Garden

"I suppose it never entered my mind to tell him. Besides, secrets are much more fun when they are left secret, don't you think?" Alice felt young again, talking like this to her friend. "Truly? Forgive me but I find it hard to compare the Thomas Cromwell we all know to the one you describe. Perhaps, like my own husband, court life and the work that comes with it has hardened him." She would not dwell on differences though. "When I fell in love with Thomas it was not just physical and emotional, but spiritual as well. I was brought up a good Catholic of course, but Thomas' devotion amazes me. To have such unwavering faith in something that, these days, many people rail against.. that shows true heart."

Elizabeth linked her arm with Alices. "When i have a secret that i want my Thomas to find out i make it playful for him! Oh yes he was very romantic in courting me i felt safe and secure and inside i was like a little girl secretly happy that i got to marry the man i had now fallen in love with but this court and the heavy work load which he seems to enjoy has made him less carefree i am trying to put the spice back into our marriage" Elizabeth thought of religion for a second but it was a delicate subject now days

"Oh, if you had a spark once you can rekindle it," Alice said in a playful tone. "In fact, perhaps Thomas would appreciate it more, knowing you are trying your best to be the lovers you once were. In the case of true love, that never dies out."

Elizabeth gave a playful laugh. "I tried to read a book upon my divan windowsill I think even you would of thought the very image a funny one at that"

"Are you not the book-reading type?" Alice asked playfully.

Elizabeth smiled feeling the weather becoming slightly warmer. "Oh I am a very keen reader I have so many where do you put them all perhaps your husband can advise me"

Alice smiled at the memory. "Thomas had the most beautiful bookshelves carved for me for my birthday, the first year we were married. Soon after he started buying me the books to fill them. Including his own," she said with a smirk. "Sometimes men do the exact thing that we want, when we least expect it."

Elizabeth nodded and smiled at the sentiment. "That is a very beautiful gift to give but then again you're Thomas has always been generous. My first year of marriage was a baby I remember how small Gregory was and being to scared to hold him so tiny. How many children do you have Alice? I know you had a daughter called Anne"

"I had two daughters with my first husband. Alice and Helen. Alice is now in her second marriage, and Helen passed after Thomas and I wed." She crossed herself in remembrance of her.

"Your old husband used to be a merchant" Elizabeth thought how life had changed for her

"Those that marry men who merchant in silks are said to be the most happy and I think I would to!" Elizabeth could tell Alice had a distaste for her first husband. "You was known to be one of the wealthiest widows around but what is wealth without love"

"I'm not that sort of woman. I enjoy a man with a good mind, that's the best thing I love about Thomas." The wind picked up a bit, swirling Alice's cape around her. "Wealth is nothing if there is no one to share it with, no one to love."

Elizabeth wondered about her husband for a moment it most certainly was not true love for her at this very moment. "We all need something to occupy are minds in the lonely times it is to hard"

"Have you thought about taking a trip somewhere?" Alice asked, raising her hazel eyes to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth had not but now that Alice had mentioned it the idea was that of a brilliant one. "No I had not now I think this a splendid idea! Oh Alice were shall I venture too." Elizabeth thought of going to France not Italy or Spain that would just be wrong under the current circumstances.

Alice thought for a moment. "That depends upon your preferred method of traveling. If you don't mind being astride a horse you could go up to Scotland, but if you can venture a ship then overseas would be beautiful, perhaps France or even Belgium?" She walked along, excited at her own idea. "Oh Elizabeth..do you suppose it would be all right if I came along too?"

"Oh yes you must come with me Alice how about Bavaria? Thomas will not even notice I am gone" Being in a one way marriage was painful and lonely

"Oh Elizabeth, don't say something like that," Alice said tenderly. "But if you really wish, I think Bavaria would be beautiful this time of year."

Elizabeth did not respond to Alice slight protest simply she closed her eyes feeling the early rays of spring sun trying to break out. "I have never been and have been told that the gardens are forever like spring".

"It sounds like heaven," Alice smiled. "Do you know anyone there so we may not be perfect strangers in such a place?"

Elizabeth did not but she though of writing to king Richard. "No I do not but I want to go somewhere and be perfect stranger and not be questioned. Bavaria have their scandals aswlell one belonging to a Amelia of Cleves I hope to meet her one day I hear she writes he own poetry or stories."

"I am not always one for a scandal, but in a foreign country where we would be mysterious strangers, I am for it." Alice had vaguely heard of the Cleves family. Lutherans they were, and so she knew it would be interesting to meet them. "Perhaps we can get letters of recommendation from King Henry," she suggested. "Unless you prefer to write to King Richard."

Elizabeth never really come across any scandal. "Only scandal at this court is Anne Boleyn and I think that she is here to stay for I have never seen the King taken with a lady as such before but not even my husband can stand her it's of two minds clashing. I know our King is busy with a lot of things would it be wrong to go passed our king and write to a Foreign King he shall think of it as treason." Elizabeth shuddered at the thought she had never been in the tower and was not keen to ever go near that dark and dwelling place but now she felt trapped by this whole court.

Alice had a feeilng that Elizabeth would not want to ask her husband to intercede for her, but perhaps Aice's own husband may. "I could ask to get clearance from the king through my husband," she suggested.