At the sound of the other man's words, Mrs. Surrey almost knocked the wine glass in her hand to the ground, and the expression on her face became extremely serious. Without saying a word, he put down his wine glass and looked at each other solemnly, "Isabel, I can't accept everything you say. You know, what you're doing? ”

Across the table from Mrs. Surrey, Isabel slowly crossed her legs and took a sip of wine from her wine glass. Looking at the furnishings in front of him, he said leisurely, "Frances, I know what I'm doing." Don't worry, I just wanted to see how the Spaniards and the Portuguese brought the treasures of the Americas back to Europe. ”

In fact, Lady Frances Howard of Surrey was both new and unheard of about Isabelle's reference to privateer licences and investments in Southern families engaged in overseas trade. Not only that, but her female close friend of the northern aristocracy also planned to board the ship herself and sail to the sea once.

Among the aristocratic ladies and ladies she had seen and known, Isabel, the eldest daughter of a noble family in Yorkshire, had thought and acted far beyond her imagination. She didn't know how to dissuade Isabel, and she couldn't even find a suitable example.

There was once again the same silence in the parlor as in Mary Tudor Manor, and Isabel looked sideways at Mrs. Surrey, who was in deep thought, tilted her head and smiled, "Frances, let's go for a walk in the woods of the manor." Perhaps, this will stop you from worrying about my thoughts. ”

There is also a lush primeval forest from the west to the northeast of Surrey Manor, which is not comparable to the large forest outside the estate of Her Royal Highness Princess Mary, but it is also a land of ancient trees. In addition, the northeastern edge of the forest is next to the manor's fish pond, and the wind blowing from the fish pond from time to time makes this leafy forest look vibrant.

Mrs. Surrey, who had been sitting in the parlor for a long time, also felt a restraint, heaviness, and boredom affecting her mood. Raising her eyelids, she glanced at her close friend and nodded, "I hope the sun at this time doesn't make me have heretical thoughts about you." ”

Standing up slowly, he turned his head and commanded the valet standing behind him, "Beth, Miss Isabel and I will go for a walk in the woods, you don't have to follow me. When the children woke up and wanted to see me, they came to me in the woods. ”

The two came out the back door leading to the lawn in the back garden and turned west. As she walked slowly along the edge of the forest, Mrs. Surrey's eyes occasionally looked at the wonderful natural landscape on her left. I saw the branches of the trees intertwined in mid-air, and the flourishing branches and leaves stretched out like turquoise clouds, covering the clear summer sky tightly.

Isabel weaves between the trees like a child, trying to relax. She knew that she would not be able to return to the land, the forest, the manor, and her noble female close friends for a long time. "Frances, do you know that when I went to Mary Tudor's estate this morning, I was in a better mood walking in the woods outside the manor than I am now. ”

Frances breathed in the occasional fresh air from the woods, and her mood gradually improved, and she had a smile on her face, "So, you went to Miss Mary's estate when you came from Yorkshire?" ”

Isabel hugged a graceful oak tree, leaned against its trunk and grinned, "Yes, I was expecting to visit Madame Latimer, who lives at Miss Mary's estate, but she has moved to the court. ”

Frances glanced at the empty lawn on her right, where no servant dared to tread on it, and turned her gaze to Isabel's face. Walking slowly to the other party's eyes, he whispered through an oak tree, "Isabel, do you know why Madame Latimer was allowed to enter the court?" ”

Isabel looked up at the flourishing branches, trying to find a green oak fruit or two, the acorn. Soon he retracted his jaw, leaned his whole body against the trunk of the oak tree, and nodded softly, "Madame Latimer has written to tell me that she is persistently pursuing her. However, she was very embarrassed. ”

"Oh...! What does that mean? ”

"Her true lover was Sir Thomas Seymour, the uncle of Prince Edward."

"So, is she married to Sir Thomas?"

"My Majesty, as I recall, met Madame Latimer in Miss Mary's estate. So, I guess they shouldn't be married. ”

Mrs. Surrey turned to lean against the trunk of the tree, looking up to feel the specks of sunlight shining down from the branches, "Isabel, we've known each other for seven years, right?" Since I gave birth to my eldest son in 1536, I have been a mother of 4 children, and you are not even married?? What exactly are you waiting for? A true lover? ”

Isabel stretched out her arm to tear a jagged oak leaf from a branch and played with it in her hand, "Actually, I met a knight who suited me three years ago. However, the amount of dowry he proposed was not acceptable to me. ”

Lady Surrey chuckled, "How much dowry does that young, brave knight want?" £500 or £1000? ”

"800 pounds. Three years ago, I didn't think my family could afford it. ”

"Well, three years ago your father was a knight, and a dowry of 800 pounds was a lot for a knight. I guess you don't want to spend all your Sir and Lady's savings just because you're married? ”

"yes, so I didn't want to have anything to do with that knight anymore."

Lady Surrey turned her face to look at her, "So, are you trying to raise a dowry for investing in privateer owners in Plymouth this time?" ”

Isabel raised her arm and used the leaves in her hand to admire the lines inside the leaves through the sunlight, "What would you think if I told you that Madame Latimer's brother had to marry the daughter of a nobleman in order to get his title, his domain, his possessions, and my love, and then find a way to divorce and marry me?" ”

"What, what? You say it again, I didn't hear you clearly. Lady Surrey asked earnestly as she gently removed the leaf that Isabel had covered her eyes and stared at her.

Isabel felt the light in her eyes, and the speckled sunlight hit her face again, and quickly turned around and blocked the sunlight with her back, looking at Mrs. Surrey, who was preoccupied, "William Parr hopes that after he becomes a nobleman, he will come back to pursue me and hope that I can marry him." ”