The queen must have heard at least half of this gossip, the council kept her informed of the threats that were made against her husband, against herself, against her throne. She grew very quiet and withdrawn and determined. She held to her vision of a peaceful religious country where men and women would be safe in the church of their fathers, and she tried to believe that she could bring this about if she did not waver from her duty, however much it might cost her. The queen’s council passed a new law which said that a heretic who repented on the stake had changed his mind too late—he should still be burned to death. Also, anyone who sympathised with his fate would be burned too.

SPRING 1556

The cold wet winter turned to a wetter spring. The queen waited for letters which came more and more infrequently and brought her little joy.

One evening in early May she announced her intention of spending the whole night in prayer and sent me and all her ladies away. I was glad to be excused from yet another long silent evening when we sewed by the fireside and tried not to notice when the queen’s tears drenched the linen shirt that she was stitching for the king.

I was walking briskly to the chamber that I shared with three of the other maids when I saw a shadow by a doorway in the gallery. I did not hesitate, I would never pause for someone waiting to speak to me, and he had to fall into step beside me and keep to my rapid pace.

‘You must come with me, Hannah Verde,’ he said.

Even at the sound of my full name I did not pause.

‘I only obey the queen.’

Like a slow flag unfurling he held before me a rolled scroll and dropped one end to let it fall open. Almost despite myself I felt my feet slow and stop. I saw the seals at the bottom and my name at the top, Hannah Verde, alias Hannah Green, alias Hannah the Fool.

‘What is this?’ I asked, though I knew.

‘A warrant,’ he said.

‘A warrant for what?’ I asked, though I knew.

‘For your arrest, for heresy,’ he said.

‘Heresy?’ I breathed, as if I had never heard the word before, as if I had not been waiting for this moment every day since they had taken my mother.

‘Yes, maid, heresy,’ he said.

‘I will see the queen about this.’ I half-turned back to run to her.

‘You will come with me,’ he said and took my arm and waist in a grip which I could not have fought even if my strength had not been bleeding away in my terror.

‘The queen will intercede for me!’ I whimpered, hearing my voice as weak as a child’s.

‘This is a royal warrant,’ he said simply. ‘You are to be arrested for questioning and she has given her authority.’

* * *