ANNE (interrupting). Phoo phoo! You wanted an alliance with Spain. And a certain marriage with Aragon. But oh, look, all has changed: is His Majesty’s policy still to favour Spain? No. And is he still in love with the woman from Aragon? The cow who cannot litter?

WOLSEY. You are foul, madam!

ANNE. I am driven to it by foul men!

WOLSEY. You will not marry him. You are not royal. You are a schemer, a plotter, an adventuress! Well, we’ve had those at Court before. But you are more dangerous. I have long suspected you to be infected with bad religion. And now I know you are, madam: you stink of it, you drip with the syphilis of Luther’s teaching! (Waggles book.) This is the proof!

ANNE. You once blocked a marriage of mine. You will not do so again, Your Grace.

WOLSEY. We shall see. Good day, Lady Anne.

He turns away, followed by SLOOP. Just before he exits he jumps in the air, twiddling his feet.

CROMWELL and SIMPKIN exit.

ANNE (aside). Why do they hate the idea of a woman standing naked before her God? (Pacing.) I shouldn’t have said that about Catherine, I shouldn’t, I shouldn’t, I should be demure and neat, eyes down, book of Holy Hours in my hands. But I want… I want… (Aside again.) I want the King. In me. His child in me. And our child born into a new world. And Catherine is… such a cow! (Stamps her foot.)

LADY ROCHFORD, JANE and CELIA rush to ANNE. ANNE pushes them aside.

ROCHFORD. My Lady, forgive me, I gave the book to Celia and the Cardinal’s man came up on her…

CELIA. I’m so sorry, so sorry…

ANNE flicks her hand at them.

JANE. What will the Cardinal do?

ANNE. What do you think? His worst. (Paces.)

CELIA. Oh no, no… (Crosses herself.) Salve, Regina…

CELIA / JANE (joining in, out of sync).

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae, Vita,

Dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve…

ANNE. Stop that! Stop it! (To LADY ROCHFORD.) All of you, go to the chapel and pray. If anything happens, be found there. Not with me.

ROCHFORD. Anne…

ANNE. Go!

Exit LADY ROCHFORD, CELIA and JANE, quickly.

Scene Fourteen

CROMWELL comes forward, SIMPKIN at a distance. SLOOP enters and tries to overhear.

ANNE. The book, the Cardinal’s got the book. The book the book. The Cardinal’s got the book. He’ll burn it, burn me with it. Oh, what to do what to do!

CROMWELL. My Lady Anne.

ANNE. Master Cromwell.

CROMWELL turns and sees SLOOP, who backs away.

CROMWELL. Shall we walk in the orchard? It’s a very fine night.

ANNE. Walk alone?

CROMWELL. Why not? Do you fear me?

ANNE. Yes. You are the Cardinal’s man.

CROMWELL. Am I?

A moment.

The orchard? There are perhaps holes for worms in apples. But none for spies.