Reluctant Queen: Tudor Historical Novel About Mary Rose Tudor, the Defiant Little Sister of King Henry VIII by Geraldine Evans

But as Mary glanced out of the window, she saw that a pall of dark smoke hung in the sky across the river. On questioning her ladies, she was appalled to learn that a small fire started during the previous night’s ball had spread rapidly, fanned by strong winds. And when she asked why she had heard no warning tocsins, she learned that the king had given orders that nothing was to disturb the ball in her honour. This second bad omen cast an even darker pall over her wedding day than had the smoke from the fire. Mary gazed at the blackened and gutted buildings, whose skeletal fingers seemed to point accusingly at her. ‘You mean I danced whilst others were dying?’ Like Nero and his fiddle, she thought. Twice now, people had died because of this marriage; once by water in the shipwreck of The ‘Great Elizabeth’ and this time by fire. Mary wondered, if a third tragedy occurred, what force of nature would bring it about? Should she expect an earthquake next? Some dreadful disease? Fearing the answers should she pose these questions, she forced herself to ask another. ‘How many were killed in the fire?’
    ‘Not many. Most escaped,’ Lady Guildford assured her, before she added, less reassuringly, ‘but a few unfortunate babes and children lost their lives.’
    Mary was beginning to think her marriage to Louis was truly cursed. How could it be otherwise? she reasoned, when her arrival in France for the ceremony had brought about the loss of so much life? She repeated her previous thought aloud. ‘It is a bad omen. Another one.’
    ‘Nay, put such notions from your mind,’ Lady Guildford told her firmly. ‘It is no omen, merely an unfortunate accident waiting to happen with so many wooden buildings packed so tightly together.’
    ‘What of the dead babes’ parents and the other poor people? To be homeless with the worst of winter coming on, what will become of them?’ For the moment, Mary forgot her own troubles and said, ‘We must send them some aid and—’
    ‘Calm yourself, Mary. You must try to curb this tendency to be over-emotional and dramatic. You will not find such inclinations a help in your new role. If you follow the example of Queen Catherine you will take no wrong steps.’
    Catherine, serious-minded and as pious as her Mother Guildford, was known for her generous alms-giving and much respected for it. She was never frivolous as Mary had been the previous night. Mary was in no mood to listen to further chastisement as to her shortcomings, but thankfully, Lady Guildford said no more about that. Instead, she told her, ‘The King has sent men over to help. No doubt there’ll be food provided from the kitchens. Such flimsy structures will be built up again in a few short days, you’ll see, and you’d scarce think aught had happened.’
    ‘The parents of the dead babes and children will not think that, Mother, I’m sure,’ Mary gently chided. ‘When I think of the enthusiasm with which the people greeted me for all that I’m a stranger… They cheered me and gave me courage.’
    ‘Aye, well, mayhap their enthusiasm was their undoing. It seems likely all the drunkenness brought the fire in its wake.’
    ‘Still, it would never have happened but for my arrival.’
    ‘Now, my lady, we want no more foolish talk. This could have happened at any time. As I said, it is just an unfortunate coincidence, nothing more. Forget about omens and portents and other such superstitious nonsense. I will not have you feel responsible for a drunkard’s carelessness. I was talking to one of the French ladies earlier. It seems there are often fires across the river. These people build too close together and of the cheapest materials. It was only the high wind which made it especially bad this time.’
    ‘Perhaps they can afford no other material, Mother.’
    ‘Maybe. But if they didn’t spend their earnings on drink they would be able to afford more respectable housing.’ The abstemious and sternly-religious