The Tudor Triangle

Chapter 2: Justice

She was awoken by Mrs Forster, wife of the Anthony Forster who controlled Robert Dudley's private expenses. They had rented the house and then, in turn, Amy had come to stay with them. The older woman came clumsily through the door with her maid Bess carrying a candle. Katherine had slept for a while, and the day had already drawn in.  For a second she forgot all of her heartache, but then she remembered anew. 

“What are you doing here, girl?” Mrs Forster asked crossly, roughly opening the curtains around the bed.

Bess started the fire, as the room had grown chilly. The waning autumn sun was descending fast. Katherine could see from the woman’s irritation that Amy's death had given her a heap of chores that she could have well done without. In addition, the young girl supposed Anthony Forster would in ill-humour, afraid of what the consequences of Amy's death could be for their family.  Katherine wondered what he knew of it all, had Dudley drawn such an honest man as Forster into the most vile crime?

“Get up, get up.  We will be expecting visitors of some importance, I can tell you. You’ll have to start considering where you’ll go because you can’t expect Mr Forster to keep you.” 

Katherine raised her heavy head and looked up at the window.  The sunset had an amber glow and the looming tower of St Michaels church glared orange in reflection. It seemed wrong that anything could be beautiful without Amy here. She did not see the end of the day, and would not see another winter or spring.

 “Now," said Mrs Forster turning to Bess. “Let's start packing up these things.”

Katherine climbed down from the high bed, feeling anger surge through her again.   “You leave them alone!”

Mrs Foster turned to Katherine with surprise, Bess looked horrified.

"How dare you!" shouted Anne Forster, her shock visible at the rudeness of the servant girl.

Katherine had been told many times how Anne Forster was niece of the Baron Williams of Thame, no less. Anne's grandfather had fought with Henry VII on the Battle of Bosworth Field, so that the new Tudor queen could now rest uneasily on the throne. Katherine knew she had overstepped her place in the world, that she had insulted far above her servant station. 

But she could not care. Katherine looked at her in fury, trembling with indignation.

“She’s been dead but a few hours… a few hours.  You were not there for her when she was alive, and I’ll not see you wipe out her existence tonight.”

The young girl suddenly caught sight of her reflection in the window, she looked unhinged. Her red gold hair looked afire in the candlelight. The flame reflected back in the gold streaks that hung at the front, lighting her up.

 Mrs Forster stepped back unsteadily.

“Mrs Forster,” said Katherine. “ What would God think of your treatment of her in this life?” As she said this, her hands grappled for the small prayer book that hung from her girdle. She brandished it up to Mrs Forster, as if guarding against evil.

Now Mrs Forster was looking scared and backed away even more towards the door.

Katherine was in ascendant. "You begrudged Amy every moment you had to spend in her company.  I saw you rolling your eyes to heaven when she spoke of how Robert would be coming for her soon.  I saw you walk the other way if she was coming yours. Why was that? Was she too sad for you, Mrs Forster?  Was it because she reminded you that you had denied her the charity of friendship? Was it by your husband’s instructions that you left a woman in need, alone?”

Katherine could see Anne Forster fumbling for the door latch, unwilling to listen to anymore of the stark honesty she was dishing out.  She surged forward towards the escaping lady, the white heat of anger making her seem invincible.