Summary: When King Henry VIII got rid of Anne of Cleves, he didn't thought someone would ever bed such an unattractive woman, let alone have children with her, until Thomas Cromwell proved him wrong. How would the King react if Anne of Cleves gave Cromwell the heir His Majesty desired so much?
Chapter I
I dismissed the midwife with a smile and a generous sum of money. Only then I called my ladies back to the room. They did not need to ask what the woman had just said to me: my bright smile said it all. I sat in a cushioned armchair and waited for my husband to arrive. I didn't bother to hide my excitement: God knows I haven't had any reasons to smile until last year.
My name is Anne of Cleves and, until a year ago, I was the Queen of England and the fourth wife of His Majesty the King Henry VIII. I said "was" because our marriage was never consummated. He didn't like me. I was a mare in his eyes, and he wanted to get rid of me at any cost. I do not deny I was afraid he would send me to the scaffold like he did with his second wife, Lady Anne Boleyn. But I wasn't any commoner as she once had been before her sudden rise to the power and epic downfall. I was the sister of the Duke of Cleves, a small but important duchy in terms of geopolitics. The King had married me in order to strengthen the ties between England and the Protestant League. I was thrilled to leave my hometown, to escape my brother's strict rules. If I only I knew I was trading a tyrant for another. Soon after our marriage, His Majesty decided to take a mistress among my ladies-in-waiting, choosing one of the deceased Queen Anne's cousins, Katherine Howard. Truth to be told, she was pretty, but she did not take after Anne Boleyn's famous intelligence and wit. She was, actually, one of the silliest girls I have ever met. So, I was casted aside and given the title of "the King's Beloved Sister", along with estates of my own. I agreed to marry Thomas Cromwell, the man who had first arranged my marriage with the King. His Majesty was very displeased with him: and it seemed unfair to me that Cromwell would end up in the scaffold because of my inability to satisfy my husband. Therefore, I married him in order to save his life.
I didn't expect Thomas to be a good husband. He seemed so cold and ruthless at first, but soon I discovered a softer and somehow kind man hidden beneath the surface. He had a son from his deceased first wife, Gregory, almost the same age as I am, of whom I have grown very fond. Thomas was able to secure his place as Lord of the Privy Seal and I was granted permission to stay in England. I couldn't bear the thought of going back home.
And now I was expecting a child from Thomas Cromwell.
I still remember vividly our first night together. I was really frightened. The few attempts the king had made to claim my maidenhood were disgusting. I still remember clearly his sticky tongue and his putrid smell due to his leg ulcer. But Thomas was quite the opposite: his smell was always fresh and clean, his touch quite gentle. I've learned to enjoy our moments of intimacy and regard them as a natural thing between a husband and a wife, not just some marital duty. The King had complained loudly about my ugliness, but Thomas never said a disrespectful word about my body. In fact, he seemed to admire it.
So here I was, happier than ever, waiting for him to arrive. Half an hour passed until I saw his horse walking down the hill which surrounded our estate. He smiled at me while one servant took the animal to the stable. A moment later I heard the familiar sound of his boots climbing the stairs. I quickly dismissed my ladies, who curtseyed him at the doorway. He took my hands and kissed them gently. Then he noticed my bright smile.
- What is it, Anne? You seem very happy today.
- Indeed I am, my lord. I have some great news to give you. I'm sure you will be pleased to hear them.
He said nothing, wanting me to continue. I touched his jaw and then locked my fingers in his black curls, until I finally whispered:
- Thomas, I am with child.
I saw his green eyes grow wide in surprise and then his smile grew even wider. Next thing I knew, he was twirling me around the room, while the walls echoed my laughter.