Last June, Isabel unexpectedly met Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's future fifth wife, while attending the christening of Thomas Howard, eldest son of the Earl and Lady of Surrey. Because Catherine's father was Edmund Howard, the younger brother of the Duke of Norfolk III, she came to the baptismal ceremony as a cousin of the Earl of Surrey.

The reason for getting acquainted with Cather Howard is very simple. Lady Frances of Surrey told her husband's cousin that this was Miss Isabelle Walton, a female companion who had a very good relationship with the Duke of Richmond, and that her father was Sir Augustine, the magistrate of Richmondshire, a northern royal territory.

At only 16 years old, the cheerful and lively Catherine was immediately attracted to Isabel. She told Isabel that of her nine older brothers and eldest sister, there was also an eldest sister named Isabel who looked to be about her age.

From later generations, Isabel, who lives in the north, knows very well that the identity of this young and beautiful girl, her future destiny and young life will be suddenly ended because of what happens. As a result, when the two returned to the Surrey estate of the Earl and Lady of Surrey, she showed no keen interest in the music teacher Henry Mannox, the music teacher whom Catherine had spoken of, and the music she loved.

Of course, Henry VIII's wife at this time was still the third queen, Jane Seymour. Four months later, in October 1537, Queen Seymour gave birth to Edward VI, the future third monarch of the Tudor dynasty, at Hampton Court Palace. The good times did not last long, and a few days later Queen Seymour fell seriously ill with puerperal fever. Eventually, Queen Seymour died at Hampton Court Palace a month later.

With the birth of Edward VI and the death of his mother, Queen Seymour, two important male members of the Seymour family, Thomas Seymour and Edward Seymour, re-entered the public eye, and the brothers used the nostalgia of the people to make their careers smooth sailing.

———————————

On the afternoon of the second day after the baptism of the eldest son of the Earl of Surrey, Lady Surrey and the nanny, nurse, and maid who held the eldest son in her arms found Isabel in her husband's bow field. The two men had a great conversation, from the baptism of the child to the Northern rebellion of the previous year, to the reward of the Duke of Richmond after the rebellion was suppressed by Henry VIII.

"Isabel, do you know where the land and manor given to His Highness by His Majesty are?" After shooting an arrow, Isabel turned her head to look at Frances, who was talking to her, and happily continued to draw the longbow in her hand: "Your Highness told me that the manor is near Chichester in West Sussex, and is probably called... Goodwood Manor. ”

"That's right. I can also tell you that Goodwood Manor is just over 1 hour ride from the castle of Duke III of Norfolk. ”

When Isabel heard this, she lowered her longbow and walked to Lady Surrey's side. Staring at little Thomas in the nanny's arms, he gently ** the child's face, and then raised his head to look at Mrs. Surrey: "Francis, I think this should be a coincidence, right?" ”

Frances laughed knowingly, looked sideways at her eldest son, and said to her: "Yes, I think it must be God's arrangement." God wants you to be my best companion and would prefer to see you be the godmother of my children. ”

Speaking of this, Frances turned her head to look at the nanny again: "Give the child to his godmother." The babysitter promised to carry little Thomas to Isabel's eyes.

Accustomed to wielding whips, tactical knives, short swords, cross-handed half-hand swords, longbows, arrows and quill pens, Isabel has never had the experience of holding and accompanying babies. Staring at the 6-month-old child in front of him, he stared at his eyes. She felt that sweat might have oozing from her forehead, and it took a long time to raise her head and look at the child's mother again: "Frances, I... How should I hold it... Child? ”

Mrs. Surrey was amused by her expression, "I remember that you hugged Thomas yesterday at the christening. Why, forgot so quickly? ”

"My God, I thought that being Thomas's godmother only had to teach and take care of him."

"Isabelle, doesn't it take care of Thomas to start when he's a baby?"

Isabel looked at Lady Surrey with great embarrassment and held up the longbow in her left hand to show her, "Well, what about the longbow?" I'd like to practice archery for a little longer. ”

Francis pursed her lips and smiled, stepping forward to take her longbow, "Now, you're a respected godmother, and you're still Thomas?" Godmother of Lord Howard. So, you have to take on the role of surrogate parent. ”

"Okay, okay, I agree. Uh, how am I going to hold Your Excellency? ”

Mrs. Surrey glanced at the nanny again: "Give me the child first, and you can let the godmother see how you hold the child." ”

Later, Isabel learned from the nanny how to hold the child. When she took over from Lady Surrey the honourable title of Viscount Thomas, she became godmother in style.

"Giggle...... little Thomas, who was lying on his back in his godmother's arms, seemed to be infected by his godmother's emotions, and actually laughed happily.

"Your Excellency, are you having a good day? Did you know, Your Excellency? Actually, I am also called Your Excellency by others. It's just that I'm not as lucky as you. You have a respectable earl father and a beautiful, wise mother, right? Isabel looked at the child and talked for a long time.

Mrs. Surrey, who was standing in front of the nanny, just watched them smile kindly. At this time, little Thomas raised his tender, lotus-like little arms, stretched out his super cute little finger and pointed at Isabel's face, and said milkily: "Mommy......"

"Isabel, did you listen? Thomas has confessed that you are his mother. Frances smiled even more.

Isabel felt uncomfortable holding such a little devil, but as the godmother of the little devil, she couldn't let it go. I had to hold the child to make him happy, and said to Mrs. Surrey, "What do you feed the child every day?" ”

"Well, it's mostly breast milk, and the yolk of the egg."

After coaxing the child to think for a while, Isabel said in more detail: "I think I can give the child some diced fruits, fish porridge and minced meat porridge every day. ”

Frances stared at her and smiled, "Isabel, how did you come up with this?" ”

"Your Excellency, you are a good boy, smile!" Isabel smiled and coaxed little Thomas at the same time, and then looked at the child's mother: "The food I am talking about is actually often eaten by adults. So, I think kids should be able to eat these things too. It's just that the child is too young and has to make the food softer so that the child can eat it easily. ”

"Well, is this your opinion of me as a privy counsellor to His Highness, or is this your opinion of me as Thomas's godmother?"