Months pass before we hear from Court again. Instead of hearing from someone in the group, we get a letter from Henry, and Thomas Cromwell delivers it. Catalina reads through the letter, and her jaw tightens. "Dowager Princess of Wales?!" She bellows. Everyone jumps back—even I do. I've forgotten how headstrong Catalina can be at the best of times. "Who does King Henry think he is?"
"He is the King of England, my Lady, and now Head of the Church of England." Cromwell is still shaking from her outburst.
"He is putting his soul at stake."

Cromwell shares a look with me. "Madam, the priests decided it shortly before Cranmer left. He reported the outcome to the King and Queen. Moreover, the Queen has given birth to a daughter. She has commanded you and your household return to Court at once."

Everyone looks at each other, and some of the ladies begin talking. Returning to Court is everything almost everyone here wants. Catalina and I look at each other. If Anne is summoning us, she'll go through with the plan and wants us nearby. "She is also summoning Henry Fitzroy and Princess Mary. The plan is moving fast. All we can do is try and keep ourselves afloat while everything else crumbles." Cromwell whispers this last part; only the two of us hear him.
Anne Boleyn wants us all in place for when she comes out of confinement. "What about Anna of Cleves and Katheryn Howard?" I quietly ask.
"I am arranging for Anna to arrive later this year. We can fake Catalina's and Anne's deaths early and convince the Duke of Cleves the King wants an alliance with Cleves."

"If word of this gets out to anyone in the future, it could all be for nothing," I warn him. "Please, tread carefully."
"I will, Mistress Smith-White."

When Cromwell leaves, we begin packing our belongings. "I cannot believe we are returning to Court," one lady tells me. "I thought King Henry would never accept Queen Katherine back into his life."
"I agree." I do not correct her that it is Anne who wants Catalina back at Court. Henry would never accept Catalina coming back.

What if this is a trap?

No, Anne would never do that. But what if the orders didn't come from Anne? Had the King found us out? Does he know we are plotting to kill him? If so, what is he going to do to us?

Come on, Emma, worrying about it won't help anyone. I go to my room and begin packing my things. Cromwell would have said if his message came from the King and not Anne. He has everything to gain if we can pull this off.

We are ready to leave the next morning when Mum and Mummy arrive with a strange man. "Your Majesty," Mum says, curtseying to Catalina. "This is the Imperial Ambassador, Eustace Chapuys."
Chapuys bows to Catalina. "Your Majesty, it is an honour to see you." He straightens up, and Catalina offers him her hand.
"It is good to see you, ambassador," she says.
"I only wish I could say the same. I heard rumours that you are planning to return to Court."
Catalina nods and rises from her throne. "You heard correctly."

"Your Majesty, the Earl of Wiltshire asked me to deliver this." Chapuys hands a letter to Catalina. Why would Thomas Boleyn risk writing to us unless...? Had something gone wrong with the plan?

Catalina breaks the seal and opens the letter. Her face darkens. "The King knows," she says. "He is declaring everyone part of the plan forfeit, no matter who they are."
"Lady Anne has also gone into labour," Chapuys says. "It is thought that her child will forfeit the throne because of their mother."
"Then we must go into hiding ourselves. Can you help Anne?"
Chapuys bows. "I will do my best, my lady."
"That is not good enough. We need everyone in our group alive."

My heart is in my throat. Where can we all go? We're surrounded by enemies on all sides. My homes will become forfeit. History will change forever because of this stupid plan! "Is there anything we can do to change the king's mind?" I ask.
"I am afraid not, my lady," Chapuys says. "He is threatening to have you all arrested and thrown in the Tower."

I begin pacing. Our group are mostly at Court. How can we save them when we are so far away and need to flee ourselves? "Is there anywhere we can go? Anyone who will support us?" Mum asks.
"No, we did not feel the need to make those connections," Catalina says. "We all thought the King would never suspect us."
I look out of the window as I continue pacing. "Mummy, do you have the Doctor's number?"
"I do. Why?"
I stop pacing. "Could he help us?"
"All we're going to get is a lecture on how we should not change history to suit our agenda."

I sigh. Mummy is right. If anything, the Doctor might try and convince the King not to execute us, but that will be it. "I am not going down without a fight," I say. "There could be others who will help."
"But who?" Chapuys asks. "They will not fight against the king."
"They will if they learn their lives are at stake, particularly in the north."

We finish packing. Maybe we should head north and see if anyone will help us there. If not, where can we go? Is there anywhere safe we can go?

Chapuys is returning to Court now he delivered his message. We begin saddling up our horses and preparing the litter so we can start moving across the country. If the rest of our group has any sense, they will head as soon as possible. "We are going to head back as well," Mummy says. "Anne will need us, and we can prepare her and the baby for travel."
"Tell her not to bother with churching," Catalina says. "We have not got the time." Mummy nods before she and Mum return to Court.

As we are on the road, we hear of the birth of the new princess, Elizabeth. "I hope she will make it," Catalina says as we travel. The sun is low in the sky, so we might only have an hour or so left.
"We can make it to Bradgate House," Catalina says. "It is not far from here, and Henry and Frances Grey will welcome us."

Wait... Grey! "I know that surname," I say. "Their daughter, Jane Grey, will become the nine-day queen."
"Jane Grey..." Catalina's voice trails off. "I do not recognise the name."
"She is not born yet."
Catalina hums. "Maybe you should not tell them that."

We canter up the path towards the house, and a man hurries out. He is wearing beautiful clothes I would only normally associate with the Court. His dark brown hair glows in the fading sunlight. "Your Majesty," he says and bows low when he realises who Catalina is. "I apologise, but we did not know you were coming."
"That is quite all right, Sir Henry," Catalina says as she climbs out of the litter. "We only knew we were travelling today."

Most of Catalina's household finds accommodation at the local inn or areas around Bradgate House. I am the only one in Catalina's household staying with her at Bradgate House. "We will want to reduce my household," Catalina tells Henry at dinner. She's sitting at the head of the table with him on her left. I am on her right. "The King has discovered we are plotting against him."
"Then why are you here? And how does that explain why a nobody is sitting next to you? No offence, my lady, but no one knows who you are."
"None was taken, my Lord Suffolk. We are here because we want to flee the realm and do not know who will support us."
"There is also the issue that many of our supporters are still at court," Catalina adds as she waves a dish over to me. "Anne, last I heard, was in labour."
"She has given birth, Your Majesty. It is a daughter, Princess Elizabeth."

I hope Anne and Elizabeth escape.