Katharine Howard

Lady Mary

Katharine acts as a loyal friend and supporter to the embattled Princess Mary, offering comfort and political aid.

Thomas Cromwell

Katharine is a fierce political and ideological enemy of Cromwell, opposing his reformist agenda and influence over the king.

Stephen Gardiner

Gardiner is a manipulative and ambitious bishop who sees Katharine as a pawn and later a threat, leading to a tense adversarial dynamic.

Nicholas Throckmorton

Nicholas Throckmorton is a devoted suitor to Katharine, though she often keeps him at arm's length due to her political ambitions.

Nicholas Udal

Udal is Katharine's scholarly secretary and tutor, serving her with intellectual loyalty and occasional romantic pining.

Thomas Culpepper

Culpepper is a passionate and reckless lover of Katharine, representing a dangerous romantic entanglement that threatens her position.

Cicely Elliott

Cicely is Katharine's close companion and confidante, sharing secrets and offering emotional support in the treacherous court.

Margot Poins

Margot is a loyal servant and friend to Katharine, often acting as a messenger and protector in the dangerous court.

Goodman Gilmaw

Goodman Gilmaw is a minor court figure who interacts with Katharine in the context of her daily life and political maneuvering.

Hal Poins

Hal Poins is a loyal retainer and friend to Katharine, often involved in her schemes and providing practical support.

Sir Nicholas Rochford

Sir Nicholas Rochford is a trusted ally of Katharine, offering counsel and protection within the court's intrigues.

Viridus

Viridus is a mysterious and loyal servant to Katharine, often acting as a spy and protector in the shadows of the court.

Part I: The Coming

Introduced as a central figure whose arrival at court is anticipated.

III

Riding a grey mule, she is struck on the arm during the riot and rescued by her cousin Thomas Culpepper.

V

Arrives at court disheveled and injured, catches the King's eye, and is placed in Lady Mary's household.

VI

Introduced to the Lady Mary's household; meets Magister Udal; reflects on her northern upbringing and begins to reconsider her views on the King and Cromwell.

VII

Arrives at the Lady Mary's rooms, weary and with a maimed arm; rebuffs Udal's advances and confronts the maids' accusations.

Part II: The House of Eyes

The protagonist, a young woman entering the dangerous world of Henry VIII's court, where she must navigate political and personal threats.

I

Ill and raving from nightshade, she is visited by Gardiner and warned about Cromwell's schemes.

II

Attends Cromwell's revels for Queen Anne of Cleves; is guided by Master Viridus and warned about her cousin Tom's dangerous attachment.

III

Hosts Culpepper's drunken visit and later receives him again; she is the subject of a libel and rumors.

IV

Seeks to send a letter to Bishop Gardiner via Sir Nicholas Rochford; shows concern for Tom's safety and frustration with the treacherous court.

V

Accepts Cicely's help, defends her cousin, and seeks to serve the Lady Mary while aiding Gardiner.

VI

Subjected to threats and intimidation by Cromwell; assigned to spy on Lady Mary.

VII

Confronted by Throckmorton in a dark cellar; learns of a plot against her; refuses his offer of alliance; rescued by old Rochford.

VIII

Desperate and fearful, she confronts the King to plead for her life against the plots of Cromwell and others.

IX

Isolated and weary, she listens to Throckmorton's political advice and fears imprisonment after the King threatened her.

Part III: The King Moves

The object of the King's interest, navigating the dangers of royal attention.

II

Serves the Lady Mary, conveys a treasonous letter, and navigates court intrigue.

III

Confronts Gardiner and Lady Mary, proposes a letter to foreign powers to undermine Cromwell, and asserts her independence.

IV

Distraught after learning her letters have been intercepted; she strikes the boy and later confronts Throckmorton and the King.