"Henry?! Henry, please stop" Jane cried as she chased her husband through the empty corridors. She was furious, but she had to get him to stop and listen to her, so she had to play sweet. How could he? From their conversations and her pleading she had been under the impression that they were going to privately welcome her to court and that Jane would have a little bit of time to try to convince the girl that it was in her own best interests to sign the oath. When Henry had escorted her into the room and Jane had seen a priest and Anne and Elizabeth, her heart had sunk. She knew that with Anne present she would be unlikely to sway Mary in any direction. Then when the poor girl had entered, Jane could see the shock in her face. Mary was obviously angry to see Anne and she had glared at her father. Her stubbornness had inflamed Henry's temper and the longer the girl stood against him, the angrier he had gotten. The whole thing had been ruined.
In her pregnant state she had no business running after Henry and again, she silently cursed him. He had gotten out of her view, but she knew he was headed in the direction of his private chambers. Out of breath and aching, she came upon his doors and threw them open. He was standing out by window, downing a goblet of wine. He slammed the glass back on the table, making Jane flinch, before he turned to face her. Jane withered under his glare.
"Jane, I don't want to hear anything from you about what just happened. I do not wish to argue with you in your condition. You will leave me now and return to your chambers" Henry growled lowly. She knew he was trying to contain his temper so as not to upset her.
"Henry, please just tell me why? I thought we had discussed this! You said you would send for her. You said you would do that for me" She tried to appeal to him.
"And I sent for her!" He yelled, losing his temper. "But you and she BOTH knew what I wanted from her! You heard her words against me! Heard her disobedience! Why do you take up for her, Madam? I made my position clear. If the Lady Mary chooses to defy me, then I will do what I want with her. Regardless to what's in your belly you will NOT command me!" He roared and Jane flinched back. She sunk to her knees, shaking.
"Henry forgive me" she begged. "I only want to see you and your daughter reunited. Please forgive me" She bowed her head in ultimate submission.
Henry looked at her for a moment before he signed dejectedly. "Jane," he murmured much more gently, reaching out to help her to her feet. "I'm sorry, Jane. She just vexes me so. Please, return to your chambers and lie down. This has been far too much excitement for you." He placed a hand over her abdomen and rubbed the slight swell, cursing himself for losing his temper with her and putting his child in jeopardy. He should never have invited Mary here until the Queen had delivered. "We can talk about this later, if you wish" he consoled her when it looked like she was going to speak again. He had no intention of speaking to her about this until he had a prince in the nursery, but it soothed her now. He called for an usher and had him escort his queen back to her rooms.
Henry watched Jane leave before turning to the table and pouring some more wine into his goblet. He rubbed his temples to chase away the growing headache that was developing. His obstinate bastard daughter had humiliated him for the last time. He was being so patient with her, but it was coming to an end. He remembered what Cromwell had told him before Henry had sent him to placate the unrest at the Scottish borders. Cromwell had made it clear that he thought Henry was being TOO lenient. Many good men had been put their heads on the block for refusing to sign the oath, perhaps it would send a message to the masses if Mary were to join the list. That was an extreme, and Henry doubted he could ever subject his own daughter to that fate-but some time in the tower was looking more and more appealing.
Truth be told, he missed Cromwell. He was a sharp adviser and had always seemed to be loyal. A part of him wished he had denied Anne's request to send him from court. She had wanted him to dismiss Master Cromwell, but Henry did not want to lose such a powerful man in his service. He had understood her frustrations, and he himself had lost some faith in the man during Anne's trials, but when he had heard of the disturbances in the north he knew where Cromwell could still be of use.
But that still left him alone to decide what to do with Mary. He truly considered putting her with the servants for a bit. The girl needed her pride broken. But that was almost an insult to himself as King. Anyone sharing his blood was too good for servants work. It was one thing waiting on a princess-an honor to any noble: it was another to be truly a servant. He'd have to find a fitting punishment-one that would be singularly terrible for Mary to endure, yet not be enough to make the people riot. The people's love for his bastard aggravated him to no end, but he had to keep it in mind. They would never stand for it if she climbed the stairs of a scaffold or even if he threw her in the tower as he wished he could. No, Henry would have to be creative.