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religious authorities as a heretic so you can be burned and got rid of.  Much to his convenience, of course!  Very nice for him!”
          “Robert would never do that to me, Kat e,” says Amy.
          “That’s because you got married for love, Amy, and not because your parents told you to.  Do you remember Cecil’s pompous comment at your wedding?  ‘I don’t believe in carnal marriages’ he said.  It’s his favourite saying!”
          “Yes.  He should talk!  His first marriage was exactly that and his own parents didn’t even approve.”
          “Well anyway his first wife was lucky enough to die.  Just imagine having to live with him, the old sour face,” I smile grimly.  We both laugh. 
          “But seriously,” Amy say s, “Jane doesn’t seem to be averse to Guildford, even though it was an arranged wedding.  But I know for a fact that she can’t stand her new father-in-law, Northumberland.” 
          “ There will be interesting times ahead,” asserts Amy as we walk around the gardens in the mid morning sunshine. 
          She never spoke a truer word.

Chapter Three
    The Dudleys Close Rank
    Just before midday Amy and I go into the house to eat dinner.  We do not dine with the servants in the Great Hall, as is the custom when the master or mistress of the house is present.  Instead we take our dinner in the withdrawing room upstairs.  The cook has prepared a stew of young rabbit and with the fine manchet bread, it’s delicious.  There are little tarts of preserved quince jelly to follow the meat.
          “You should not add sugar to your wine,” I reprimand her.
          “Why not?  They do at court.”
          “Only because they can then drink more and be merry.  The goings-on in the evenings at court are a scandal!  Foreign visitors are disgusted.”
          Amy shrugs.  “I don’t drink too much anyway,” she says.  It’s true and I feel mean for spoiling her pleasure.  Robert is often away on court business and, apart from me, she’s on her own and lonely. 
          After our dinner we settle down to a game of cards but very soon we hear the sound of hooves outside.  Amy leaps up.
          “Robert,” she says excitedly.
          But it isn’t; it’s his brother, Ambrose, and he’s alone.  We watch from the window as he dismounts and strides towards the main entrance.  Amy goes running down the Long Gallery to meet him.
          “ Ambrose.  What’s the news?  What’s happening?”
          Ambrose puts a finger to his lips and looks over his shoulder to ensure we’re alone.  We go back into the withdrawing room and Amy pours three glasses from the flagon ….. and adds sugar to her glass.
          “That’s a distasteful habit,” says Ambrose.  Amy pulls a face and shrugs.
          “Well,” he says, “Let’s start at the beginning.  Robert asked me to beg yo ur forgiveness, Amy, for he can not return home this evening.”
          Amy’s face reveals her disappointment ….. and anger.  But she keeps quiet, awaiting Ambrose’s explanation.
          “King Edward is within hours of death.”
          “God rest his soul,” says Amy and I say, “Amen” to that.
          “He will not live to see another day.  Our sister Mary and her husband, Henry Sidney, are with him as we speak.  Henry holds the poor boy in his arms and tries to comfort him.  Edward is in terrible pain; he coughs up black, foul-smelling matter and is covered in sores.  His death will be a merciful release.”
          We are all three silent as we reflect on the sad, short life of the poor young man.  Jane Seymour, his mother, had died soon after he was born.  His father, King Henry, had died when he was ten and then Edward had been prevented by his uncle, Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, from seeing his step mother, Katherine Parr, Henry’s sixth wife, who had been