– 'You are so kind,' smiled Brigid. – 'I shall be glad of such a gift! I only hope your father will not scold you for such a waste?

– Ah, he will do anything I ask," Alienor waved her hand. She knew her father as well as anyone. And she spoke the truth: he never refused her anything. Whatever the price, whatever his daughter asked of Sir Norton was bought without argument. – But tell me, was your mother angry with you? For that poor hood was a gift from her?

– I confessed my loss to her, but she only smiled and said it was a small payment for the Lord not taking me away from her," replied Brigid, and at this recollection a warmth sprang into her bosom. A happy smile touched her lips, and she whispered in her friend's ear: "She has changed so much! This illness must have been God's blessing to me! My mother was never so caring and caring… She even took pity on me and my foolish love for William… "He is not worthy of you," she said!

– And your father?

– He, too, has suddenly become caring and even kind to me… Of course, he doesn't express it as openly as my mother does, but this morning he said that he would find me a worthy suitor, more intelligent and richer than William… – Brigid frowned: even though she had accepted her shame and the fact that her dream would never come true, the girl still suffered at the thought that she was not destined to marry for love.

After all, who would marry her? Who would want a fresh, beautiful rose when her family was in disgrace and barely making ends meet? To marry Brigid Guise would be to fall into the king's disfavour, for along with her beauty her husband would have a stain on his name.

– I will ask my father to find you the handsomest and bravest knight in all England," Alienor said hastily, as if she had read her friend's thoughts, and she laughed merrily as she patted Brigid's cheek. "And William will eat his own sword when he hears that you have been married to an earl or even a duke's heir!

– That will never happen. I might be beautiful, but…" Brigid sank her head sullenly.

– Might be? How modest you are! – Alienor exclaimed and kissed her friend on the cheek. – There is no girl in England more beautiful than you! Not even the King's favourite can match you! Have you seen her? Bland as a rotten fish!

– And yet she manages to keep Henry tied to her," Brigid said grudgingly. – Do you find Anne Boleyn bland? I thought you liked her.

– She can be bland and I like her at the same time! – not at all ladylike, Alienor giggled. – Her face is plain, really, but her eyes… Such eyes! They enchant, envelope, invite… If I were a man, I would definitely fall into her net!

– If I were a man, I would be happy to have a woman like Catherine of Aragon as a wife! – said Brigid firmly, displeased at her best friend's sympathy for the horrid, vile woman who broke the heart of the Queen of England. – Ah, Alienor, how can you like that lecherous woman? They say all she does is party, dance and get gifts from the King!

– That's exactly what I like about her! She's not boring, which is more than I can say for your favourite Catherine," said Alienor. – I like to live and be merry, and to spend the whole day in the prayer room, like the Queen and her ladies in honour, would make me dull with boredom… Oh, my dear, don't be sad," she added affectionately, seeing the sadness on Brigid's face. – The king will not marry her. As long as Catherine lives…

– I pray to God that the Queen will live long and happy years, – bitterly whispered Brigid and shook her head. – But I don't want to hear any more about all this. The only thing I wish for is William Tury, but it is time for me to tear him from my heart. He wanted to marry you, Alienor. – A flame of envy flickered in the girl's eyes, but it was not black or evil. – He asked for your hand in marriage.