Once the doors were firmly closed behind her, Catherine looked around at the faces of her women. “I demand the truth. Do any of you have this book?”
All immediately shook their heads, Thomasin included.
“Do any of you know the book she spoke of?”
There was silence for a moment. Thomasin knew this was the point where she must speak up. She dropped a swift curtsey, her heart pounding. “If you please, my lady, I have heard the Boleyns speaking of a book by Tyndale, calledThe Obedience of a Christian Man, which I believe has been banned.”
“The king spoke to me of it,” confirmed Lady Salisbury. “Out of concern about its influence, he asked me to guard against the princess seeing it; there are orders for it to be burned upon discovery.”
“I have heard it spoken of,” said Catherine. “More and Fisher have debated it with Mendoza, and brought me their findings from scholars abroad such as Erasmus and Vives. Heretics are attempting to smuggle it into England under the guise of reform. I hear that it advocates the reading of the Bible by the common man in the streets.”
Thomasin thought back to the throng of bodies pressed into Bridewell Palace, drawn off the streets to listen to the king. She could hardly imagine such figures sitting down to read the Bible in English.
“And that it sets the king in opposition to the Pope,” the queen continued, “and that the Church has strayed from the teaching of true scripture. It is right and proper that such a book be banned. Tyndale was driven from the country after concerns were raised by Bishop Tunstall, some four years back, now.” She turned to Thomasin. “Mistress Marwood, when and where did you hear them speak of this?”
“At dinner, at Bridewell. They were bold enough to speak of it at table in the busy hall. I have also heard, from others, that they gather in Anne Boleyn’s chambers in the evening, to read aloud from it.”
Catherine looked thoughtful. “Do we know how it came into her possession?”
“I do not know that, my lady.”
“But her parents know of it?”
“Her father, certainly, as he was present, but her mother I suspect not. Lady Norfolk and her husband were also both at table.”
“And the king does not know that she has it?”
“I suspect that was the reason behind Lady Norfolk’s presence here,” suggested Lady Salisbury, “the panic of possible discovery, when it was found missing.”
“My lady, what should we do?” asked Maria. “Shouldn’t we go at once and tell the king?”
“Perhaps,” said Catherine, her mind working. “But so far, all we have is hearsay. We cannot argue for the presence of a book that we cannot produce. Someone in the palace has it. Either we must find it ourselves, or wait until it is found and returned to its owner. Then, with luck, the king will listen.”
“My lady,” said Lady Salisbury, with cunning in her voice, “the implications of this are far-reaching indeed. Consider the matter. The king cannot be seen to be consorting with heretics, let alone seek to make one his wife! He is placing his very soul at risk, and those of his subjects. This is a threat to all of England!”
“She is a threat to the king’s very soul,” added Mountjoy, “that soul he professed concern for, when he spoke at Bridewell. If he is so concerned for his salvation, he cannot pretend this is nothing, or diminish the danger. That book represents a danger to the king, and those in possession of it are therefore his natural enemies. It makes Anne his enemy.”
The room took a moment to digest this significant conclusion.
Everyone had forgotten Princess Mary, who had been quietly standing behind her mother, listening as all unfolded. “Is my father in danger?” she asked suddenly, with the clarity of an adult. “Is he at risk from this woman?”
Catherine turned to her daughter, knowing it was too late to take back all she had heard and deciding that this was themoment to be honest. “Yes, my child. There is a threat to your father, one that he is unaware of, which our love and faith and good care may yet save him from.”
“Yes, Mother,” Princess Mary replied, clear-eyed. “We must save Father. That is the role God has selected us for. We should go to him.”
Catherine took her by both hands. “You are a good, dear, devout child, always wishing to do the best for others. This is bigger than you imagine. It will be resolved, by myself and the cardinals, but it is not work for an innocent child such as yourself. The best you can do is to pray for your father. Love, honour and respect him, and continue to pray for his salvation. His delivery from these evil influences and his return to us.”
“Yes, Mother, I will.”
Princess Mary accepted this and returned to the inner chamber. Lady Salisbury followed her through and closed the door behind them.
Thomasin watched them go, understanding that the princess was absorbing what she had heard.
“Now,” said Catherine, turning to her ladies, “there is a missing book somewhere in the palace. Your task is to find it!”
Thomasin and Ellen exchanged glances. This could be the beginning of the end for the Boleyns.
“Letters, letters, my lady.”
