Wolsey´s study

Geoffrey entered in the room and bowed deeply

Your Eminence...sir Thomas More has come back from France. He is here and wishes to see you...

He announced, lowering his eyes

Wolsey stood up immediately as Geoffrey announced Thomas More.
'Please, show him in!' He felt restless at once and walked toward More, who just entered the room.

'Thomas! You have sent no harbinger to tell me you are back from France! Come in, come in, and tell me what happened. I assume you were in time for the negotiations!' He made a gesture for him to sit down and ordered a servant to pour some water for sir More and himself.

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Geoffrey let sir Thomas walking inside. Then he bowed silently and left the room

Thomas entered in the room after Wolsey's invitation

Your Eminence...

He sat on a chair at his desk and looked carefully at his face. Wolsey looked rather agitated. He shook slowly his head after his last question

Ehm...not exactly, Your Eminence. A week later...

He answered with calm voice

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'A week?' Wolsey looked aghast.
'Then how could you contribute to the fundamentally important debates?'

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Thomas shrugged a bit, before answering

I hadn't take part to the main ones, but only to secondary negotiations with the most important parts...

He said rather hesitantly, knowing he wanted to know about the main debates

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Wolsey stared at him, the word "secondary" seemed to hang in the air. He took a crumpled handkerchief and dabbed his forehead.
'Which... negotiations?' He tried to remain calm though his tension grew by the lenient expression on More's face.

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Thomas showed him a satisfied smile after his question

Oh...I'm glad to announce you, Your Eminence, that we obteined very good trade relations with Netherlands. We also got guarantees about pending payments that the King is waiting from the Emperor...

He answered proudly, even if not looking directly at him

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He listened at him, his head lowered. Of course, this was good news, but no more than confirming the agreements which he had made before Thomas More left. His jaws moved, he approached More and leaned over, his face close to him.

´But the major disputes, Thomas. What happened? Has the king of France refused to make peace?'

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Thomas shook slowly his head. He could feel Wolsey's agitation on him

Oh no...on the contrary. He composed his differences with Emperor. And both of them...composed their ones with His Holiness Pope Clement...

He answered, still looking around room

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Wolsey swallowed. If the King of France, the Emperor and the Pope had joined forces, the odds for a divorce for Henry were misjudged. And he knew only too well who it would be blamed. He closed his eyes in disbelief and despair.
He staggered back to his desk and sat down slowly.
´So... in other words, we were deliberately sidelined...´

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Thomas shrugged and sighed deeply

If you like to say so...

He just commented, giving him a curious glance. He was trying to hide a smile on his face lowering his eyes

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´Now there is no chance that the Pope agrees to a divorce.´ He talked to himself, he knew very well that Thomas would not care, but when he raised his eyes at him he saw his reaction, More's half-hidden smile and his diplomatic silence infuriated him. Wolsey clenched his fist under his chin and spoke icy at him.

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'Tell me, Thomas, what exactly do you think you actually have achieved in Cambrai that makes you look so smug?!'

Thomas raised his eyes to him with a serious expression of his face, this time. He sighed, perplexed by his words

With all my respect, Your Eminence...it was not my duty to obtein something. Although, I think that diplomacy got a certain success. There is again peace in Europe! And England is in peace with the Empire. And above all...papal authority is restored and recognized. I believe in that...

He added proudly, looking directly at his face, and feeling proud to show finally his thoughts

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Wolsey covered his eyes with his hand while Thomas was speaking. Even though the facts that there was peace in Europe and the powers of the Pope restored were reasons to rejoice, Wolsey saw the abyss grow before him. Not only this peace was a stumbling block for the divorce, it was also obvious that the English interests and influences were passed on all sides and their international power curtailed. He thought of the French king who had sworn to him never to make peace with the Emperor and he groaned.
'Francis betrayed me...!'

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Thomas stood up, almost offended by Wolsey's disappointement

Francis realized the futility of war! He recognized the importance of traditions...

He replied without hesitation, looking directly at his desperate face. He knew that he was disappointed by the results of his mission in France. Wolsey was expecting something different. But he couldn't hide the truth from him...

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Wolsey rubbed his eyebrows and wiped his forehead with the crumpled handkerchief, his thoughts tumblng over eachother though there was only one possible conclusion.
His last resort was lost!
Finally he raised his eyes to More and saw he had risen and watched him calmly, aware of the significance of his words and Wolsey turned his anger and despair to him.

'And you, Thomas, have destroyed me!'

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Thomas remained speechles for a while. He stared silently at Wolsey with a shocked expression on his face. He disappointed him deeply, and he was aware of that. But he couldn't act otherwise. He gulped hardly

I'm sorry, Cardinal...

He could just whisper. He wanted to add more, but he didn't. Then he bowed deeply at him and left his study with slow steps

Wolsey kept looking at him but when Thomas apologized and left he sighed deeply and shook his head.
How could he accuse his old friend of things he couldn't influence... where were the times More and he agreed and worked smoothly together to fulfill all wishes of their beloved king?
Everything was out of hand and changed irreversibly.
He moaned softly and covered his head with his hands.

A letter arrived for The Cardinal Wolsey. Sealed with the familiar stamp used by The Cravens. A servant announced himself and gave it to The Cardinal whispering,"From The Dowager Duchess of Windsor, your Eminence."

Wolsey was reading some papers, the pile of documents never shrank and he continued handling them if nothing changed at all.
A servant entered and handed him a parchment, bowed and left the room.

He opened the seal and recognized the stamp of the Cravens. His heart lifted while reading quickly and then he read it again, tears of gratiitude filled his eyes, not many people dared to support him now, not even secretly.

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He put the parchment down and rubbed his eyes, remembering the happy days at the start of his carreer, filled with ideals and like-minded friends as Thomas Craven, a friend for life and now deceased, leaving behind a wonderful family though, a solid and loyal strong family, destined for high positions and major influence at court.

Sighing deeply he read the parchment once again and frowned deeply as he noticed the concerns of Lady Jane for her daughter Elizabeth. Pensive he stood up and walked to the fireplace, hesitating for a moment with the parchment against his chest and then threw it into the flames.
He stared for a while, thinking of his good old friends and then called for the servant.

'Bring lady Elizabeth Craven to me, please. I need to see her at once!'

I arrive at the Cardinal Wolsey's rooms upon his command. I dress modestly in a gown of the deepest blue and I have arranged my golden hair under a French hood which is the latest fashion in court since the Lady Anne Boleyn began wearing them.

I ask the servant to introduce me and pinch my pale cheeks to give them a flush of colour as I await a reply.

He was staring outside the window as lady Craven was announced.
'Let her enter.' he spoke and kept staring outside.

She entered and he turned half around to nodd at her, then looked outside again, his arms crossed and remained silent for a while.

'Lady Craven. I missed you, and above all, your reports about the wellbeing of the queen.' he spoke measured.

I sweep a deep curtsey with a a bowed head as I enter however I note the absence of tapestries and see only a few items of worth...compared to our last meeting the room looks bare.
"Your Eminence,"I say softly as I feel my knee touch the floor, I then rise.

I bow my head at his words and reply,"Her Majesty keeps well-forever praying for justice and being an example to us all however I must confess I have not been able to see her so often."