My Nephew, My King

Lying To Philip

"Philip! Oh, Philip!" Isabella called to her future brother-in-law as she ran toward him.

"Isabella! What is it?" Philip frowned, surprised.

"I've something very important to show you. Something you should know about." Breathlessly she showed him the monogrammed handkerchief she'd stolen from Edward Seymour's chambers. Philip looked at it, puzzled.

"My sister is having an affair with Viscount Beauchamp," Isabella said mournfully. "He accidentally left his handkerchief in her chambers. I found it when I was in there looking for a brooch she'd borrowed. I confronted her about it, and she admitted it. She gave him her maidenhead, Philip. Now she might be carrying his child."

Philip just stared at her, too stunned to say a word.

"I'm so sorry, Philip." Isabella's voice oozed sympathy. "I really hate to have to tell you this, but I thought that you should know before you wed her."

"You're right." Philip sighed. "Thank you for telling me."

"I honestly don't know what to do about that sister of yours," Philip told Mary later. "She's really serious about trying to prevent our marriage. She came to me and accused you of having an affair with Edward Seymour. She showed me his monogrammed handkerchief, claiming she'd found it in your chambers, but I know you well enough to know you haven't been with him."

Mary frowned. "That time I got sick," she said. "Isabella must have put something in my food. I never would have believed she'd have done something that mean. Now I feel like I don't even really know her."

"Well, we'll soon be in Bavaria and away from her anyway," Philip said consolingly.

"It just breaks my heart to know that my own sister hates me that much," said Mary.

"I don't think it's that she hates you," said Philip. "I think she's just a bit jealous. I'm sure she'll get over it when she meets a man of her own and falls madly in love with him."

"You're probably right," Mary replied. "And, like you said, we'll soon be in Bavaria anyway. Still, I wonder whether I should tell my parents about it."

"It would only make them worry, wouldn't it?" asked Philip.

"I suppose so," Mary agreed.

"You're doing really well," the midwife told Katherine. "Just give me one more big push."

"I can't take this anymore!" Katherine screamed. "If I'd known it was going to hurt this much, I never would have let Charles bed me!"

"When it's all over with and your new little one is in your arms, you'll forget all about the pain," the midwife predicted.

"No I won't...oh!" Another contraction hit Katherine, and she pushed and groaned with all her might.

"Here's the head!" exclaimed the midwife.

Katherine mustered all her strength and pushed once again.

"Here come the shoulders, and...it's a boy!" the midwife exclaimed joyfully. Deftly she flipped the newborn over and smacked his bottom, and he began to wail.

"Oh, let me see him!" Katherine exclaimed.

The midwife cleaned and swaddled the baby and handed him to his mother. Then she moved aside the curtain surrounding the birthing chamber.

"You may come in now," she told Charles.

"Is Katherine all right?" he asked anxiously.

"Katherine's fine," the midwife assured him. "You have a healthy new son!"

"A son!" Charles exclaimed happily. He went in to see Katherine, who was sitting up in bed looking tired but very happy and holding her new son.

"Hi, sweetheart," he said. "Did it hurt very much?"

"Not at all," said Katherine. "He's beautiful, isn't he?"

"Absolutely gorgeous," Charles agreed.

"I want to name him Charles," said Katherine.

"Thanks. I'm honored," Charles replied.