Cranmer is an interesting fellow to talk to. He ends up coming over every couple of days, and we find ourselves walking in the gardens as I tell him more about myself and what will happen in the future. "I thought you were not human," he says. "You do a good impression, though."
"Thank you."
There are some things I do not tell Cranmer, though. Thankfully, he respects my boundaries.

One time, he doesn't turn up. I wait for him, but he doesn't send a messenger or anything to say he cannot make it. Maybe he's too busy to remember our meeting, or—I try to stop thinking about the last one. He might have already decided about Henry's marriage to Catalina and went to Henry and Anne to tell them. I hope it is not that one. If it is... if it is...

My head begins feeling strange, and I lose my balance. I crash to the ground. No one is around, so no one saw me fall. Besides, apart from Catalina, no one here cares about me.

Events are moving too fast, and I'm stuck in the back end of beyond. I have no choice now. If I want to be in the middle of the action and have a say in what happens, I must return to Court. What happened with Jane be damned, I must return.

I pick myself up and walk inside. If I am returning to Court, I must let Catalina know. She will understand why I am leaving.

How naïve I was.

"You are leaving?" Catalina asks. She is sitting on the bed.
"I am, yes."
Catalina stands up. "You cannot leave until I have no use of your services."
"We are stuck in the back end of beyond here—"
"Do you think I do not know that?" Catalina stares at me.
"I apologise, Your Majesty, but I must return to Court. If we are to have a say in events—"
"If you are to have a say in events, you mean." Catalina knows me too well. I drop my gaze to the floor. "Events at Court are running well without you. I am sure they can go for longer."
"I am not so sure."
"If it is about the plot—"
"Something like that. I am not sure it is going to work."

Catalina sighs and sits by the window. "We must trust in the plot. If we do not, we will eventually succumb to chaos and death. Do you want that?"
"No."
"I thought not." Catalina looks at me. "If I let you go to Court, you could sabotage what we are trying to achieve." She stands up and walks over. "So, we will have no more talk of you returning to Court." I curtsey and walk out of the room to join my fellow maids-of-honour and ladies-in-waiting.

My return to Court will have to wait until May 1536.

Catalina does not call for me that night. I lie alone in my room, and I can feel the walls closing in on me. Before travelling through history, I always imagined that I would love travelling through time and experiencing different times. Now, time passes too slowly. I can only rely on myself and messages from Court, which are few and far between. I might have to go against Catalina's orders.

But can I face Jane again?

I get the answer to my question the following morning. Jane Seymour arrives and asks to see me in the garden. As I get ready, I take my time, prolonging the meeting. My hands shake every time I am not holding anything. Eventually, I have dressed appropriately and walk out into the garden.

Jane turns, and a massive smile grows on her face. "Emma! It's good to see you again!" I keep my face neutral as she hurries over. She notices my expression, and her smile drops. "Is something the matter?"
"You know what is wrong, Jane."
Jane takes my hand, but I pull it away. "What did I do to deserve your wrath?"
"You told Anne you wanted to sleep with her."
Jane grows pale and frantically shakes her head. "No, I never said that."
"Then why do I remember seeing you two kissing and hearing you talking about it?"
"When was it?" I tell Jane the date and time. "I wasn't anywhere near Anne's bedchamber at the time. I was—" She cuts herself off and looks away.
"Where were you?"
"I was collecting herbs to give to Anne so she could start poisoning the king."

Relief washes through me like a tidal wave. "So, all of this was for nothing?"
"Had we talked about this from the start, you would have never had to leave." Jane takes my hand, and I let her.
"I was looking for you," I admit. "I was going to tell you about..." I think about it. Do I still have romantic feelings for Jane? Have they cooled since that time?

"I see," Jane says when I do not respond. "Ruby and Sarah Jane did hint about it."
"They did?" I look at Jane. "When did they tell you?"
"Before I left."

We stay in the garden for some time but don't talk. Neither of us can find the words. After everything that happened, can I have feelings for Jane?

I don't think she'll like the answer to that.

"I think it could be best if we remain friends for now," I say. "After all, we do not know who impersonated you, and it could happen again."
"That is true." Jane releases my hand. "In that case, it will be best if we remain friends and if you stay away from Court."
I nod. However, staying away from Court will mean I will have limited contact with my friends and parents. "Can you send a message to my parents?"
"Of course."

We go to Catalina's bedchamber, where Catalina is waiting for us. We explain the situation, and I write a letter to Mum and Mummy. We must work out who was impersonating Jane that day and stop them before they go too far. "Could it have been Laura?" Catalina asks.
"What?" I look up from my letter.
"You did mention her once and that she tried to kill you. Could she be tampering with history?"
"Yes, but Anne did say she would come after you if Anne married the King. Then again, Laura is known for lying and tricking us. I wouldn't put it past her to tamper with history."
"How much would she do?" Jane asks as she sits down on the bed.
"I don't think you want to know the answer to that. She did try to kill me before, and she will try again."

I sign the letter and walk over to the bed. "Jane, when you return to Court, can you give this letter to my parents?"
"Of course." Jane takes it. "I will try and keep an eye out for her, but if she can change forms, it can make it difficult for us to track her."

I gasp when Jane says that. If Laura can change her appearance, finding her will be almost impossible. "Ask Mum if Laura can change her appearance," I say. "The sooner we know, the better."

I struggle to sleep that night. If Laura can turn into anyone she wants at will, could she be the person that came back instead of Henry? No, that wouldn't make sense. Why would she take on the form of Henry VIII?

Unless it toys with us and makes us think we don't kill him. Laura would do something like that. However, I have made my decision, and I am sticking to it. I will not return to Court yet. If Laura is running around, it will be better if I'm away from Court. That way, neither Mum nor Mummy are worrying about me while they are preparing for the coronation.

Jane returns to Court that day.

On the 1st of June, Catalina and I spend the entire day away from her ladies. "And so it begins," Catalina says. I nod. The coronation is the beginning of the end for Henry Tudor. We've planned so much; there is no way we can back down now.