"Mistress Tudor!" called the queen as young Catherine ran to her new mistress. Her dark eyes quickly locked to her feet as she curtsied to her royal mistress. The queen began to order what she wanted to be picked up from the royal tailor. "I will fetch the princesses' new gowns, have them brought to the royal nursery, and do so daily," ordered the queen as she placed her hand on her rounding belly.
"Yes, your Grace, is there anything else you shall need me to fetch? Prepare another book to keep your spirits high?" asked Catherine. She felt her longing to be back with her mother, but she kept her thoughts to herself. She was carrying the bundles of gowns for the princesses, Elizabeth and Cecily. As Catherine walked, the bundles were as tall as the young maid of honor. She had trouble trying to locate the nursery.
"My lady, you have passed the nursery," called the voice. Catherine stopped where she was walking and called out to the voice. "Ah, forgive me. The bundle is far too tall for me to see where I am going. Would you be so kind to help me, please, my lord?" spoke Catherine as she tried to peek over the bundles of gowns for the little princesses. The young lord helped her. From what she could gather, he sounded young and maybe around her age, or he must be a page or son of a lord at the court. Soon, the kind young gentleman helped her deliver the bundles, and the nursery staff thanked the pair before looking after their royal charges.
"I am Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey, and you are?" asked the young Earl as he looked at the fellow youth. His heart sped up a bit at her beauty as he waited for Catherine to speak.
"I am Catherine Tudor, Mistress Catherine Tudor," spoke Catherine as she smiled at the earl who smiled back. As the two youths talked, they did not realize they were being watched by the queen's mother, Lady Rivers. She smirked, knowing that marrying Catherine to an earl would make her loyal to her husband, not her mother and father. Without spreading the news, she rushed to her daughter's chambers.
YOU ARE READING
The King's sister
Historical FictionWhat if Margaret Beaufort bore Henry and a daughter named Catherine, after her queenly grandmother, Catherine Valois? How would this have changed history?
