June 1st 1515

Black Manor, Ireland

Jasmine Black nee Blount POV

I am four months with child and Adam is happy as this is the heir to his Dukedom.

I know not if I am having a son or daughter but Adam has it in his mind that it is a son.

I sing the lullaby that all nobles are taught.

''Lavender's blue, dilly dilly, lavender's green. When I am King, dilly dilly, you shall be Queen. Who told you so, dilly dilly, who told you so? T'was my own heart, dilly dilly, that told me so. Call up your men, dilly dilly, set them to work. Some to the plow, dilly dilly, some to the fork. Some to make hay, dilly dilly, some to cut corn. While you and I, dilly dilly, keep ourselves warm. Lavender's green, dilly dilly, lavender's blue. If you love me, dilly dilly, I will love you. Let the bird's sing, dilly dilly, let the lambs play. We shall be safe, dilly dilly, out of harm's way. I love to dance, dilly dilly, I love to sing. When I am Queen, dilly dilly, you'll be my King. Who told me so, dilly dilly, who told me so? I told myself, dilly dilly, I told me so.''

I see Hadrian drift off to sleep and so I put him in his crib and cover him with a little blanket and blow out the candles.

I leave the door open a crack so that if he needs something, someone can get to him fast.

June 20th 1515

Duke of Cork's Chambers

Adam Black POV

I call in two married couples of a maid and butler and I tell them to get undressed and make love to their wives'.

I make love to the butlers' wives', trying my hardest to impregnate them.

As soon as I am done, I call in my wife's sister, Margery Blount and make love to her as well, breaking her maidenhead and I sell her off to a marriage to one of my friends, Samuel O'Conor, an Irish Lord.

I go to my wife and see that she is knitting a christening gown for our babe.

''My luv, how comes the christening gown?''

''It is coming fine and it will look as good on them like Hadrian's looked on him.''

''Are you going to write to your former sister wife Mary?''

''She would have been my true sister if she had wed my brother.''

''You know that in the end the brother and father choose what is best for his daughter and usually it is based on wealth and power.''

I leave Jasmine to think and let her decide on whether or not to write to Mary Seymour nee Boleyn, the Duchess of Somerset.

Jasmine Black POV

I sigh and know he is right and that she probably has no idea that Benjamin could have been her husband rather than Edward Seymour and without further ado, I write a letter.

Dear Mary,

Are you happy in your marriage to Edward? I only ask as I do not want you to be unhappy in a marriage as you had been with Francois in the final years as he had gone mad by that point and I don't want you to go through that again. Just please if you get in that situation again, come to me or go to your family. Either way, just make sure you will get out of that situation should it happen.

Your friend,

Jasmine Black nee Blount

With the letter writ, I send it to the Seymour residence by mail courier.

I just want Mary to be happy and not to live in terror her whole life and marriage.

My brother, Benjamin has married the youngest Swanson, Ariella Blount nee Swanson who is twelve and has all her child bearing years to bear Benjamin children.

I wish for a daughter but I know I must have a son as our marriage is only an arranged one that King Louis XIII can dissolve if he so wishes.

I need to bear a son or two for Adam before any daughter comes.

Please Lord, let me bear Adam a son for not only him but for my happiness as I know Adam will give me three chances and if I bear all girls or miscarry the other two times, he will divorce me and I will be wed to another if I am lucky enough.