The Miracle at St. Bruno's

"And what of Cromwell, Kate? What do they tell you of this matter? "That the Cleves marriage has been a mistake from beginning end. The King loves only attractive women and they procured f r him a Flanders mare.

The marriage was necessary, said Master Cromwell, because the King must placate the Duke of Cleves 'nee the Emperor Charles of Austria and King François of France have put their heads together and have made an alliance which is surely to attack England.

The German States could be brought to England's side because of the union with one of them and the unhappy King could see that he must do as his statesmen bid' and so against his inclination he married Anne of Cleves but declared that he could not bring himself to consummate the marriage." Kate began to laugh. "Imagine it! He went into the nuptial chamber but he had no inclination to go farther.”

"I am sorry for her," I said.

"They say she was terrified. She feared that wishing to be rid of her he would trump up some charge against her. And now the Emperor Charles and King François have fallen out, and while this should be a matter for rejoicing, when the King knew what had happened he was furious, for it seemed he had married for no reason at all. He did not care now whether he had the support of the German States or not, for his two great enemies were even greater enemies of each other and while this state of affairs persisted he had nothing to fear. He demanded that Cromwell should extricate him.

Cromwell does not know which way to turn. The clever man is caught in his own net.”

"I wonder any man desires to go to Court. Look at the peace of this garden! How much more pleasant it is to watch the lilies on the pond and the bees in the lavender than to be concerned in the King's business.”

"The rewards are great," said Kate.

"And to gain them one must risk one's head?”

"Damask, you are without ambition. You do not know how to live.”

But it is precisely what I would wish to do. It is you who think that there is some virtue in gambling with death.”

"I would rather live boldly for a week than dully for twenty years. I am sure my way of life is more to be desired than yours.”

When we are old, we will remember this day and perhaps then we shall understand who is right.”

We were silent for a while. Then she said that she thought her time would be sooner than she had believed possible.

"We must send for your husband," I said.

But she shook her head. "We shall do no such thing. I do not want him here, intruding on us.”

She was adamant. I was a little alarmed. There was a feverishness about her. I kept thinking of Keziah lying in Mother Salter's cottage with the sprig of rosemary on the sheet.

Lord Remus came to the Castle. Kate was disappointed that he had returned so soon, but he told me that he must certainly be present when his child was born. There was no doubt that he adored Kate. I was surprised because she was not always gracious to him; but he reacted to her tantrums as though she were a favored child, as though everything she did must be accepted because she did it so charmingly.

But at least what he had to tell was of interest to Kate.

Kate had insisted that she was in no mood to entertain and we took our meals as before in her room. The difference was that Lord Remus was often with us. Kate would have preferred him to be absent but when he talked of the Court affairs she became animated and interested.

Because of his post in the King's household Lord Remus could talk knowledgeably of affairs and although I imagined that ordinarily he was a man of discretion Kate could worm anything out of him. She wanted to know the truth about Cromwell and therefore she had it.

"The man is in a frenzy of anxiety," Lord Remus told her. "He has been arrested at Westminster. I heard from my Lord Southampton, who was present, that he was taken completely off his guard. He came to the Council and as he entered the room the Captain of the Guard stepped forward with the words, 'Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, I arrest you in the name of the King on a charge of High Treason.' Southampton says he never saw a man so astonished and then afraid.”

"How many times," cried Kate, "had Master Cromwell called for the arrest of men who were more innocent than he!”

"Be careful, Kate.”

"What nonsense!" she retorted. "Do you think Damask will inform against me? And of what should she inform?”

"It is necessary to guard the tongue, my dear. We do not know who may be listening or how words may be distorted. We cannot trust our own servants these days.”

"Tell us more," commanded Kate.

"The fellow was near hysteria. He threw his bonnet to the ground. He called on the members of the Council to support him. They knew he was no traitor, he said. But all were against him to a man. They have always hated the fellow. He went straight to the Tower and before the day was out the King's men were ransacking his houses.