“Good, I see you are prepared. I am come to listen to you. Tell me what you think.” The king approaches the table and leans heavily on it.

“Am I right in thinking that you are in alliance with Spain for this war against France?” the astronomer asks.

Henry nods.

“Even I know that!” Will Somers interrupts from under the table. “If that’s a prediction, I could have done it myself. And I could have found it in the bottom of a mug of ale in any taproom outside the Tower. I don’t need to look at stars. Just give me the price of a jug of ale and I’ll make another prediction.”

The astronomer smiles at the king, not at all disturbed by the Fool .Behind us I see that a few of the courtiers have come in. Thomas is not among them. The door shuts. Perhaps he is waiting outside in the presence chamber, perhaps he has gone to his own rooms or to the stables to see his horses. I suppose that he is avoiding me for our safety. I wish I could be sure of that. I cannot help but fear that he has lost his desire for me, and that he is keeping out of my way to spare us both the embarrassment of a love that is dead and gone.

“So I shall show you first the chart of the Emperor of Spain, your ally,” Nicholas Kratzer says. He draws one chart forward and shows how the emperor’s fortune is coming into the ascendancy this autumn.

“And here is the chart for the French king.”

There is a murmur of interest as the chart shows clearly that Francis of France is moving into a time of weakness and disorganization.

“This is promising,” Henry says, pleased. He glances at me. “Don’t you think so?”

I was not listening, but now I look alert and interested. “Oh, yes.”

“And this is a chart for Your Majesty.” Nicholas Kratzer points to the most complex chart of them all. The signs for Mars: the dogs of war, the spear, the arrow, the tower, are all drawn and beautifully colored around the king’s chart.

“See that?” The king nudges me. “Warlike, isn’t it?”

“Mars is rising in your house,” the astronomer says. “I have seldom seen more puissance in any man.”

“Yes, yes.” The king approves. “I knew it. You see it in the stars?”

“Absolutely. But therein lies the danger—”

“What danger?”

“The symbol for Mars is also the symbol for pain, for heat in the blood, pain in the legs. I fear for Your Majesty’s health.”

There is a muted murmur of agreement. We all fear for the king’s health. He thinks he can ride to war like a boy when he cannot even walk to dinner without support on either side.

“I’m better,” the king says flatly.