In The Shadow Of The Queen

XXXVII

31st August 1548

"Her Grace is asking for you." The Duchess of Suffolk appeared at Kitty's door as she sat at her desk writing what she hadn't the day before. "It is not looking good Kitty, I will not lie to you. She is not well."
Kitty chewed her lip, nodding before looking back at her writing. It was full of her fears. This was not one of them. She thought the danger to be over. That Kate would heal quickly and they would move back to their usual carefree ways. If Kate was ill, and did not recover- Kitty did not know what she would do. She would be completely at the mercy of Lord Thomas and Kitty did not want to be put in that situation.
"Do you think she will recover?" Kitty whispered. She'd never really liked the duchess much, mostly to do with the fact she was part of the group of women at court that disliked her for no reason. But now she got to know her alone during Kate's confinement, she started to like the woman.
"I pray for it, but I have yet to hear of someone recovering from her infirmity." the duchess was looking at the floor. Kitty stood up, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder as she passed through to Kate's chamber.

Kate was curled up on her bed, arms around her abdomen when Kitty entered the room.
"Mother?" she whispered, sitting on the side of the bed.
"Kitty," Kate reached out and grabbed Kitty's arm. "Stay with me today."
Kitty slipped into the bed and wrapped her arms around her. She didn't exactly know what to do but it seemed like the best thing to do.
"What is happening?" she whispered, feeling Kate shift closer to her.
"Childbed fever, I think," Kate mumbled, basically clutching onto Kitty for dear life. "But Thomas will not let anyone summon the physician."
"Why not?" Kitty looked at her incredulously.
"He does not think I am unwell." Kate sighed, causing Kitty to join her. That man irritated her so much. He didn't seem to care about Kate at all anymore. He had no compassion for anyone else but himself. It was his pleasure or nothing. Kitty had half a mind to give him a piece of her mind but the woman laying next to her stopped her. She looked so small in that instant- the once powerful and influential queen brought to heel by a simple illness from having a child so late in her life. Kate needed her in that moment.

Jane arrived soon after, sitting in the chair by the bed and quietly talking to Kate about something or other. Kitty wasn't really paying attention as she tried to tame her burning rage for Lord Thomas that was growing by the second. She dismissed herself when she realised that Kate was quite content and found the first maid she could.
"I beg you," Kitty whispered to the maid. "No matter what Lord Thomas says, get a physician for the queen. I will pay you."
"You will do no such thing." Lord Thomas appeared behind her.
"I wonder when, sir," Kitty turned to face him. "You decided you were powerful enough to overrule the order of the queen."
"She is the queen no longer." Lord Thomas spat. "The king is dead. She is my-"
"A queen is made by a marriage to a King," Kitty replied simply. "Whether he is dead or alive is not the question. She is dowager queen whether she is married to you or not, sir, therefore she outranks you."
Lord Thomas gritted his teeth but stormed off in the direction of the stables.
Kitty turned to the maid again, who was cowering behind her.
"I implore you, get the physician." she whispered. "I will not have her suffer like this. I will deal with the baron."
The maid nodded quickly and dashed off.

Kitty turned, walking down the hallway to the nursery. It had been lavishly decorated, fit for a prince or a princess. Of course, they were expecting Mary to be a boy, so some alterations had been made once she was born to make it more feminine.
She glanced at the child in the bassinet. Sleeping peacefully, Mary looked so innocent in the moment and Kitty couldn't help but feel guilty for once being resentful of this small child. It wasn't her fault. None of this was. Yet, Kate may still recover from her malady and everything would be alright again. Yet, maybe she wouldn't. Maybe Kitty and Mary would be left with Lord Thomas and their life would be living hell.
Mary squirmed in her swaddling and Kitty smiled. In that moment, she resolved to protect her no matter the cost. She was innocent in a cruel world, and Kitty would not have Mary go through what she did herself.

"Are you alright, Kitty?" A newly familiar voice came from behind her.
"I am just thinking." she replied, turning to face the duchess. Her hand rested on the wood of the bassinet in an almost protective manner.
"You are scared of losing her." the duchess half asked, half told her. "You do not know what will happen to you if that situation comes. Am I correct?"
"Why does it matter to you?" Kitty sighed, looking back at Mary.
"You may choose whether to believe it, but I do care for you." the duchess sat herself on one of the chairs by the bassinet.
"I was under the impression you hated me." Kitty refused to look into her eyes. "All of you."
"They are too quick to judge." the duchess hummed. "But I had not realised how much you actually cared for her, and how much you try. This one visit has shown it all to me."
"Do you care for her?" Kitty asked.
The duchess went silent, knowing exactly what Kitty was referring to. Kitty sighed and took the other seat for herself. In reality, Kitty knew the duchess cared for Kate, she had seen enough evidence of that but the last month or so everything seemed to have changed. Kitty had been catching her and Lord Thomas even more by the day, though she had not been making it as known as the first time.
"Why do you do it, my lady?" Kitty whispered.
"I do not know."