The King’s Mistress

The King’s Mistress
Darcey Bonnette

She holds the key to a kingdom’s future…When young Mary Howard receives the news that she will be leaving her home for the grand court of King Henry VIII, to attend his mistress Anne Boleyn, she is ecstatic. Everything Anne touches seems to turn to gold, and Mary is certain Anne will one day become Queen. But Mary has also seen the King’s fickle nature and how easily he discards those who were once close to him…Discovering that she is a pawn in a carefully orchestrated plot devised by her father, the duke of Norfolk, Mary dare not disobey him. Yet despite all of her efforts to please him, she too falls prey to his cold wrath. Not until she becomes betrothed to Harry Fitzroy, the Duke of Richmond and son to King Henry VIII, does Mary finds the love and approval she s been seeking.But just when Mary believes she is finally free of her father, the tides turn. Now Mary must learn to play her part well in a dangerous chess game that could change her life and the course of history.An unforgettable drama of betrayal, ambition, lost innocence and perseverance, perfect for fans of Phillipa Gregory's novels and TV series such as The Tudors.Previously published as Secrets of the Tudor Court.

The King’s Mistress

Darcey Bonnette

Copyright

Published by Avon an imprint of

HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk)

First published in Great Britain by HarperCollins Publishers in 2011 as Secrets of the Tudor Court

This ebook edition published by HarperCollins Publishers in 2017

Copyright © D.L Bogdan 2011

Darcey Bonnette asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Ebook Edition © 2017 ISBN: 9780007434251

Version: 2017-01-11

Dedication

To my grandfather, for giving me a love of storytelling; for my father, for giving me a love of words; and for my mother, for giving me a love of reading

Contents

Cover (#ua2bb1984-a617-5d2e-84d1-c286671a0632)

Title Page (#u8be863c4-499a-5b86-a402-6471c586385b)

Copyright

Dedication (#u3ba4fe04-992b-5262-bf91-ef1ee2b0b485)

PROLOGUE - An Entrance

Chapter 1 - Doll’s Eyes

Chapter 2 - Awakening

Chapter 3 - Farewell to Kenninghall

Chapter 4 - London!

Chapter 5 - Anne

Chapter 6 - The King’s Great Matter

Chapter 7 - The Marquess of Pembroke

Chapter 8 - France

Chapter 9 - Anne’s Secret

Chapter 10 - Anna Regina

Chapter 11 - A Royal Birth

Chapter 12 - The Duchess of Richmond

Chapter 13 - Falling Stars

Chapter 14 - My Harry

Chapter 15 - The Fight

Chapter 16 - The German Bride

Chapter 17 - A Rose Named Kitty

Chapter 18 - Thorns

Chapter 19 - A Poet’s Heart

Chapter 20 - A True Howard

Chapter 21 - Long Live the King!

Chapter 22 - The Reigate Years

Chapter 23 - Rainy Days