How It All Goes Down
Summer 1530
- It's summer, so it's back to Hever for Mary.
- This trip is different because of the presence of a flirtatious new escort: William Stafford.
- Mary asks Stafford to dine with her, but he refuses. "A pity that he had such bad manners" (27.16), thinks Mary, which roughly translates to, "How rude!"
- However, Mary and William continue flirting with each other during the summer.
- Mary welcomes the distraction, because she is upset that her son, who isn't even legally her son anymore, is growing up.
- Mary reluctantly cuts her son's curly blond hair, and she's sad that his life is flying by without her in it.
- On the way back to court at the end of summer, Mary weeps.
- William Stafford suggests she that Mary is weeping because she lacks independence. If she'd fight for her children and deny her family, she might be happy.
- "I'd like to ride alone" (27.59), Mary tells him, which roughly translates to, "Check yourself before you wreck yourself."