White Boar and the Red Dragon, The (8 page)

‘Lord Warwick thinks he’s calling me back to court out of spite! But Edward is a kind man and his friend. I’m sure he would not act so!’

‘You always think the best of people, Richard. And you won’t have a word said against the king. I know he is your brother and you love him, but…’

‘He has always been kindness itself to me, especially when I was very small—and he is open-hearted and generous. It would be unlike him to act in this way for the reasons Warwick believes!’

‘Everyone has their faults, Richard. Even the king! But come, let us have a last walk together before supper. The time is so short, and I don’t know how I’ll bear it when you’ve gone.’

Anne’s voice broke and she dashed away what looked suspiciously like a tear.

Richard put his arm round her and pulled her to him, and she put her head on his shoulder—and in wiping away her tears, which were coming thick and fast now he found some comfort for himself.

Westminster, London, May 1465

‘But, Edward, you cannot banish your own mother from the court! She is old and maybe sick. Think what terrible things have happened to her in life. She does not know what she is saying!’

‘Richard, you of all people should not defend her. She has always treated you harshly and made George and I her favourites when we were young. You were ever the one on the outside.’

‘I know, but I cannot believe she is saying these things and still in her right mind! She was shocked and angry when you married Elizabeth Woodville. Indeed, we all were. But she accepted it then like the rest of us. Why should she suddenly come out now with these shocking revelations, as she calls them? Why not then? Nobody will believe what she is saying, anyway. They will call it the ramblings of a sick old woman.’

‘Whether people believe it or not is not the point—the words have been said, for all the world to hear!’

‘That the king is a bastard? It is nonsense. George and you both look alike, and Edmund was tall, fair, and handsome too. If any of us could have a finger pointed at us, it’s me. I am small and dark.’

‘But father was dark too, remember? And slighter in build. You take after him.’

‘And who was this archer she claims was your real father—Blaybourne, was it? Can you imagine our upright, strictly religious mother straying from the path of wifely duty with an archer? Even when she was young? Besides, she adored Father!’

‘Anyone can be tempted…’

‘Don’t judge others by your own experiences, Edward. We all know you can’t resist a pretty face when it comes to women!’

‘But she had been alone in Rouen a long time, while Father was away fighting.’

‘No, it’s impossible! Our proud mother, so aware of her royal blood, going with an archer? It’s just not true. I will never believe it! I will visit her at Fotheringhay and beg her to retract her words.’

‘But whether she does or not, I cannot have her here any more. That would be like accepting what she said as the truth. She must never come to court again! Anyway, she was quite happy to go. She said she no longer wished to live in a “den of iniquity” and that Elizabeth’s coronation was the last straw!’

‘Give out a proclamation saying that the Duchess Cecily is taken with a fever of the brain and that her words were wild ramblings in her delirium. How are the people to know any different? They will believe what they are told. Say that she has been sent to her old home in the country to rest and recover her senses. Meanwhile, I must in all haste to Fotheringhay!’

Fotheringhay Castle, Northants, June 1465

‘But, Mother, surely you can see that what you have said will cause Edward a great deal of trouble?’

‘That is what I intended. He has been wayward and self-willed all his life, going his own way in spite of the wisest advice. He lives in an immoral, selfish way and is not fit to be king. I have loved him dearly, but I no longer approve of him! I have kept this knowledge to myself all these years, as I never wished to hurt your father, who loved me as much as I did him. But now I feel compelled to tell the truth!’

‘But what about your reputation? And the honour of the House of York?’

‘At my age, there are more important things than my reputation. And it is because of the honour of the House of York that I have revealed my long-kept secret!’

‘I do not understand. This can hardly do it any good?’

‘I want you to be king, my son! You are the only one worthy. Edmund was good, but unreliable. George is not fit in any sense, and Edward, as I have said, cannot rule his own passions. How can he be fit to govern?’

‘He is the first-born, which makes him king by divine right. Also, he is a human being, with a human being’s faults and failings. He cannot be a paragon of virtue, because you will it so! You must accept him as he is. There is little you can do about it anyway, now he is king.’

‘You think not? Then you do not know me, my son. You always did stand up for him.’

‘He has always been so good to me. And there is something else. You may not have heard, being so far away from the court now, but it is rumoured—though not confirmed—that the queen is with child.’

‘Perhaps God will be good to us and it will die!’

‘Mother, how can you say such things? I am sure you do not mean it.’

‘It would solve a lot of problems! If she were barren—which it seems she is not—or the child was stillborn, it would be easy to get Edward to put her aside and marry a princess who would bear him an heir of royal blood! That is necessary for the continuation of the House!’

‘But he loves her to desperation. He would never put her aside.’

‘That is not love, not real love, but lust. He has been lusting all his life—why should this be different? He soon grows tired of his women. He only married her because she put a spell on him. That mother of hers, Jacquetta, the French whore, is a witch! One of the queen’s maids of the bedchamber told me in confidence that Elizabeth would never sleep with him—on the advice of Jacquetta. She gave her daughter love potions to put in his wine at night to make him so mad with lust that he would agree to anything—even marriage! That is how it came about. This maid also said that one night she saw Elizabeth put a dagger to her own throat and threaten to slit it herself—if he tried to force her! Now, what do you think of that? The king is in the grip of witchcraft!’

‘I do not believe in witchcraft, Mother, and I am amazed that you, as a God-fearing and devout woman, would believe in it either.’

‘Where God is, the devil is also, seeking to undo God’s good works!’

‘Mother, I suggested to Edward that he issue a proclamation saying that you were sick and that that was the reason for your sudden revelations, made in your delirium. It is better that your unwise words are glossed over and that you issue a denial of them.’

‘Never! They are the truth, and the truth will always out. Let the people make of it what they will!’

‘So you will not retract your words?’

‘Not in any circumstances.’

‘Very well, I will inform Edward. But it does mean that he may never forgive you and that you will be estranged for the rest of your lives.’

‘That may happen, but if it does, I still know that I have done the right thing.’

‘All you have done, Mother, is to relieve your guilty conscience!’

‘And start to clear the way for you. You remember your task in life—to honour your father’s memory and to avenge his death! One day, I know you will do this—with my help. You have a great future ahead of you, Richard. You are an able and an upright boy. All you have to do is to make up your mind to do the right thing and take your chances as they present themselves!’

‘You speak in riddles, Mother. I do not understand you.’

‘One day, you will, believe me. Now please go, for I am very tired. I find daily life stressful these days and prefer to be quiet and at my devotions.’

Raglan Castle, Gwent, 28 January 1466

Woking Old Hall,

Surrey,

20 January 1466.

My Dear Henry,

I am writing to you hoping that you will receive this letter of congratulations in good time for your ninth birthday on 28 January. I only wish I could have been with you for your birthday, but it is such a long way to Raglan from here, especially in mid-winter! And you know that I do not enjoy good health.

When I came last June to visit you and for the Eisteddfod, which Lord Herbert had invited me to, the terrible heat on the journey made me feel ill, especially when my carriage broke down and I could not get to you in time for the opening ceremony concert. I know you were very disappointed and probably thought I was not coming at all! But I did arrive eventually, didn’t I? And we spent a pleasant week together. It was good to see you after so long. I could not believe how you had grown!

You know that it is the king who has kept us apart all these years? He would never allow me to have the care of you; otherwise, I would have you here, now.

He lets me live freely only under sufferance because my good husband, Lord Stafford, supports him. King Edward knows my Lancastrian persuasions and fears the influence I have as one of the wealthiest women in Britain, with so many important connections, most of whom are opposed to his rule! I suppose I am lucky that he allows me to keep my estates at all—which will one day be yours. I am writing to send you my good wishes for your birthday, but also to remind you of your obligations and expectations.

I have constantly urged King Edward to restore your rightful title of Earl of Richmond to you and the North Yorkshire estates belonging to it, appropriated by that grasping younger brother of his, George of Clarence! But so far, my pleadings have had no effect. I will never give up though, and maybe one day soon, my importunity will change his mind and he may give in—just to get rid of me! So do not give up hope of coming into your own eventually!

You are, I must remind you again, of royal blood and the last surviving heir to the claims of the House of Lancaster. You could be king one day! The only other real claimants are Richard of Gloucester and George of Clarence, but they certainly have no better claim than you!

Richard has been given great responsibilities lately by the king, although he is only in his fourteenth year. To give him his due, he has apparently carried out these duties in an exemplary fashion. But all this power at such a young age must have made him very arrogant and self-important! Pride comes before a fall, so they say, and good King Henry will soon humble the lad again, no doubt, when he returns to power, which I pray will be soon!

Now, my son, you see what can be done with the right connections? You too could have such a great future if you make up your mind to fight for it in a few years’ time!

The first step is to get King Edward to acknowledge your claim to the Richmond inheritance, and I will do all in my power to see that he does that! I work for nothing else at present—though later on, I intend to work for even higher aspirations on your behalf. I am devoted to your cause! However, as a woman, I can only do so much, in spite of my wealth, power, and influence. Soon you will be old enough to fight for yourself! Uncle Jasper will aid you in this—he is a seasoned campaigner and has always been determined that you should get what is rightfully yours. You are also receiving a thorough training in the knightly arts at Raglan, which will help you give a good account of yourself when it comes to battles!

Once again, Henry, I send you my congratulations, and there are surprise presents from me which you will receive on that happy day soon, presents which I know you will treasure and which will serve you well!

Your devoted mother,

Margaret Beaufort,

Countess of Richmond

Raglan Castle, 28 January 1466

Henry read and reread this birthday letter from his mother, feeling rather overawed by what she expected of him. It had never even entered his head that there was a possibility of him becoming king one day. He was not sure that he had any desire to be. But he was also rather excited to think that his future could be a great and glorious one, if he only worked for it, as his mother so obviously did! That seemed to be the one thing on her mind!

He would have liked to show the letter to his closest companion and confidante, Maude, but as the Herbert family were all committed Lancastrians, he felt he was unable to confide his mother’s great ambitions for him expressed in the letter. But he could tell her what his mother had said about the birthday presents and about Richard of Gloucester’s amazing achievements! He sought her out in the Solar, where she was contentedly playing with her new Welsh Corgi puppy, received for Christmas, in front of an enormous fire of mountain ash logs. The puppy alternately nipped the ball she rolled for it and an old slipper of hers she had found for him and then transferred its attentions to Henry’s ankles and legs as he came towards her. He yelped as the sharp little teeth embedded themselves in his left calf.

‘Sorry, Henry. He doesn’t yet realise that his play bites actually hurt! I’m afraid Corgis are known for their nipping habits! It’s bred into them I suppose, as they are often used as sheepdogs by the hill farmers! Let me see—has Evan drawn blood?’

‘No, but I shall remember to wear thick breeches when I come near him in future!’

‘By the way, Happy Birthday, Henry! Did you get my present? I asked your body servant Ivor to leave it on the bottom of your bed so you’d find it first thing!’

‘Yes, I needed a pair of tough leather gauntlets. They will be very useful when training my new hunting falcon. I had a long letter from my Lady mother today. She says there are some presents coming for me later on which I am sure to treasure! I wonder what they can be? She is very religious, so I suppose one of them will be an illustrated book of Psalms or Devotions, or some such. I shall have to be grateful, whatever they are!’

‘Have you no idea what they can be, Henry? Maybe you will be pleasantly surprised!’

‘Who knows! No, I have no idea. I will have to curb my impatience until they do arrive! But the letter was also full of the exploits of Richard of Gloucester. He is only five years older than me but already commanding armies and being given posts of huge responsibility by the king!’