He comes to my rooms to receive my congratulations. The Princess Mary is at my side, putting a brave face on the turn of events that remove England from alliance with her mother’s family.

“But, my lord, if we have peace with the French, then I suppose that the king is unlikely to make his new alliance with the German princes and the Elector Palatine?”

The studied blankness of poor Mary’s face tells me how anxiously she is awaiting his response.

“Indeed, His Majesty will not need the friendship of the German princes,” John Dudley replies. “We have a lasting alliance with France, we need no other.”

“Perhaps no betrothal,” I whisper to Mary and watch the color flood into her face. I make a little gesture to give her permission to stand aside and she goes to the window bay to compose herself.

As soon as her back is turned, the smile disappears from John Dudley’s face. “Your Majesty, what in God’s name is happening here?”

“The king is arresting those in favor of reform,” I say quietly. “People are disappearing from court, and from the London churches. There’s no sense in it. One day someone is at dinner; the next they are gone.”

“I hear that Nicholas Shaxton has been summoned to London to answer charges of heresy. I couldn’t believe it. He was Bishop of Salisbury! They can’t arrest a former bishop.”

I didn’t know this. He can see the shock in my face. For one of the king’s own bishops to be arrested like this is to return to the dark days of the martyred churchmen, and John Fisher walking to the scaffold. The king had sworn he would never allow such cruelty again.

“Bishop Hugh Latimer, who preached before me in the Lent season, has been summoned to explain to the Privy Council what topics he chose,” I tell John Dudley.

“The Privy Council are theologians now? They are going to debate with Latimer? I wish them the best with that.”

“Stephen Gardiner will certainly debate with him. He is defending the Six Articles,” I say. “And that is an easy side to take for there is a new law that nobody may speak against them.”

“But the Six Articles are halfway to popery!” he exclaims. “The king himself said—”

“Now, they are the king’s express opinion,” I interrupt.

“His opinion for now!”

I bow and say nothing.

“Forgive me, forgive me,” John Dudley recovers himself. “It’s just that I feel as if the Seymours and Cranmer and I are away from court for five minutes and the old churchmen get hold of the king, and when we return we find all the gains we have made and everything we believe are set back. Can’t you do anything?”