“Young, comely . . . and a queen,” said de Puebla.

Henry was silent and de Puebla went on: “If you should need my services, Sire, I should be happy to give them.”

“Thank you,” murmured the King. He felt old and tired. But he was not one to waste time in regrets.

Already his mind had turned from Katharine of Aragon to the Queen of Naples.

When de Puebla presented himself to Katharine a few days after his audience with the King he came to her smiling enigmatically. He felt the good news would be more appreciated if she suffered a few moments of anxiety first.