Free The Jenny Wilson Show (featuring Henry VIII and his six wives) by Louise Birkett Page B

story ends would you have done things differently at a cross roads in your life; what would happen if you could get extra information, not available to you then, all that kind of thing really. We had no idea whether the show would prove more popular than pre-post-life TV but Katherine had kindly volunteered to help us out and Henry and his other wives had agreed too. Henry because he loved an excuse to be the centre of attention and at least one of the wives had a score to settle and up until PL-TV, her options had been limited. Or so our researchers had told us. They hadn’t mentioned how colourful Katherine’s life had been before Henry’s proposal.
    “So Katherine, how do you think your second marriage made people see you?”
    “As someone who could tread delicately when necessary. Also, it was well-known that I love fresh flowers, clothes – particularly shoes – music, laughter, animals, dancing…”
    “All wholesome, harmless pastimes, especially in a time before credit cards.”
    “Well, yes. Safe pastimes. I discovered that safety is important.”
    One of the drawbacks of PL-TV is the clash of mind-sets. Sixteenth century viewers would understand Katherine’s choices entirely, twenty first century viewers would probably find it much harder going and who knew what those tuning in who hailed from the intervening centuries would have thought? A woman who believes that safety is important is proposed to by a man who has the power to order her execution. A twenty first century viewer would probably have told him where to get off – or been seduced by his fame.
    “So, ladies and gentlemen,” I addressed the camera, “there you have it. An eventful life in Yorkshire followed by safety in London. Tell me, Katherine, when did you first become aware that you had attracted the admiration of a king?”
    “Both my brother and sister were at court and high in favour, so I would visit them there and see the king. He sent me a present of sleeves on the sixteenth of February. I didn’t think too much of that, Henry enjoyed having women at his court and was often generous to them. Umm, do I need to explain about the sleeves?” She’d seen the blank look on my face.
    “It might help.”
    “In our portraits the lower sleeves you see on our gowns, the ones that are heavily embroidered, were tied on. It meant we could fashion new looks without having too many clothes. Anyway, John died on the second of March and whereas the first time I was widowed I had to remarry to survive, this time I could marry to suit myself. John left me enough property to ensure I was comfortably off, shall we say.”
    “Balls! She was a very wealthy widow,” Ruth’s voice was so loud that I was sure Katherine could hear it through my earpiece as well.
    “I had known and loved Tom for several months but we had worked hard at keeping it a secret so neither my husband’s last months nor my reputation should be disturbed. In my heart I was ready to marry for love, to bear children…”
    “Even though Tom was something of a rogue?”
    Katherine smiled indulgently. “He was an adventurer, yes, but I believe he always loved me.”
    “He was a sociopath and only after her money,” muttered Ruth in my ear. “Get her to talk about how she knew Henry was interested.”
    “All right Katherine,” I smiled. “I think what everyone wants to know is how you found out the king was interested: when did your dilemma begin?”
    Katherine nodded. “I’ve already mentioned the gift he gave me in February. A couple of weeks after John died, the king appointed my brother to the privy council and then made him a Knight of the Garter in April. I hadn’t taken too much notice of this for I thought my brother had merit enough of his own but then it became apparent that the king was lonely and depressed and that he felt that only my presence could cheer him.”
    “Weren’t you flattered?”
    “Well, yes. It is always good to know one is admired. But I