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Chapter Seventy-Two: The Boleyn Legacy.
3rd of February 1535 - Hampton Court Palace
"Mama," Alexander called pulling away from Lady Bryan and surging forward to greet his mother for the first time since their father had left for war. It was wonderful to have the children visit court and Anne could not have been more thankful for their visit, especially with the conflict with Cromwell happening. The man was determined to get his own way on the religious houses and Anne refused to let him cause a rebellion while Henry was away with the army, she was not going to be bullied by a man that she had helped raise to such a position.
"My own heart," Anne greeted ducking down to cuddle her son, her arms holding him close and she prayed to God that all would be well. Her children were everything to her, she loved them all so dearly and it comforted her to know that while her marriage was not what she might have hoped; God had truly blessed her with her children.
Alexander would be turning three years old in the coming weeks and Anne intended to throw a celebration for the occasion, a reminder to the people that their Prince of Wales was alive and well. He had already outlived Katherine's short-lived son and Anne knew that his birth had been her final victory over her predecessor.
Looking up from her hug with Alexander, Anne's heart warmed further at the sight of Elizabeth. The little girl was holding onto one of the maid's hands, her curious dark eyes reminding so much of her own and Anne knew that she would have to keep a close eye on her eldest daughter. Those very eyes had gotten Anne into a lot of trouble in the past, it was the first thing that Henry had noted about her and she knew that others had whispered about them, saying they were bewitching.
The maid let go of Elizabeth's hand and allowed her to toddle forward, her steps a little shaky as she made her way to her mother. Anne did not hesitate to wrap her arms around the little girl and hold her close, her head rested on Elizabeth's deep red curls and Anne squeezed her eyes shut to enjoy the peace of the moment.
"How have the Prince and Princesses been?" Anne asked getting back to her feet, she took her children's hands in her own and she looked to Lady Bryan who served as her children's governess. The woman was Anne's maternal aunt and had previously served as the governess to the then Princess Mary as well as serving as a lady-in-waiting to Katherine of Aragon when she had been Queen of England.
"His Royal Highness is a very merry child and the Princess is so well behaved, it's like she already knows she is a Princess," Lady Bryan replied knowing that her chargers were a proud reflection upon herself. The three royal children were under her care and she knew that the time was fast approaching when she would need to relinquish such control especially with tutors being hired to teach them soon enough.
Anne nodded her head, she could rest at ease that her children were in the care of someone that she trusted; her aunt would not betray her and would keep her children safe. With Henry away at war, Anne did not know when he would return and she was aware that when the Emperor discovered the alliance that he would not hesitate to strike back.
Turning away from Lady Bryan, Anne led her children over to the table that she had set up knowing that she had the entire afternoon with them unless royal duties called her attention away from them. Anne had also instructed that her nieces and nephews be brought to court so she would not be the only one reunited with her children; she was sure her sisters would be pleased to see their children as well.
It had been a rather enjoyable experience having Beatrice at court with her, she had yet to send her youngest daughter off to Hatfield to join her siblings yet and Anne had made the most of it. Beatrice would be returning to Hatfield with the older children once the celebrations for Alexander's third birthday were over, for court was no place for children.
For now, Anne was determined to enjoy what little time she might have with them and forget that it would only be fleeting.
Pausing outside of the chambers that he knew belonged to his son at court, the Duke of Wiltshire wished that he did not have to make such a trip especially with so much work to do. Anne had tasked him with organising the celebrations for Alexander's birthday and had left him a detailed list of what she wished to see.
However, with his talk with his wife still fresh in his mind, Thomas knew there was no putting this off any longer especially given the fact that he had yet to actually speak with Clarice. He knocked upon the door and waited for one of the maids to answer it, he would have usually barged in but he was not here to argue with Clarice.
Once he had been permitted entrance, he lingered at the doorway as he eyed Clarice with her daughters; a lump forming in his throat at the sight of them. Contessina and Filiberta reminding him, so very much of the little girls that Mary and Anne had once been; he could not help but recalled the times he had played games with them in the gardens of Hever when his time had allowed him to do so.
"My Lord Wiltshire," Clarice greeted eyeing her father-in-law, she was not entirely sure what had brought him to her door this morning other than the fleeting hint that Elizabeth had given her when they had spoken last. The duchess had not said much on the matter other that she should expect a visit from Thomas, he had important matters to discuss with her and that she knew that it was a lot to ask but she hoped Clarice would listen.
"I was hoping to speak with you privately," Thomas stated, his eyes moving away from the two girls that held a lot of the Boleyn legacy within them now. They carried the Boleyn name, more so than their cousins ever would and he knew that as nieces to the Queen of England that they would make fine matches when the time came for them to marry.
"Of course," Clarice murmured, a lump in her throat refusing to move and she signalled for her ladies to take the children so that they would not be disturbed while they spoke. As much as she hated letting them out of her sight, she had the entire month with them before they would return to Hatfield with their royal cousins. Once the two of them were alone, Thomas hesitated for a moment trying to find the words that he wished to speak while Clarice took a seat by the fire and waited for him to say what he needed to say.
"I know that I have not made the most endearing impression upon you since you married into my family," Thomas begun, he moved towards the windows that overlooked the beautiful gardens that the King had redone for Anne. Despite the cold winter that was slowly coming to an end, it was still a beautiful garden that many courtiers would walk around to escape the busyness of court.
"My desires to secure this family have often been brutal and harsh especially when it comes to you," Thomas murmured quietly, he stood by his actions and his concerns but he knew that how he had put them across might have been rather harsh. Elizabeth had been right that he could not do this alone, he needed the support of his family and with news trickling in that Milan had fallen to the alliance he knew that this was just the beginning.
"Do you recall what happened to the Woodvilles when Edward IV died?" Thomas asked turning back to Clarice and hoping that by seeking her out that she might understand where his concerns come from. George was his only male heir, his two other sons had long since left them dying before they had truly lived and it had left him even more concerned for the future now.
Clarice nodded her head, she briefly recalled such history and she had found herself in their library back at Beaulieu reading more into the history of the country that she now called home. The Woodvilles had been the second family behind the crown, they had risen quite like the Boleyns had done when Anne had married Henry and had fallen far when Edward IV had passed. The power vacuum that had occurred when Edward IV had passed, people scrambled to control the young Edward V and, in the end, it had resulted in Richard III stealing the throne.
"I do not wish to see the Boleyns suffer the same fate as the Woodvilles, we must be better than them," Thomas insisted fear lining his voice, he had been a child when such things had happened. No one could forget the rise of Richard III and how anyone linked to the Woodvilles had been cast out or executed.
"I was no more than a wealthy Norfolk gentleman when I married my wife, we did not have the best start in life and although I did my duty when appointed to ambassador," Thomas began knowing that to best understand his worries, he needed to tell her how he begun. The Boleyns had never been much at court before him, he had longed to rise to be able to give his wife and children the life that they desired.
"When I was an ambassador, I was sent to the court of Margaret of Austria, she was a very intriguing woman, we had a bet about how fast her father would agree to the alliance after being there for months," Thomas stated smiling at the memory. He had been stuck at her court for a very long time, he had grown frustrated with the long waits and the excuses that were pushed his way after the long trip he had taken and the many months of nothing happening.
"We bet our prized horses. I won of course, let her keep her horse in exchange for Anne having a place in her household," Thomas continued, he recalled how progressive the court had been and he would never regret the decision to do so. It had shaped his youngest daughter's life, had allowed her to further her studies and progressive thinking when England had seemed so far behind in such regards.
"I was furious when Norfolk arranged for Anne to marry a Butler cousin, who held claim to a title that was rightfully mine," Thomas murmured shaking his head, he seemed almost lost in thought and Clarice did not interrupt him instead she listened to him. George did not speak much of things such as this, he was intent to focus on the future rather than issues that had plagued his past.
They gave me the position that I had longed for, for many years to get me to agree and gave George a position at court, Mary was married to William Carey," Thomas mused remembering how pleased he had been despite the fact that if he agreed then the Earldom of Ormond would have been lost to him. It was just the start of the rise that had taken place and Thomas would never deny that he was an ambitious man but he had never meant for them to rise this high. He had risen through his own hard work, he had done everything that was expected of him by his King even when it had almost seemed impossible to complete.
Other people's ambitions had undone his hard work before, he recalled how Wolsey had put Mary during the pageant by making her kindness; he had been known to select women before for the King and had done so for years. Taking a deep breath, Thomas refocused on what he was saying and turned to look at Clarice knowing that he had to get back on topic and stopping thinking about the wrongs of the past.
"I have always wanted better for my family than what I had as a child, I always wanted my family to rise but never did I picture that we would be here," Thomas admitted with a shake of his head. He had done everything that he could to deter such a match, allowing Anne to return to Hever when she was desperate to escape the king's attentions but that had not worked. Once Anne's reputation had been ruined by Henry's refusal to leave her alone there was little else to be done but accept especially when it became clear that Henry would do anything to possess her.
"I never wished for Anne to be Queen, I would have been content for her to marry Henry Percy and be a Countess but it appears God had other plans," Thomas said moving to sit down by Clarice. He watched Clarice with curious eyes knowing that her own position was now tied to their own, she was a Duchess because of George's rise and her life was tied to whatever happened to them.
"We need to be strong and prepared, link ourselves with other houses of note here in England through marriage, if possible," Thomas explained, he wanted nothing more than to ensure that they were prepared for what came next. There was no telling who would reach for power when Henry was gone, there were a few that shared the royal blood that ran through the Tudors.
"I understand this well, the Medici were once nothing but cloth merchants… they went on to run one of the most famous banks in Europe," Clarice replied explaining her own family history. They had also come from little and Clarice had grown up hearing the stories, first from her father and then from her mother; they had wanted her to know her history in case it repeated itself. Her family had been expelled from Florence a few times and it seemed that it came down to someone else's ambitions that they lost everything.
"We came powerful, so powerful that our enemies could only pry us from our homes when the weak took control of my family," Clarice told him, she doubted any would forget the turbulent times that had taken place especially considering what it had cost. The memory of their return to the Palazzo Medici when they had been restored to power, the look of grief on her father's face as they had stepped into the halls that he had called home as a child.
Clarice often wondered if he had been at peace there in the end, knowing that he had done what his brother could not and how he would feel knowing that it had been taken from his family. Clement had placed the control of the city in the hands of Alessandro, something that would have spat in the face of Giuliano if he had lived to see such a thing.
"I know my daughters will be married off into such alliances, as it was also expected of me," Clarice said shaking away the memories of the past and the anger that she felt towards Clement. He would have to answer to her father one day for what he had done to her and Ippolito, he was closer to meeting God than any of them were and she had no doubts that the war in Italy would only hasten his death.
Her eyes moved to stare at Thomas, she knew that many would look down upon them for their perhaps ambitious motives but they did not know what it was to have something only to lose it. The Boleyns and the Medici had much in common and Clarice doubted that anyone would believe that they would ever amount to much especially when they had come from so little.
"I want nothing more than to do my duty, but I can no more control the gender of this child than you can control the weather," Clarice murmured with a shake of her head. It amused her that men seemed to believe that women had some sort of control over such things and would rage when they did not get the child that they desired.
George was a wonderful husband, Clarice counted herself blessed to have him and she prayed for his safe return each day; she knew that her options could have been much worse especially considering her position as a foreigner at English court. Her husband adored their daughters and he cherished them, she could only imagine that he had learnt such behaviour from his own father before Thomas had been forced to adapt to the sudden Boleyn rise.
Thomas was silent, his lips pursing slightly as he stared at Clarice knowing that she was correct and his desires for a male Boleyn heir could not be forced. Such things were in God's hands alone and Clarice had proven capable in providing healthy children, she had two successful pregnancies already and her third was slowly coming to an end.
"Elizabeth tells me, you plan on retiring to the countryside to deliver your child?" Thomas said recalling what his wife had told him before he had come to speak with Clarice. It did not surprise him that she wished to escape the chaos that was court to deliver her child in private, although he loathed the idea to see her do so alone at Beaulieu.
If there was anything that he could do to make her comfortable then he would do so, it was his duty afterall to take care of her while George was away. He would not let his son down while he was away serving his country and doing his duty to his King, Thomas only wished to make sure that everything was ready for when George returned home.
"I had hoped to do so," Clarice admitted with a small smile, she longed for the peace and quiet of the countryside that she had enjoyed. It was unlikely that Anne would have need for her during the confinement nor while she recovered from birthing her child, she could rest in peace without worrying about people around her whispering or plotting. Clarice had never thought she would be the type of woman that would prefer to be a way from court when she had been brought up to be a lady of the court by her mother.
"Then perhaps if you would like, you would come to Hever," Thomas offered knowing that he would happily welcome her and the children into his home, perhaps that would be what he needed. Having children back in the home after thirty years would certainly be a good way to reconnect with his family, he had lost touch with them in his desire to make sure that the Boleyns would be prepared for the King's death.
Clarice stared at him for a moment considering his offer, she had to admit that she had not expected such an offer but if Thomas was willing to try then who was she to say no. The time was soon approaching that she would leave court and perhaps Hever was the place where she could deliver her child.
I recommend Bed of Deceit by BellalunaMcKenzie, For Even as Love Crowns You by wizardfantasy and Sanctuary by Cattyfan. Also check out My Lord Husband,The Enemy by Esme24, That Subtle Wreath by EvilFluffyBiteyThing and its sequel, A Progress in Kent.
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