After the Queen had departed, Neville sat with Simone holding her hand. "We can only wait and see what happens."

"We've betrayed both the Protestant and the Catholic factions."

"I've decided both factions are wrong. They want to control people with their religious dogma. People are sick with fear. They should be free."

"Can people really be free without God? They need something to comfort them." Simone pressed her body closer to him, not only for physical warmth, but also for emotional resolve.

"If people aren't taxed to death and forced to pray morning, noon, and night, They would be free to live and prosper."

"Aye, tis true, Neville. Tis a shame your father died. You would have made a good ruler."

"So this is why you spurned me in your bed!"
Mary walked down the narrow, marble chapel aisle. Her face sallow was distorted by jealousy and fury. She stopped in front of Neville, then turned on Simone. "Leave us, whore."

Neville stood to defend the terrified girl. "Mary stop it! Simone has nothing to do with what happened between us. I mean, what didn't happen between us."

"I want to speak with you alone, sister." Neville motioned Simone to leave, assuring her with a confident look. "Don't worry. I'll meet you after evening prayers." Mary's eye bored into the girl's back as she left.

Once he was alone with Mary, Neville decided to deflect her jealousy by confronting her about her alliance with The Duke of Norfolk. "I know about your communications with him. I have a letter to prove it."

Mary's face darkened, her eyes glittering. She was enjoying the sparring. "So you would black mail me to protect that whore."

"I'm not blackmailing you, Mary. I'm offering you a chance to expose Norfolk. He and Wolsey are behind a plot to tarnish Queen Catherine's reputation. Did you know that they would have her executed? She was kind to us, trying to reconcile the King with his family. Would you have your step own mother murdered?"

The gravity of the situation seemed to finally sink into Mary's mind as she whispered. "I wish you would be my friend, Neville. I've been alone here for too long. I only have my pain to guide me. I go on living only by thinking of the revenge I'll take on my enemies one day."

Mary's tortured sadness, her obvious pain, tugged at his heart. "Vengeance on who, Mary? Me? Your father? His subjects? I understand what it's like to lose a beloved mother, to be left alone. When you lose a parent, it's not much different whether you're male or female. The grief hits you the same way."

Mary turned to him. "What should I do Neville?" She fretted with her handkerchief as an insecure young girl would.

"Norfolk is going to be exposed plotting against Queen Catherine. Tell him you want nothing to do with his marriage proposal before that happens."

Mary looked at him with a new resolve, her eyes clear of anger. "You're right. If Norfolk had been so sure what he was doing was within the acceptable code of behavior, he would have openly declared himself my suitor. Instead, he made clandestine meetings with me in the dead of night. I shall be free of him!" Mary looked mournful. "Pray tell me. What of us, Neville? Would you not reconsider my friendship?"

"I can be your friend, Mary, and I can act as a sibling, but no more than that is possible. It would be wrong of me to take advantage of your pain." He reached out and took her hand. She was trembling. "I know it's difficult, but remember, you are a Princess. You're Henry's daughter, born for this life. You have great things ahead of you."

Mary smiled, but Neville saw how unsure she was about her future. "We shall see, Neville. I will deal with, Norfolk. He no longer has me under his siren spell. He will undermine my father no longer."

The Princess Mary's promises should have filled Neville with relief, but he had glimpsed a shadowy figure listening in the corner of the Chapel. Mary had been followed.