I did not know how long I had been in this dark and dirty room. Minutes melted into hours. Food was given to me but it was mostly stale bread and water. I heard a door open and opened my eyes. Light was now peering through the door. I stood tall and found myself face to face with Thomas Boleyn. His white hair was shaggier and his face held some whiskers but not enough to make him look like a common man. He wore black and had this look of hate on his face.
"Well what do we have here," He said cocking his head to one side as he looked at me.
"If you expect me to fear you Boleyn you are wrong," I replied.
"You should fear me because you are now at my mercy," Boleyn said as he walked towards me. I wanted to put my hands on my stomach to protect the child I knew was there but I knew now the best way to protect the child was to not acknowledge that there was one.
"Well given your reputation mercy is foreign to you," I retorted. He laughed an evil laugh that made me want to slap him to high heaven.
"You are lucky you are still alive," Boleyn said. He started to walk away but stopped.
"Henry will find you," I told him.
"The King is how do I put this lightly oh yes he is occupied with other matters such as his mistress and paying the executioner of Calais for my daughter's death," Boleyn snapped.
"Henry would never betray me and your daughter may not have deserved to die but did you ever think that kidnapping me could cause him to believe that you wanted Anne as queen again so in order to stop you he would kill her," I said.
"The King will have many mistresses no matter how many sons you give him. You may have succeeded where Katherine and Anne failed but you will never be anything more to him than a woman who gives him sons," Boleyn said.
"You will not harm my sons," I shouted at him. He stormed back towards me and slapped me across the slap a resounding crack echoing through the room.
"It has been 4 months since you have been here and believe me if the King really wanted to find you he would have come looking for you. Now you better get used to being here because if our plan fails you will become mine and my son's mistress whether you like it or not. We need heirs and so far you have proven yourself fertile enough to do so," Boleyn said.
"I'd rather die a thousand deaths than to have you touch me in that way or carry your evil spawn," I replied spitting at him. He wiped it off as if it was nothing.
"You have spirit but you'll be broken soon enough, Jane," Boleyn said. Jane Rochford entered never meeting my eyes or Boleyn's.
"I am leaving you in charge of her do you understand. George and I will steal more money to put our plan in motion," Boleyn said.
"Yes father," Jane said giving a little curtsy.
"It seems you are useful to this family after all. Now prove it beyond doubt and never let this woman not until our plan is secure," Boleyn said leaving the room. When Jane Rochford and I were left she still would not meet my eyes.
"I was never unkind to you and yet you do this," I said to her.
"My parents are dead George and his father are all I have left," Jane replied small tears escaping her eyes as if she was trying to gain pity from me.
"I will not pity you Jane Rochford you have chosen your path and should the King find this place you will be tried for treason and conspiracy to kidnapping the King's wife and your queen. But maybe I can help you. Tell me what their plan is free me and I will tell the King of your help," I said to her. She looked at me as if to seriously contemplate my offer the shook her head.
"Once the King is killed The Boleyn's will take the crown behind the Princess Elizabeth and your sons will be destroyed," Jane said throwing a blanket that contained bread at me and leaving me alone. I took the bread and ate it slowly. Every bite felt dry and hard as it went down my throat but the knowledge that I had to eat this horrible food for the child made me stronger. Boleyn's words about Henry and the mistresses made me think. Was it true? But then Jane Seymour would not get mad at anyone without good reason. Ursula Missledon was his mistress. How could I have been so blind? I let the last piece of bread drop from my fingers. Everything I had believed about Henry and me was a lie. I felt my heart breaking into pieces. I let myself fall to the floor tears starting to escape my eyes. I tried to cradle my growing stomach but it was no use. But there was one thing I did know. I needed to escape. I had to get myself and my growing child to safety. Henry may have played me for a fool but I would not let it happen any longer. Should I escape I would not go back to Henry.
Jane Seymour watched as her betrothed and his brother the Duke of Suffolk pour over maps with Sir Francis Bryan trying to figure out the Queen's location. Lady Mary stood beside her as well as Catherine the Duke's wife.
"She's alive I know it," Mary said.
"So do we all," Katherine said. Jane stayed quite contemplating where the Queen could have been taken. She knew that Jane Rochford was involved stop it had to be a Boleyn property or at least somewhere close by.
"But I have searched through Hever castle many times there was no sign of the Boleyns or the queen," Sir Francis said.
"Is there a possibility there was a hidden room perhaps a cellar of some sort," William asked.
"No when homes are constructed the plans are given to the Royal family should they need them and besides Sir Francis said that every Boleyn property was abandoned," Charles replied.
"I will leave immediately to get the plans and return with haste," Sir Francis said.
"What if there is a hidden room," Mary asked. Jane tried to remember any conversation with Jane Rochford then remembered how she knew that Ursula Missledon was betraying the Queen by being the King's mistress. Jane Rochford was an insane woman if Jane Seymour had anything to say about it. She remembered Rochford talking about some room where she thought George Boleyn was hiding his mistresses.
"Could it be," Jane whispered.
"What," Catherine asked.
"Lady Mary do you have access to the map that they are looking at right now at night," Jane asked.
"My chamber is close by if that is what you are asking," Mary replied.
"Jane what is this all about," Catherine asked.
"I might know where the Queen is but we need a look at that map and we need to be quick. The queen if she is still alive might not make it much longer," Jane said.
That night Mary snuck into the library for that map. She drew a quick sketch making sure to label clearly where the Boleyn estates were. She left as quickly as possible making her way towards Jane Seymour's rooms where she was meeting Jane and Catherine. When she arrived both women looked towards her.
"Now Rochford said that there was a room somewhere near the cellar that she heard George Boleyn talking about. She thought that he hid his mistresses there. If the queen is anywhere it would be in that room at Hever the only problem is we would need to tell someone or go alone," Jane said.
"But would the Duke and his brother worry," Mary asked.
"Charles and William would be furious only Lady Mary would be able to go without suspicion," Catherine said.
"One of us would have to go as well as if we were her chaperone," Jane said.
"Jane you should go with Mary you know that area better than I because it is near Wiltshire," Catherine said.
"I think I should go alone because Lady Mary would draw too much attention," Jane said.
"Lady Seymour is right the Boleyns would know we were coming for her," Mary said.
"It is settled I will leave tonight Catherine tell the men that I went to go visit a place in Wiltshire I used to play in that should buy me some time," Jane said.
"Bring her back safely," Catherine said.
"With God's help let us hope she escapes and finds you on your way," Mary said. Jane nodded before leaving Mary and Catherine and heading to the stables for her horse. Andrea had become one of her dearest friends not to mention her queen. She would not fail someone who had shown her nothing but kindness and generosity.
