SIXTEEN
Catherine was lying on her side on her bed, while Maria and Gertrude attempted to remove her outer garments.
“Here we are,” announced Ellen as she and Thomasin entered, “both of us.”
Catherine groaned as Maria tugged at her reluctant shoe.
“My Lady, can you please roll forward, just a little.”
But Catherine remained immobile. The evening had taken its toll on her, despite her best efforts.
“Come here,” she barked, “round here where I can see you. Now, round here.”
Thomasin and Ellen edged round the bottom of the bed, to the other side, where Catherine’s angry, red face was pressed into her pillow. Maria was still trying to remove her shoe.
“Well, explain yourself. You!” She jabbed her finger at Thomasin, who had never seen her in such a rage.
“My Lady,” faltered Thomasin.
“You are in my service; your duties are to wait on me. Did you get my permission to leave the hall? To walk in the gardens with a man, a married man? What kind of scandal are you trying to bring into my household?”
“My Lady…”
“Was it that woman who put you up to this? I saw you talking with her. Was it her idea, to send you out walking with her brother-in-law? Have you compromised yourself? What was her intention? What did she say to you? She will use you like your sister, remember that. I took you into my household to give you a fresh start, away from those rumours and questions, but you revert to type as soon as you get the chance.”
The unfairness of Catherine’s accusations stung Thomasin deeply. She could barely form words in her own defence, so shocking and unjust the comments were.
“Well? What do you have to say for yourself, girl? Speak!”
At that moment, Maria succeeded in removing the shoe she had been pulling, causing Catherine to groan and draw up her feet. The other shoe remained on her foot, and Maria stood back in despair.
At the sight of Catherine sprawled so piteously, in pain, Thomasin realised that her anger was misplaced. Catherine felt hurt, slighted, afraid, and those emotions caused her to lash out.
“I offer my profound apologies for leaving the hall, My Lady; no disrespect to yourself was intended. That woman spoke to me unkindly, and I wished to remove myself from her presence at once.”
“You left the hall without my permission.”
“I apologise. I had not realised I needed to seek it at that moment. I was only gone a few moments.”
“Long enough.” Catherine paused, shifting her hip and shoulder. “What did she say to you?”
“Please, My Lady, it was a slur upon my sister.”
Catherine grunted. “Maria, finish your work and remove my shoe. Prepare me for bed. Why can I no longer dance? I long to dance again.”
Thomasin waited, her head clouded with emotion and anger, but her interview with Catherine was clearly over. As Maria and Gertrude attempted to dress her for bed, she slipped into the antechamber with Ellen.
“Do not let her words upset you,” said Ellen. “She was slighted by Anne after you left, and Henry did nothing. I am sure her anger towards you was part of that.”
“I am sure it is,” said Thomasin, sitting down in the window seat and pulling the pins from her headdress. “But I have never heard the queen speak that way before.”
“It was harsh, I agree. Here, do you want some wine to help you sleep?”
Ellen poured the dark liquid into a cup and Thomasin drank it gratefully.
“I am sure her words will hang on me into the small hours.”
“Ellen! Thomasin! The queen’s nightgown?” called Gertrude from within.
