Mary Boleyn: The King's Lover

An Insignificant Girl

For the first time in her affair with Henry Mary felt exposed and guilty. The few of his men that knew kept their lips sealed, but as her belly grew she felt like she was declaring to the world, "I am the king's mistress and I am bearing his child!"

Most of all she feared that Queen Katherine would know or find out. When it became obvious that Mistress Carey was with child the queen congratulated her, secretly envious of the prospect that her lady-in-waiting might carry a child full term and that the child might survive birth and even flourish.

Her own six pregnancies had resulted in just one living child and that was a girl. Her son, whom she had placed so much hope upon, had lived for a mere three months. There had been no more living children since the birth of Princess Mary and she had had to bear the humiliation of Bessie Blount bearing him a son, a son that was being raised in the palace and might be used to supplant her daughter, her legitimate daughter.

"Mistress Carey, you must sit down for a moment," said the queen, "I can tell from your face that your back and feet are hurting you. Just a little rest will help refresh you. Pregnancy is hard on a woman's body, are you thinking of retiring soon?"

"No, your majesty," Mary gave a wan smile, "I will remain at court for as long as I can. Peasant women labor until their time is upon them, if I cannot do the same, I must at least try to bear it as long as I can. I must have my maid tie my dresses looser and wear lower heels, I am sure that will help."

Katherine picked up her needlework and sighed. She would have her physician make up a posset for Madame Carey to help her aches and pains, The women of the court were expected to bear up under the burden of pregnancy. It was not fair, but it was expected of them. If she could, she would send Mistress Carey away to wait out her pregnancy, for her own reasons if nothing else. It was so unfair; she had been a pious and good queen and did not understand why god had not seen fit to give her the healthy son the king had so desired.

Henry had abandoned Mary's bed for the duration of her pregnancy. At first, she had been resentful, but she understood how important this pregnancy was to him. If she could bear him a child, a child that lived and was healthy that would be proof to the world that it was the queen's failure to supply an heir and not his fault.

It hurt Mary to see Henry with different ladies on his arm, but in a way, it was a blessing. Since she was no longer summoned to his bed, it allowed her to get her much-needed rest. He had sent her a midwife to look after her, and she encouraged her to rest and eat well. If at first, she was afraid that eating so much would cause her to become plump, Mary soon was grateful she took her advice. The nausea went away, and though she could not help the exhaustion, her sleep improved for a while.

The weather improved and the court took advantage. Henry would take walks, his hangers-on following behind him. The queen and her ladies would follow a short way behind, and often one of his gentlemen would linger to strike up a conversation with a lady who had caught his eye.

It was in this way that William managed to steer Mary away from the group for a while so that they could talk. The way he had treated her weighed heavily on his conscience; he would never forgive himself for assaulting her. He began to slowly approach her and carry on conversations that meant nothing more than an excuse to talk to her, and Mary allowed him.

She felt guilty carrying Henry's child but there was nothing to be done. When they first married she had hoped that she and William would have children. She had dreamt of nothing more than having a family, sons that would serve the king and daughters that would serve the queen and someday make good marriages. She had had this dream since their wedding day, but no matter how hard she and William tried there had been no issue. And now her dream of a child was coming true, but the child was not William's.