After leaving Whitehall, Isabel boarded the Earl of Surrey's carriage back to Windsor from the City of London. Towards lunchtime, when she returned to the Earl of Surrey's estate, Lady Surrey informed her that the Duke of Richmond and the Duke's party had arrived, and that they had just arrived at the Duke's estate in Windsor.

Isabel immediately stood up from her chair in the parlor and glanced at Lady Surrey, "Frances, I am Your Highness's advisor, and I should return to His Highness's manor immediately. ”

Lady Surrey looked at her with a smile, "Isabel, I have invited Your Highness to come here for lunch. So, you don't have to go back. ”

Isabelle, who was dressed in an aristocratic women's dress, walked up to her with a smile, "Frances, I just want to change out of this dress on my body." If I get dirty, do you want me to dress up as the Duke's chamberlain to His Majesty's wedding? ”

Mrs. Surrey shook her head, "Well, whatever you want. ”

Towards 12 noon, the Duke of Richmond arrived at Surrey Manor on horseback with several Duke's court guards. Considering the in-law relationship between her husband, Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, and the Duke of Richmond, Mrs. Surrey had to invite the Duke of Richmond to the estate for this lunch. And because the Duke of Richmond was now the No. 1 Northern nobleman who wielded judicial, administrative, and military power in the North, it would only be good for the Surrey family and her to have more contact with this powerful and promising illegitimate prince.

Today's lunch at Surrey Estate was a very enjoyable meal for everyone here. After Mrs. Surrey had let her children go back to their rooms to rest, she told the Duke of Richmond at the dinner table about the troubles Isabel had been experiencing in the past few days. So, a highest-ranking male nobleman, a wife of a high-ranking nobleman, and the daughter of an low-ranking nobleman talked and laughed reservedly at the table, and the scene made people laugh.

After lunch, when the trio came to the parlor to discuss the wedding of Henry VIII, the Duke of Richmond casually brought up a somewhat serious political topic: the Greenwich Treaty signed between England and Scotland on 1 July.

Of course, the signing of the treaty could not have been done without the "great assistance" of a large number of Scottish nobles and knights who were captured by the English border troops on the Anglo-Soviet border in November last year. It was precisely because of this group of selfish Scottish nobles and knights who accepted large bribes from Henry VIII that the Scottish court was forced to sign a treaty with England and "sell" his less than one-year-old Queen of Scots to Henry VIII's son Prince Edward as his wife.

Thinking that Mrs. Surrey was his wife's sister-in-law, the Duke of Richmond did not shy away from saying, "Mrs. Surrey, Isabel, the signing of this Anglo-Soviet treaty should be able to promote the co-sovereignty of Britain and the Soviet Union." ”

Whether Queen Mary I of Scotland married Prince Edward, whether Britain and the Soviet Union formed a common commonwealth or even the later United Kingdom, Isabel Walton knows better than anyone in the world today. It's just that at this time, she doesn't want to say the final result. Just to talk about the facts, "Your Highness, will the Scots strictly abide by the signing of this treaty?" ”

The Duke of Richmond knew what Isabel meant after a little thought, and gently shook the wine glass in his hand, "Isabel, the plan you made in the battle on the Anglo-Soviet border last year was very good, allowing our border troops to capture more than 20 Scottish nobles and knights. ”

Then the duke said confidently, "If these nobles and knightly captives want to return home, they must assist in the signing of the Anglo-Soviet treaty." Therefore, I think the Scots will definitely abide by the treaty. ”

Isabel didn't immediately take the duke's words and continued, but tilted her head and smiled, "Your Highness, when the privateer under my command and financed by you and the retainers of the Duke's Mansion goes to sea, do you think my ship will encounter very strong storms and waves at sea?" You know, the sea is not controlled. ”

The Duke of Richmond, who was already very good at dealing with the nobles, knights and squires of the North, looked at her with keen eyes, lowered his eyelids and looked at the wine in the glass, and then looked up at her, "Isabel, do you think the Scottish court will go back on signing this treaty?" ”

Isabel just turned her gaze to the window on the side of the parlor and said leisurely, "I think that the current Scottish court is like the sea, and perhaps on some unknown day it will set off a storm that will destroy everything." ”

"Aren't the nobles and knights who have been captured by us afraid that Your Majesty will cut off their heads?"

"Your Highness, of course the nobles and knights of the Scots will obey Your Majesty's request. His Majesty, however, had no control over the thoughts and words of another person, Queen Mother Marie de Guise, Queen Mother of the Catholic. ”

Mrs. Surrey, who sat on the other side, did not interject at all about the topics they were talking about about politics and the prince's marriage. While the Duke of Richmond was in thought, he looked at his good partner opposite with surprised eyes, "Isabel, how can you know so well about the affairs of the Scots?" ”

The corners of Isabelle's mouth turned to the side as she looked at Mrs. Surrey with a curious expression, "Before the outbreak of the border war last year, I went to the western border for some time. ”

The Duke of Richmond paced in the parlor, glanced back at his advisor, and nodded, "Isabel, you are right, Mary I's mother would not have allowed her daughter to marry a pagan son. However, His Majesty has already spent a lot of money on this marriage. ”

Isabel raised her head and looked at the Duke with a serious expression, "I think that the war can recover the lost money for Your Majesty." ”

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When the time came to sunrise on the morning of July 12, the two noble processions left Windsor and headed for Hampton Court Palace, southwest of London. The first was led by the Duke of Richmond, and the second was the team of Miss Isabelle, daughter of Lady Surrey and Baron Walton I. Today, of course, the two were in a luxurious carriage belonging to the Earl of Surrey.

Sitting in the carriage, Isabel was still worried about the tiara and necklace she was wearing, and buried her head in trepidation and gently stroked the necklace around her neck. Lady Surrey, who was sitting across from her, quietly watched her movements and smiled softly, "Isabel, Your Majesty will not be interested in old jewelry. ”

"However, if Your Majesty wants to ask me, how shall I answer Your Majesty?" It seemed that Isabel was indeed a little anxious. Because in such an era, what grade of dress to wear and what grade of jewelry to wear is a matter that every aristocratic woman must face carefully.