The Other Boleyn Girl Page #3

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...Mary's friendship with the king

is at an extremely delicate stage.

Any scandal, any mark upon her name

could be fatal.

You will be sent to join the court

of the French queen...

...and stay there

until your father has forgiven you.

You told them, didn't you?

It was for your own good.

You never would have got away with it.

It would have ruined your

prospects forever.

For my good?

Well, I'll try to remind myself of that

while I'm in exile.

And you're here in the king's bed...

...not challenged

for our father's affection...

...that is was for my good

and not yours.

Anne.

You would be wise

to regard this as an opportunity.

You are educated.

It's a chance I never had.

Now go to France.

The queen of France is sophisticated.

Be useful to her, amuse her.

She'll admire your spirit.

Learn from her.

Observe the ladies of the court.

See how they achieve...

...what they want from their men,

not by stamping their little feet...

...but by allowing the men to believe

that they, indeed, are in charge.

That is the art of being a woman.

Still shut, keep them shut.

Careful, careful.

All right, now open.

I am to become an earl,

your brother a viscount.

In addition, we have received

a number of new grants and estates.

So our debts are paid, and more.

George, the king will arrange a match

between you and Jane Parker.

I beg you, Father, no.

I thought you had ambitions

for this family?

The girl's well connected.

Her father is cousin to the king.

Must I actually marry her?

Of course you must marry her.

Have you no pride?

Or would you rather

leave everything to Mary?

No, sir.

It'll be a wedding

attended by the king of England...

...with all the greatest

lords of the land.

Would a smile be too much to ask?

What's there to smile about?

I'm a mother with one child

ordered to marry a girl he hates...

...another banished abroad

in disgrace...

...and a third,

whoring in public with an adulterer.

You say you're concerned

for her happiness.

Will Mary be happy

when he leaves her?

Because you know

that will happen in the end.

Only God knows

how anything will end.

God? He turned his back

on all this a long time ago.

And these rooms, our new position?

Does none of my work please you?

These gifts, this favor

will go as swiftly as it came.

These rooms once belonged

to the duke of Buckingham...

...the king's closest friend.

His head now rots on a spike.

He committed treason.

Treason? What is treason?

Anything the king or his lawyers

decide it to be.

On a whim.

The baby lives.

She's not miscarried.

But for the sake of the child...

...she must begin her lying-in,

immediately.

Now that Mary is lying-in,

the king will no longer bed her.

Out of compassion, he'll visit her

every day for, what, a week?

The queen

will have his head spinning...

...with pretty little Spanish things.

Not to mention the Seymours

and that milky-faced girl of theirs.

We must influence him in our favor

with whatever means we have.

Yes?

Well, I...

- I was going to suggest Anne.

- You couldn't control that girl last time.

What makes you think a couple months

in France have made any difference?

I receive regular reports

from the dowager queen.

It seems that she's quite changed.

And so you must return

as your uncle bids.

You are to entertain the king...

...and keep his mind on Mary

at all times.

That is your task and no more.

What's the noise?

It's Mistress Boleyn, Your Grace.

Her stories of life at the French court.

I'm aware of one Boleyn girl.

But she's lying-in

with a certain child in her belly.

Well, Boleyn girl...

...show your face.

What's so amusing?

I was merely offering my thoughts

on the new French king.

Who has such great power,

yet such meager authority as a man.

- Continue.

- His pettiness is astounding.

He will bear a mortal grudge

over the mildest of slights.

Spoiled cub with a spike in its paw.

Riven with resentment.

Unable to forgive or forget.

A great king...

...a great man,

rises above such things.

And what would you know

of great men?

I've read enough books

and heard enough talk...

...to believe I'd know one

if he were before me.

Then look about you.

I'm curious. Do you see one here?

Looking, my lord.

Still looking, my lord.

There. Found one.

So forgiveness, you say,

makes a man great. What else?

Generosity.

Humility.

The ability to recognize

his match in others...

...and not be threatened by it.

- His match in other men?

- Women too.

You believe that?

That women can be

the match of men?

It's a question women have asked

themselves for some time.

But we concede

men do have some value.

So we accept them as equal.

I find you much changed,

Mistress Anne.

Then my prayers

have been answered.

Welcome back at court.

My lord.

What?

I suppose he felt that

she'd been banished long enough.

But in whose interest

do they imagine she'll act?

Certainly not mine.

Why do they make this room

such a dungeon?

Does it have to be this dark?

- Where were you?

- Just visiting Mary.

As ever.

Well, now that Anne's back,

you can be doubly jealous.

I'm your wife.

You never lie with me.

Yes, it has.

I hope you know what you're doing.

These are vagabonds who'll stop

at nothing to take your money.

We're not gambling, Your Grace.

Mistress Boleyn

is reading our fortunes.

Read mine.

Another talent picked up in France?

The queen offers her ladies

a broad education.

Last I heard, she was entertaining

Lutherans and heretics.

Scholars and philosophers, my lord,

escaping persecution.

- I hope you kept your ears shut.

- I did.

And a cross close to my heart

at all times.

- From the king, Mistress Anne.

- Open it.

Open it.

Now send it back.

You heard me.

She did what?

Sent it back, Your Grace.

Anne.

I meant to come sooner.

I'm sorry I did not.

- I've been kept occupied.

- So I hear.

- Amusing the king.

- Only that, sister. I assure you.

- Despite his best efforts.

- What? And not yours?

How is it?

The child is strong.

It gives me no rest. Like his father.

Do you feel as awful as you look?

You know, in France...

...no woman would allow herself

to get in such a state.

Why did you come, Anne,

if all you desire is to torment me?

Perhaps now you know how it feels

to be deceived by your sister.

- I did nothing.

- You stole the king away.

And then you betrayed me

over Henry Percy.

If that's what you think,

tell yourself that.

I did, sister. Every day

and every night I was in exile.

A gift from the king.

Give it to my sister.

It's for you, Mistress Anne.

Me?

Then send it back. Immediately.

How dare he?

You see...

...I have your interests at heart.

Why?

Why this cruelty?

You know I love him.

Well, perhaps you should stop.

Your Grace.

Your daughter. Where is she?

Leave us.

Where is she?

Which one?

Your Grace, which one?

- Anne.

- Your Grace?

- You received my gifts?

- Yes.

- And? They did not please you?

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