“What can you mean? I don’t see her here.”
Mary’s eyes shone with pure fury. “No. That’s because she is in the king’s chamber.”
“Is she? Surely not, my Lady. My sister can have no business in there.”
“Indeed, she does not. She must be called out at once.”
“Is your sister not here to do it?”
The reference to Anne made Mary pause. “My sister is from court at present. It would be better if yours was, too.”
“I am not her keeper, my Lady, any more than you are to Anne. The king’s door is closed. Surely you do not suggest that I burst in there and demand that she leave?”
“You are impertinent, Madam. I suggest no such thing, as you are well aware. Your presence here is sufficient, as is your collusion, which I now require, nay, demand. You must say that your mistress has summoned her on urgent business.”
Thomasin was almost starting to enjoy the exchange with her rival, aware that every moment she could draw out, was another moment that Cecilia was spending with the king.
“But the queen has sent no such message. I cannot tell an untruth. All I can do is wait here until my sister emerges.”
“But she might be doing anything in there!”
Thomasin shrugged. “She might.”
Mary Boleyn looked daggers at her. “I would have thought, given your unwholesome connection with my husband, that you would at the very least perform this small office for me. You owe me that much.”
“It is no small office to tell the king an untruth, Madam.”
“Do you intend to defy me, then? Imagine when my sister hears of this!”
“You will also have to inform your sister what the king has been doing during her absence from court. I would imagine that will cause a considerable storm.”
“You continue to defy me?”
“I am here, am I not? I obeyed your summons.”
“And you have a message from your mistress?”
Thomasin sighed, wondering how long she could refuse, now that she was here in the king’s rooms. But at that moment, the door to the inner chamber opened and Cecilia appeared, with the shadow of the king behind her, too dark for Thomasin to see clearly. She was fixing her headdress, which had come off during their sport, and her dress was crumpled. The sight of her left little doubt about what might have occurred behind closed doors. As she was leaving, she leaned back into the room, where Henry was whispering to her.
Thomasin came to her senses first, glancing at Mary, who was looking horrified.
“Ah, here she is.”
“Take the whore away,” Mary Boleyn said with ominous quietness. “Send her back into the country.”
Other eyes were watching now, and Thomasin couldn’t help but notice the look of amusement on the face of William Hatton, which turned her stomach. Of all the moments to return to court, he had to be present at this one.
Thomasin walked firmly down the length of the chamber, to where Cecilia was still dallying in the doorway. Her sister turned, surprised to see Thomasin there.
“Come, we are leaving.”
“Why so?”
“Are you done here?”
King Henry’s shadow moved through the dark space in the room behind.
“I am. I have. All that was asked of me and more.”
