‘We were all taken in by her,’ Mary said, her lips pursed. ‘My father said it was his misfortune to have two nieces offend the King. He feared the Queen’s crimes would rebound on him. Several members of our family are in the Tower on her account.’

‘Then I am glad that my uncle has looked kindly on him,’ I said, reining in my steed to avoid a great puddle.

‘It will be good to have you at Kenninghall,’ Mary said, reaching over and squeezing my arm.

I found Kenninghall to be a magnificent brick house. There were fourteen tapestries in the great chamber alone, and numerous family portraits on display in the long gallery. Costly Turkey carpets adorned the tables and even the floors. I was given the best apartment, which was reserved for honoured guests. Now I sit here, in my window seat, looking out upon the wintry gardens, filled with a sense of having been very lucky, after reflecting on the extraordinary course of my life so far. If this was my punishment for involving myself with a scoundrel, it was by no means onerous. And it was far, far more lenient than what happened to poor Queen Katheryn.

Read on for an exclusive first look at: Katheryn Howard: The Tainted Queen

Discover

A naive young woman at the mercy of her ambitious family.

At just nineteen, Katheryn Howard is quick to trust and fall in love.

She comes to court. She sings, she dances. She captures the heart of the King.

Henry declares she is his rose without a thorn. But Katheryn has a past of which he knows nothing. It comes back increasingly to haunt her. For those who share her secrets are waiting in the shadows, whispering words of love . . . and blackmail.

Katheryn Howard. The fifth of Henry’s queens. Her story.

History tells us she died too soon.
This mesmerising novel brings her to life.

Chapter 1

1528

Katheryn was seven when her mother died. She would never forget being led by her nurse into the dim, musty bedchamber where Father was kneeling beside the bed, his head in his hands and his shoulders heaving, and the chaplain was saying prayers. It was shocking having to kiss the cold forehead of the still figure lying in the bed, which looked so unlike the mother she knew.

Why had she died? She had been up and about only yesterday. Yet she had heard her mother screaming in the night, and somehow knew that the little stranger lying in the next room had something to do with it.

‘You must be brave,’ her half-sister Isabel murmured. ‘Our lady mother is now in Heaven, watching over you.’ It was hard to understand that when Mother was clearly lying here.

When Katheryn started wailing, Isabel took her hand and led her out.

‘Hush, sweeting,’ she said, sounding choked herself. ‘Let us go and see our new sister.’