The Only Boleyn

Spring 1522 - The Plan

Uncle Howard stared at the two of us in amazement, and I exchanged a nervous glance with my brother.
"Are you telling me," he began, sporting a dumbstruck expression, "That your sister whined to the King?"
    "Yes, Lord Uncle. I'm afraid it is true." George's voice was almost as incredulous as Howard's - I'd only told him this morning, and within the hour we were here with our Uncle.
    Howard groaned in exasperation and sat down heavily in his great chair. In front of him was a dark oak table with paperwork strewn carelessly across its polished top - George and I were standing nervously in front of this desk, as if we were in an interrogation.
    Following our Uncle's lead, George pulled one of the basic wooden chairs lining the side of the room up to the desk and sat down on it. I remained standing, as the youngest member present.
    "No," Howard's head suddenly shot up and his gaze latched onto George, giving him a warning glare. "Stand up."
    Detecting our Uncle's dangerous annoyance in his voice, George scrambled out of his chair and stood, blushing furiously, under the disapproving gaze of Howard.
    "You," Howard's fierce eyes flicked to me momentarily, before returning to my brother, to make me aware that he was addressing both of us, "Were responsible for making sure that she didn't screw up."
    Sensing it unwise to speak; unwilling to anger Howard, I kept my mouth shut.
    My dear George, still flustered, made the mistake of answering back.
    "Lord Uncle, I can assure you we were not aware of Mary's intent-"
    "That's bloody obvious, George! If you'd have known, this wouldn't have happened! How could you let this happen?" Howard slammed his hand onto the desk, sending paperwork flying off the edge. Glaring at the sheets as if he would punish them, he cussed under his breath and pushed his chair back. Rising up to equal George's height, and towering above me, he began to pace back and forth behind the oak table.
    I sneaked a sideways glance at George. He was blinking rapidly in shock, and when he turned his face to me, he looked positively green with fear. I shot him an encouraging smile, and he nodded slightly at me - but it looked as if he was reassuring himself more than me.
    "You were supposed to stop this happening. If nothing else, you were at least supposed to know!"
    I hung my head, hoping Uncle would take pity on me - after all, I was only a young girl of 15 years.
    It had the opposite effect.
    "You look hangdog, Anne." Uncle snapped. I immediately rectified my posture, nodding apologetically at him.
    It was a while before George or I dared to move again - and even longer for me to muster the courage to answer my Uncle's accusations.
    "Fools, you are. All you Boleyns - more trouble than you're worth." Uncle was speaking more to himself than us, now. As he continued his pacing, I watched my brother's gaze follow his every move attentively, alert for another scolding.
    "There are plenty of other pretty Howard sluts ready for the King, you know. It's a great compliment for me to support your sister," Howard hissed the word; making it sound as if 'sister' was very much not the word he wanted to say.
"Lord Uncle?" I swept him a most deferential curtesy, and he turned to me as if he had only just remembered I was there.
"Yes, Anne?" He said tersely.
"Is there anything we should do immediately? Any instructions you have for Mary?"
Howard waved me away, resuming his irksome pacing.
"Don't ask me, Anne. You two made this mess - you need to fix it."
"I have an idea." My prompt response startled my Uncle; I could see he had thoroughly expected to have to solve this himself. George was astonished, too - I saw him in my peripheral vision, spinning round, presumably to give me a pleading gaze to beseech me not to anger Uncle more.
"Go on." Uncle sat down again, and, learning from his previous mistake, George made no move to shift position.
"Send her away. Make the King feel her absence. The Queen can't hold him for much longer - she's given him miscarriages, a weak daughter, and is now past her childbearing years. He'll want Mary back in no time."
There was a stunned pause as my brother and uncle digested my suggestion. It was radical, I grant you, yet I truly believed it had potential. I had been observing the King for a little over a few months now, and the thing that stood out the most about his boisterous attitude? He always wanted what he couldn't have.
I persisted, explaining my reasoning to Uncle, and suggesting our mother's country home of Hever as a suitable temporary home for Mary. I was rewarded with Howard's slow nodding in assent to my suggestion, and I felt the warm glow of pride beginning to form in the pit of my stomach.
"You've got smarter head on your shoulders than both your siblings put together." I flicked an escaped hair over my shoulder and flashed a smug glance at George, my confidence now regained.
"You are kind, Lord Uncle." I smile gratefully at him.
In an effort to get back in Howard's good books, George joined in his praise of me. "It would have been a darn sight easier for us all should the King's gaze have fallen on Anne, eh?"
Howard was not convinced. His eyes levelly met George's, and he said coolly, "Anne would not need to wait for the King to take a fancy to her. Anne is the type of woman who could make him desire her with no prior inclination."
"Of course; quite right." George replied hurriedly, and I blushed with pleasure.

*

So that was what happened.
Mary was bustled secretively away from the busy hub of the court to the calm, country life she would no doubt enjoy. We claimed illness as her excuse - George had cleverly observed that Henry would like the idea of Mary being sick with grief at the thought of upsetting him.
    I, personally, kept well out of the way of the decision - apart from the fact that the suggestion was mine, I had no wish to be dragged into the repercussions. Mary, understandably, was distraught by the prospect, and clung to me in the hour before she was due to leave, in the hope that I would persuade our family to change their mind.
    "Anne, I simply can't be away from Henry. You don't understand! You must make them change their minds!" Mary's voice was cracking, and I almost allowed myself a moment of weakness - I was close to pitying her.
    "Mary, I cannot. You know this is the best for you." I pulled the two sides of her travelling cloak around her, folding her into a farewell hug.
    "You're only happy that you'll have the court to yourself. You're jealous that Henry wants me, not you." Mary was about to descend into a sulk, but I possessed neither the patience nor the time to indulge her.
    "Oh, grow up, Mary. This isn't about me - or you. George and I gave you the chance to do this for yourself, and you messed up. Consequently, our family is taking this out of your hands."
    "It's not fair," Mary pouted.
    "Life's not fair," I shrugged, "And you've been acting like a child."
    "I am a child!" She protested.
    "You're 16, Mary. Stop acting like a baby. You sulked with Henry, and now you're sulking with me. It won't get you anywhere, you know." I cautioned her.
    Mary had no reply to this, and simply smiled sadly as she leant down to kiss my cheek.
    "Don't have too much fun, Anne." She warned, as she pulled away from me, holding my gaze steadily.
    "Don't worry about me, sister, dear. We'll all work to get you back to court as soon as possible - Henry will want you, and you'll be back before you know it, just you wait." Mary nodded at me, still holding a rueful smile on her pretty face as she walked sadly out of the door, and out of the court.
    Perching on a seat in an alcove with a good view of the road out of Eltham, I watched the little rickety carriage carrying my sister make its slow way across the sandy gravel path leading to her new life - I watched it until it was out of sight. Long after it was gone, I remained there, gazing out of that little window.
    I knew that getting Mary back to court would be no mean feat.
    I knew that with Mary out of the way, I could capture the court's attention.
    I knew that I could persuade my family to support me, whatever I did.
    I knew that I was a strong enough woman to catch and keep our King.
    I knew that Katherine of Aragon now had little hold over her husband.
    I knew that my feelings for Henry Percy would play a part in my life over the next few months - how large a part, I know not.
    I knew that a combination of these six truths would determine the course of my life.