The Italian Rose

Forty

For VixenQueen18 and valelle1212, who have been with this story since the start.
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"My Lord Suffolk," Thomas Boleyn called when the privy council was dismissed, Isabella was doing well as regent in the King's stead since he was still unconscious. "I do believe you, the Queen, and I need to talk in private."
"Wiltshire," Duke of Suffolk replied disdainfully. "I highly doubt that we have anything to discuss."

"My Lord Wiltshire," Isabella spoke, her voice firm but soft as she still sat at the head of the privy table. "What is this about?"
Thomas arched an eyebrow towards Charles, who seemed rather annoyed at the older man's presence. "Shall I tell the Queen of the conspiracy against His majesty?"

Isabella stood to her feet, shock and anger were written across her face. "What conspiracy?"
Charles Brandon stalked over towards the aging Earl, anger written across his face. "I did no such thing. You have no proof of this, Wiltshire."

"So you deny any knowledge of Thomas Seymour conspiring with Sir Nicholas Carew and Lord Philip Giuffrida in placing Jane Seymour in his majesty's bed to embarrass the Queen?"

To embarrass the Queen was to embarrass the Crown, and Henry will not stand for it as he prided himself on the strength of the Crown.

Somerset and Viscount Bryan guarded the Royal Nursery, instructed by their Queen so that no one could steal away the Princes and declare themselves as regent in the event of the King's death.

Lady Anne, Elizabeth and Henry Fitzroy were confined to the Boleyns chambers, Sir Henry Howard and Lord Rochford were guarding them as instructed by Isabella, if God took the King this night; who knows what would happen to the King's bastards if Isabella was replaced as regent.

"You deny that this is the second time you have gravely injured his majesty in a joust?" Thomas Boleyn spoke again. Surely, this would have been noticed by people, and fingers would be pointed if the King died by the accident caused by none other than Duke of Suffolk.

No one would forget the last jousting accident between Henry and Charles Brandon. This was during the Field of the Cloth of Gold when Wolseley was trying to marry Princess Mary to the Dauphin of France.

"I am sure that no one would believe that Your Grace acted in such a way when your own daughters are in the line of succession after the King's own children."

That was the final nail in the coffin as Charles Brandon's face paled as he realised what Thomas Boleyn was implying, the only person who stood to gain anything if something were to happen to Henry, his children and Isabella were to be removed in some way was the Duke of Suffolk, himself.

His daughters with Mary Tudor, Frances, and Eleanor had marriages set for them. Frances married Henry Grey and Eleanor just recently married Henry Clifford, a distant relative of the late Anne De Angelo, the Queen's mother.

It would be long before they had children, who would be further contenders for the English Throne and if Prince Charles and Prince Henry followed in the Tudor traditions as their grandfather and his grandfather had done, then it could end badly for the Duke of Suffolk's own legacy.