I have been working on my next story and have done all the proofing for Henry’s Defence. Question – is it all right for me to use some of the comments received from those of you who have read Henry in the final proof of the book?
The next story is ‘Dancing in the Rain’ for which I have to thank Sharon who used the phrase in another post and it turned out to be exactly what I wanted in this story – also providing the title. Many thanks for that Sharon – the whole phrase was new to me but suited this tale so well.
It is the story of Jane Rochford once again in her ‘writings’ this seems to be the style I am most comfortable with.
I am putting up the beginning if anyone want to have a quick read as before criticism welcome…
In this which is supposed to be Jane’s own musings in a sort of chronicle there are also some little sketches – I don’t know where the idea for this came from but I suppose maybe because when I write (not regularly but I do keep a sort of journal) I doodle and what have you so though why shouldn’t Jane – Question would that look daft in a story when in book form?
There is a little doodle in this piece of writing but I don’t know if it will C&P so it may not show – it is just alittle sketch of her dog at the appropriate place.

Anyway here is the start of Dancing in the Rain…

(Intoduction) Hallingbury, February 1542
I sit here upon the bed of my childhood with my dear husband John beside me. He doth gently blow and puff in his deep sleep but for me there can be no sleep, not this night or I fear for many nights to come. Distantly I hear mother’s sobs, lost in her grief, with father’s quiet murmurings as he tries to soothe her in their chamber along the passageway. I do swear mother shall never be soothed again in this life. I fear none of us shall ever again be as we once were.
My whole family to never more feel settled in comfort and surety of its position. We have been dealt a blow such as, mercifully, doth come to few. The whims of the King, the cruelty of life, I know not who to blame tis true though never – nor in all truth shall I ever in all the days to come – no never can I place any blame, any guilt on Jane’s sweet innocent head. Oh my dear Lord, her sweet head.
My tears do pour forth once more. Why are we such weak creatures who must ever bring to our own hearts such tortures? Why doth our minds in times of deepest distress encourage these imaginings of such things to bring us to a wishing for the end of all that we may feel not more pain – tho tis a most grievous sin to ponder on such a thing and I do pray the Lord be lenient with me for such wanderings as I do make in my thoughts.
There be but a few hours more for Jane, my dear, dear sister Jane, who is to die this day and all who know her in her quietness and gentleness are in great dismay. I will not tell her story nor can I bring myself to delve deeply into her writings though I did try but could not proceed in my misery. No tis too much to ask of myself but I do gather all together of her papers as she did beg John to have me do – that I may leave them secure in her old chest as she ordered hoping, she did tell him they be found in some future age to the cleansing of her reputation without the befouling of the King’s Majesty in his lifetime.
Mayhap in the years to come I will bring myself to a place in my mind where I can with some comfort sit and read of my sister’s thoughts but in truth I think that day will ne’er come, not for me, my heart does ache so where all I can hope for is to find peace with my own little family, my duties at court, my own trials and troubles. I do believe twill be best I grieve but let her go in memory as she will soon be gone in body.
My brave husband did write to ask as a favour of the King that he be allowed to visit with Jane in these last days to give her the love of her family and what other succour he could offer to her comfort in this time of such grief and confusion. He had no reply so did take himself in much trepidation to the tower, her prison, but found – much to his relief no barring of the way to her presence.
John hath told me of how calm Jane was in her bearing and still the sweet woman we all know and love. She asked if the King had declared for her yet, for her and Thomas Culpepper, for the Queen. She seemed, he says, most bewildered that the King had not called for a halt to all the inquiries and cruelties of the past days but took the news she was to die of a surety as had been decreed with a sigh and shake of her head. Then she did ask that he join her in a short prayer before settling on a stool to make what could be of his visit.
They talked for a time when she did tell him of some small things she wished done, debts covered and such like. John did promise he would faithfully carry out all to her peace of heart and mind. Then she did give him some papers which she rolled up into a bundle and tied tightly with some braid ripped from her skirts for the purpose, telling him as she did so that in the old chest in her room here at Hallingbury we would find more of the same. She desired they be all put together and kept safe for that time to come I spoke of before. I do not find it within myself to understand her care for the reputation of the King; tis indeed most strange that she should so worry in her last hours for the man who is taking her very life from her. She was ever a most faithful servant to him and his court but I think me there be many matters I have no knowledge of nor do I wish to inquire more. This King of ours is a man of many faces and many secrets wherefore I make no effort to know him more than tis needed for my own peace of mind. I keep to my duties no more, no less.
And so I have sat here at times blinded by tears to write these words of mine to add to her many pages an explanation for the reader of that coming age, that it be made most clear what they do hold in their hands, what the words do mean.
Reader whomsoever you may be and whensoever your time should be, even if tis fifty years, one hundred years or more, know of a surety you hold the writings of my dear, most sweet sister Jane. Jane Parker who by marriage was Jane Boleyn, she who was at the last Lady Rochford, she who in a time long ago to your thoughts did die a traitors death by the King’s will that such be justice in her case. Know you too that such a thing was most unjust to she who was ever gentle, honest and kind.
Read carefully of her words and I do most humbly beg of you pray treat well of her memory.
Margaret Shelton

(Chapter One) Hallingbury Spring 1520
The bed is piled with petticoats, snoods, sleeves, stockings and many other bits of bobbery so I have set me down here on the floor thankful that I have chosen to wear my old grey, woollen dress which now be much too short for me, the fraying hem showing more of my stocking than is wholesome and the bodice pulled tight about those places I have long wished my clothes to stretch themselves in covering.
I have taken up my pen to add a few sentences to these scraps of paper scattered about me. They date from some of my earlier years when I was in truth nought but a child. I am now quite grown and have but entered my fifteenth year. Twas as I scrabbled and searched through my usual untidiness, as has ever been my trial here in this small bedchamber – my refuge and retreat for all of my life cept when a babe of course, that I discovered these many scraps of hastily scribbled paper. Bringing to mind that I had a fancy at some younger age to write my thoughts and did so for many a year it seems looking at the pile I have just unearthed in the very bottom of the small chest where my old nightgowns were stored to be used for patching. I will not be taking the papers away with me but thought to add this one last page telling some unknown reader in a time to come of how I felt at this point in my life which I have already chronicled in my childish way some years past.
Soon I will leave Hallingbury our home with all the lands about it, leave this sweet room, the orchards and the animals. Norfolk my country a place of fresh air much space and a huge sky as far as the eye can see. I will also leave behind my childhood as I enter into my new life as a young lady with duties.
Yes soon I will be gone from here to take my place at court. Father has me a place in the train of the Queen, twill be but a lowly place to be sure but in time I hope to earn the Queen’s love and steadily rise in my station amidst her maids.
As I sit here on the wooden boards of my room where the sunlight makes the dust to dance as small glistening insects and the warmth of it strikes upon my head I have been reading, and I may say labouring oftimes over the words of my younger self. In places I have laughed aloud at my own pretensions and at others recalled the sadness of a moment long gone as when my dear little dog Pipkins was caught in the cart wheels and killed. My childishly formed words tear at my heart now as the poor, bloodied scrap of fur and bones broke my heart on that day some five years ago. The words are much blotched with tearstains. ‘Pips my best friend is a dead dog now and to be put in a hole near the orchard wall. I wish I too were dead to go in the hole with him. He was my best of friends I pray he be with the Lord above now’
I remember that day well sitting here in my room as it has been brought to my mind. I had been happily chasing him when disaster struck. The terrible howl he gave as first one wheel and then the other of the heavily laden wagon bumped over him. His poor little head was almost ripped off, his body twitched and so much blood all around. I feel the tears start to my eyes for my faithful, happy little friend – I had loved him so. Mother did hold me tightly in my distress as father saw to the removal of the poor body. “Poor creature tis the first in all time of our family to be so beheaded.” he muttered as he passed sacking to old Joe the carter to be wrapped about my dear Pip’s body.

(This is where the little sketch would be but it did not C&P)

But enough of such thoughts – today I have a new life awaiting me and my excitement is hard to bear, and so it is for all the family claims mother. I fuss and worry over the gown which the Queen has ordered all her maids must have and my head coverings, they are no more than caps really being I am thought too young for a proper gable and I must have six all exactly alike. The list of items I would needs must have at my disposal for service in the royal household was long and detailed but atween us, mother and I have everything gathered.
Now here I am, sitting on the dusty floor, reading of my times past when I should be packing, rolling my stockings into pairs, checking seams and hems, gathering hair pins and a multitude of other tasks which mother set me this morning. I shall have to make shift soon to do these chores but as ever I much prefer to let my mind drift. I mean to leave these much creased and grubby pages here in my bedchamber for someone to find in times to come and if they are unsure of who I be, the writer of these small happenings then I will tell you I am Jane, Jane Parker that is, daughter of Henry Parker who is also Lord Morley and of Alice his wife, my dearest mother.
It comes to me that at some future time one of my own children shall mayhap find this bundle of scribbles to learn of their mother when she too was a young child. Yes I can see it quite clearly, that day in the misty future when I shall visit with my important and rich husband for such my father is sure to settle upon for me. We shall be dressed in great style and have about us a brood of little ones eager to visit with their grandparents.
The children will sleep here in this chamber which was once mine and in their naughty prowlings when supposed to be abed they will discover these papers. I shall pretend a great irritation but together we will sit and read of all the things I have written and we shall share much laughter and funning though I think me I will not read the story of Pip to them, poor, poor dear Pip. My husband too will be charmed to see the untidy hand his pretty wife once used and to hear of her thoughts when almost too young to have any. It doth make a pretty scene in my mind.
So now I put all away, back into the near empty chest and leave them so until their discovery in another time.
Mother is calling to me so I must finish preparing for my great adventure, for so I see it this next step in my life. I am off to court and to my future which father says will be a bright and happy one if I remember my duty and be obedient in all things. I have ever been obedient and I know well my duty towhit there can be only great happiness ahead for me.