The Everlasting Covenant (38 page)

He knew he would find Daphne with Cameron
’
s widow, he had not seen his mother in over a year. When she embraced him, kissing his lips and both his cheeks, his stoic mien
crum
bled, and he cried like a lad at his mother
’
s breast.

Daphne stroked his brow, kissed away his tears, and held him. She had never broken. Dylan knew some secrets of his mother
’
s private torment, of her own lost love. She had buried a husband and now two sons. Yet, she did not weep, but seemed
to grow stronger. She whispere
d the name of his nephew, Cameron
’
s son, in his ear.
“
Justin, Justin.
”

Cameron had been laid to rest on his wife
’
s dower lands, and young Bess wept honest tears of grief and loneliness when Dylan was with her. She had loved Cameron, given him a strong and handsome son, and was now left with the very thing she had
begun with
--
a modest manor house on decent, but not rich, lands in the south of England.

“
Give me Justin,
”
Dylan said to her.
“
He is five years old and needs a father. I will raise him to be brave and skilled, and you may go to Lady Scales, Anthony Woodville
’
s wife. He will visit you often, but I will petition the queen to find you a suitable marriage when your period of mourning has spent itself. We will do better for you than this. We will turn an eye toward a good man whom you can love. You are young and strong, Bess. You are lovely.
”
He grasped his sister-in-law
’
s hands.
“
I cannot otherwise have a son. Justin is all there is for me.
”

Dylan stayed a month on his dead brother
’
s estate, feeling more comfortable and at home there than he did on his own lands. The estate he had conquered through tournaments and gifts did not feel like his yet. He kept it precariously balanced between an imaginary allegiance to George of Clarence, and a true, but secret, loyalty to the king. And Raynia was there.

It had not taken Dylan long to understand that Edward was wise to mistrust his brother. Richard Neville, the kingmaker of Warwick, who had helped Edward achieve the throne, had successfully turned the duke
’
s head, and together they had begun to agitate small groups, creating minor uprisings, which raged in the countryside. Warwick
’
s name was not mentioned by the rebels, but the skirmishes were fought with the battle cry of opposition to the king, calling Edward a bastard, degrading the Woodville family, and an attempt to usurp the crown was com
ing. Dylan did not yet know whom Warwick would crown, but the Duke of Clarence had been promised a position close to the throne. Dylan shook his head in wonder that the duke did not see that his link to power through his brother was more secure than a treasonous alliance with Warwick. Dylan sent frequent, secret messages to his king. Clarence was one day Warwick
’
s good henchman, the next day, the king
’
s true subject. It was a chess game of players that moved too rapidly to follow. But Dylan kept Edward very well informed. If Warwick, or, for that matter, the Duke of Clarence, found himself betrayed, Dylan would be executed most quickly.

The danger of the conspiracy, along with his loneliness and grief, was changing Dylan. His pain was so deep that he did not realize it was making him strong. Stronger than ever.

“
I do not like this allegiance with the Duke of Clarence,
”
Daphne said as they rode north to Dylan
’
s demesne.

“
Why, madam? The duke is a strong man
–
he is generous. He is close to Warwick
--
the richest man in England.
”

They had brought Justin with them. Daphne had agreed to live with them at least until Justin had adjusted to his father
’
s death. He would need frequent, reassuring visits with his mother, and since Dylan could not provide motherly love in his home, a grandmother
’
s attention was more than important. As they rode together, Dylan
’
s eyes were focused ahead on some distant point. His future was out there somewhere. He knew it was beyond the estate that he had managed to win. Beyond the Earl of Warwick and the Duke of Clarence. Beyond his marriage, his nephew. It was still very far away. But he still hoped. He could not kill the hope, even though he wished it would leave him.

“
What is it you think to gain in this alliance? Wealth? Power?
”

“
Aye,
”
he said simply.
“
And a secure hold on my possessions for my family.
”

“
What family, Dylan?
”
she asked.
“
Lady Raynia? I know Rayn
ia is not long for England. If you keep her here very much longer, she will die of grief. A more unhappy lady does not live.
”
Dylan was silent.
“
For Justin? Will you make him your son, your heir?
”
Still he did not reply.
“
For me? I do not need wealth and power, you are all I have left, you and Justin. Your heart is heavy and sad and all I ever wanted for you was your happiness. Dylan?
”

He turned his head and looked into her crystalline eyes with his own determined eyes. He smiled vaguely, secretly. They were mostly alone. Justin was asleep in the litter behind them, the escort troop was far ahead.
“
There are only two women in all the world to whom I would trust the truth. You are one, madam. And I have been lonely long enough. Come into my confidence, Mother.
”

“
Two?
”
she asked in a whisper.

“
Anne of Ayliffe,
”
he answered.

Daphne crossed herself and looked down into her lap as she rode, her lips moving as if she uttered a prayer.

“
I mean to have her, Mother.
”
Daphne turned to look at her son. She saw his smile. He appeared confident, almost serene.
“
I think you should finally hear it. You have gathered your knowledge from my eyes for long enough. Hear it from my lips. All of it.
”

***

Warwick
’
s rumblings erupted into small battles in the spring of 1469. The uprisings were mainly in Yorkshire and along the Scottish border among splint
er groups of commoners that pro
tested the king
’
s favors to his wife
’
s family. None of the little battalions of ruffians wore any official noble name. It appeared the people of England had become disenchanted with their king and were rising in rebellion, just as Warwick had planned.

The Earl of Ayliffe was in London with his family and, as was typical of his visits, he was pulled into secret councils and meetings every hour of the day and night. He spent little time with Anne, which gave her far too much time to look around the gathered courtiers in search of a pair of turquoise eyes.

The element of intrigue in Brennan
’
s life had become a matter of fact for them, and so a late-night interruption that pulled them from sleep was not met with any great surprise. A herald wearing the king
’
s tabard was announced. Anne rose, as did Brennan, but she covered her nightgown with a chamber robe and left their bedchamber so that her husband could receive his message in privacy. She listened at the door of a small anteroom.

“
You are a man of many costumes, Dylan,
”
Brennan said quietly.

“
Your pardon, my lord.
”
His voice was anxious, strained, perhaps frightened.
“
A courier of mine was captured on the road. My message to the king was intercepted, and the mes
senger was executed. In a few days I will know if he spoke my name.
”
There was a heavy sigh.
“
I
’
m certain you will hear, by way of gossip, whether I am done of this service.
”

“
I
’
m sorry, Dylan,
”
Brennan said.
“
You knew the risks.
”

“
Aye. Never mind, I have faced this before and will again. The king must be told these facts. There are many small groups inciting rebellion, but there is one to watch closely. There are bandits who run with Robin of Redesdale, he is not a champion of the people. He is Warwick
’
s man, and his army is large and will converge on Edward.
”

“
Who is Robin, then?
”

“
I am not sure. There is talk that it is Sir William Conyers, Lord Warwick
’
s good man, and that he has sixty thousand now. I have seen factions of the army, you may be assured these are not the unhappy artisans and serfs of York following their local hero. And the demands they make will sound strikingly like his lordship of Warwick
’
s own vendetta. The names of those whom Robin would remove from the king
’
s personal favors will be Warwick
’
s enemies. This you must tell His Majesty.
”

“
And George? Where does he stand?
”

“
Today, with Warwick. He seems determined to marry War
wick
’
s daughter Isabel. It is true, though, that he has never mentioned wearing the crown of England himself. It is only that Edward
’
s brothers hate the Woodvilles.
”

“
Gloucester, too?
”

“
Richard of Gloucester refuses to be drawn into Warwick
’
s camp. He is hard for Edward. But, my lord
, he hates the Wood
ville family every bit as much. Be wary. Richard is young still.
”

“
Do you know their plans for attack?
”

“
Nay, my lord, but I was told by the duke that
I
would be called. My forces are not great and we will be .
.
. delayed. All this, of course, if I do not hang before the week is out, for my betrayal of Clarence.
”

“
Flee, Dylan. The king will understand.
”

From behind the closed door Anne felt tears come to her eyes.
Flee,
she wanted to cry out.
Run, Dylan, run.
She pressed her fist to her mouth to keep herself silent. The struggle to contain her emotions was almost impossible. She had not even seen his face in two years.

“
Nay, my lord. I swore to see it through and I will. I said I
would be the king
’
s good secret man, and so I shall be. I vow this is only the beginning and there will not be a peaceful settlement until Warwick is dead.
”
There was a long silent pause. Anne imagined them looking at each other, their eyes deeply locked.
“
Tell my king that I remain loyal in his service.
”

“
His brave and loyal man, sir. I will be called to arms for His Majesty while you sit close to Warwick
’
s forces. Should our plans go awry, see to Ayliffe, I beg you.
”

Again there was silence.
“
You do not know what you ask, my lord. I cannot
--
”

“
There are few whom I would trust,
”
Brennan said.

There was a soft chuckle from Dylan.
“
You seem confident that I will live long enough. I will take it as a good sign, but one thing, my lord
--
tell at least one person that you have made this request of me, lest your ten thousand cut me down as I near the gate. Ayliffe, I know, is strong for the crown, and my reputation is set in another direction.
”

“
Aye. We remember Towton and Saint Albans well. Rest assured, you would be admitted. Thank you, Dylan. I will carry your message to Edward
’
s household.
”

She imagined them shaking hands, but had she looked through a small crack in the door Anne would have seen something far more startling. The Earl of Ayliffe opened his arms and the men embraced fiercely, like committed friends who might be parting for the last time. She heard the chamber door open for Dylan
’
s departure.