The King's Favourite

Dwindling Hope

Henry and Anne were still upset at a second failed pregnancy but for different reasons, Anne was upset about loosing a child and Henry was furious with her for being continually unsuccessful in giving him a son.

"I am sorry Henry" Anne said to her husband as she noticed a sad look on his face one evening

"I don't think I will ever have a son" Henry complained

"We will" reasurred Anne very unconvincingly,

Henry smiled at Anne but said "I can't stand the thought of loosing any more sons" he began "I have decided to get a mistress and any baby baby she bore me I would be kept a secret and then claimed as your own."

Anne was horrified "I won't claim another woman's child, nor allow my husband to sleep with another" she replied with a look of disgust, forgetting that both she and her sister slept with the King when he was still married to Katherine.

Henry thought Anne would be pleased with the thought of having a child without pain or worry about losing it "Why are you so disgusted?"

Anne looked deeply offended "Don't get a mistress simply to have a child Henry" she said

Henry replied "I have no choice see....

"..... Give me one more chance" Anne cut him off

"I don't see what one more chance can do. I am getting a mistress."ordered Henry

"Please" begged Anne, unaware of the pressure she was putting on her body "Please give me one final chance to have a son, then we'll talk about a mistress."

Henry accepted Anne's request with a mind full of doubt, Anne had no problem with conceiving children, she just couldn't carry them to full term.

Henry was proved half right when Anne fell pregnant again with almost no effort. She experienced morning sickness like she did with Elizabeth but tried to hide it by smiling and saying "I feel stronger than ever" whenever Henry glanced at her. This became a comedic act for Henry as he began to enjoy seeing how many ways his wife could lie and how much she could stand before she accepted how awful she felt.

As the King now looked upon his Queen as an entertainer, his loving eyes wandered to a servant who had recently returned to Court. She had Queen Katherine's household with Anne but had been asked to stay on at Court after her death due to her gentle nature. The servant Henry enjoyed the company of was a lady who was a talented musician but was described as very dull by most members of court. She had been a lady in waiting to Katherine but was now just a recent chambermaid to Anne.

Henry would make an excuse to leave his work each morning at the same time and would instead climb to Anne's private chambers and spend time with his new lover:

"Your grace" she would curtsy as her King and lover entered

Henry would laugh at how he had startled her and then say "Call me Henry." with a grin "When we are alone I call you Jane and you call me Henry, as if we had no titles."

Jane would accept his request and then they would sit and talk for as long as they dared, occasionally Henry would drop the odd compliment and gift to his forbidden lover and she would giggle in thanks. Henry liked Jane's predictability and enjoyed her company as a calm escape from Court.

Anne began to grow suspicious of her husband's morning disappearances and decided to investigate the matter herself. She searched the castle for her husband but instead she stopped outside her chamber where the door was open. She thought she heard voices in there. Anne ignored it and walked on looking for her husband. She didn't find him. As she returned from her search she walked past her chamber again, the door was still open and a figure stood there fumbling with something. Anne stormed in and began to accuse her of things: