Edited 15/02/2018

"Lady Mary may I have a word with you?" asked Catherine as she walked up to Mary who was talking to Samuel Newton. Catherine got to see that Mary was flirting with the young man and thought it wrong and against her mother's wishes.

"Of course Catherine," said Mary who smiled at Samuel. "I will talk to you later Lord Newton."

"Of course My Lady," said Lord Samuel Newton. Catherine gave him a look of disgust at the nature of their words.

"My lady Mary I wish to be able to speak my mind?" asked Catherine as they walked around. They watched Anne and Henry dancing with Elizabeth on the dance floor close to the King and Queen of France.

"As you wish Catherine," said Mary she was wondering what her friend was going to talk about.

"I have to talk to you about the Pope's order against the "Great Whore"," whispered Catherine.

"I am not going to talk about that man's idea of what he thinks Anne is. She is a good woman and better than all the women that he has sent forward to be my father's wife," whispered back Mary annoyed at the words that Catherine had used.

"He is the highest person on this great earth, and it is my impression that that witch has brainwashed you," whispered Catherine.

"Catherine my step-mother is not a witch, and you are the one that is brainwashed," said Mary. "Who do you think would be a better Queen other than my mother?"

"The Lady Jane," stated Catherine. "A good, God-fearing Catholic woman who would produce great Holy Kings of England."

"That woman is a liar and fool," said Mary in a quiet but steady voice.

"She is very much better than that woman who sits on your mother's throne," said Catherine.

"My mother was a strong woman who was a fighter and was powerful. Do not bring my mother into this a compare her to that murderess," said Mary.

"That is only what the King believes because that whore has given him bastard princes," said Catherine.

"No it is not," said Mary.

"Why is that?"

"Because I have spent time with both of these women. Jane, in my opinion, is not able to be Queen and any words that let her be are wrong. Even my mother would have said that. She is not able to read or write to the level that a queen of England should and has not the brains to help my father," said Mary. "Anne, on the other hand, can be Queen and cannot just read and write in this language but in five or more languages. And also has been a help to my father when he cannot find his way."

"Yes the wrong way against the true religion," said Catherine.

"Well maybe but she is true to her religion and has but not tried to change mine Catherine," said Mary.

"But she would see the whole of the Roman Catholic Church turned over to the Lutheran heresy," said Catherine with feeling.

"I do not believe so," said Mary as she watched Charles Brandon walk over to them.

"What are you two talking about?" he asked he was happy that his soon-to-be wife was making friends of people in high places.

"Oh nothing," smiled Catherine up at her soon-to-be husband.

"It must have been something," said Charles.

"We were talking about what the King would have done if he did not have Anne next to him," said Mary. "I have to go to be a part of my family," with that she walked away leaving Catherine to talk with Charles.

"What was that about Catherine?" asked Charles.

"I was talking about that whore who is Queen, and that Lady Jane would be better than her on Queen Catherine's throne," said Catherine. "Look at here she is wearing nothing to cover her hair, and that dress is too tight for her."

"I would watch your month Catherine you maybe my ward but you are very close to not being," said Charles not raising his voice but he had a harsh tone to it.

"I am sorry Charles," whispered Catherine into his eye. "I will make it up to you later. Well, you come to my room again tonight?"

"Papa I am going to ask Queen Anne to dance with me. She is such a pretty dancer is she not?" asked Henry Charles, son from his first marriage. Henry was around about seven ages old and was smitten by Anne believing her to be the most beautiful woman in the world.

"Of course she is, she is the Queen, and she is in love with her husband," said Charles. "However you must remember to ask the King before you ask her to dance."

"Ok father I will," said Henry Brandon before he ran off the royal family.

"And you I will talk to you later when we are alone," he said turning to Catherine. And he walked away to talk to his friend Henry about what he should do about Catherine.

"Your majesty," said Charles walking up to him.

"Yes Charles," said Henry with a broad smile on his face as he watched his oldest friend's son dancing with his wife both laughing merrily as they both got the steps wrong.

"I want to talk to you in private," said Charles.

"Of course your grace," said Henry moving them both away from the dance floor so they could talk in secret.

"I have a huge problem," said Charles.

"What is it my dearest friend," asked Henry worried about his friend.

"It's Catherine she got it into her head that Mistress Seymour is going to be the next Queen," said Charles. He watched as his friends face go from red to the normal colour in a matter of seconds.

"What do you think you are going to do?" asked Henry.

"I am going to send her to the country house away from the court until she sees the wrong that she believes. And if she does not take this charge I will hand her in too the court for working on the Pope's orders," said Charles to his friend.

"Of course Charles if you see as fit," said Henry.

"Thank you, your majesty," said Charles. "This is ok if I leave my son here at court while I get Catherine settled back at the country house?"

"Of course Charles Anne loves little Henry as if he is her son," said Henry who again looked over at his wife. Who was now dancing with all the court children that included the children of the servants who had been invited to the party? Anne had been excited about, but other people had looked down on.

"I will leave the moment that we finish packing up," said Charles.

"You may," said Henry. They both said goodbye and Charles pulled Catherine away from the party up into their apartment to pack her up to go back to the country.

Henry kissed Anne softly on the lips in front of everyone including Francis who was looking at the pair.

"What was that about my love?" asked Anne once he had let her down.

"Charles is leaving with Catherine to go back to the country," said Henry.

"Is little Henry going too?"

"No he is to stay at court," said Henry. Anne smiled up at Henry and took a drink of water from her cup. Then collapsed onto the ground in a faint.

"Anne!" shouted Henry as all of Anne's Ladies ran to her. He picked her up into his arms and carried her into the palace away from the party. Her ladies following quickly behind him.