Six Years Later (October 1528)
Gathering the skirts of her cream gown to the side, Bessie carefully sat down on the stone bench inside the middle of the maze in Hampton Court's gardens. Every time the court visited Hampton Court Palace, she was always drawn to the scene of that tumultuous night.
She reminisced about him, as hard as she tried not to. Lifting her fingers to her lips, she brushed them softly, remembering the tender feelings she had felt when they had shared their first kiss. She knew in her heart that she would never be able to replicate the connection that she had shared with him with anyone else; a connection that felt so thrilling and warm.
Yet, the familiar pain and emotions of the night, as always, started to rush through her. This maze was also where she had revealed her identity to him for the first time, and it was where he had revealed that he could not accept her for who she was. This was where those memories of tenderness always switched to pain and anguish. Standing up, she quickly cast aside her feelings again, as she had been doing for the past six years. She briskly made her way out of the maze.
It is not good to dwell upon the past, she reminded herself, as she walked back towards the palace.
Bessie was now twenty-three years old. She was a mature and well-respected member of the court, who was known for her beauty, sunny demeanour and angelic singing voice. She was still, however, unmarried. Her father, the Duke of Norfolk, had not yet found her a 'suitable' match, despite several proposals from various gentlemen. The latest had come from Sir Geoffrey Pole, a son of the Countess of Salisbury, but the match had been blocked by Bessie's father.
Indeed, the events of the last few years had made the match impossible. The Tudor court had witnessed a vast time of change and transformation. Right in front of her eyes, Bessie had witnessed her closest friend and cousin Anne Boleyn rise to the very top of the King's favour. The King was obsessed with her, and his desire to possess Anne had only grown stronger and stronger over the years. For Anne staunchly refused to become his mistress, and she would not let him bed her.
To the court's shock, the King had been ardently pursuing an annulment of his marriage to Queen Katherine. He was intent on replacing her with Anne and was especially keen to sire a male heir. The King was currently in good spirits, however, given that Cardinal Campeggio had recently arrived in England to hear the case of the 'Great Matter' as a representative of the Pope. Henry's chief minister, Cardinal Wolsey, was certain that Campeggio would declare in the King's favour.
A deep division ran through the Tudor court. Some supported Anne, given that she was the rising star at the court with the most influence over the King. Yet, some were quiet supporters of the Queen, such as Sir Thomas More.
The new factions of the court were ultimately to blame for the end of Sir Geoffrey Pole's courtship of Bessie. He was a traditionalist and supporter of the Queen, and despite Norfolk's more traditionalist views, his ambition to see his niece on the throne came before all else, and the majority of the Howard family had put their weight behind Anne.
Bessie had felt torn over the last few years. On the one hand, she highly respected Queen Katherine and had tried her best to serve her well despite the recent turmoil. Bessie did not agree with some of the ways that Anne had acted and spoken about the Queen.
On the other hand, Bessie's loyalties did remain with Anne. The two women were closer than ever, and it was frequently remarked upon that they acted like sisters. Bessie tried to support Anne the best she could in her relationship with the King, though truthfully, she was worried that Anne was in a dangerous position.
Deep in thought, Bessie finally made it back to her chamber, which she still shared with Anne. She began to pack some of her belongings in a travelling chest. Bessie and Anne were due to depart together to Hever Castle in the afternoon for an indefinite amount of time. Departing to Hever was a frequent strategy of Anne's. The King's obsession and desire only grew stronger in her absence, and Anne was well aware that she was leading Henry in a game of cat and mouse.
….
Hever Castle
"A letter for you, Mistress Anne."
The Boleyn family messenger bowed, and quickly made his way out of Anne's chamber.
"From whom, I wonder?" Bessie teased from her position on Anne's bed, with a knowing smile on her face.
Anne playfully tapped her friend on the arm and sat at her vanity mirror to read the letter.
"What is he saying to you this time, Anne?"
"That he longs to be with me above all else, and that his desire for me only grows daily," Anne replied, as her eyes skimmed the letter.
Bessie tried not to giggle as Anne looked up and caught her eye.
"Oh do not tease me so, Bess!"
Suddenly, Anne's brother and Bessie's other cousin stalked into the room with no announcement.
"Cousin!" George exclaimed, and engulfed Bessie in a broad hug, squashing her on the bed.
"Hello George," Bessie laughed, trying to push him off her.
He quickly got up and stalked over to Anne. Before she could react, he swiped the King's letter out of her hands.
"George!" Anne seethed in annoyance. "Give it back!"
His eyes lit up as he read the King's words, keeping the letter high in the air so Anne could not reach it.
"I dedicate my heart and now I dedicate my body to you…" George quoted loudly.
Bessie was laughing at Anne's attempts to snatch her letter back.
"And look, Bess," George said with glee, showing her the letter briefly. "He has even drawn a little heart between his initials. Aww."
"George give me the letter!" Anne seethed; her annoyance visible.
"My god, the King of England is in love with my little sister!"
"Give it back, George."
This time, Anne looked vulnerable and tender as she asked her brother to return the letter. He quickly put it back in her hands and made his way to sit by Bessie.
"How our fortunes have risen Bess," he said to her merrily.
But Bessie did not reply. She was studying Anne, who had gone unusually quiet, looking down at the letter in her hands.
"My God, Anne, you are not actually in love with him, are you?" George exclaimed.
Anne did not reply as she continued to look at her letter.
Bessie had thought for a long time that whilst Anne held a sort of affection for Henry, her main reason for courting the King was due to ambition. But now, studying her friend's unusually quiet demeanour, Bessie realised that Anne was deeply in love with the King of England.
A/N- Hello to any current and new readers of this story! Bit of a filler chapter for some historical context here. Feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions