In The Shadow - стр. 8
Some of the ladies close to Anne Boleyn were laughing and whispering so loudly that both Brigid and Alienor could easily hear their conversations, which even the musicians playing the lute, flute, rebecca and block flute could not drown out.
"Father's not happy… He's bound to break something out of anger!" she chuckled to herself. – Alienor chuckled to herself. She was not at all disappointed that she had not seen Henry the Eighth this evening, for the circle of admirers, who had written sonnets in her honour, had kept her busy. – But look at Miss Boleyn! What grace, what majestic posture, and the look of a she-wolf! But I wouldn't say she was beautiful. Yes, she's pretty. She has nice features, but that's all. Why did the King find her so fascinating? Her sister Mary is much prettier… That hair burning gold! Not without reason she was in his bed and bore him two bastards… Which, however, he never recognised. Two sisters, and both of them managed to win Henry over!
It must hurt Miss Mary to see her younger sister succeed… It must make her heart bleed that the father of her children chose her over her own sister!"
Alienor was right: Miss Boleyn, favourite of the King of England, rival of Queen Catherine, was not a beauty, but something in her was mystical, attractive, even witchy. Her eyes, graceful movements, high milk-white breasts, black hair … And the French accent, which she shamelessly used, not without reason she spent her young years at the court of the French Queen! This woman knew her worth and knew how to keep the king. She was stroppy and passionate, just as Henry wanted her to be. Anne saw how the King was irritated by his wife's obedience and calmness and played on it. Did she love him? Only she herself knew that.
Did Henry love Anne? He did. Desperately. He wished to possess her. He wished his wife would die and leave him a widower, so he could marry the woman he loved and crown her Queen of England. She would give him a long-awaited son, an heir. To the regret and annoyance of the favourite and her lover, Catherine of Aragon had iron health and was not going to die. They could only wait for the happy day when the Queen would leave this world and make way for Miss Boleyn.
The feast, at which roast pheasants, geese and a few young piglets, candied fruit, fish, egg and fruit pies, and many other exquisite and not so exquisite dishes were served, came to an end only at midnight, after the guests and hosts had eaten, gossiped, flirted and danced to their hearts' content.
– Ah, did you see me? I shone like a polished gold coin! – Alienor said dreamily to her friend as they went into her large, lavishly furnished room to discuss the past fun and guests.
– You are always shining. And this evening even Miss Boleyn paled beside your glow," Brigid smiled. – I wish the King and Queen had been there with us… I would have liked to see Catherine. I have never seen her, but my father told me a lot about her.
The girl delicately kept silent about the fact that her father did not miss a single opportunity to insult the name of England's favourite Spaniard: "She looks like an old goose. Just about to croak!", "It's high time she went to her grave!", "Let her make way for a decent English lady!" "Henry cares nothing for her. "He is wrapped up in the sharp vines of another Boleyn girl, and she is only happy about it.