May 12th,1559

Greenwich Palace

Ruth trudged into Greenwich Palace. Madeleine had wrote to her that there was absolutely no way to figure out who Marie had been writing letters to, not that it was Madeleine's fault. Ruth realized that she was the only woman at court that could find information she wanted at will. Only Northumberland could rival her at it. She was proud to have delivered her second daughter, Rebecca Howard, on the 13th of April, only a few days before Isabella had given birth. Ruth saw Marie exiting Edward's chambers and she instantly figured that she was the king's mistress. Her eyes narrowed as she watched Marie disappear around the corner and Ruth stormed to Edward's chamber.

Richard, the servant boy jumped when he saw her before bowing, apparently flustered. "Lady Norfolk."

"Richard, I must see the king." Ruth crossed her arms.

She couldn't believe Edward was being so stupid. Stupid was the only word she could think of. He was sleeping with a whore, a well known whore. After what felt like eternity, Richard emerged from the Privy chamber.

"You may enter, My Lady." He said.

Ruth nodded curtly then stormed into the chamber. Edward was sitting behind his desk, pulling out parchment.

Ruth ran to his desk and slammed her hands on it. "How could you!"

Edward looked at her, confused. "Lady Norfolk?"

"Don't play that role with me!" She snapped. "I know what you did!"

He remained confused. "Lady Norfolk, you are being shamefully disrespectful."

"You're sleeping with Lady Marie!"Ruth saw his eyes widen.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I now know why they call you the bloodhound."

"I do not care what they think of me. How dare you violate your vows this way? Isabella is a good wife and queen. She had given you heirs, she has grace and dignity, she..." Ruth took deep breath.

Edward also took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. "I shall assume you are going to report to Isabella."

Ruth shook her head, and looked back at Edward. "I will not tell her, because it is not my place to tell her."

Ruth walked out of the Privy chamber, completely disgusted by the man she was looking at. He was not the eager boy she had watched Isabella marry, nor the gentle young man that had held vigil over Isabella for weeks after she had lost the baby. He had turned into another man, and she had to force herself to stand by as Edward copulated with the whore Ruth had warned Isabella about nearly five years earlier. Ruth found Marie writing another letter and she stopped to stare. Marie looked up, her dark blue eyes were sad.

"Lady Norfolk, I know what you are going to say. Yes, I am sleeping with the king. Honestly, neither of us are truly proud of it or happy with it. There is just a sort of attraction between the two of us. I hate myself for betraying the queen, for she has been good to me. Yet I find myself in love with His Majesty." She shook her and sighed in despair.

Ruth wrinkled her nose. "I feel no pity for you, but I can assist you in finding a husband if it will end the affair."

Marie looked confused. "You will help me?"

"I will. If you end the affair." Ruth knew she wouldn't.

Marie sighed again. "He made me swear to save myself for him alone."

Ruth looked over her shoulder at the sound of footsteps. Sancha revealed herself, Madeleine and Charlotte close behind her. They curtsied.

"Lady Norfolk, we are pleased to see that you have returned to court. We missed you sorely." Sancha embraced her.

Charlotte smiled widely. "Sancha is to be married to Charles Neville."

"Neville? The heir to Westmorland?" Ruth looked back at the bride to be before turning back to Marie.

"Ladies, I will speak more with you all later. I business to attend to." Ruth shooed the exited women away and led Marie to a more disclosed room in the Palace.

Marie held her head in her hands before meeting Ruth's sharp gaze. "Lady Norfolk, there is another reason I cannot marry."

"You are pregnant, are you not?" Ruth held her tongue.

She wanted to slap Marie for what she had done. She wanted to see Edward flayed alive, not dead, but definitely injured enough to understand what he had done. Marie's silence gave Ruth an answer. Ruth heard footsteps and turned to see Northumberland leaning against the wall.

"Lord Northumberland," Ruth curtsied.

He smirked. "I heard it all, Lady Norfolk. I do believe that you intend to inform, Her Majesty?"

Ruth shook her head. "I cannot inform her. I will leave the matter to itself, but I will have all of you know that I do not condone any of this."

The memory was still burning in Ruth's memory. Catherine's swollen belly and Thomas bending over to kiss it. The day Catherine was burned alive had been Ruth's triumph. Her screams had been joyous music to Ruth's ears, and she had worn yellow to the event. Isabella had allowed it to occur and had not shared in Ruth's pain the way Sancha, Mariana, and Madeleine had. Ruth's sympathy ebbed for a moment before she remembered Isabella was, in a way, her sister. She took a deep breath and turned away from Northumberland and Marie. She wished she had stayed at Bungay Castle with her daughters.

"Lady Norfolk, I apologize-" Marie's voice sounded like grating rocks on her ear.

She turned and put her hands around the mistress's throat. "Silence!"

Ruth felt Northumberland's hands upon her shoulders. "She is now above all women, save queen, her daughters, and yourself. She carries the king's child in her womb, that child even has a chance to become legitimate."

His eyes were sympathetic, something Ruth did not know him capable of. She relaxed and left the room. She found her way to Isabella's chamber and the queen was quietly doing embroidery in her chair near the window. She always sat near windows, to enjoy the gentle breeze in the summer. Her face was hard, a face Ruth knew well. She was angry with something or someone. Ruth wondered if she suspected the affair and she rapped on the wall to catch her attention.

"Lady Norfolk!" She smiled brightly. "I have some stressful news. I am grateful to see you."

Ruth sat down beside her and waited for her to mention the affair. "What is the news?"

"It is the new lady from Portugal, Catalina. She is a convinced Catholic and we are all Protestant or have converted to being Protestants." Isabella shook her head, the hard look returning to her face.

Ruth screamed inside. Isabella was completely oblivious to her husband's affair. Ruth couldn't stand by and watch as her sister's heart was torn in two. However, she knew Isabella wouldn't believe her. There was also the issue with Edward's wrath. He could kill her if he wanted to.

"Well, Isabella, there is something that you must know."