The astronomer nods. “Certainly the auguries are good for you,” he says. “If the physicians can keep the heat from your old wound. But, Your Majesty, remember it was a weapon’s wound, and like a war wound it waxes and wanes with Mars.”

“Then it is bound to trouble me a little when I go to war,” the king says stoutly. “By your own reading, Astronomer. By your own signs.”

I give him a little smile. The king’s stubborn courage is one of the finest things about him.

The astronomer bows. “That would certainly be my reading of the chart.”

“And shall we get as far as Paris?”

This is a dangerous question. The court, the whole country, is anxious that the king shall not attempt to go too deep into France. But nobody dares to tell him so.

“You shall go as far as you wish,” the astronomer says cleverly. “A general such as yourself, who has fought over this very ground before, shall be the best one to judge what should be attempted when you see the opposition, the ground, the weather, the temper of your men. I would advise that you don’t overreach what your army can do. But what might a king such as you do with them? Not even the stars can answer that.”

The king is pleased. He nods to his page, who gives Master Kratzer a heavy purse. Everyone tries not to look at it and estimate its worth.

“And what of Venus?” the king asks with heavy humor. “What of my love for the queen?”

I am so glad that Thomas is not in the room, hearing this. Whatever he thinks of me now I would not have him see the king rest his heavy hand on my shoulder, and stroke my neck as if I am his mare, his hound. I would not want Thomas Seymour to see the king lick his little lips and my tolerant smile.

“The queen was born for happiness,” Kratzer states.

I turn to him in surprise. I’ve never thought such a thing. I was raised to assist my family to greatness, perhaps God has called me to help England stay true to the reformed faith, but I never thought I was born for happiness. My life was never planned with my happiness as its goal. “D’you think so?”

He nods. “I looked at the stars at the time of your birth,” he says. “And it was clear to me that you would marry several times and find happiness at the end.”

“You saw that?”

“He saw true happiness in your third marriage,” the king explains.

I show him my prettiest smile. “Anyone can see happiness in it.”

“Again,” Will intones wearily from under the table, “I could have predicted all of this, and then I could have had that heavy purse. Are we now to observe that the divine Katerina is happy?”