The Italian Rose || The Tudors

•Chapter 46

October 5th, 1540, Greenwich Palace

"He is accused of corrupt practices, leniency in matters of justice, acting for personal gain." I said smiling to Giulia, Clarice and Bianca as they prepared me for the day.

It was now several days later and Cromwell had been arrested during a council meeting.

Sir Francis Bryant had already given Henry the evidence and several Nobels came forward with more of an accusation than Cromwell.

It hurt Henry but he had decided to hold Cromwell in and the trial was due today.

"Let's hope we get rid of him once and for all." Clarice said as she laced up my dress.

Bianca, who was doing my hair, chuckled. And I had to hold back my laugh too.

"By the way, ladies, there are still a few important things to discuss: your marriages. You are getting older and it will hurt me to see you getting married too late. Is there anyone you are interested in?"

There was a brief silence and I saw that they were thinking.

"I don't think there's anyone here at court who caught our attention, Your Majesty. I wouldn't be so quick to call the English men attractive." Giulia said which made us laugh again.

"No but seriously ladies, you need to think about it. I would hate to see you unmarried while you are in the prime of your life." I said when we were done laughing.

"We'll think about it, but now it's time for your day to begin. It will be a while before the trial is over so maybe taking the kids for a walk through the gardens , it would do you some good too." said Giulia

I nodded and smiled and looked at myself quickly in the mirror.

I was wearing a dark green silk dress that accentuated my belly nicely. My brown hair was loose down my back and I had on a dark green French hood.

~

"Lady mother." James cheered as I walked into the nursery. He sat with Edward and Arthur behind the large table where they were eating. The nannies in the room made a curtsy.

"Hello sweet boy." I said as I walked up to him and kissed his forehead. I did the same with Arthur and Edward.

I turned to the nearest nanny. "When they finish eating, I take them for a walk in the garden." I said to her. "But of course."

I watched the children finish their plates and then walked with them to the gardens.

The gardens at Greenwich Palace weren't quite as pretty as Hampton court's but it had plenty of space for the kids to run around in.

I watched with a smile as the boys were playing with each other.

it was unbelievable to see how fast they had grown. James and Edward were already three years old and Arthur was two. It would soon be their birthday and then their new brother or sister would be born.

I was only twenty-one years old, but I already had two children and would soon have a third. Even though Edward wasn't my child biologically, I had become a mother figure to him, as much as I hated the idea at times.

After all, I hated his mother and the fact that the child was born while Henry and I were already married made the sight of him uneasy.

But it had been my choice to raise him at court, even though my intentions at the time had been to keep Jane away from her child so that she would suffer, and now I had to keep him here.

But it was what it was. People thought I was the good woman who took care of my husband's bastard son and daughter from another marriage, that put me in a good light, and I could use that.

"Majesty." Suddenly I heard behind me. I turned to face Catherine, Charles Brandon's wife, who made a curtsy.

"Catherine, I haven't seen you in a long time, how are you?" I said with a warm smile.

Catherine had an unhappy facial expression. "I'm fine."

I looked at her concerned. "Are you sure? If there's something wrong you can always talk to me, you know that, right?" I placed my hand on her shoulders "Come, walk with me, we'll catch up"

We walked side by side behind the children.

"How big they have grown. My own son would have been just as old as them." she said wistfully. I looked at her with pity.

Catherine had been pregnant with me when I was pregnant with James but unfortunately she miscarried.

"I know it still hurts you a lot." I said. She nodded, "Since the miscarriage, the relationship between me and Charles isn't as it was before. The love is gone and the only reason we're still together is because it's on paper."

"Do you want to divorce him?" I asked surprised. I had no idea their relationship had been so badly affected.

She looked around briefly. "I have no other choice. I'm pregnant with someone else and I can't tell Charles it's his child since we've been living separately for a while."

I looked at her startled. "How far are you? And does the father of the child know about it? You do know that this is very serious?"

"About two months and yes, the child's father knows and wants to marry me as soon as possible." She shrugged her shoulders. "It's no different. I don't love Charles anymore and he doesn't love me anymore. There's nothing more to say. I must and will divorce him and marry the baby's father."

"Who is the father? Is he at court?" I asked. "He is not at court. He is originally from Calais but has been in England for the last few months. After the marriage I will go back to France with him."

I saw from afar Bianca approaching and she nodded at me.

The trial was over.

I turned to Catherine again. "I hope for you that Charles will accept the divorce and that you and the love of your life will live happily ever after. If you'll excuse me, I have to go to the king."

I turned to the children who were playing in front of us. "Come on boys, let's go back in!" I yelled before walking back to the palace.