Chapter Twenty-One: Someone to Trust

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20th of May 1531 - The Palace of Beaulieu

"His Majesty seems to be in good spirits," Elizabeth Boleyn mused walking alongside Clarice, she had come to the Palace of Beaulieu to visit her son and his wife wishing for a break from court while she had the chance to do so. 

Wedding planning was in its final stages and her youngest daughter's wedding was shaping up to be quite an affair; nothing was being left to chance and the King was eager to make this a day to remember. 

"It is said that King Francis has gifted his blessing on the marriage and hopes that they shall form an alliance against the Emperor," Elizabeth Boleyn continued softly, she was sure that the news would come as no surprise and it was a glorious sign that things were going right for them. 

Of course, there were still naysayers at court that held hopes that the King would forsake Anne and perhaps choose another bride even accepting that he would not go back to the Dowager Princess of Wales now. 

However, nothing would deter the King from Anne now not when he was so close to finally having all that he had desired for years; he hadn't taken another woman to bed since he had become infatuated with Anne. 

Her daughter would be Queen of England and Elizabeth Boleyn could only pray that Anne would not suffer a fate worse than the Dowager Princess of Wales should she fail in giving the King a son. 

It didn't matter what the astrologers said or what they told the King, there was no telling what children Anne might nor might not give His Majesty or what he would do if she could not perform her duty like his last wife. 

To promise the King something that could not be guaranteed was not an easy task and Elizabeth Boleyn truly feared what might become of her family should Anne not be able to give the King what he desired. 

"That is good news," Clarice agreed wishing that she might have been allowed to travel to France, if only too bid farewell to the life that she had left behind; she was a married woman after all now and her life would not be the same. 

A part of her was most thankful to His Majesty for allowing her and George to remain at their new home instead of travel with the court. 

It had allowed them time to get to know one another and Clarice couldn't help but wonder if she'd found herself with child already; her blood was late and after sharing her bed with George each night she was hopeful that she had conceived quickly.

Elizabeth Boleyn nodded her head, their walk around the gardens of Beaulieu giving them the chance to speak freely and she hesitated knowing that should her next action be discovered then they might find themselves in trouble. 

"I have a letter from your cousin, Catherine de' Medici," Elizabeth Boleyn stated, she didn't look at Clarice knowing that Thomas would not be pleased to learn that she had delivered such a letter. 

He would have insisted upon reading it but Elizabeth hoped to inspire loyalty from Clarice in a different way, she did not wish for the young woman to feel trapped like George's last wife had done as an outcast within the family. 

"Caterina?" Clarice asked surprised to hear of such a thing, she did not dare hope that her beloved younger cousin would go against the Pope to write to her. 

There was no doubt that Catherine had heard about what Clarice had done and her turning her back on Clement would not have gone down well in Rome especially now that it had been proven that Katherine was a liar. 

Elizabeth Boleyn nodded her head and reached for the letter that she had hidden on her person, she handed it over to Clarice and watched her break the seal on it before starting to read. 

The warm spring weather was rather welcoming and Elizabeth Boleyn doubted that any would disturb them; her husband remained inside with George discussing matters of importance. 

"She asks for my advice on winning the affection of the Prince," Clarice read aloud, the letter written in Italian in hopes that should the letter be opened then the reader might not be able to read it. 

Her heart warmed at Catherine's congratulations on her marriage and her dear cousin's well wishes; she had truly feared that Clement would have turned her against them. 

The fact that Catherine still trusted her enough to ask for advice especially considering the task that the young Medici faced was not to be ignored. 

It was no secret that Prince Henri was infatuated with the older Diane de Poitiers, a woman that he held in the highest regard and would not forsake for just anyone; she was the one that called the shots in their relationship.

"Should you wish to reply, I have ways to send such a letter back to your cousin which are discrete," Elizabeth Boleyn encouraged, Francis would not be King forever and it would do them well to get on the right side of someone else in the French royal family. 

If the cousins remained close then there would be no worry for the Boleyns should King Francis die and they find themselves without a continental ally at the time when they could need one most. 

"Thank you," Clarice told her, she didn't know what she would have done otherwise; she was still learning who she could trust here in England and she did not wish to burden Ippolito with this. 

Her brother had enough to contend with right now, his work on the King's council consuming his time as well as managing his own lands. 

There was also the matter of finding himself a wife, a task that seemed slow to start especially now that Clarice had been married and if it was God's will had found herself with child rather quickly. 

It seemed many nobles had brought their daughters to court in hopes of catching the new Duke's attention; hoping to find themselves on the right side of the up and coming family that had taken root at court. 

"I want us to be able to trust one another. We are family now after all and I would hate to see you find yourself without an ally here," Elizabeth Boleyn told her, she offered a kind smile as she spoke wanting Clarice to see that her words were genuine. 

Whatever happened, Clarice would not be alone in this and Elizabeth Boleyn hoped that she would see that; they needed to have each other's backs especially with Anne's ascension to Queen nearly upon them. 

Court life would never be the same and Anne would need to know that she could rely on them; she did not have many true allies and Clarice would be the one that she turned to the most. It pleased Elizabeth Boleyn that the two seemed to be true friends, their conversations no longer seeming to be filled with the wariness that had originally been there when Anne had first approached Clarice. Instead there was a friendliness between them that reminded Elizabeth Boleyn of how Anne and Mary had been before they had been set upon different paths by their father.

Things had not quite been the same with Mary Boleyn since and Elizabeth Boleyn couldn't help but worry for her daughter; she feared that she might make a mistake that she was unprepared for the consequences. 

Their time in France had been informative and her husband had not stopped boasting about how well things had gone for Anne; he didn't seem to notice that their dear Mary may have had her head turned. 

Elizabeth Boleyn wasn't sure which way her eldest daughter's head had been turned but she was keeping an eye on Mary who had insisted upon remaining back at Hever Castle while her parents visited here. 

The last thing that they needed while their attention was distracted by Anne's impending marriage to the King followed by her coronation was for Mary to do something rash. 

Her late husband had been dead for nearly three years now and she had two young children to care for; her past as a mistress to not one but two Kings making finding her another match rather difficult. 

Opening and closing her mouth, Clarice was not sure how to respond to that but nodded her head regardless knowing that whatever happened she was tied to the Boleyn family now. 

She would do her duty as George's loyal wife and she would stand by Anne now, she would return to her side soon enough as a lady-in-waiting and they would go from there. 

"I shall write back. It will be good to speak with her again," Clarice said simply, she did not know if she would ever cross paths with Catherine again but she hoped her beloved cousin was well. 

The likelihood was that she'd never leave England again, tied to the throne as the sister-in-law to the Queen until a time came for her to retire here; she had found herself enjoying the company of her husband. 

George had been most kind to her and had put no pressure on Clarice to provide him with the heir that his father desperately required from him; it was a great relief to Clarice that she was treated so well. 

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