He was the Queen’s brother and a gentleman of the King’s Privy Chamber. His name was Charles and he was in high favour with my uncle. It began as a flirtation during the progress, but it was not long before I began to have feelings for him, although I never loved Charles as much as I loved Tom. And so it all began again, the snatched, secret meetings, the subterfuge, the coded poems. No wonder I did not notice the Queen’s naughtiness: I was too preoccupied with my own, although I managed to preserve my honour. I should have known better, but I am like my mother, impulsive in affairs of the heart.

When we returned to Hampton Court, Charles and I continued to contrive trysts. Then, with no warning, came the Queen’s arrest, which shocked him to the core. He too, had had no idea of what had been going on, and he was petrified for his sister, who was now confined to her rooms under guard. I consoled him as best I could, but he would not be comforted.

A week later, Charles did not come to our meeting place, a deserted banqueting house in the gardens. I waited ages, but in vain. In the end, I walked back to the palace in the November gloom, wondering if his absence had anything to do with the Queen. Had he learned the worst, which was what we were all expecting?

As I went indoors, I met Sir Anthony Browne, who had always been friendly towards me.

‘My Lady Margaret,’ he murmured, looking around to see if anyone was is earshot, ‘I am glad to see you here. Mr Howard has been forbidden to enter the King’s chamber. Be warned, there is trouble afoot.’ He patted my arm and hurried off, leaving my brain whirling. What trouble? Had Charles and I been discovered? Or was this to do with the Queen?

I ran to Charles’s lodging, but it was in darkness. In vain did I bang on the door. I knew he shared his rooms with his brother Henry, so I went looking for him.

‘He’s gone,’ Henry told me, when I found him at the servery, rather drunk.

‘Gone? Where?’ I cried. ‘Why?’

‘I don’t know for certain,’ Henry said, slurring his words, ‘but he told me before he left that he was banished from the court on account of you.’

So they knew! I began trembling.

‘You mean, he has left me to retrieve my reputation all alone?’ I could not believe it.

‘I think he said he was making for France to try his luck at the tournaments there,’ Henry said, looking at me with maudlin pity.