At the Mercy of the Queen: A Novel of Anne Boleyn (7 page)

Madge entered the privy chamber looking for the queen, but Her Majesty wasn’t there. She saw Mistress Marshall standing in the center of a group of young ladies and walked over to join them. She bowed a slight nod of greeting to Mistress Marshall.

“Lady Margaret, the queen will see you in her bedchamber immediately. Mind your manners and don’t gawk,” said Mistress Marshall.

“Yes, milady,” replied Madge.

As Madge walked through the privy chamber, she noticed the sumptuous carpets on the floor, along with the finely woven smaller rugs covering the enormous walnut chest where some of the queen’s plate was displayed. Madge went through the heavy wooden door that led from the back of the privy chamber to the more intimate rooms that lay within. She followed the narrow hall to the next room, knocked once, but no one replied. She hurried down the corridor once again and didn’t stop until she heard the unmistakable laughter of the queen herself. Taking a deep breath, Madge knocked on an oversized oaken door. She was relieved there was no guard at the queen’s bedchamber; she did not like to hear the sound of her name blared aloud by the Yeoman who stood at the outer door to the queen’s apartments.

“Enter,” said the queen.

Madge pushed open the door and saw the queen lying in what was the most enormous bed Madge had ever seen. It must have been long enough and wide enough to fit a horse. Madge approached the queen and made a deep curtsy.

“Come here, my girl. I’ve missed our walks—we must take them more often after the coronation—I’ve been so busy in preparation, I’ve had no time to spare for walking, except, of course, to walk with His Majesty,” said Queen Anne with a proud smile on her face.

“I, too, have missed circling the gardens with our dear pups. How is Purkoy?” Madge said.

“Ask him yourself! He’s under the covers somewhere!
Venez ici,
Purkoy!” said the queen. “And here is Urian, as usual, asleep by the fire. He is almost like a bear rug—never moves, never even shudders—and he takes up a great deal of room!”

Hearing his mistress’s voice, Purkoy burrowed out from beneath the beautifully embroidered coverlet and greeted Madge with several happy licks on her hands and face.

“And how is Shadow, Lady Margaret?” said the queen as she held Purkoy.

“Not as well as Purkoy, I fear,” said Madge.

“Not ill, I hope,” said the queen.

“Oh no, Your Grace. Shadow is full of spark. But the king has forbidden all dogs, except the lapdogs of ladies. Shadow will grow to be a hunting dog. I fear she shall be too large to be at court,” said Madge.

“I shall talk to His Majesty this very day. You shall keep your dog, of that you can rest assured,” said the queen, her low voice understanding.

“Oh, thank you, Your Grace. I shall be ever so happy to have Shadow with me. She reminds me of home,” said Madge.

“And you miss your home a great deal?” said the queen.

“Well … I do miss the sheep running across the fields and the little stream that flows through the nearby woods. And I miss my mother,” said Madge. She didn’t want the queen to think she was unhappy where she was, however, so she added, “I like the court very much, too. Especially when I can walk with Your Grace. And the food at court is beyond anything I could imagine. Here, time seems to have sprouted wings—it flies so quickly. Jousts, dancing, gaming, cockfights, tenes, bowles, more adventure than any back home could have in a lifetime.”

The queen rose from her huge bed, Purkoy still in her arms. She walked to where Madge stood and raised Madge’s chin with her bejeweled hand. The queen looked straight into Madge’s eyes and Madge understood how the king might fall in love with her by gazing into those lovely brown-black orbs. Madge felt mesmerized under the queen’s stare.

“I miss my mother, too. And you, little cousin, are the sweetest kinswoman I have. I would have you by my side all the time. And Shadow, too. I would like for you to become one of the ladies of my bedchamber. If you agree, you shall be given lots of clothes, for the ladies of the bedchamber are closest to me and must reflect my majesty at all times. And we shall read poetry—Sir Wyatt tells me you’ve been writing a little and that you have a great appreciation for fine works. And I shall teach you all about the new faith. In time, dear Lady Margaret, I shall find a man for you to marry—one who is worthy of your beauty and intelligence,” said the queen.

“Your Grace, I am too young for such a high honor. I wish my mother could see the high esteem in which Your Grace holds me,” said Madge.

“Your mother has her hands full now, child. She is with the Lady Mary, the king’s daughter. Fear not—your mother serves me well as she has always. As I know you shall,” said the queen.

Madge did not know if the queen’s new appointment meant she would have to leave Cate. Madge couldn’t keep the thought of losing Cate from moving across her features.

“Lady Margaret, Sir Wyatt tells me he calls you by another name—Madge, is it?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“I shall not call you by that name—it lacks refinement. You look a little sad about your new appointment. Shall you bring your nurse, Cate, to visit anytime? She can even sleep here for the first few nights of your new service. She is certainly welcome,” said the queen.

Madge sighed.

“I imagine Mistress Cate will enjoy having a room to herself—most in her position would relish such luxury,” said the queen.

Madge couldn’t help the smile that brightened her face. Her green eyes lit up and her cheeks turned a light shade of pink.

“Thank you, Your Grace! You are the kindest, dearest queen in the entire world!” said Madge, hugging Anne without thinking. “Oh, I am sorry, Your Grace! I forgot in my happiness that no one can approach Your Grace in such a fashion. Please forgive me!” Madge curtsied low.

“Dear child, I am still a woman, still your cousin. You may embrace me but only when you cannot help it—as just this moment! I’ll have no hugs that aren’t genuine—but I think yours will always be so, good coz,” said the queen.

“Now, let us discuss the coronation and where you will be placed and what you will wear, shall we?” said the queen. She took Madge by the hand and dropped Purkoy to the ground. He followed, steering clear of the many skirts that surrounded him.

The queen led Madge outside into the gardens, shooing away the other ladies-in-waiting and telling the guard at the door not to allow anyone else to join them, unless, of course, it was the king. The sky was clear of clouds and the queen bent to smell the wild roses that climbed the arbor, beneath which a stone bench perched conveniently for intimacies and perhaps a kiss or two. Madge watched as the queen hummed a lively tune, lifted her skirts, and began to dance gently. She looked so young and beautiful that Madge almost forgot Her Majesty was six months with child. Her dark hair hung loose and swayed back and forth as she moved. She seemed to be, at that moment, every good thing a woman could be in this world. Madge sighed.

“Good Margaret, why such soul-rendering sighs on this sunny May morn? I would have thought becoming a lady of the bedchamber would have brought a blush of pleasure to your cheeks,” said the queen.

“Oh, such an honor has made me very happy, Your Grace. I sighed because you look so lovely, so like the roses here in the garden—beautiful and wild and free,” said Madge.

The queen laughed that coarse, low-throated laugh of hers.

“Free? Oh my child, I am anything but free! I have never known a moment of freedom in my life, except, perhaps, when I was young, your age. And at the English court for the first time.” Madge watched as the queen hugged herself, her hair almost black under the shade of the trellis.

“What was it like for you, Your Grace—your first time at the English court?” Madge said as she plucked a rosebud for herself and inhaled the still-tight fragrance of it.

“After the French court, there was little excitement for me here, dear coz. I served the princess dowager Catherine and she knew nothing but sewing the king’s shirts, mending clothes for the poor, and reading her Bible, in Latin, of course. It was dreary, I can assure you,” said the queen, laughing.

“You were on everyone’s mind, I’ll wager. You must have seemed so wise and full of good graces that all the lords must have wanted a betrothal with you,” said Madge, sitting at the queen’s feet on a little stool set there for such a purpose. The queen had motioned for her to sit and Madge was glad; one more minute on her feet and she would have almost had the nerve to ask for such a favor.

“I did have suitors,” the queen said, a sudden sadness moving across her face.

“Oh, do tell me, Your Grace! I am so anxious to learn of love and court and how to behave. There are two bothersome fellows I’d like to know how to handle—and you are so good at managing the king in all his moods,” said Madge.

“Hush, child! I do
not
manage the king. Nor let anyone hear you say such a thing! His Majesty wouldn’t like to think himself managed by any lady. He is the master here!” said the queen.

“I am sorry, Your Grace. I meant it as a compliment to your charm and beauty only,” said Madge with her face downcast.

“Let me tell you how to succeed here, my gentle girl. If you will but follow these laws, engraving them into your heart and mind, you will do well. First, never forget the king is our sovereign lord and holds the power of life and death over us! Second, don’t show your true heart to anyone unless it be your queen. Finally, turn to the Lord God for succor,” the queen said, suddenly serious, her brown eyes arresting Madge’s once again.

Madge broke the lock on her own green eyes, lowered them, and bowed to the queen.

“Your wisdom is as great as your beauty, my queen. I shall do my best to obey you in all you desire,” said Madge.

“Well, enough of such talk. I shall tell you about Lord Henry Percy, the love of my youth, and you shall learn what a young girl should never do,” said the queen, laughing again.

Ten

Two days prior to the coronation itself, the traditional festivities for the rare anointing of a queen were observed. Madge had ridden with the queen as part of her entourage on the royal barge that had once belonged to the former Queen Catherine, up the Thames to the Tower where the king had appointed sumptuous new apartments for just this occasion. The river was filled with gaily decorated barges and music floated through the air in celebration of the new queen. The queen’s own barge was hung with cloth of gold and heraldic banners. The king greeted Anne at the Tower with a welcoming kiss and there they spent two nights. However, on the day of the coronation, Henry kept his royal person hidden; this was Anne’s day and he did not want to steal any of her glory.

The day before the coronation, when Anne would receive God’s own anointing, making her the chosen representative of God on this earth, a queen no one could question or dislodge, Madge marched in the parade following the queen’s litter, watching in awe the pageants set before the queen on Saturday as she processed through the City of London dressed in a surcoat of white cloth of tissue and a matching mantle furred with ermine. Her thick black hair hung loose down her back, a stark contrast to the virginal white of her clothing. She rode a litter of white cloth of gold drawn by two palfreys caparisoned in white damask, and on her head, a coif and circlet set with precious gems. Madge stared as the entire City of London came out to gawk at their new queen and her entourage, which extended over half a mile, filled with the most noble persons in the country. Most citizens were quiet, with a few shouts of “Whore! Great Whore!” reaching Madge’s ears. However, the queen wouldn’t have heard such harangues because her musicians surrounded her on foot. Madge noticed Master Smeaton walking very close to the queen and singing out in a strong voice. She could not help but watch him, his face like an angel.

At various posts, the assemblage stopped to see a pageant or to hear a choir. Anne followed the same route that Queen Catherine had followed twenty-four years earlier. The pageants, which were very costly events to the citizens of the realm, followed the traditional themes, proclaiming the queen’s virtue, chastity, and fecundity. Wine ran free throughout the city and people drank their fill. Madge was surprised to see all the houses of Cheapside had been hung in cloth of gold and red velvet. Gracechurch Street displayed arras, tapestries, carpets, and tissue. Madge particularly enjoyed the pageant of “The Progeny of St. Anne” performed at the Cornhill by Leadenhall. There, a series of children spoke verses, the first child comparing the queen to St. Anne, grandmother of Christ. The queen rewarded the children by tossing gold coins to them.

After a long day of presenting and exchanging gifts and receiving the homage of her people, the queen finally arrived at Westminster where the king greeted her with looks of great affection. Madge stood close to the royal couple as they surveyed the city with the throngs of people still watching the parade and enjoying the wine that flowed freely from the king’s pipes.

The queen reached out her hand to Madge in order to bring her beside herself and the king. Madge looked out into the crowd. Just below her, a young man waved at the queen with his hat in his hand. His dark hair stood out among those with their hats still on. His large frame was well-formed and his face, though not clear at such a distance, appeared quite handsome. The queen and king walked a little farther onto the balcony but the young man didn’t follow them. Madge continued to stare at him. Finally, she realized he was waving and shouting at
her,
not the queen. And then she realized who he was—Sir Churlish! She turned on her heel and fell in pace a few steps behind the queen.

“How liked you the look of the city, sweetheart?” Madge heard the king say.

“I liked the look of it well enough, but I saw a great many caps on heads and heard but few tongues!” said Anne, sounding a bit disgruntled.

“Ah sweetheart, such things take time. The people must get used to your kind ways, that’s all. And once you’ve given them the son we all long for, you’ll hear shouts enough so that you shall have to plug your dainty ears,” said the king. Madge turned away as he kissed Anne full on the mouth.