I didn't have much to say about the winter of 1529, so here it is in a series of letters! Enjoy!
Chateau de Anvaing, 11th November 1529
Dearest George,
So, you’re to be a father again! Congratulations, Kate must be thrilled. I know how much she’s always wanted to be a mother. Oh, I know you couldn’t ask for her to do more to treat Bess, Annie and Jamie as her own, and she adores them, I assure you, but take it from me, there’s something special about that firstborn, the one who makes you a mother.
I wish I could promise to be with you to help Kate in her confinement next year, but I’m afraid Fran will never let me back to England in a hurry. The last time he let me go, he didn’t see me for nine months! He’s already reluctant to travel back to Paris for Christmas, and if he knew for definite that I was with child, rather than just suspected, he’d never have agreed. But I need to be there. It’s Queen Marie’s first Christmas in Paris since she lost Lord Henri and Lord Edouard, and she’s going to need every friend she can muster at her side. Particularly with Madame de Valentinois having just given birth to a healthy boy. Word has it they’ve named him Gaston, for Lady Isabella’s late grandfather. He's Gaston de Valentinois, and the King is apparently doting on him almost as much as he might a legitimate heir.
So, yes, I need to be in Paris this Christmas, for Queen Marie’s sake, if no one else’s. But I promise I will take care. I know how much you worry about me travelling when I’m with child, although I would remind you I have done this before and you have a pregnant wife to fuss over again, one who has not…
But I agree it would be lovely to see you, once Kate is fit to travel. Why don’t you offer to escort Princess Mary to her marriage with Lord Alexander in July, and then sail from Scotland? If Nora is to go with her, which we all know she will, it would only be fitting for you and Kate to accompany them, surely? Bring the children – it would be good for Georges and Griet to meet their cousins, even if Francoise will still be a little young to understand what’s going on.
And in the meanwhile, let me know if Kate continues to crave candied oranges, and I’ll send to Spain for some fruit for you. Being a Princess of the Blood and the Empress’s old favourite comes with some advantages, you know!
Right, that’s the bell for Vespers, so I must dash. But you and Kate will be in my prayers especially tonight. I remain, as always, your affectionate sister,
Anne
Bar-le-Duc, 12th December 1529
My dear brother,
I write, of course, to offer you the compliments of the season, but also to urge you to accept Bella’s various proposals. I know you are reluctant to commit to betrothing your heir to the sister of a King-in-exile, but you have to remember that everyone in Christian’s bedchamber saw him make Hans swear to regain the Danish throne as soon as he comes of age. Hans might only be eleven, but he made that vow to a dying man. We all know how binding deathbed promises are, and you’re Hans’s most powerful uncle. It is your familial duty to do all you can to help the boy honour his father’s dying wish.
You needn’t worry about Antoine complaining that Anna will become a Queen rather than an Empress. I have a great deal of influence over him, now that Toni has passed his first birthday and looks like to live, and besides, you know how dearly he cherishes his neutrality. Between you and me, he was already worrying that to let Anna become Philip’s Empress would set him too firmly against the French and Portuguese. I suspect he’ll be more than a bit pleased if you broke their betrothal and saved him the trouble. Why, he was making murmurs over dinner only the other day that, should Anna become Empress, he’d have to ask for Mademoiselle Elisabeth for Francis to balance things out, and we all know she’s far too young for him.
And if you ask Maria, I’m sure she’ll happily encourage the Russians to invade Sweden when the time comes, to distract them, so that they don’t support Frederick. She’ll no doubt be relieved to have them pointing at somewhere other than her borders while Karoly is still so young. Besides, you know she’ll do anything for you. You always were her favourite sibling.
Well, brother, I shall leave things in your hands, trusting you will make the decision that Bella and Hans require you to. Wish Margarita and the children a blessed Christmas from me, and indeed, from all of us.
I remain, as ever,
Your Leonor.
Hunsdon, 21st February 1530
Alexander, mine own jo,
Thank you so very much for my darling birthday present. I have named her Bonnie, for she is truly beautiful, and I look forward to bringing her to Edinburgh with me. I trust you are well, and looking forward to coming to London? I cannot wait to meet you in person at last, and be your wife in truth.
I shan’t nag you about the preparations – Lady Bury says men don’t like to be reminded of such things – but rest assured that my household are doing all they can to prepare me for my life as Duchess of Ross. I have been practising my Scots – did you notice I called you my jo up above? – and I have even picked up a word or two of Gaelic from Lady Elizabeth Campbell. She says I’ll be seen as a Sassenach in Scotland – a stranger, at least to the Highland Clans. But I hope that won’t be the case for long. We’re to reside at Dingwall together, I wouldn’t want the locals to see me as a stranger.
At least I will have Nora with me, mind. You’re so kind to agree to let me have her as my Chief Lady of the Bedchamber. We’ve been friends for so long, and since I have to leave Meg behind to be Countess of Surrey, having Nora with me will be a great relief.
Although Meg has made me promise to name my first daughter for her, and to make her Godmother. You don’t mind, do you? I mean, she is your sister, as well as being my cousin and my oldest friend. But if you really don’t want to call our first daughter Margaret, I’m sure I can find an excuse not to.
What might not be so easy is persuading Lillibet to accept that Nora has to come with me. She adores Nora, and with Cecily running Lady Bryan and the nurses ragged day and night, Lillibet craves all the attention Nora can spare. I only hope that she’ll settle once she meets you and realises that you truly are all I can hope for in a husband, that you’ll treat myself and Nora well and that change doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing.
We’ll wed in four months’ time today! I am counting down the days, and send every blessing to you, and wishes for a safe journey to us in London.
Until then, I am, as always, your beloved Duchess,
Mary
Falkland, 19th March 1530
My beloved Mary,
I suppose Lady Elizabeth is right. You will be a Sassenach, up here in Scotland. But it doesn’t matter, because you’ll be my Sassenach, and I’ll fight any cur who dares dishonour you for your heritage. Besides, you’ll not be nearly as much of a Sassenach as my brother’s bride. Cousin Louise is French, that’s got to be more of a stranger than you, who has the exact same heritage as my own dear mother.
Speaking of my mother, she would be delighted to have a granddaughter named for her, so I have no qualms about naming our oldest daughter Margaret, if that’s what Meg has made you promise. None at all. I will only insist that our second daughter is named Mary, for you, for you deserve a namesake just as much as my sister.
And I shall be more than happy to assure Lillibet of my deep and lasting affection for both you and Nora when I arrive in London. I wouldn’t dream of anything less, for it would be far beneath me as a knight if I allowed her distress to continue unchecked. Indeed, in order to start as I mean to go on – our marriage will be the first time I have been able to act as an older brother, after all – I am sending her a pet monkey along with this letter, in the hope that the little creature will amuse her and be company for her when the nurses are busy with baby Cecily.
This will probably be the last letter I send you before I ride for London, as I am to set off as soon as we have finished celebrating Jamie’s birthday next month, in order to be with you in plenty of time for June 21st. As such, I thank you for your copious prayers and blessings for a safe journey, and I shall send messengers to keep you apprised of my movements along the way.
It shan’t be long now until I can greet you in person, but for now, know that this letter comes with my very deepest regards and affection,
Alexander
