In The Shadow
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Henry the Eighth, accompanied by Anne Boleyn, entered the hall first. Queen Catherine walked behind them on the arm of George Boleyn. Anne smiled charmingly and winningly, while Catherine smiled a calm forced smile. This contrast was so marked that the Queen's ardent supporters frowned and shook their heads. The Boleyn family, treading just behind the king and Queen, walked with such proud faces as if Anne had already taken the rival throne, which angered their enemies and detractors. But etiquette is etiquette, especially in the presence of the wayward king, no one dared to open their mouths or mockingly smile. Everyone remembered the fate of the Guises, who had fallen out of favour because of the bluntness of the father of the family.
As Their Majesties passed by, Brigid and Alienor slowly rose from their floor-deep curtsies and fixed curious glances on the rulers of England. But while Alienor glided an appraising glance at Henry, her friend looked sympathetically at Catherine's tired, pale face, under whose beautiful eyes black circles were clearly visible, a sure sign that she had not slept a wink during the night. But the woman was smiling and friendly, and it made Brigid love her even more than she already did. As did many in this castle, including the servants. Everyone could see the disdain with which the king treated his lawful consort, the Queen, and the trepidation with which he held the palm of his favourite's hand in his palm. Anne was younger than Catherine, younger than Henry, and her youth, radiance, and talent for winning hearts made the king fulfil her every wish. Thanks to the Boleyn maidens, first Mary and then her younger sister Anne, their family rose to incredible heights and acquired so many new positions, estates and titles that they were the envy of all the other noble families, especially the Seymours, who were also trying to get one of their lovely daughters, Queen Catherine's ladies-in-waiting, under the lustful Henry.
Their Majesties approached the high table above the others, and the King had to reluctantly let go of Anne's palm to take a seat at the table, next to his wife, and Anne to sit at the table for the courtiers, although, God knows, in her mind she and all the Boleyns had already seen her banish Catherine to the convent, and the golden, ornate crown of the Queen of England descend on her, Anne's, dark-haired head. After all, when this happens, the Boleyns will not only gain even more power and influence, but will also become relatives of the future king, when Anne will give Henry the long-awaited desired heir, fulfilling the duty of a Queen that the Spanish princess Catherine was unable or unwilling to fulfil.
Alienor could feel the tension in the dining hall and the falseness of the entourage's smiles with all her being. She knew that, by fate, she was in the centre of royal court intrigues and the struggle for the right to possess a tall, broad-shouldered, red-haired man, to whom England belonged, to share power with him. Brigid knew one thing: Catherine of Aragon's calm smile hid her pain and disappointment, and she watched in silence as her own beloved husband preferred the pretty face of the young favourite to hers. Unwillingly meeting her gaze with the Queen, Brigid flashed and smiled, and when Catherine smiled back at her, the girl thought with delight: "You and only you are our true Queen! May God bless you! I will pray to Him to return to you happiness and peace!".
Alienor smiled, thinking of how naive and innocent Brigid was, when she noticed how enthusiastically her friend was admiring the Queen. Miss Norton herself was betting on Anne Boleyn and looked with interest at her thin face: olive-coloured skin, dark, almost black eyes that could drown in them, dark hair barely visible from under a richly embroidered gold threaded French burgundy hood. Nothing special, the most ordinary appearance, she is not even in a match for Brigid … But there was something attractive in Miss Boleyn, something magical and inexplicable that fascinated the perceptive Alienor. After comparing the old Queen and the young favourite, the girl decided without much thought which of them should be supported, and which of them would stay with Henry in the end. No, not the daughter of Isabella and Ferdinand! Not that proud, stately Spanish princess!
"As soon as he is rid of his old wife, I will ask my father to send me to court, and let him make every effort to make me Anne's lady in waiting. There's no doubt about it: she'll sit on the throne. Sooner or later, Catherine will have to step aside. It's a pleasure to serve a Queen like the lovely Anne. It is a pity that Brigid's heart will be broken, but life is cruel, and he who is not afraid of high stakes wins," thought Alienor, and, deciding to play a little joke on her friend, whispered to her:
– Miss Boleyn will be a beautiful Queen. All of Europe will envy our king!
– That's not going to happen! Catherine, that's who was, is and will be Queen of England! – barely audible, with indignation in her breast, replied Brigid. – 'Alienor, I thought it would not be right if you talk to William about me and tell him of my love. I do not wish him to marry me out of compassion.
– As your heart desires. I promise I won't say a word to him," Alienor agreed. – But if he doesn't marry you, he'll be the biggest fool in the world! But I think I should explain myself to him: this morning, before breakfast, my father told his father that there would be no wedding.
– And what did he say? – Brigid asked.
– He was furious. But my father is in the King's favour, so Sir Tury had to swallow his resentment and accept my decision… Brigid? – Alienor looked worriedly into her friend's pale face and her wide-open violet eyes.
– I have to leave! – Brigid squeaked and wanted to leave her seat, but Alienor grabbed her by the wide, embroidered sleeve of her dress.
– Leave? It would be disrespectful to the King! What if he sees me?
– Tell him I felt sick… I'll explain it all to you later! – Brigid forcibly wrenched her sleeve from her friend's palm, ducked, backed up, freed herself from the crowd and hurried to the door.
Sir Guise, Brigid's father, guarded the door like a chain dog, hiding from Anne Boleyn's vengeful gaze. When he saw his daughter fleeing from the hall, he gave her a cold, murderous glare that gave her goosebumps, but he did not stop.
Alienor was so disturbed by her friend's sudden departure that she waited for the opportune moment when everyone would be seated at the table to follow and help Brigid. Hardly had she taken a step towards the door, however Lady Norton, who was suddenly at her daughter's side, took her gently but tenaciously under her arm and whispered in her ear: "Let her go. You don't wish the King to notice her and not you, do you? This is your chance to draw attention to yourself!"
Alienor sighed heavily, but her mother's fair words made her change her mind, and, together, the ladies made their way gracefully to the table.
Chapter 4
She knew her father had seen her, knew what he thought and how angry he was. But Brigid didn't care how long her father would humiliate and insult her for leaving the dining hall so suddenly; all she wanted to do was lock herself in her chambers, lie in bed, and cover herself with a blanket. She had done this when she was a little girl, when there was a thunderstorm, but this time the storm had caught her on a fine summer's day, and she had instinctively wished to hide herself away, to protect herself by voluntary seclusion.