At the Mercy of the Queen: A Novel of Anne Boleyn

by Barnhill, Anne Clinard

  “Oh no, dearest! You cannot risk yourself so—I have only just found you! I would not chance losing you again!” said Madge, flinging herself into his arms.

  “Have you so little faith in me? You think I would not best him? Pish! I would serve him carved in pieces!” said Arthur, pushing her away.

  “My love, I meant only that I could not stand to think of such danger for you—I want our boy to know his father,” said Madge, putting her arms on his chest. She then softly touched his cheek.

  “You do know how to rule me, Pretty Madge. I shall use reason on the man. And the force of gold rather than steel. Does this please you?” he said, placing his hands on her waist.

  “Aye, my love,” she said.

  “By St. Anne, save your pretty words for the bedchamber,” said Lady Shelton.

  “If I may speak, sir?” said Cate.

  “Good Cate! Forgive me! I greet you happily, my lovely!” said Arthur, turning to her and bowing.

  “Pshaw! Enough of your shenanigans, Master … er, Sir Brandon,” said Cate, turning red at his gesture. “Should you ride to Kimberly and speak man-to-man with Sir Wodehouse, a good end would come of it. Though his father and brothers be there with him, they are gentles, after all. With the right offer, Sir Thomas will agree, I wager,” said Cate.

  “What makes you so very certain, Cate? What do you know?” said Madge.

  “I speak with his chief steward at chapel every Sunday. It seems there is a woman who caters to him, one he loves already. She is lowborn, so they cannot marry. But love her, he does,” said Cate.

  “This news explains much,” said Lady Shelton.

  “Methinks you have it by the right ear, Cate. I ride to Kimberly on the morrow,” said Arthur.

  * * *

  That night, Arthur and Madge slept in the great bed, Madge in her gown of lawn with embroidered flowers on the neckline and lace at her sleeves. Her hair, reddish-gold in the candlelight, fell down her back in soft ringlets. Arthur wore his nightshirt and Madge could see his chest through the thin cloth. She lay against the pillows and watched as he crawled in beside her. He gathered her in his arms.

  “I have waited long to hold you, my love. I will not be so easy to dissuade as Sir Thomas,” said Arthur, kissing her eyelids, her cheeks, her nose, her ears.

  “I do not wish to dissuade you, dearest. I have longed for you with all my heart,” said Madge as she molded her body with his. She ran her fingers through his dark curls and circled his neck. She pulled him to her and sucked his earlobes while he nuzzled her neck, his beard soft against her. Soon, before she realized it, he was inside her, moving very slowly, incredibly gentle.

  “I do not wish to rush this moment, my love. I have waited too long…” he said. He barely moved at all. So they lay together for such a time that Madge thought she had left the earth and its motions; that the moon no longer moved across the sky; that she and Arthur had lain like this for all eternity and would so lie always. She could feel the fire build in her belly and soon, it pulsed its way down through her womb to her womanly parts, pleasure immeasurable coursed through her body, until she thought she could bear it no longer, yet it continued, for what seemed like hours. Her body shook with it and she began to cry. Then, she felt Arthur’s pulse as well as her own and once again, the pleasure released itself.

  When it was over, they did not move, but fell asleep, Arthur still inside her. When they awoke to the bright sun, they made love again, waking the babe who kicked and kicked while his father spoke soft words to him and to his mother.

  AT THE MERCY OF THE QUEEN

  by Anne Clinard Barnhill

  About the Author

  • A Conversation with Anne Clinard Barnhill

  Behind the Novel

  • Historical Timeline

  • The Facts About Lady Margaret Shelton

  • “What Should I Wear?”

  An Original Essay by the Author

  Keep on Reading

  • Recommended Reading

  • Reading Group Questions

  For more reading group suggestions,

  visit www.readinggroupgold.com.

  ST. MARTIN’S GRIFFIN

  A Conversation with Anne Clinard Barnhill

  Tell us about your background and how you decided to become a writer.

  I’ve been telling stories since I was a little girl. I would entertain my cousins for hours outside my grandparents’ house with ghost tales and funny, long jokes. I’ve always loved to read and, in college, the two loves merged into my desire to become a writer. I had to wait a long time to pursue my passion as I had to help support and raise three sons. I taught high school and college, assisted a dermatologist, worked in a jewelry store, counted billboards, and took various other part-time jobs to keep everything together, not to mention writing articles, book reviews, ad copy—anything to keep writing those stories that haunt me. Finally, at thirty-seven, I was able to devote much more time to writing. About fifteen years of hard work later, my first book was published. It’s been a long road, but the journey has been worth every minute.

  * * *

  “I had to wait a long time to pursue my passion.…”

  * * *

  Who are some of your favorite authors?

  I have a zillion favorites but I’ll mention a few. For nonfiction about Tudor times, I love everything from Alison Weir, Carolly Erickson, Eric Ives, Anne Somerset, Sarah Gristwood, David Starkey, Tracy Borman, and Kathy Emerson’s The Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life in Renaissance England. There are really too many to name. For historical fiction, my first love is Jean Plaidy, who I devoured early on. Jeane Westin, C. W. Gortner, Alison Weir, Carolly Erickson, Sara Poole, Hilary Mantel, Diane Haeger, and others who can really take me to the Tudor world rank among my favorites.

  For other kinds of writing, I love Fred Chappell, Robert Morgan, Marilynne Robinson, Elizabeth Berg, John Fowles, Dorothy Sayers, Tolkien, and most of the classics. And, naturally, Shakespeare.

  Are there any historical figures you feel a particular affinity toward?

  Anne Boleyn, of course—I do have the initials A. B., after all. She captured me early on and her hold on my imagination is still strong. I wish I could travel back in time and meet her. I’m not sure I would have liked her, but I feel very strongly she would have commanded my attention and admiration. And I’d love to know what she really looked like, too.

  What was the inspiration for At the Mercy of the Queen?

  My grandmother told me our family was related to the Sheltons and that those distant cousins were involved with Anne Boleyn and her court. That was around the same time I’d read my first novel about Anne and from that moment on, I grabbed every book that came along about the Tudors, always looking for information about the Sheltons. In one book, they were referred to as the “pesky cousins” of the queen. I read about Lady Margaret, Anne’s first cousin, and her brief affair with the king. Some historians believe Anne put Margaret up to seducing Henry, in order to save herself. I just kept thinking about that, the moral implications of such an action, and the novel is the result.

  Do you adhere to historical fact in your novels or do you take liberties if the story can benefit from the change? To what extent did you stick to facts in writing At the Mercy of the Queen?

  I try to adhere as closely as possible to the information I have researched. I may change the dates, fiddle with the ages if that seems appropriate. But I want to stick to what we know as much as possible. History, especially Tudor England, is so rich in events and characters, it would be hard to top the reality of it by making any drastic changes. The “what if” question, though, makes me think about it in different ways. And, fictional characters seem to forge their way into every story, too.

  In your research, what was the most interesting/surprising/shocking thing you learned?

  As I dug into genealogy online and continued to read, it seemed there was confusion among scholars about the lives of Margaret and Mary Shelton. Mar
garet did have a sister named Mary, who some believe wrote poetry in the Devonshire manuscript. I, however, think they are confusing that Mary Shelton with another Mary Shelton from Elizabeth’s court. According to my family book about the Sheltons, passed down from my grandmother, Margaret was sent to seduce the king. And Margaret had a reputation for beauty; she was referred to often as “Pretty Madge,” which also makes her more likely to have entranced the king.

  The Mary Shelton with whom I think folks are confusing Margaret is famous for having had her finger broken by Elizabeth in a fit of rage over her clandestine marriage. I’m writing a book about her story as well.

  * * *

  “It’s great fun to explore another time and place to imagine what our lives might have looked like then.”

  * * *

  Why do you think readers are so drawn to historical fiction?

  First, historical fiction allows for exploration of themes that, for me, are more difficult to navigate in contemporary fiction. For instance, in those days, people were willing to die for their beliefs and took seriously the idea of heaven versus hell, good versus evil. That gives the idea of sin a reality and adds a layer of tension to any action a character might take. Secondly, the sumptuous lifestyles of the rich and famous are great fun to read about—their velvets and satins, gold plate and silver cloth—yet they had problems with fleas and bedbugs and a host of other scourges. All that money spent on show and they still faced the same problems as those who were less fortunate. And, since we only get the one life, it’s great fun to explore another time and place to imagine what our lives might have looked like then.

  Are you currently working on another book? If so, what—or who—is your subject?

  Yes, I’m at work on Mary Shelton’s story at the court of Elizabeth I. I’ve made some really neat discoveries that echo what I had in mind to begin with, so I’m wondering how my subconscious mind knew that stuff. I hope to show a side of Elizabeth that has not yet been explored and also to show how very treacherous those times were. There will be love, romance, intrigue, and danger.

  Historical Timeline

  January 1533

  Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn are secretly married. Lady Margaret is called to court to serve the queen. Henry is declared Head of the Church of England.

  September 7, 1533

  Princess Elizabeth is born, much to the disappointment of her parents, who desperately needed a son and heir.

  January 1534

  Queen Anne is pregnant again.

  June/July 1534

  Queen Anne loses the child, though no one knows what happened.

  1535

  Henry and Anne’s tumultuous relationship teeters first one way, then the other. Henry and Cromwell are destroying the monasteries to fill Henry’s coffers.

  November 1535

  Queen Anne is pregnant once again.

  January, 1536

  Queen Catherine of Aragon dies. Henry falls during a joust and is unconscious for a few hours. Queen Anne miscarries.

  May 2, 1536

  Queen Anne is arrested.

  May 19, 1536

  Queen Anne is executed.

  The Facts About Lady Margaret Shelton

  When I read a historical novel, my first question is, “How much of this book is true?” Here is my answer to that question regarding At the Mercy of the Queen.

  From the moment I first discovered that the Sheltons were my ancestors and served at the court of King Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, I have been scouring books to find mention of this relatively unknown Tudor family. I remember standing in bookstore aisles, scanning indexes for the Shelton name. If it appeared, I would immediately read that section, then buy that book. One book referred to Sir John and Lady Anne as those “pesky” Shelton cousins! They were so called because Sir John seemed to enjoy eating fine foods while Princess Elizabeth was under his care. Though the child was less than two years old, he insisted she eat in state so he and the rest of the courtiers in attendance upon her could feast on her leftovers. I did not find him a particularly endearing character. His wife, Lady Anne, became famous as the woman who kept Mary Tudor, daughter of Catherine of Aragon, and forced her to give precedence to her new baby sister, Elizabeth.

  As I gathered information, I became fascinated with the daughter of Sir John and Lady Anne (Boleyn) Shelton, Lady Margaret, or “Pretty Madge” as she was often called. According to most historians, Margaret came to court when Anne Boleyn, her first cousin, was crowned queen. Though there is no definite birthdate for Lady Margaret, she is most likely much younger than Anne Boleyn, born around 1512 or 1513. Her claim to fame, however, is not her blood connection to the queen but her supposed affair with the king himself.

  According to some historians, this flirtation lasted about six months in 1535, when the king’s interest in his wife was supposedly waning. No one knows whether the affair was consummated or whether it was simply an episode of courtly love, where the king “served” an innocent lady and they flirted together. Some historians have suggested that Queen Anne put her cousin up to seducing the king, whose roving eye had landed on another. We will never know just how far this flirtation went, but certainly something happened.

  * * *

  “I have always loved to play dress up…”

  * * *

  We know Margaret was pretty—her nickname certainly would indicate that. There was also an instance later, after the death of Jane Seymour, when Henry was searching for a new wife, and considered Christina of Denmark, whose picture he had seen. When he asked if she were truly that attractive, an ambassador told him yes, she looked a good deal like Lady Margaret Shelton. Margaret was also described as having soft speech and a gentle manner.

  In the last five to ten years, some historians have suggested it was Margaret’s sister, Mary, who was the king’s mistress. I disagree for several reasons. First, Mary was even younger than Margaret and I am not convinced she was even at court during this time. Many scholars, however, do believe Mary was at court and actively writing in the Devonshire Manuscript, a book of poetry in which several ladies and gentlemen, including the poet Thomas Wyatt, scribbled verses and copied older texts, such as one of Chaucer’s tales. I believe Margaret was the budding poet, not Mary. Here’s why: Names were often abbreviated. If Margaret shortened her name to Marg, it could be easily confused with Mary. Also, Queen Anne is recorded scolding Margaret for writing “idle poesies” in her prayer book, another clue that it was Margaret who enjoyed writing, not Mary. And the final reason I believe it was Margaret who caught the king’s fancy lies in the Shelton Family History by R. Z. Shelton. This is an old book my grandmother gave me and it mentions the story of Margaret’s relationship with Henry VIII. We have no real stories about Mary at Henry’s court, but many references to Margaret or Pretty Madge. Some historians believe they were one and the same person.

  One possible reason for the confusion between Mary and Margaret Shelton is that there was another Mary Shelton who served at Queen Elizabeth’s court. This Mary Shelton was quite well known as one of three very influential women who might sway the queen to grant positions and favors. This Mary Shelton was also the unfortunate lady-in-waiting who suffered the queen’s disfavor after her secret marriage and the queen, in a rage, broke the lady’s finger.

  In any event, after the fall of Anne Boleyn and her family, Lady Margaret returned to Great Snoring and married Sir Thomas Wodehouse, giving him seven children, three of whom lived to adulthood. She lived to a ripe old age and did not return to court. She died on September 11, 1583.

  “What Should I Wear?” An Original Essay by the Author

  I did not write At the Mercy of the Queen so I could justify having a Tudor dress made, I promise. But once the book was sold and I realized it would become a reality, I thought, Why not? Wouldn’t it be fun to give readings dressed in period costume? Since I have always loved to play dress up, the idea seemed inspired.

  But where to find such a dress? There are
many places online where one could order a dress but I knew my body was, well, not exactly a perfect size. I would need someone who could measure me and then shape the dress accordingly. My dear friend from high school, Becky Nestor Thacker, could sew and we lived near each other. She was game to give it a try.

  The first thing we did was find a pattern. Actually, two patterns: one for the undergarments, the other for the outerwear. We selected a dress in the style of Anne Boleyn’s time rather than those battleship dresses Elizabeth wore. My hips are already quite wide enough without adding three feet of whalebone to extend them even more.

  We chose material for the undergarments and Becky began to work her magic. Soon, I had a shift, the first article of clothing worn next to the skin. The shifts were made of finely spun linen called lawn, or silk if you were a queen. These garments were washable, as opposed to the outer clothes. This helped a little in the area of hygiene.

  As I tried on the first draft, we both agreed the bodice was cut too low. I realize showing one’s “dukkies” (nipples) is how the ladies of the day wore their dresses, but I could not imagine myself in the public eye showing, well, almost everything. Becky solved the problem by adding about an inch of fabric and lace. Then came the sleeves. Okay, I have abnormally short arms—my sons call me T. rex. I warned Becky about this and she laughed it off, thinking I was exaggerating. Then, when the sleeves hung about five inches below my fingertips, she realized I was telling the truth. She shortened them accordingly and added more lace.