“Go? No, no, Parker. You must celebrate.” Henry’s words were beginning to slur.
He wanted to celebrate, all right. But not with the King.
As Susanna slipped from the room, at the sight of her narrow back, the flick of her velvet skirt, he turned to Henry. “I have a boon to ask.”
“A boon?” Henry struggled to his feet, hauling Parker up with him. “Parker would have a boon of me!” The King’s shout echoed around the room.
Parker held himself still. He should have known better than to ask now.
There were yells and boos and cheers from the crowd.
“What would you have of me, my friend? My bearer of good news?”
Parker looked at the now-quieter gathering of courtiers, saw the avid curiosity in their faces. What the hell. At least he could extract this promise with witnesses. There would be no going back for Henry if it didn’t suit him when he was sober.
“I would have permission to take a wife.”
The roar of approval deafened him, swelling around the room and crashing over him like a tidal wave.
“Parker the Cold? Parker the Merciless? Parker the Lone Wolf? Would take a wife?” Henry tugged Parker even closer in the headlock. “Is she wealthy or connected to the nobility?”
“No.”
There was laughter again; some of it closer to sniggers.
“But then why do you want her?” Henry’s voice was quiet, which forced the others to quieten as well.
Parker studied those in the room, saw some friends, even more enemies, and did not care who heard. “I would marry for love, Your Majesty.”
Henry released him, stood back, and watched Parker closely. “For love? Ah. What a thing. What a privilege.” He turned away, and Parker thought it in dismissal, felt cold dread at what such a reaction would mean. Henry turned back, a finger brushing a tear from his eye as he composed himself. “Then so you shall.”
Parker bowed deeper, lower than he had ever bowed before. “My thanks, Your Majesty.” He was across the room and at the door before anyone had the idea to drink to his happiness.
The Yeomen of the Guard let him through with smirks, and the door closed behind him.
Susanna stood, hands gathered at her breast, in the deep gloom of the passage.
“Did you hear everything?” His voice was not his own.
“Some of it. The roar of the crowd brought me back. I was afraid something was wrong.”
“You may think it presumptuous that I asked the King’s permission first, but I could not ask you without knowing I had leave to do so.” He tried to read her eyes, but they were shadowed.
“And if he had refused?” She stepped closer, and still he could not read her. His usually open Susanna.
“If he had refused, I would still have asked you.”
“And if I had said yes?”
“Then we would be packing our things and finding the next ship to Ghent.”
She smiled, slowly and from the heart out.
“I still say yes.”
He lifted a finger to her cheek. “And we have no need to pack at all.” He looked at her and saw everything. A lifetime. A wonderful adventure. “Let’s get to our chamber.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “Parker the Cold?”
“Not that cold.” He let her see the heat in his gaze.
“Parker the Merciless?”
He took her arm in polite courtesy and bared his teeth. “You will see how merciless I can be.”
“Parker the Lone Wolf?”
He lifted her fingers to his lips. “Not so lonely anymore.”
AUTHOR’S NOTE
This is a work of fiction, although where possible I have tried to stay true to what happened during this exciting time in England’s history. John Parker really was the Keeper of the Palace of Westminster and Henry’s Yeoman of the Crossbows, although he was later promoted to Keeper of the King’s Robes. I couldn’t find out when this change occurred, and crossbows are so much more interesting than robes, so Parker is yet to be promoted in my telling of the tale.
Susanna Horenbout is even more difficult to pin down. She really was praised by Albrecht Dürer, and he really did buy her work when she was just eighteen. On her death, she was further praised by eminent Renaissance artists, but no known work of hers survives. My thanks go to art historians Lorne Campbell and Susan Foister for their in-depth study of the life of Susanna and her father and brother. I drew heavily from their research to flesh out Susanna’s history.
I don’t know the circumstances of Parker and Susanna’s meeting, courtship, and marriage, but it is quite true that they did marry.
Of the complete fabrications, I concocted the plot by de la Pole to get papal backing for his claim to the throne of England, but I did not make up the secret treaty between the King of France and the Pope. It got me thinking that if such a treaty was in effect, de la Pole might have tried to use it for his own ends, and I took things from there.
I also made up Norfolk’s plot to overthrow the crown. He did hate Cardinal Wolsey, and his father did cry as he sentenced Buckingham to the chopping block for treason. Most believed Wolsey was behind Buckingham’s execution, but today we know that it was in fact on Henry’s insistence.
I fabricated entirely Henry’s obsession with Cesare Borgia. I have no idea whether he admired the man or not; but given Henry’s love for knightly honor and courage on the battlefield, I thought Borgia might have been a hero he would have believed in. And Borgia did conveniently (for my purposes) die around the time Henry was mysteriously locked away by his father. No one seems to know why Henry VII secluded Henry VIII in that way, so I devised a reason.
Also, while George Boleyn was a womanizer and most probably a rapist (he confessed to living a depraved life before he was executed, although he denied the accusations of incest with his sister), and while he did visit his infamous sister Anne at the court of Margaret of Austria, I have no idea if he was sent away from there in disgrace. It could have happened, given his abhorrent behavior, and as this is a work of fiction, I made it so.
Francis Bryan did throw stones and eggs at people in the streets of Paris with the French King; back home, he affected French manners at court and spoke scornfully of English manners and dress. He was a consummate courtier, playing the game any way he could to ingratiate himself with the King. His sister Elizabeth, who married his friend Nicholas Carew, was most likely one of Henry’s mistresses.
So much of my knowledge of King Henry VIII and his court comes from the reference works of Alison Weir. I thank the stars for a historian like her. Her work is both encyclopedic in its detail and incredibly accessible.
INTRODUCTION
While en route to England from the Netherlands, royally commissioned artist Susanna Horenbout discovers a secret that could jeopardize the reign of King Henry VIII. As she and John Parker, one of the monarch’s most enigmatic courtiers, evade the ruthless enemy seeking to silence her, they become entwined in a deadly plot that reaches to the upper echelons of the royal inner circle. In In a Treacherous Court, Michelle Diener brings two of Tudor England’s most fascinating, lesser-known historical figures vividly to life in a dazzling tale of intrigue and romance.
TOPICS AND QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. As an artist commissioned by King Henry VIII, Susanna journeys to England for professional reasons. Discuss the personal circumstances that also compel her to leave Ghent. Why does she feel she has been “exiled” from her home?
2. The story takes place over a period of several days, during which Susanna and Parker go from just meeting each other to becoming engaged. How did you react to this rapid progression? Why do they trust each other implicitly almost from the start?
3. Susanna and Parker both have unusual backgrounds that set them apart from conventional society—as a female artist, she is a rarity, while he comes from an upper-class family but ended up in poverty. In what ways do these experiences influence their personal connection?
/> 4. “She was trouble. He’d heard of these women in the Netherlands and Italy, whose fathers took them into their studios and trained them in the arts of painting and sculpture along with their brothers,” (p. 6) notes Parker when he first meets Susanna. Discuss how women artists are perceived in this society. Why do you think Susanna’s father choose this life for her? What kind of say did Susanna have in this decision?
5. Susanna admits that her training as an artist is “a mixed blessing” (p. 35). In what ways is it a benefit? How about a detriment? How do Susanna’s artistic skills help them uncover the plot against the King?
6. “I would make a poor wife,” (p. 100) Susanna tells Parker. Why does she believe that her career as an artist will prohibit her from marrying? Were you surprised when she later agreed to marry Parker?
7. Parker has a different relationship with Henry VIII than most, if not all, of the King’s other courtiers. Why does he feel such a deep sense of loyalty to the King? In what ways is Parker different from the typical aristocrats at court? How do his fellow courtiers view him?
8. After Parker discovers that the Duke of Norfolk is behind the plot to overthrow Henry VIII, how does he turn the tables on the nobleman? In what ways does Susanna play a crucial role in their pursuit to protect the throne? How are both of their fates intertwined with that of the King?
9. Discuss the scene on page 251 when Susanna joins the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting. What does it reveal about the roles of women in courtly life? How do the ladies’ reactions to Susanna’s artistic talent differ from those of the men she has encountered?
10. What prompts the normally reserved Parker to do something so out of character and ask the King for permission to marry Susanna in front of a gathering of courtiers? What do you think he would have done if the King had refused his request?
11. In the Author’s Note, Michelle Diener explains which aspects of In a Treacherous Court were based on true events and which ones she created for the novel. Share your thoughts on the story line, including the romantic and mystery elements. What is your opinion of how the author presents more well-known historical figures, like Henry VIII and George Boleyn?
12. How does In a Treacherous Court compare to other works of historical fiction your group has read, including books set in Tudor England? Are you interested in reading Michelle Diener’s follow-up novel to In a Treacherous Court? Why or why not?
ENHANCE YOUR BOOK CLUB
1. As a nod to Susanna’s profession, take an art class, visit a gallery or museum, or provide supplies and have members try their hands at sketching before your discussion of In a Treacherous Court.
2. In the Author’s Note, Michelle Diener praises Alison Weir and “thank[s] the stars for a historian like her.” Along with In a Treacherous Court, read and discuss Weir’s nonfiction work Henry VIII: The King and His Court.
3. Set a festive scene for your book club discussion by hosting a “royal” get-together. Ideas for food, décor, and more can be found at www.ehow.com/way_5155294_royal-theme-party-decoration-ideas.html.
Table of Contents
Cover Page
Back Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Acknowledgments
Dedication
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Author’s Note
A Gallery Readers Group Guide
In a Treacherous Court Page 21
