To understand this, we have to understand court culture and the nature of the historical aristocracy.

Firstly, the Early Modern court was not like a modern cabinet, confined mostly to a few select buildings with select professional members and their staff. It was a network spread across many royal palaces and the houses of important members, moving around regularly and with a fluid number of people present or involved at any given time. Aristocrats, gentry and indeed the bishops, especially at this earlier time, expected to be involved regardless of whether they had any national-level offices. it created almost a cohesive singular community for the upper classes, and for them this was their world, "society" was largely composed of those who participated in the elite network. It was not unusual for them to spend large periods of time with other relatives, family friends or professional allies. Charles Howard, the future Earl of Nottingham and Lord Admiral spend a significant amount of time in his youth with his uncle, the 3rd Duke of Norfolk, and even served as page at one point to his cousin the future 4th Duke. He was also overseas in the entourage of Jean de Ferrières, Vidame de Chartres. Similarly, in the royal family of Denmark and Norway, Anna (James I's future queen), her brother the future Christian IV, and other siblings Ulrich and Elizabeth were raised for a time by their maternal grandparents in Germany. Ralph Sadler was Thomas Cromwell's ward when his father was seemingly still alive. Part of this is circumstance, the Danish royal children were sent away because it was believed they would be less indulged, but part of this was often to send them somewhere that would serve their parents and their own future success. Charles Howard's associations with Norfolk and the Vidame de Chartres were clearly in part about his own learning, developing connections and gaining exposure to the proximity power, as was Ralph Sadler wardship.

So we come to Lady Jane Grey's wardship. Her father was friends with Thomas Seymour as Eric Ives "Lady Jane Grey: A Tudor Mystery" (2009, 2011 edition) notes. He points out that her father believed she would be married to the king, that is Edward VI. Although Alison Plowden's "Lady Jane Grey: Nine Days Queen"(2004, 2014 edition) says that Harington, Seymour's envoy, claimed he had never specifically promised that, only suggestion as a possibility when generally discussing the advantages. In any case, Thomas Seymour eventually bought the wardship for 2000 pounds according to Plowden. Plowden points out the wardships at this time were profitable, they were most lucrative if the ward was orphaned because the guardian could make use of their landed income, but even in Jane's case she help the possibility of either a strategically useful marriage for Seymour or to sell the rights to her marriage to the highest bidder, and she brought prestige to his household.

From Jane's perspective, this was probably a relief. She once said, according to Roger Ascham's later recollection, that with her parents "I think myself in hell" (Ives). They certainly seem to have been seen as somewhat harsh and cold. By contrast, Catherine Parr was a gentler, kinder presence who encouraged's Jane intellectual curiosity and her interest in Protestant religion (much as Parr was with the future Elizabeth 1, also resident around this time). Plowden says "under her new guardians' roof she was enjoying the novel experience of being treated like a favoured guest, petted by the ladies, her 'towardness' openly discussed and admired, her brilliant prospects whispered over. In this congenial atmosphere she naturally began to blossom and to absorb the queen's brand of evangelical Lutheranism with all the eager response to be expected of an intelligent, sensitive child previously starved of affection, encouragement and mental stimulus". So there doesn't seem to have been any problem of resistance or reluctance on Jane's part. Unfortunately, Catherine Parr died and Jane left the house, which must have been less pleasant after the events preceding her death where Thomas Seymour appears to have sexually harassed the young Elizabeth. Ascham's anecdote suggests she still later looked back on that time with Catherine as better than her parents, however, given her "hell" complaint at having to move back with them.