“My Lady, we have had a long history together, united in the service of the king. I recall back in 1513, how we corresponded when he was in France, how I have always done the best for you as queen and served you as well as I could, as almoner, councillor, chancellor. Do you remember how we celebrated when I was made Cardinal? How I smoothed over the king’s anger when his sister wed Suffolk against his will?”
“My memory is quite intact,” replied Catherine, coolly. “I ask again, what is your matter?”
“My Lady, it pains me to see this situation arising between yourself and the king, and the division it has caused between us. It seems that God will not allow me to serve both of you, while the king’s wishes are so determined. But I pray for you, my Lady, for your health and happiness, for your soul, although here in the temporal world I feel quite helpless.” He shifted awkwardly from one knee to the next. “I have tried, on many occasions, to reason with the king. To outline his duty according to the church and yourself, but his mind is set in stone. I cannot see a way forward save but one thing, and one thing alone.”
“And what is that?”
“My good Lady, you have already proved yourself in the eyes of God, as a dutiful daughter, a Christian queen and a devoted wife. Is it not time, as the years advance, to think of your own comfort and dignity?”
“Save your breath, Wolsey. I will not retire to a convent.”
“Please, my Lady, hear me out. Why are you so set against it? Such a devout soul as yourself has earned the respite of a truly holy final life, dedicated to God. It would appease your struggling soul and allow the king to move forward. He does not wish to cause you further pain, only to care for you, in the coming years, as he would his own sister. It is in your hands to end this suffering we all endure. For the sake of everyone involved.”
“You fail to understand me, Cardinal. I am an anointed queen, chosen by God to serve this great kingdom that I now call my home. I was set upon this path at the age of three and I will continue to serve God in the way he intended until my dying breath. To fail to do so would be to reject his calling, to turn my back upon my people and allow my husband to walk into his own damnation. It is my duty to save him from the fate he rushes to embrace.”
“I do understand,” said Wolsey softly, trying to conceal the hands that had begun to shake. “I have given the king the very same advice myself. His ears are deaf to it. He will proceed regardless. There are precedents for retirement and for divorce. The wife of the king’s one-time brother-in-law, Louis of France, became an abbess and lived for years in peaceful seclusion.”
“But their marriage was never consummated. There is no comparison.”
“The king’s own sister then, Margaret, dowager queen of Scots, was granted a divorce not eighteen months ago by the Pope.”
“So why does he not give one to my husband, as he is handing them out so freely to whoever asks?”
“My Lady, you know it is not that simple. This woman, Anne Boleyn, will be the death of us both.”
Catherine paused. These words brought her up short. “You may rise.”
With great effort, Wolsey brought himself to his feet. He stood before Catherine and the pair simply stared at each other.
“We do not have to be adversaries in this matter,” Wolsey said after a while. “We could be united against our common enemy.”
“But we do not wish for the same outcome, I believe.”
“Perhaps not. I am the king’s servant and bound to fulfil his wishes. But neither of us will come closer to achieving our goals while we are faced with the current obstacle.”
She looked at him with renewed interest. At her side, Mountjoy’s frown deepened.
“Go on.”
“If I may speak plainly, the king sent me here. He asked me to speak to you as I have, to implore you to enter a religious house of your choice. I have fulfilled his commission, and now, if you will permit me, I will speak on my own behalf.”
Catherine nodded.
“Is it safe to speak openly?”
“Close the doors,” the queen instructed. Only Thomasin, Ellen and Mountjoy were left within the room. They saw the indignant face of Lady Howard appear in the antechamber, too late to be admitted.
“It is but me and my household. What would you say to me now?”
“Thank you, gracious Lady.”
“Get to the matter.”
“Between ourselves, I greatly dislike this rise of the Boleyns. Sir Thomas is a man I would never trust, and now that Norfolk has returned to court, I fear they will become overmighty and gain too much influence over the king without properly understanding his needs and character. They are clearly no friends to yourself, nor to me either. Norfolk has a grudge against me that goes back a decade and the woman herself speaks to me as if I was a dog.” He paused for breath. “It is in both our interests if the Boleyns fail in their attempt to further Anne.”
Catherine took a while to reply, then slowly, she asked, “What would you suggest?”
“That we combine our forces, share our intelligence?”
