“She is not really your granddaughter,” said Catherine. “You were her grandfather’s second wife.”
The Duchess cuffed the girl’s ears for that. “What! And you would deny my relationship to the queen-to-be! She who is all but Queen has never shown me such disrespect. Now do my legs, child, and no more impertinence!”
Catherine thought—Nor are you my real grandmother either! And she was glad, for it seemed sacrilege that this somewhat frowsy old woman—Duchess of Norfolk though she might be—should be too closely connected with glorious Anne.
When Catherine was in the room which she still shared with the ladies-in-waiting, she took out the jeweled tablet and looked at it. It was impossible in the dormitory to have secrets, and several of them wanted to know what she had.
“It is nothing,” said Catherine.
“Ah!” said Nan. “I know! It is a gift from your lover.”
“It is not!” declared Catherine. “And I have no lover.”
“You should say so with shame! A fine big girl like you!” said a tall, lewd-looking girl, even bolder than the rest.
“I’ll swear it is from her lover,” said Nan. “Why, look! It has an initial on it—A. Now who is A? Think hard, all of you.”
Catherine could not bear their guessings, and she blurted out: “I will tell you then. I have had it since I was a very little baby. It was given to me by my cousin, Anne Boleyn.”
“Anne Boleyn!” screamed Nan. “Why, of course, our Catherine is first cousin to the King’s mistress!” Nan leaped off the bed and made a mock bow to Catherine. The others followed her example, and Catherine thrust away the tablet, wishing she had not shown it.
Now they were all talking of the King and her cousin Anne, and what they said made Catherine’s cheeks flush scarlet. She could not bear that they should talk of her cousin in this way, as though she were one of
The incorrigible Nan and the lewd-faced girl were shouting at each other.
“We will stage a little play...for tonight...You may take the part of the King. I shall be Anne Boleyn!”
They were rocking with laughter. “I shall do this. You shall do that...I’ll warrant we’ll bring Her Grace up with our laughter...”
“We must be careful...”
“If she discovered...”
“Bah! What would she do?”
“She would send us home in disgrace.”
“She is too lazy...”
“What else? What else?”
“Little Catherine Howard shall be lady of the bed-chamber!”
“Ha! That is good. She being first cousin to the lady...Well, Catherine Howard, we have brought you up in the right way, have we not? We have trained you to wait on your lady cousin, even in the most delicate circumstances, with understanding and...”
“Tact!” screamed Nan. “And discretion!”
“She’ll probably get a place at court!”
“And Catherine Howard, unless you take us with you, we shall tell all we know about you and...”
“I have done nothing!” said Catherine hastily. “There is nothing you could say against me.”
“Ah! Have you forgotten Thomas Culpepper so soon then?”
“I tell you there was nothing...”
“Catherine Howard! Have you forgotten the paddock and what he did there...”
“It was nothing...nothing!”
Nan said firmly: “Those who excuse themselves, accuse themselves. Did you know that, Catherine?”
“I swear...” cried Catherine. And then, in an excess of boldness: “If you do not stop saying these things about Thomas, I will go and tell my grandmother what happens in this room at night.”
Isabel, who had been silent amidst the noise of the others, caught her by her wrist.
“You would not dare...”
“Don’t forget,” cried Nan, “we should have something to say of
“There is nothing you could say. I have done nothing but look on...”
“And enjoyed looking on! Now, Catherine Howard, I saw a young gentleman kiss you last evening.”
“It was not my wish, and that I told him.”
“Oh, well,” said Nan, “it was not my wish that such and such happened to me, and I told him; but it happened all the same.”
Catherine moved to the door. Isabel was beside her.
