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she saw a plate covered in a cloth. She stepped across to the bench, raising the covering, keen to see what was beneath; a ham bone, mostly cleaned of the choice meat, but if she could find a knife elsewhere then there was still plenty of flesh for her to pare down. She looked around her for any clues. Sitting on the shelf behind her she found a block full of black-handled blades. Grabbing a small knife, she drew the blade across the flesh, slicing a piece of the ham, pushing it into her mouth.

  Kateryn groaned as she enjoyed the rich roasted flavour.

  'That's good,' she said, lifting the blade again to cut some more meat from the joint.

  oOo

  The small garden outside of the Palace kitchen was one of Mary Wadham's favourite places. She could spend hours tending the herbs in the patch of land that the gardener had put to one side for her. Her particular favourite was the large-leafed parsley that tended to grow wildly here and she loved to use it in her fish pies, and other dishes that required her famous parsley sauce.

  Mary reached down and with the small scissors in her hand clipped a few stalks, tying the bunches together with the thin twine that she had brought with her. That should be enough, she thought, to keep her going for days. She raised herself from her knees and brushed the dirt from the front of her dress, then turning and making her way back to the door to the Palace kitchen, her mind running over the recipes and meal choices for the next day.

  Mary reached out and pushed open the door which lead to the servant's cloakroom corridor, stepping through. Master Draper must have been moaning to the girls about the state of the passageway because all the shoes, boots and cloaks were neatly lined up in their proper places, so as no one could trip as they made their way through. It wouldn't stay like that for very long, she thought, as she wondered how soon it would be before he needed to issue another warning to the girls.

  Mary reached the kitchen and passed through the doorway to her domain, heading for the pantry and the cool air of the store where she would leave the herbs that she had collected outside.

  That was strange, she thought. She could have sworn that the door to the pantry had not been left ajar. She distinctly remembered pulling it closed before going into the garden. Then, the sound of pieces of crockery clinking together confirmed her thoughts; there was definitely someone in her pantry.

  Mary imagined one of the serving girls sneaking food into their bag to take home, and it certainly wouldn't have been the first time that had happened. If that was true then there would be the devil to pay, and, it would certainly explain her suspicions that there had been a thief in the kitchen more than once over the last week or two. She pushed the door open, ready to curse the person with the nerve to steal from the Palace.

  Mary took a deep breath. 'What the blazes do you think—?'

  oOo

  Kateryn spun around as the door opened, her mouth full of ham, the knife still poised to cut more from the remnants of the joint. It was fair enough, she thought, she had been caught red-handed and had intended to say, 'Oh, Mistress Wadham, you scared me,' but what came out resembled no words that even she, herself, could recognise, and, she suspected, neither would the Head Cook.

  'Your Highness!' Mary gasped, both startled and surprised. 'What in heaven's name are you doing down here?'

  Kateryn carried on her chewing but smiled sweetly at Mary whose temper seemed to be quickly subsiding. She shrugged and pointed at her mouth.

  'If you were hungry, Your Highness,' Mary said, 'you only had to ask and Master Draper would have brought you something right away.'

  Kateryn swallowed the contents of her mouth and smiled again at the cook.

  'I know,' she said, 'but this is much more exciting, don't you think?'

  Mary shook her head. 'Not for my heart, mistress. I thought it would give out when I saw someone in my store.' She opened the door wide and gestured for Kateryn to come outside. 'Here, why don't you come and sit down at the table and I'll make you something up good and proper.'

  Kateryn put down the knife and turned towards Mary. 'I never wanted to put you to any trouble.'

  'It's no trouble, honest,' Mary said, waiting for Kateryn to reach the table and seat herself.

  The cook disappeared inside the pantry again and after a little bumping and clanking she returned with a tray carrying more meat, cheese and some crusty bread and butter, along with a jar of her home-made chutney.

  Kateryn licked her lips. 'Thank you, Mary. That looks good, but I could do with something to drink to go with it, though.'

  'Course you could,' Mary said, 'how silly of me. I'll put the kettle on. Tea alright?'

  Kateryn nodded and carried on eating as Mary fussed around the kitchen, and, after a few minutes, when the water had boiled and the drinks were done, she brought them across.

  Mary pulled out a stool and sat herself down. 'Well this is nice,' she said, 'it's been a long time since the lady of the Palace came down here to see us in the pits.'

  Kateryn smiled at Mary. 'I always thought that perhaps I should, but I just never thought that you'd want me in your way down here. And anyway, you always look so busy.'

  'Nonsense, child. You're always welcome down here, and in any case the day that there's no time for a chat and a cuppa is a sorry day indeed.' Mary lifted her cup to her lips.

  Kateryn cut herself some cheese. 'I've the devil of a hunger these days,' she said, popping it in her mouth. The taste was smooth and strong. 'This is good, though,' she mumbled.

  Mary laughed. 'Eat away,' she said, 'there's plenty more where that came from.' She took another sip of her tea. 'I never expected to see you down here. In fact, the last time we had an Empress down here was when Frederick's mother was carrying him in her belly. She used to get the munchies, too.' She laughed, almost cackling. 'If I didn't know no better I'd say that you were...'

  Kateryn laughed as Mary stopped, realising what it was that she had said.

  'I'm so sorry,' Mary said, a concerned look crossing her face, 'I never meant to speak out of turn, Your Highness.'

  'Don't be silly,' Kateryn replied, 'you didn't.'

  'Now I've gone and embarrassed myself. It's gone all awkward.'

  'Honestly, you shouldn't worry.'

  Mary took another drink of her tea, and placed the cup back onto the saucer.

  'That would be a turn up for the books, though, don't you think,' Mary said, 'if you was...you know, with child and all that, and you came down here to feed the babe?'

  Kateryn grinned as she pushed a piece of the bread into her mouth. When she had finished, she reached over for the towel that lay on the tabletop and wiped her hands.

  'My bleed is late, Mary,' she said. 'I'm starting to think that I am.'

  Mary frowned, then said, 'What! With child?' She gasped and raised her hand to her mouth in surprise. She looked across at Kateryn as the news sunk in. 'Are you sure?'

  'Quite sure,' Kateryn said. 'Well, I think so anyway.'

  'Does the Emperor know?' Mary asked.

  Kateryn shook her head. 'Not yet,' she said. 'I haven't told a soul, not even my ladies-in-waiting.' She smirked and reached over to the plate to break off another piece of cheese, pushing it into her mouth. 'Although, no doubt they'll be close to working it out themselves any time soon now.' She chewed away. 'You would be the first to know,' she said.

  'Honestly?' Mary asked. 'Me? So I am the first person in the whole wide world to know that Emperor Frederick is to have an heir?

  Kateryn nodded, smiling.

  Mary's eyes were wide with excitement as she stared back. She reached across to Kateryn, taking her hand and squeezing it.

  'Now there's a thing.' She laughed, almost a high-pitched giggle, shaking her head in disbelief. 'Who'd have thought it?'

  15

  The First Day of Midsummer,

  Imperial Year 2332

  Frederick's blood ran cold as he lifted the parchment before reading the words again. So, despite his best efforts, war had come. And, to cap it all, he honestly did
not know what more he could have done? He found it hard to understand how Ysabel could believe that this was truly what he wanted. The attacks on her troops in the hills had been the latest episode in this sorry affair, but must men from both sides of the border really lay down their lives for what he still believed could only be a deception of some kind? There must be a way to stop this? He looked at the other men in the room, watching him for his reaction; de Malyns, his faithful and silent scribe, waiting to document his next words, and then there was the messenger. The man looked tired and drawn; it was a long way to come from the Commonwealth and, as well as that, the man's eyes betrayed the depth of his fear despite him putting on a brave face.

  Frederick circled around the man looking him up and down. It was no doubt that he wore his red tunic with pride and the man had certainly displayed exceptional courage to travel all the way across the Empire in the uniform of what many people already considered to be the enemy.

  'What's your name, soldier?' Frederick asked.

  'Brogham, Your Highness.'

  'You're a brave man, Brogham.'

  The man bowed at Frederick. 'We all have our duty to do, Your Highness.'

  Frederick nodded as he returned to his desk and sat in his chair. 'That we do,' he said.

  He placed the declaration of war on his desk and slid it away from him before locking his hands together and leaning forward to address the man again.

  'Do you have a family, Brogham?'

  'No, Sire.'

  The man looked uncomfortable as he