𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 … maria de mendoza ( @mendozaed ) 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 … chelsea house , london .
the dowager duchess of suffolk had always spoken highly of katherine of aragon and of the women that had followed their princess from the perfumed warmth of the alhambra to the fever - stricken halls of ludlow and then to the foggy dampness of london ─ weaned on her mother's esteem of the spanish infanta, katherine brandon had filled the minds of her impressionable young daughters with an admiration for their iberian neighbours that only grew more fierce with the death of her royal namesake. philippa could still recall the disappointment that had leaden her young body at the realization that she was much too young to follow mary tudor from calais to spain as part of her royal entourage, so it was with no small amount of fascination that she presented herself before the duchess of medina, head dipping into a nod of acknowledgment as the doors parted to announce her arrival. chelsea house had hastily been made available for the use of any spaniards who wished to elude the viper - infested corridors of hampton court but though it served as an assembly of like - minded persons, there was only so much that she could offer to her guests and her visit was more apologetic than she would have preferred, hands folding above her stomach as her steps quickened towards the older woman to greet her properly.
❝ doña maria ... i am certain that my lady mother has ensured that you lack for nothing but i would be a poor hostess if i did not inquire if there is anything else we might offer to make your stay in chelsea house more pleasant. ❞ faced with such a formidable woman, philippa could not help but be reminded of her mother and her grandmother, from what faint memories she had to mary tudor brandon before the queen of france and princess of england had passed just two years after her birth and the recollection brought a sense of attentiveness upon her, softening her sharp gaze into something that was more watchful with a curiosity to learn. though her mother had still held much power as dowager duchess, it was philippa who served as the figurehead for many catholic sympathizers in england now that mary of england had left to become mary of spain and she wanted her foreign cousins to know that she assumed the role with the severity that it deserved in the hopes of gaining their support or protection should the boleyns pass the action to curtail her rights as a claimant to the throne.
❝ i also wished to extend my apologies for my failure in finding a catholic priest to attend to the needs of the infante and infanta and yourself, of course, and i wanted to inquire if one was forthcoming from spain to preside over mass services in chelsea house ? ❞ it was treason to celebrate a catholic mass in england and to do so beneath the king's nose would be stupidity but she was not certain if exceptions would be made for their catholic guests or if the spaniards would do as they pleased regardless of the king's feelings ─ either way, philippa needed to be made aware if such plans existed, if only to capitalize on the moment.