“It’s the new Act of Succession,” Nan says. “The king is naming his heirs before he goes to war with France. Charles Brandon and Edward Seymour were with him when he was taking advice, and Wriothesley—Wriothesley!—was there with the lawyers drawing it up.”

“I know all about this,” I say calmly. “He discussed it with me.”

“Did he tell you that he is naming the heirs of your body to follow Prince Edward?” she demands.

I wheel round and the little birds in the cage flutter at my sudden movement.

“My heirs?” I demand.

“We have to take care what is said.” Anne Seymour glances anxiously around as if the parrot might report to Bishop Gardiner any words of treason.

“Of course, of course,” I nod. “I was just surprised.”

“And any other heirs,” Catherine Brandon says, her voice very quiet, her face carefully expressionless. “That’s the point, really.”

“Other heirs?”

“From any future queen.”

“Any future queen?” I repeat. I look at Nan, not at Catherine or Anne. “He is planning for a future queen?”

“Not really,” Anne Seymour reassures me. “He is just drawing up an Act of Succession that would still apply even if he were to outlive you. Say you died before him...”

Nan gives a little choke. “From what? She’s young enough to be his daughter!”

“It has to be provided for!” Anne Seymour insists. “Say you were to be so unlucky as to become unwell and die...”

Catherine and Nan exchange blank glances. Clearly Henry has a habit of outliving his queens and none of them has ever become unwell.

“Then he would be obliged to marry again and to get a son if he could,” Anne Seymour concludes. “It is not to say he is planning it. It is not to say it is his intention. It is not to say that he has anyone in mind.”

“No,” Nan snarls. “He did not have it in mind; someone has put it into his mind. They have put it into his mind now. And your husbands were there when they did so.”

“It may just be the proper way to draw up the Act of Succession.” Catherine suggests.

“No, it isn’t.” Nan insists. “If she were to die and he remarried and had a son, then the boy would become heir after Edward by right of birth and sex. There’s no need for the king to provide for this. If she were to die, then a new marriage and a new heir would mean a new Act of Succession. It does not need to be provided for here and now. This is just to put the idea of another marriage into our minds.”

“Our minds?” I ask. “He wants me to consider that he might put me aside and marry again?”

“Or he wants the country to be prepared for it,” Catherine Brandon says very quietly.