In The Shadow - стр. 16
Now Brigid knew who the accidental witnesses to her disgrace were. The lady and her husband on the back stairs. In the hall the girl recognised their voices, and her heart beat as fast as a rabbit fleeing from vicious hunting dogs.
Did the Queen recognise her? Perhaps. But she would hardly have admonished her, for she was so kind and sweet.
The King and Queen saw her covered in mud from head to toe. They laughed at her, good-naturedly, but still… Brigid did not want to accidentally catch His Majesty's eye and listen to his jokes about that unexpected meeting… She did not want to hear his voice at all: remembering how cruelly and insultingly he had spoken to his wife on the stairs, and how openly he humiliated her at his own court, the girl hated him, and it became unpleasant for her even to be in the same room with him. No, she could no longer bear the neglect and rudeness that Henry was so pleased to throw in the face of his legitimate wife, the Queen of England.
To watch the smug smiles of the Boleyns, whom Miss Guise had seen before when she had last visited her father and mother in London, in the days when he had been the king's counsellor, was beyond her. She remembered this power-hungry family, who by then had already managed to put another Boleyn, Anne's own sister Mary, in the royal bed under the lusty Henry. And, Brigid was sure, they would put all the girls of their family in his bed just to stay in power and influence the king. They were like pincers to him and would not give up their place. Miss Guise knew all the Boleyns by sight and hated them. Just like her father, to whom one single barb against Anne, who had captured the heart of a king bored with the flesh of another sister, had cost him his position, his career, his title, and his influence. Yes, Anne held Henry in check with her gentle hand like a mighty but foolish horse, and by her demands that he divorce Catherine of Aragon, slowly but surely poisoned the life of the latter… No, what luck that his father was banished from court! Brigid did not have to see the daily horror that the Queen's ladies in honour witnessed.
How fortunate that the Guises had been forgotten at court. Even though Brigid's father and mother were embittered by this and sought to return, the girl herself swore to herself that her foot will never again set foot where Catherine is offended, and where weave their dark intrigues Boleyn family.
When Brigid entered her chamber, she hurriedly took off her hood, lay down on her bed, and closed her eyes tiredly.
– Please, Heavenly Father, I beg you to free the Queen from her suffering! Give the king back his mind and turn him away from the sin of adultery! – The girl whispered fervently and kissed the small gold cross adorning her neck. She was seized by emotion, and she covered her face with her palms and wept silently. Her body was burning, she felt hot, but inside the girl was gripped by coldness.
– What do you think you're doing, you wretched girl? You are out of hand! Now go back to the hall and charm the king! – There was an almost animalistic growl that made Brigid flinch and open her eyes in fright.
Sir Guise had entered his daughter's room. He was furious, his eyes seemed to be shooting sparks. Walking over to the bed, he jerked his daughter onto her back and swung his big strong arm.