Summary

Katherine is happy with her life and with her plans with Ned. They continue meeting in secrecy since they have not asked the queen’s permission to date. Her life is full of passion and desire and secrecy. She feels like she is really living, as opposed to her serious sister Jane who was beheaded. She feels like she has beat the odds of death that Jane did not win. She believes the conspiracies have ended. The queen’s advisor, William Cecil, has moved to Scotland and without him the queen’s behavior is more reckless; she and Robert Dudley are very openly lovers. They even have adjacent bedrooms, with a door joining them.

Katherine’s world is full of young, beautiful people who spend their days picnicking in the summer, riding horses, having sing-a-longs, or poetry readings. This is...