been special,'

But as I spoke, his face looked suddenly looked so sad. I moved closer to him, kneeling in front of him and placed a hand on the side of his face. I leaned forward and kissed him, wanting to make whatever was wrong, better.

'But,' I continued, kissing him again, 'you have always been the greatest of fathers and husbands,'

Thomas smiled briefly, as he took hold of my hand and kissed it, before holding it tight against his chest, as he caressed it with his thumb.

'We've had a good life together, have we not, Bathsheba,'

'Yes,' I smiled, though in the pit of my stomach I was starting to feel panic build up inside me.

'And you know, how much I love you and that I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you,'

'Of course, Thomas,' I replied, as my chest tightened with worry, over where this conversation was leading. Something was wrong. It would never be another woman, Thomas was too much of a man for that,..no this must involve the King somehow-what lies had Culpepper been spreading now!

'You had a visitor today...'

'Culpepper,'

'No, another,' said Thomas, quietly, trying to control the emotion in his voice, 'a man claiming to be an old friend of mine, in need of help,'

I nodded my head, remembering the old man, whose strange manner had unnerved me and made me send him away from the house as quickly as possible.

'He's no friend of mine,' continued Thomas, placing his arms around me and pulling me to him. He kissed me on the lips, before bushing my hair away from my left ear and whispering, 'he's my father,'