“Oh, thank you, dear.” She paused and looked at Sara and Rose. “Now, when the dreadful news arrives, both of you shall have to swap your white French hoods for black ones.”

“Of course, ma’am,” Sara said, and curtsied. “They have already been made.”

“Good girls!” Kat Ashley responded.

And by ten o’clock the next morning the news did come to Elsyng Palace. A messenger had been sent from Whitehall. He had ridden through the night and demanded to see the prince. A hush fell on the room as the messenger, sweating and somewhat disheveled, dropped to his knee and bowed his head in front of Edward.

“The king is dead. Long live the king.”

Rose gave a little gasp as she saw Edward sway a bit. It was as if the weight of the crown had already been placed on his head. Instantly everyone in the chamber dropped to their knees and a chorus rumbled through the chill air. “God save the king, Edward the Sixth!” He’s only nine years old. Just nine. That was all Rose could think.

Edward steadied himself. “And can you tell me, sir, when did the end come and who was with my father?”

“His majesty left this world at two o’clock this morning. He was alone except for Archbishop Cranmer.”

It would be another three days until the announcement was made in Parliament and the news swept the land. Those three days were the busiest Rose had ever known in her life as a servant. Franny was called up from the scullery to help with the packing, for the new young king and his sister Princess Elizabeth were to move to Whitehall Palace in London.

Chapter 30

The King, Minus a Few Parts

The servants were the last to pay homage to their late king in the presence chamber of Whitehall. As they filed in, Princess Elizabeth walked out pale and trembling. Kat Ashley was by her side and appeared to be supporting her. Rose caught a fragment of her mutterings.

“Never, Kat, never let them do that to me if I rule.”

“What is she talking about, Sara?” Rose was standing between Franny and Sara at the far end of the chamber. Draped in blue velvet and cloth of gold was the lead coffin in which the king’s body now rested, embalmed with more than fifteen different kinds of herbs and wrapped in wax. On top of the coffin lay a wax effigy of the king clad in crimson velvet trimmed in fur. Dozens of burning tapers surrounded the coffin.

“You see the box at the foot of the coffin.”

“Yes.”

“That’s the evisceration box,” Sara whispered.

“The what?”

“Before the embalming of kings and queens, the royal physician opens the body and removes the heart and the entrails. They are to be buried separately.”

“Oh yuck!” The words just escaped. Rose couldn’t help it.

Sara looked at her with alarm. “What did you say?”