Page 12 of The Uprising
He turned away.
Her heart raced, and she felt sick.
George had taken a mistress.
During the weeks that followed, George was frequently away with the king, and he and Cara didn’t share more than a few snatched moments. He would appear at odd hours of the day and night, only to rush off again shortly after. The tension at the palace was palpable.
‘What’s going on in Lincolnshire?’ Cara asked him one day when they had a moment alone. There had been excited talk at court of an uprising against the new Church of England. People were enraged over the Dissolution of the Lesser Monasteries, and the king's popularity had not been restored to the level of the Katherine of Aragon years, as he had hoped. Queen Anne Boleyn was never a sweetheart of the masses, but that didn’t mean the people didn’t object to their queen being executed on what many believed to be trumped-up charges.
‘It looks as though the Lincolnshire Uprising, by the grace of God is nearing its end. I fear, however, that the danger isn’t over because there is still much unrest in the north. Just because it’s been quelled, doesn’t mean the cause has been relinquished.’
It had been some years since Cara had studied the specifics of the Tudor rebellions. She recalled there would be several uprisings around this time, but the exact order of events eluded her. The words ‘Pilgrimage of Grace’ floated in and out of her mind, and she knew it would occur soon.
‘Please be careful, George. If there is any way for you to extract yourself from growing ever closer to the king in the role of special advisor in this matter, then please take it. These are dangerous times. The people have just cause to rebel; they are angry at Cromwell’s policies. The less we are embroiled in it, the better.’
‘Lower your voice, my love. We cannot afford to be overheard exchanging such views.’ George ran his fingers through his hair.
Cara moved closer and whispered, ‘Must you be so involved?’
George looked at her in surprise. ‘Do you imagine I have any say in how I spend my days when I serve the king? Do you think the king asks me whether I’d like to take part? My goodness, I’d much rather be here with you, or at home with the family at Willow Manor. Don’t you know that by now?’
Cara held his gaze and said, ‘I don’t know what to think—since I found out about your mistress.’
‘For the love of God, woman. There is no mistress.’
George took a deep breath. He suspected he might be away for some time, and he didn't want them to part on bitter terms; things were tense enough between them already.
‘I can’t talk about this now. There’s too much going on. The king has asked me to travel to York on his behalf to negotiate with a friend of mine who it appears is the nominated leader of another uprising they’re calling the Pilgrimage of Grace.’
‘Must you go personally? Can’t one of the other lords attend to it on your behalf?’ Cara hung her head as her emotions bubbled and threatened to overwhelm her.
‘You know the king doesn’t readily admit the northern lords into his inner circle. He knows Robert Aske and I are childhood friends and hopes that our alliance will allow me to influence him to bid the rebels stand down. And besides, my sympathies lie with Robert; I would like to help resolve matters peacefully.’
‘I don’t think you grasp how truly dangerous the situation is.’
George raised her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers and then the palm of her hand. ‘York is our city. If there is some way I may restore harmony, I must surely do it. You know that my love.’
‘But must you play the hero?’ she said, desperate to get through to him.
George sighed. ‘I’m not playing anything. And certainly not the hero. I only want to help Robert escape the noose, you know he’s a dear friend, and I fear for his life if he insists on continuing with this madness. Although, honestly, I don’t have any choice.’
‘You’ll be the most heroic man in the graveyard if you’re not careful,’ said Cara, her eyes shining.
‘Come now, my darling. Let us please not part with such thorny sentiments. I promise I will take care and be with you again soon. I’ll be on the king’s business, and as such, I will have the protection of the Royal Army. We’ll be on the right side of things this time—it won’t be anything like the last debacle.’
There was no point fighting against his iron will. His mind was made up. Cara tilted her head upwards, and he kissed her and encircled her in his arms. She had no desire to upset him, only to warn him. She turned to gaze out of the window at the bustling courtyard below, considering whether she should reveal the future, so he might grasp the magnitude of the situation.
‘Please fear not but wait for me in the safety of the palace, passing pleasant days in the queen’s rooms. That is how I will imagine you, and the vision of your loveliness will sustain me through the hard days ahead. I will get word to you as soon as I possibly can, my love.’ George kissed Cara again and then dashed out of the door to consult with the king and Cromwell before leaving for York. There was no time for her to say any more.
She sat down heavily, feeling bereft. Stranded once again, the long, dull days stretched before her like an ominous stormy skyline with no end in sight. She longed to be back in present-day York, curled up on the sofa with George.
She must find a way to stop the time travel or she would go mad. Every day, Cara prayed that quantum physics professor, Eddie, would figure it out. Only then would they finally be free to lead a normal life.
Chapter 5
Rose Cottage, York, Three days later - Present day
After dinner, Cara curled up with George on the sofa in front of the roaring fire. Her wish had been granted, and she was grateful to be back at the cottage. For the first time in what seemed like ages, she was at ease. She’d been furious at George about his Tudorville affair and found it hard to let it go, but she had decided to push it from her thoughts and to enjoy the day.
