November 10th, 1555

Greenwich Palace

Ruth sat beside Isabella and Edward as the foreign kings presented their picks among the noblewomen of their respective countries to serve as ladies in waiting for the newest English consort. Ruth had been raised alongside Isabella, she was more of a sister than a servant to her. Lady Anne was like a mother, as her own mother had died in childbirth. The Lady Anne had often mentioned Ruth's mother, Sarah, as a small, slender woman and as she got older Lady Anne often told Ruth she was more like her mother's ghost than her daughter. The fact that the Duke of Norfolk was courting her frightened her a bit. What if she died giving birth to a child? Unlike Isabella, she wasn't overly concerned with her ability to bear a son. There was no line of succession she had to continue or anything of the sort. she only had to make sure her daughters were obedient and pious while her sons were intelligent and loyal to the king.

Isabella tapped Ruth on the shoulder, startling her. "Ruth you've always served me well and I want your opinions on the ladies as they are presented to me."

"Of course Isabella, I will do my best." Ruth nodded and turned her attention to the door.

The French ladies went first. There were five of them, they stood in order of height, and bowed before the royal couple.

"When I gesture to you, I would like for you to give me your names." Isabella raised her head regally and leaned back in her throne.

Isabella nodded to the shortest girl, she had dark black hair and gray eyes that seemed to protrude from her head.

The girl appeared to be trembling. "Charlotte Alavaine, Your Majesty."

Isabella glanced at Ruth.

"I believe she is young and shy. Being at court should help her tremendously." Ruth nodded.

Isabella nodded to the next girl, blonde haired and blue eyed, she appeared to be the exact type of woman expected to be in attendance at the French court.

"Catherine de Meleun, Your Majesty."

"Ruth?"

"A typical French woman," Ruth whispered back. "a cheap whore."

Isabella wrinkled her nose. "I think the English court could teach her virtue."

"I do not agree," Ruth shook her head.

"You may watch her if you'd like, but I want her for my court, to save poor Queen Catherine some heartache." Isabella seemed set on having her in her retinue.

Ruth rolled her eyes."What of your own heart?"

Isabella promptly turned to the next girl. She seemed a bit older but other than that she greatly resembled the one before her.

"I am Marie de Meleun, sister of Catherine, Your Grace"

Isabella turned to Ruth again.

"She appears more sly than the first." Isabella seemed disappointed that Ruth did not agree with her choices.

Ruth knew Isabella well, she wanted to pick the prettier ladies to give herself an air of authority and also because she felt she deserved the best, a sense of entitlement that Edward was unknowingly nurturing with his doting affections. Ruth had always been the one to reel Isabella in when she became most demanding, but now she made all the decisions, Ruth's opinion held much less weight than it used to. Ruth simply wanted to surround her dear "sister" with loyal ladies that appeared free of deceit and cunning, hopefully Isabella would take her advice.

Isabella nodded to the next girl. This girl had silky black hair and dark eyes.

"Madeleine Delecroix, Your Majesty."

"What is your opinion, dear sister?" Isabella seemed a bit less enthused than before.

"Aye, she is well suited for England." Ruth ignored the deflated tone in Isabella's voice.

The last girl was lanky with mousy brown hair and dull eyes. Yet, she had an air of arrogance that was most inappropriate for her appearance.

"Agnès Dubois, Your Majesty."

Isabella looked to Ruth for an opinion.

Ruth, as always, was ready to give one. "I say bring her, being a servant would surely make her more aware of her station than what she appears to be now."

"I do not wish for difficult servants." Isabella whined. "Send her home to France."

Ruth wanted preserve Isabella's union with Edward, which would be more productive if Isabella would cease with her pride to allow some less than beautiful women in her retinue so that her husband would be faithful to her alone, alas Isabella wanted to surround herself with women like her, beautiful and intelligent. The women that had been brought to court had all been chosen based upon their education, Isabella was to do the rest.

"I have made my decisions. Agnès Dubois will be the only one of you to return to France, the rest of you shall be my ladies."

Ruth watched in horror as the two de Meleun sisters sat at Isabella's feet while the Spanish ladies were ushered in. There were seven of them and they all bowed lowly to the monarchs. Isabella had dismissed the advice on Catherine and Marie and two French whores now sat among Isabella's closest attendants. The Spanish ladies were all dressed modestly in black. Isabella repeated the same instructions to them and they remained bowed until Isabella ordered them to rise.

The first girl was red-haired and blue eyed like a Tudor. "Sancha de Trujillo, Your Grace."

Ruth gave her Isabella a nod of approval and the next girl stepped slightly forward to be evaluated.

Her light brown hair hung down to her waist and flowed freely, her eyes were also a light brown. "Mariana de Mendoza, Your Majesty."

Ruth stared at this girl for a moment. "Isabella, does she not know that her hair should be plaited?"

"I am not sure but maybe we can teach her proper court etiquette." Isabella's nose was turned up in distaste.

Isabella nodded to the next lady. "Ana Navarra, Your Grace."

The young woman's hood covered her hair but her bright green eyes stood out from her face.

"Ah, she is married." Ruth murmured.

Isabella nodded. "Aye, she will be a good woman to have here. I do believe her husband is the Spanish Ambassador."

Four girls stood before Isabella, waiting for her scrutiny or acceptance. Ruth wondered why she had not summoned the next hopeful to speak.

"Sancha, Ana, and Mariana I would like for you all to be my ladies." Isabella nodded to a dark haired, dark eyed woman as the three named women sat beside the four French women.

"I am Clara de Salas, Your Majesty." Her voice timid.

With a nod from Ruth, Isabella smiled at the girl. "Come sit with my ladies."

A girl that could have been Clara's twin seemed to catch Isabella's eye.

The girl stood, head raised high. "I am Leonor de Salas."

Isabella motioned for her to sit and then glanced at the last two girls.

"Ruth?" Isabella waited for her answer.

"They may be dismissed, My Queen." Ruth answered.

The two unnamed Spanish women left, their disappointment apparent.

The English women were brought in. Edward had picked these ladies and Isabella could not pick and choose among these women.

"My beloved I would like to present you with the Ladies Jane Grey, Sarah Veldon, Eleanor Blount, Margret Denton, Mary Sidney, and Anne Langley."

Isabella's English ladies curtsied and Isabella nodded to her foreign ladies for them to stand.

"Ruth I expect that I can trust you to lead the ladies and instruct them in the proper conduct. I must speak with the king."

Ruth curtsied. "Of course dear sister. I will see to them."

Ruth led the women through the heavy double doors that were set in bronze before turning to look them over.

These girls will need some work before they can serve Isabella.

Ruth set off again down the long corridors with the ladies following behind her before an arm reached out and snaked around her waist. The Duke of Norfolk had found her yet again and he probably wanted her to join him on some outing.

"Where is a lady such as this heading so quickly?" He chuckled and brought her even closer.

Ruth struggled out of grasp. "I am to show the new ladies proper court etiquette."

He raised an eyebrow. "This is proper for you. You are to be my wife tomorrow."

"My grandmother has not informed me of such!" Ruth felt fear creep in her heart, why was she not informed?

"I will speak with you of it later. Do as our Queen Isabella has ordered." He nodded to her and disappeared down a corridor.

She turned back to the ladies. They stood waiting and Ruth cleared her throat. Hurrying to the Queen's chambers, her grandmother had already laid the acceptable attire. The women had been fitted long before they had landed in England. They put on their dresses and looked at Ruth expectantly.

"As ladies of the queen you all are expected to be virtuous and beyond reproach. You cannot become mistresses of every courtier," Ruth paused to glare at the de Meleun sisters. "and expect to remain. You will be dismissed and replaced just as easily as you were summoned. You will read passages from the Bible daily and be expected to attend services in the Church of England every Sunday. You will do whatever the queen asks of you without a word. Attempts to seduce the king will result in immediate dismissal. You will never speak badly of the queen nor the king, for that is treason. Any questions about what is to be expected of you?"

Catherine spoke up. "By 'mistress of every courtier' what do you mean? What of the man I am betrothed to?"

Oh of course, the French whore inquires about how many men she may allow in her bed.

"Do as you wish, Catherine. I pray to God for your deliverance."

The doors opened and Isabella strode in proudly.

"I will dismiss you all now, for I must speak with Ruth."

The ladies curtsied and exited.

"Thomas told me. We are to marry tomorrow." Ruth spat as soon as they were out of earshot.

Ethel wheezed. "Granddaughter, we were to tell you because we know you stir easily."

"Aye, everything has been done. All you have to do is the solemnization."

Ruth felt herself grow weak and soon everything was blackened.

November 11th, 1555

Bungay Castle

Ruth had never been apart from Isabella or her grandmother. Now here she was, Duchess of Norfolk in title, yet not in body. A few servants had been given to her by her husband and they were the ones to un-plait her hair and dress her in a soft white shift. They were gone now and Ruth was alone in the marital bed awaiting her husband's arrival. She wondered what Isabella and her other ladies were doing. She had appointed Sancha to tend to her duties while she spent time with her husband. She'd be back for the royal wedding, except then she, herself would be a duchess. She heard the door open and her blood turned to ice. Although she enjoyed her husband's company she would have preferred more time with him before her marriage.

"Ruth?" He whispered.

She removed the sheet that covered her as her husband removed his clothing. He slid into bed beside her and he began kissing her passionately. She felt his hand sliding up her legs to touch her secret place and she pulled away from him. She was feeling something she hadn't felt before and she was unsure of how to feel. Thomas positioned himself on top of her and she could feel him enter her. The pain was enough to make her scream through tears but her husband pushed on in his pursuit as the pain ebbed. She suddenly felt light and moved with him until he grunted his release.

"I am your wife now, Thomas." She giggled and laid her head on his chest.

Thomas smiled at her. "You were my wife the day you came to court. While everyone watched Isabella I was watching you."

Ruth was tired and pulled the coverlet over them both.

"I love you Ruth." Thomas murmured as he dozed off.

Ruth smiled. "I love you too, Thomas."