February 8, 1554

Ronsard promises he will join me tonight in a pavane. The four Marys and Princess Elizabeth and I are planning to spend this afternoon practising with cosmetics. Minette and Dora, another chambermaid, will bring the lacquer boxes with the powders and pastes to my boudoir. We all need some whitening, for our skin has become tinted with riding and hawking and spending so much time outdoors. Veils never stay on when one rides as hard as we do.