Taking in the appearance of Lady Anne of Cleves, Mary knew the woman is all wrong for her father. The first thing that's incorrect for him is the manner of dress. Both Anne and her sister wore monstrous habits and apparel. It made it difficult to see their faces and figures.
Lady Flora's words on the style of attire came to mind. When reviewing their personal appearance with Mary and Paisley, the older woman stated, "No amount of money can buy one's style. It is instinctive. Some people have it, and a good many do not."
At that moment, Mary knew the Dowager Countess's words were valid. For the two ladies before her eyes have zero style. However, she noticed that basically all of the Cleavan Court ladies wore similar fashions. When the Princess asked why the apparel is worn the way it is, the answer she received was telling. "Etiquette at the Court is stringent, and the women are to be modest in all forms, especially the hair and clothing," said the Royal translator.
This news only made Mary cringe. Her eyes looked down at her own dress. Yes, she is fully covered, but the gown is strapless. There is only a sheer overlay on top of it at the bust area for sleeves. She chose this one because it has her signature embroidered flowers and a bejeweled belt.
Turning her head ever so slightly to Charles, she whispered, "Perhaps I should try to dress more modestly with one of those habits while I'm here."
To which His Highness replied with a sour expression. "If you dare, I will be mad at you. Don't change your appearance just for this court. It's dour, and you're not." She chuckled and decided not to worry about it, even though her concern about this woman's marriage to her father did not lessen.
Over dinner, the group sat around talking and feasting. Although talking had been constrained to the different parties. It seems that the language barrier is difficult to overcome. Mary tried to make polite conversation with both sisters, Amelia and Anne. However, that didn't work out because the two girls began whispering to each other, ignoring the Princess altogether. So, she smiled and spoke to Paisley and Charles.
After the desert and large cups of ale, Lady Anne whispered something into the Royal translator's ear. The man then turned to the Prince and Princess. "Your Highnesses. The lady wants to know if the envoy wishes to see her naked." He blushed while saying this.
Charles practically choked on his drink. "Why does the lady wish to know this?"
The translator explained, "Several envoys have come through here. They have all wanted to get a look at her and her sister to report back to the King. She finds this scrutiny unscrupulous."
The Prince told the translator to "Tell the lady that I have no wish to see anyone naked other than my wife." He leaned over to place a kiss on Mary's cheek, and as he did so, she turned her head. It ended up being a sweet peck on the lips that turned a bit heated. Had they been in England the two would have made for their chambers, but since they were not they stayed put and held hands under the table.
From then on, the delegation learned several critical things about Lady Anne. The first is that her education is somewhat limited in nature. For the girl's education had been focused on making her a parsimonious and frugal housewife for a nobleman. She has not at all been trained to be a queen. Due to this, she will not make a good companion for a man of King Henry's broad tastes, thus rendering them incompatible.
The after-dinner entertainment is nothing like the English Court. There is no dancing, no musical interpretations, mainly conversation, reading, and sewing. Her Highness hated this as all the Clevean ladies sat embroidering, whereas she could not. Lady Paisley can embroider but abstained from doing so. She did not want to embarrass her friend the Princess.
This lack of musical ability is yet another thing Lady Anne and the King do not have in common. She cannot play an instrument, as it is considered immodest by Clevean rule. But His Majesty, his siblings, and his children can play and enjoy doing so. Mary especially loves to play for her husband and enjoys it significantly when he sings along with the tune on the harpsichord.
And the final thing is that the girl cannot speak any foreign languages. However, the Royal translator and ambassador assure them, "She is of an intelligent mind. Lady Anne will learn the English language in no time, and if trained, she will learn others too." Yet none of those words will offset the temper the King is sure to display upon learning all of the things the Prince and Princess have discovered.
Mary and Charles discussed this very thing on the final night of staying in Kleve. They had been hesitant to talk about it, thinking that maybe the woman was not really as ill-bred as she seemed. Yet, in truth, she is.
Before blowing out the oil lamps, Mary picked up her hand lotion from the bedside table. As she rubbed it in, she asked, "Charles, what is your impression of Lady Anne?"
His right hand scrubbed down his face. A long-suffering sigh left his mouth. "The girl, and her family, are hospitable, but she is all wrong for Henry. She is borderline uncouth in comparison to the ladies of the English Court. And we still don't know what she truly looks like due to those horrendous clothes she wears."
His wife nodded her pretty head. "I agree. I think Father will likely have a heart attack if he sets eyes on her dressed like that. She isn't musically inclined, nor can she converse because she hasn't been taught any other language. She is better suited to stay here and marry a Duke or other noble lord. I hate to say it, and you know it pains me to say unkind things, but Anne of Cleaves is not Queen material."
There was only one thing for Charles to say. "Wife, I agree."
In the back of both their minds is the thought of Anne's countenance. While she is tall, she is not as beautiful as several previous letters to the King had suggested. So yet another mark against the lady for disfavor with Henry. Unfortunately, they've come so far to retrieve her that it's too late to turn back now. After that, they put out the oil lamps and settled down to sleep, especially since tomorrow would be a long traveling day.
Once all of the carriages were loaded with the trunks and other fripperies, Lady Anne said heartfelt goodbyes to her family members. With Mary at his side, Charles thanked the Duke for hosting them. The traveling party got into their carriages and embarked on the journey back to England. In backtracking, the group decided to bypass Eindhoven altogether to stop at Antwerp.
The Lord and Lady of Sterckshof Castle welcomed the delegation again upon arrival in Antwerp. Same as last time, Mary did not receive her husband's passionate attention and affection. Likewise, it carried on to Bruges and Calais. By the time the envoy set foot on English soil, His Highness had pouted and contemplated how to charm his wife. Then he remembered something, several somethings, that would be the perfect plan when put together. In Dover, a dispatched letter to the King announced the group's appearance in England. It also requested a few items.
On the quiet road outside London, the delegation stopped to rest their horses and stretch their legs. Mary greeted the ladies of their party and tried to make conversation with Lady Anne, but it was awkward and clumsy- seeing as neither spoke the other's language. But Her Highness tried, and that's what mattered. Mary did make a mental note to add the Germanic language to her vocabulary.
As the Princess began talking to Paisley, she became aware that the woods became much too quiet. Whispering to her friend, she announced, "I don't like this. Everything is too still. It's like the calm before some fierce storm, and where are most of the men?" Her head turned this way and that in search of her husband.
Paisley agreed with her. "I have no clue where they are. I agree. I'm not too fond of this. I have chills on my arm. Something wicked this way comes."
No sooner had she finished speaking than a group of masked men, led by a tall stranger, descended upon them. All of the women shrieked and made for the carriages. Mary ran for it and closed all of the curtains of the coach. She sat praying for safety.
All of a sudden, the door to the carriage swung open, and one of the masked men appeared. He's tall with a scruffy appearance, and his brown hair is a little mussed. Before he could do anything, she declared herself. "Sir, if you do me no harm, you can have all my jewels." She began taking off her necklace.
Then the bandit entered the carriage. Mary observed the man had a predatory look about him, and she shivered in fear. However, she also realized the robber seemed familiar somehow. As he advanced, the Princess hauled off and slapped the man without a second thought.
The man let out a loud "Ouch!" and held the side of his face. She knows that voice! Taking the man's hand, Her Highness remarked, "Charles Brandon! Why on Earth are you trying to scare the wits out of me?"
He sat on the bench cradling his cheek. In a whiney voice, he let her know. "Because My Darling, it's English custom to meet your betrothed in disguise. If the bride-to-be saw through the mask, it speaks of true love. We never got that due to the nature of our wedding. So, I thought I'd play along with your father." His hand still held his cheek.
Mary rolled her eyes and took hold of his hand, trying to pry it away. Once she did, her fingers touched his cheek. "Oww!" he groaned. Then he proceeded to lay down on the bench, holding his cheek.
She couldn't help it. A laugh escaped her mouth. "Oh, stop being such a big baby. You're acting worse than when William fell and scraped his knee. Now let me see it again."
He continued his complaint. "Did you have to slap me so hard? It hurts." Really it didn't hurt that much. He only wants his wife's attention, and when she came near to his face, he caught her and brought his lips to hers. She squealed. "Now I've got you. You can't break free of the Highway Man's dastardly clutches." He laughed in a comically wicked manner.
Seeing through his plan, Mary feigned upset. "Oh no! Whatever shall I do? Will anyone save me from the heinous Highway Man?" She chuckled, and he smiled as his lips kissed her neck. They played like that until her father knocked on the door and told them he was riding back to the palace. The carriage started up again, and though they did not make love in the coach, the couple had fun regardless.
Once at Greenwich palace, the envoy disembarked and headed to the Presence Chamber. It's there that Mary smoothed out her dress and held tightly to her husband's arm. The Herald announced them, and the bridal envoy entered with the Prince and Princess leading the way.
Being seated on the throne, His Majesty did not stand to greet them. He only smiled as they curtsied and bowed. Charles spoke loud and clear to all those members of the court assembled. "Your Majesty, I would like to present Lady Anne of Cleaves to you."
He stood aside and let the lady make her way to the front of the dais. It's there that she curtsied and kept her head low. The King stood up and stepped down from the platform. He swaggered over to her in all his stately glory and pushed her head up with his hand. As he stood inspecting his new bride, Mary could tell her father was not pleased. Despite this displeasure, Henry instructed the lady to be escorted to her rooms at Rochester and had the Prince and Princess follow him to his chambers.
The minute they entered, the King began pouring himself a drink. He whirled around with glass in hand and started talking. Motioning for them to sit, he stated, "I see nothing in this woman as men report of her. It's obvious they're either incompetent or lying. She is not at all a great beauty. Her ladies are even less so." He huffed out a breath and took a drink, then paused in thought. Both Mary and Charles knew he would react this way.
His Majesty spoke again. "Did you know that she pushed me away when I tried to kiss her during our masked bandit act? Such a lack of sophistication."
Her Highness didn't want to say how she would have done the same thing, nor did she want to say how she slapped Charles. So, she sat there with her hands in her lap, listening to her father's complaints. His last one being, "Why didn't you notify me of the disparity of the reports?"
Charles answered, "Well, we couldn't very well call off your wedding without your consent. Plus, how would that look after we've traveled all that way?" The King said nothing.
Since he said nothing, Mary decided to address him. "Father, we realized right away the mistake it was in choosing her as your bride. As Charles said, it wouldn't have been diplomatic for us to have set her aside."
Henry scratched his chin. "Yes. Yes. I'll have to put Cromwell on the task of finding grounds to send her back. But let it be known I'm very displeased in the man. He was one of the main men telling me of Lady Anne's good graces."
The King rose from his chair and opened the door. The Chamberlain appeared. The two whispered, the servant departed, and His Majesty returned to his chair. Looking at his daughter and oldest friend, he asked, "Lady Anne aside, how was your trip?"
The Prince and Princess moved their heads to look at each other. Together they shared happy smiles and sweet expressions of love. Charles held Mary's hand, and before he could speak, Henry spoke again. "The love in this room is astonishing. While you were away, I had forgotten how disgustingly in love you both are. I see that has not changed. As a father, I am pleased. As a man unmarried, it's stifling." The King sipped his wine.
Now, His Highness huffed out a breath. "Really, Henry? Stifling? Yes. We are still in love, and I don't foresee that ever changing." He brought his wife's hand up to his mouth for a kiss, which he did to irritate his father-in-law. After which, he stated, "The journey was long but pleasant of company."
Mary chuckled. "I've always enjoyed traveling and seeing other places. This trip was no different. I particularly enjoyed Bruges. Lady Despaers showed me some of the most exquisite laceworks I have ever seen in my life. Did you know Bruges crafts the most luxurious lace in the world? It does, and I have ordered bolts of lace to be sent to my seamstress. Plus, Father, the chocolate is to die for! Just like the lace, I have never seen so much chocolate. I even brought you back some, which I will give you after dinner." Both her father and husband found her flattering speech amusing.
As the Princess continued to talk, the door opened, and Sir Cromwell entered. The beady-eyed man bowed and took a chair opposite the sofa Charles and Mary sat on. "Your Majesty, I received word you wanted to see me and came straight away," the man said.
The King waved him off. "Yes, I do want to see you. I am displeased with the lady. I do not want to go through with this wedding if I can avoid it. So it is up to you to get me out of the betrothal."
But Cromwell had other ideas. Mainly he didn't want to work all hours of the night finding loopholes. "Sire, let's not be hasty. The lady is settling in at Rochester as we speak. Why not go after dinner and at least try again? If the second time fails, I'll do all I can to get you out of this marriage."
With a stern expression on his face, Henry told the man, "Fine. I will try again, but I will not try a third time. Charles, you'll come with me." That was not a request.
And so the rest of the afternoon passed by with the Prince and Princess settling back into court life. The main thing they cared about was seeing their children. They have not seen their offspring in weeks. However, their grandfather assured them everything had been alright and that "They dined with me every day. We went fishing and played tea party. Both Elizabeth and Gillian loved that."
Upon hearing those words, Mary eyed her father with a curious look. "You played tea party?" She could not believe it. "With Gillian?"
Her father let her know, "Yes, Daughter. I played tea party with my other daughter and granddaughter. I even sent for a plate of sugar teacakes. I wore a frilly hat that Elizabeth gave me, and Gillian sat in my lap babbling some nonsense."
The King played it off as if it were nothing and as if he did this sort of thing every day. But to Mary, it was a big deal and a huge step forward. So much so that she embraced Henry and kissed him on the cheek showing her gratitude. He was filled with pride, pride of a father and a squishy feeling of love and sentiment.
The minute Lady Agnes and Gwyn brought the children to their parents, the tots squealed and rushed forward. Charles and Mary scooped them up and hugged them tightly in their arms. Their little faces were peppered with kisses. With William and Gillian in their father's arms, Owen stayed with his mother. He patted her cheek. "Mama, I miss you."
She kissed her son's head and told him, "I missed you too." Then she said the same thing to her other son and daughter. The family sat and stayed together until dinner, which was a boisterous family affair in the King's chambers.
True to his word, after dinner, the King, along with Charles, rode to Rochester to visit his intended. He carried with him a tray of sables as gifts for her. Having changed into one of his best suits of clothing, His Majesty allowed the Herald to announce his presence to the room. Upon seeing Anne of Cleves again, the Prince noted his friend's face fell.
Charles took over and started chatting with the lady, but it was clear the King was put out. He sat stoically, listening to the conversation, and added his remarks where necessary. But overall, the time at Rocester was a Royal dud. And once the two men were back in the Royal carriage, Henry told his best friend, "I am again ashamed that men have praised this woman. I like her not."