Going out in the sunny weather is a great way to feel extra relaxed. Lady Frances Howard of Surrey and Beth, her valet, left the estate in a carriage and headed south into the Winkefield area. Soon, the carriage traveled along the road to a section of the right-hand woodened area to an entrance.

After questioning the coachman, the two gatekeepers immediately let the carriage into the manor. Frances smiled and admired the scenery outside the carriage, "Beth, you see, His Highness's manor has also built a racecourse. ”

Beth glanced at the two open meadows to the left and right of the road, "Madam, every nobleman's estate has a racetrack. Could it be that His Highness's manor did not have it before? ”

"Maybe." Frances looked at the open meadow and thought she could practice her riding here. After all, tomorrow she was leaving for the southern county with the Duke of Richmond's maiden.

The wagon followed a gravel-paved hard road into a grove and quickly passed some houses on the left side of the road to a clearing in front of a Gothic building. As soon as the carriage came to a stop, a valet dressed in a servant's uniform quickly opened the door on the left side and saluted Frances, who was sitting in the car, "Good day, Mrs. Surrey." ”

Frances looked out of the carriage and smiled like a flower when she saw her female companion standing in front of the building with the butler and the guard. Got out of the carriage and walked straight to the other party with the maid, "Isabel, are you okay?" We meet again. ”

"Good day, Lady Surrey." Isabel and the butler behind her, and the guards saluted one after another.

"Good day, Miss Isabel." Frances's movements when returning the salute are very elegant and noble, showing an innate noble femininity from the bottom of her bones.

Isabel politely asked, "Madam, would you rather go to the parlor to rest or to rest on the grass?" ”

"Well......" Frances said with a smile as she looked south of the building, and when she saw the huge fishpond in the distance, "the weather is very nice today, Isabel, let's go rest on the grass." ”

Afterwards, the two came to a rest area about ten steps away from the fish pond. After Isabel invited Mrs. Surrey to a seat, she had the servants bring her wine, fresh fruit, and fruit tarts on the small table. Frances admired the fishpond in front of her and glanced sideways at her good partner, "Why, hasn't the court painter you invited come yet?" ”

"Not yet. Still, I think he's definitely coming. ”

"What nobleman would the court painter paint for today?"

Isabel gently picked up a grape from the fruit-filled plate, held it in her hand and smiled, "I think that except for His Majesty's invitation, no other nobleman is less important to the painter than His Highness at this moment." ”

Frances thought for a moment and smiled as she picked up a glass of wine, "You're right. His Highness, who lives in this land like a true prince, is indeed more important than other nobles. ”

"And your husband, Lord Surrey."

"Isabel, don't say anything. I think it's a good thing to have royal blood. However, many times it has to cause him some trouble. ”

"Trouble? Francis, your husband is now a nobleman who is favored by His Majesty the King, and you have to be happy for him. Isabel said in a soft voice after eating the grapes.

"I know. However, he always stood far away from the ministers and nobles, silently watching them. Frances took a sip of her wine, looking a little worried.

Mrs. Surrey clearly meant that she was worried about her husband, the Earl of Surrey, and the other ministers and nobles. As can be seen from the handful of nobles, knights and squires who came to visit her husband on the estate each year, the Earl of Surrey did not get along very well with people inside and outside the court.

Aside from the fact that her husband often claimed to be a descendant of the royal family, she could not think of any other reason for such a situation. Even though his father, the Duke of Norfolk III, was the most powerful minister in the court at this time, the hereditary nobles and ministers still treated her husband more respectfully than amicable and pleasant.

Judging from the current situation in the future, as long as the Duke of Richmond and the Earl of Surrey do not die of the plague, the two nobles with prominent positions are bound to become important courtiers in the late reign of Henry VIII and after Edward VI inherited the throne. Assuming the two can form a political alliance, there is not much to say. However, once the two young nobles became political enemies, the consequences were somewhat unimaginable.

At the moment, Isabel doesn't want to think too much about it, she just wants the two to continue to maintain a good relationship. Looking at the surface of the fish pond blown by the summer wind, he smiled softly, "Frances, don't think too much. Otherwise, you'll get old quickly. ”

"Growing old...... Giggles, Isabel, how old are you this year? You're definitely older than me. ”

"Really? I remember that you and Lord Surrey were married in 1532, and now it's 1540, you don't know how old you are. ”

"I don't know, I think I got married yesterday."

The two looked at each other and giggled. Afterwards, Frances picked up a European plum and ate it elegantly. After eating, he carefully wiped his hands and mouth with a cloth, "Isabel, you can accompany me to practice riding later." ”

Isabel glanced at her, "Do you really want to ride to Sussex?" ”

"I just... I want to practice it. If you're in a good mood on the road, it's possible to ride with you. ”

"Okay. Still, I was going to talk to the court painter about painting first. ”

After the two talked happily for a while, Frances stood up and walked to the fishpond and looked back at each other, "Isabel, what were you doing today before I came?" ”

Isabel walked up to her with a glass of wine and looked at the large untouched grove behind the fishpond, "Well, Lord Surrey gave me a bayonet yesterday, so I'm going to practice how to use it. ”

"Aren't you well-trained in swordsmanship? Still need to learn how to use a bayonet sword? ”

"That's right." Isabel took a sip of wine, "However, I only learned some swordsmanship from my father. As for... The sword needs to be trained carefully. ”

Frances didn't think that there was no mature swordsmanship in the current era, so she nodded imaginarily, "Well, you can take a look at some swordsmanship books first." ”