Disclaimer: The King, Higgins and the children belong to me, everything else is history.
Thank you for all the messages and reviews, this chapter is a really good one and there is a secret that someone is holding back.
Please read and enjoy.
Chapter XIX
After the coronation I spent the next couple of weeks settling into the role, appointing officers, meetings with the council and ambassadors, it was quite exhausting. Anne had been sorting the Queens chambers and appointing Ladies in waiting and maids of honour. One day she came to see me while I was looking at some papers.
"Henry, may I speak to you?" she asked.
"Of course, you do not need to ask." I replied.
"I was wondering what you are going to do about my brother, William. The Cleaves ambassador left with no kind words and told me that he was glad to be leaving this cursed island." Anne said.
"Well that was his opinion and I did notice when I received all the ambassadors that he was nowhere in sight, but that being said your brother made a threat to this country and my Queen, it must be dealt with and soon." I replied.
"Well I will leave that to you. I was going to see the children, would you like to come with me?" Anne asked.
"Yes, I need a rest from all these papers." I replied standing up.
Anne and I walked through the corridors to the nursery. When we arrived the children were waking up from a nap. I went to one of the cribs and my son's eyes looked up at me.
"Good afternoon, Prince John." I said picking him up.
John gurgled as I picked him up; as I did I noticed that he was pale and a little thin for his age. Anne had picked up Catherine and was making faces to make her laugh which was working. The two wet-nurses were standing by one wall and I could see that one looked unwell. I was concerned and called over Lady Margaret Bryan who was in charge of the nursery.
"Lady Bryan." I said.
"Your Majesty." She replied.
"Are the wet nurses' health kept in check? As my son looks pale and one of the nurses looks ill." I asked.
"Yes Sire but I will make sure that she is given a check over." Lady Bryan replied.
"Use Dr Butts and find a replacement just in case." I said.
"Yes Your Majesty." She replied.
I looked at Anne and saw that she had been watching our conversation; I gave her a smile and went to join her. We spent a happy hour with our children and then left, I had another meeting and told her that I would see her at dinner.
The next day I was sitting at my desk when a page announced the Doctor. Dr Butts had been my Father's physician and had served him well, I had decided to keep him on as my personal physician; he was a short man with a big build around the waist. He was due for retirement and so I was planning to replace him with Dr Linker.
"I take it you have come from the nursery." I asked.
"I have Your Majesty and I am afraid I do not bring good news." He replied.
"What is it?" I said standing up.
"I gave both nurses a check over. The nurse that you pointed out to Lady Bryan has consumption." Dr Butts said.
Consumption! There was no known cure. "Are you sure?" I asked.
"I am Sire, while I was examining her she started to choug and when she pulled her handkerchief away I saw blood. She tried to conceal it but it was too late. I have removed her from the nursery and told the Lady Bryan that I would be back." He replied.
I was just about to answer when the door opened and Anne stood in the doorway.
"I have just been told that one of the wet-nurses has been removed from her post. Henry what is going on?" she asked.
"Anne, please, sit, there is something you should know." I said.
I told her what I had just been told. It was agony to watch her face slowly change to that of despair and horror. Dr Butts said that he was going to check both children as they had both been nursed by the nurse.
Anne insisted on going to the nursery with him and Dr Butts could not persuade her not to stay. I cancelled any meeting I had and went with them.
Back in the nursery the remaining wet-nurse was in a corner praying, Lady Bryan was crouched over one of the cribs and I knew it was Johns. Dr Butts set to work checking over both children. Now I knew what it felt like for my parents when I was ill, standing there not able to do anything. Anne had collapsed onto a nearby chair and was crying hysterically.
After an hour Dr Butts had finished his examination and came over.
"What is it?" Anne asked.
"With you permission I would like to call on the help of Dr Linker as I must be blunt the situation is not looking good." Dr Butts replied.
"How bad is it?" I asked.
"Both children are ill with a high fever. I can't stress enough the seriousness of their condition." Dr Butts replied.
"Call Dr Linker immediately!" I said to a waiting page.
After an agonizing wait, Dr Linker arrived and went to help Dr Butts. Anne and I were helpless to do anything. I remember what my mother had told me about the time when I was ill and she and my father were helpless to help me.
Anne had stopped crying and had called over the remaining wet-nurse and was talking with her and Lady Bryan, I went over and join the conversation.
"Did you have any clue that she was ill?" Anne asked.
"No Your Majesty." The wet-nurse replied.
"Dr Butts said she must have had this for weeks!" Anne said.
"If I knew or had any inkling that she was ill, I would have sent her away." Lady Bryan said.
"But she kept it from us and has put our two children in danger!" I replied.
The hours wore on and we sat there helplessly watching the two doctor's work. I summoned Higgins and told him to tell the Lord Chancellor what was happening. Higgins came back with a note from Sir Thomas More.
"Your Majesty,
Words cannot describe the shock of hearing your news. I will endeavour to keep this from reaching the rest of the court if that is your wish and I will pray for the Prince and Princess's recovery.
If there is anything you wish me to do then you only need to ask."
I sent back a note saying that I thanked him for his prayers and to keep this from the court for now, but I knew that it couldn't stay quiet for long.
Well i hope you liked that.
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