Free Cor Rotto: A novel of Catherine Carey by Adrienne Dillard

her hand she held a cramp ring.
    “I need you to deliver this to Culpeper,” she whispered conspiratorially.
    “I don’t understand. Why is the queen giving Culpeper a cramp ring? Is he suffering from some malady? He looked well to me yesterday.”
    She sighed impatiently. “You are so simple sometimes, Catherine. Never mind why. The queen can give whatever gifts she sees fit to her favourites. I just need you to deliver it.”
    I shook my head. “Jane, Culpeper should not be the queen’s favourite. You, of all people, should know that. The queen would do best to forget that her relationship with Culpeper ever happened. She has married the king and, besides, Culpeper has become dangerous. Francis told me about the incident with the park-keeper. Raping his wife and then murdering him when he came to save her. No, I absolutely will not deliver that to Culpeper and you would be wise to refuse yourself.”
    I saw the tears welling up in her eyes. She looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping and whispered, “You must help me Catherine. I am caught in a web and cannot escape.”
    Sensing her desperation, I looked around for an excuse to leave the room. Seeing the cramp ring gave me an idea. I murmured, “Pretend you have a cramp.”
    Understanding my ruse, she doubled over and cried out in pain.
    “Lady Rochford! What is wrong?” I exclaimed in mock concern, placing my hand on her back.
    Katherine looked up from her cards. “What is going on over there?” she called over her shoulder.
    “I am so sorry, Your Grace. Lady Rochford just mentioned that her supper did not sit well with her and now she seems to have a stomach pain. I will help her to her rooms and fetch the doctor,” I replied.
    Katherine, still sitting, turned to face me. A look of suspicion crossed her face, but her eyes softened with concern when she saw Jane hunched over gripping her stomach.
    “Please do, Mistress Knollys. Thank you so much for your kindness,” she said. I could see the panic begin to rise in her, but she composed herself before anyone else noticed. “We shall enquire on you soon, Lady Rochford.”
    I wondered why Katherine would panic over Jane’s illness. Surely she had plenty of maids to serve her. I guided Jane to her rooms, keeping up the charade all the way down the corridor. When we were safely in her bedchamber, I blocked the door and stared at her expectantly.
    She threw herself on the bed. “Catherine, how could I have let this happen?”
    “What have you done, Jane?”
    “I have made terrible choices. I have become the queen’s liaison with Culpeper. At first it was just once, when the king took ill. The Queen panicked and thought he might die. She said she needed someone to protect her if that should happen so she asked me to call Culpeper to her rooms so that she could seek his assistance. I thought I was helping her. She looked so frightened. But then, once the king had healed, the visits continued and the queen begged me not to tell anyone. She said they were in love and as long as the king did not know about it, there could be no harm.”
    Exasperated, I threw my hands in the air. “Jane! How could you believe that? Your own husband and sister-in-law died for such offences. You should have encouraged the queen to stop. You should have refused her demands.”
    She gave me a shocked expression. “Catherine, I realise that you were raised very far from Court and you have been gone to Greys for some time, but you know that a command from the queen cannot be refused.”
    “You cannot refuse her to her face,” I spat out. “But you can refuse to put your life in danger. Go to Cranmer, go to Wriothesley. For heaven’s sake, go to Suffolk! You could do it discreetly. You should know. You have done it before.”
    Her face crumpled. “That is not fair, Catherine. Will you never forgive me for Anne and George?”
    “No, Jane, it is not fair. It is not fair that Anne and George lost their lives because