White Boar and the Red Dragon, The (9 page)

‘Perhaps he can’t find anyone else he trusts enough to do these things!’ said Maude, picking up Evan, who had started on Henry’s ankles again.

‘But he has another brother, George, who is three years older than Richard, and he does not honour him so!’

‘Perhaps he is untrustworthy—or a fool? Just because he is royal does not mean he is responsible!’

‘I suppose you’re right. But hearing about Richard makes me feel very inadequate, especially as my mother keeps harping on about the great deeds I shall do when I am old enough and the high positions I shall occupy! She can think of nothing else, it seems!’

‘Mothers are always very ambitious for their sons, especially only sons like you!’

‘I hope I can come up to her expectations! She says Richard’s success is all because he has the “right connections”—King Edward, I think she must mean. What other boy his age could be offered such incredible opportunities? But he is the king’s favourite brother!’

‘Exactly! So stop fretting—you are but nine years old today! Who knows what great feats you may achieve in the future? Give yourself time! Richard is an exceptional case, after all!’

‘Will I ever be able to match up to my Lady mother’s expectations though? Will I make her proud of me one day? She works so hard on my behalf.’

‘Perhaps she feels guilty for neglecting you all these years! That could be the reason she writes so frequently now and supports you so strongly, though she knows the king is wary of your very existence and could punish her at any time for her attachment to you!’

‘Why is he wary of my existence? What could I possibly do to harm him?’

‘It is not what you could do now—but in the future! Or what your mother and your Uncle Jasper could do for the Lancastrian cause in your name! Don’t you see? You are a threat to him, though you do not feel it! My father explained it all to me long since. That is why you are kept here. If she had you with her, she could raise a rebellion in your name possibly.’

‘I did not intend to tell you this—but she says that I may be king one day—that I have the blood royal in my veins and that she is working ceaselessly towards that day. Her plans must all be made in secret though, as her husband is a Yorkist, and if the king found out what she was doing, he would surely strip her of all her estates and possessions and throw her in prison!’

‘There you are then! That is exactly what I mean. Here, now, and being so young, you could do little on your own, but you are a figurehead to the Lancastrians—she is probably only awaiting the first chance to push you forward when they decide to challenge King Edward again!’

‘I do not like being a pawn in a political game of chess! It makes me feel very uncomfortable—and rather afraid.’

‘Well, you are! That is why you are kept here, quietly, out of the public eye. If you lived in London, things would be very different! And the king knows it!’

‘You are very wise, Maude. I am glad to have you for my friend. You explain things that worry me so well too! I wish I could meet this heroic Richard of Gloucester—he is what I aspire to! He is very able and achieves much! And I am sure it is not just because his brother is the king. If he were not clever, he would not be able to carry out these great tasks, but would fail miserably! It is a pity we are on opposing sides, a great pity!’

‘I can hear horses trotting into the main courtyard below! Perhaps it is the messengers with your mother’s presents! Shall I come down with you?’

‘Yes, and call the others too. I want everyone to see that my mother has not forgotten me on my birthday!

In the last year, she has actually been remembering my existence! When I was tiny, I was convinced she cared nothing for me and had abandoned me entirely! Now I know it was the king’s will that I was left with your family—which has become my family, and you are all very dear to me now!’

‘As you are to us! She was just waiting until you grew old enough to understand that you are a person of some importance in the scheme of things before she started communicating with you so frequently! But all these years, she has obviously not forgotten you and has been pinning her ambitious schemes on you! She knows that soon you will be old enough to become a real threat to the Yorkists!’

Westminster Palace, London, February 1466

‘Your Majesty, the queen is safely delivered of a healthy child and both are doing well!’ The maidservant, having run all the way from the birthing chamber in the queen’s apartments, was beaming as she breathlessly came out with the news they had all been waiting for. King Edward smiled broadly and stood up in expectation.

‘And now I have an heir, no one can question my right to reign, not even my embittered mother! I will come at once to see the boy!’

The maid took a step back, hesitantly. ‘The baby—it’s—she’s a girl, Sire!’ She looked afraid, as if she expected the king to be angry, as everyone knew that kings wanted their firstborn child to be a son. But she need not have worried. If the king was at all taken aback, he did not show it.

‘Rejoice with me, everyone! I have a daughter!’ he announced proudly to the assembled court, which included many of the queen’s Woodville relatives, and he slapped Lord Rivers, Elizabeth’s father, on the back jovially.

‘Come with me to see them, my lord! Two proud fathers together!’ The other Woodvilles started to follow him too, but he motioned them back.

‘Later, later! Give her a chance to recover. You must not crowd the queen or the baby! But, Richard, you can come now too, if you like.’

He took Richard’s arm and, with his other arm around Lord River’s shoulder, the trio set off along the corridor, the king laughing all the way.

The remaining Woodvilles, looked at each other, aggrieved and affronted. They had been waiting there for days for the imminent birth, and now that they had been excluded, they felt it bitterly.

Lord Richard Grey, the queen’s youngest son by her first marriage, voiced their feelings volubly. ‘We all know how Richard of Gloucester hates and despises my mother, and yet Edward favours him above us! It is not to be borne. You would think that, loving Elizabeth to distraction as he does, he would not allow anyone who is her enemy anywhere near her—especially at this time!’

‘Perhaps the king does not recognise the hatred between them? Richard never shows his feelings towards her when Edward is around!’ mused Thomas, Marquess of Dorset, his elder brother.

‘He must know. But of course, Richard is his favourite brother. He can forgive him anything, it seems!’

Just then, George of Clarence came hurrying into the chamber as they grumbled among themselves, and they immediately hushed their voices. But it was too late—he had heard their last comments.

‘Don’t let me interrupt you. You’re only voicing what I’ve been feeling for a long time now! Richard’s always been his favourite, right from when he and I were little together. Our big elder brother wrote to him far more frequently when we had to go into exile and flee to Brugge. He received letters all the time from Edward—and I had hardly any at all! And when we were later under house arrest back in London, he came nearly every day, but it was Richard he came to see, Richard he embraced! I felt left out then, I can tell you!

And now he prefers him over me when bestowing missions and the command of men! Surely, by virtue of my age, I should receive these? I am three years older than Richard, after all!’

Thomas nodded. ‘Aye, but he has hardly any estates to speak of! You are far better off in that respect—and you are wealthier too! Isn’t that worth more in the end than anything else? The king has always been generous with gifts to you!’

‘And what I have, I will hold! My dear brother will never get his hands on any of my estates, as well as Edward’s affection!’ He sat down heavily on the nearest seat, which happened to be the chair of state—and was sitting like that with a brooding scowl on his face, chin in hand, elbow leaning heavily on an arm-rest, when the king returned a short time later, flanked by Richard and Lord Rivers. Edward’s expression of beaming bonhomie was immediately replaced by one of extreme annoyance as he caught sight of George.

‘And what’s this then? Hankering after my seat, George? As long as you’re not hankering after the position that goes with it, huh?’ His laughter boomed out, as George got up hurriedly, rather shamefaced, and bowed low to Edward.

‘I hear that congratulations are in order, brother? Now that you have every happiness—a beautiful, loving wife, a new child, and the kingship too—would you not consider acceding to my request for Isabel Warwick and I to be betrothed? I have brought up this matter with you more than once lately.’

The king, caught off guard, but not unaware of George’s deliberate timing in asking him yet again, whilst he was in a good mood, what he had refused him outright several times already, slapped George heartily on the shoulder and laughed again.

‘Now, now, George, don’t push my patience too far. You are always wheedling for something or the other, it seems—every time I see you, you are at it again! And you have so much. When you are a little older, we will come to the matter of your betrothal!’

‘You mean you are agreeing to it in principle, and it’s only because you think I am too young for marriage at present that you are holding out on me?’

‘That is not what I inferred. I meant that, when the time comes, a suitable match will be found for you. I am sure that there are plenty of pretty European princesses who would be only too glad to marry such a well set-up and wealthy young man!’

‘You are playing games with me, brother! You know it is only Isabel I want. You have no right to do that!’

‘I have every right!’ Edward thundered, his mood changing suddenly, as it was wont to do, especially when he was crossed. ‘Lately, you have become like an annoying gnat buzzing round me with your constant begging for this favour or that! You may be sixteen, but sometimes you act like a spoilt little child! Richard here is far more mature for his years, and he is not yet fourteen!’

‘Of course, dear Richard can do no wrong, can he?’ George began, but got no further.

‘Out of my sight, George! You would try the patience of a saint! This was a very happy time for me until a short while ago. Then you came and spoilt it all! Now go, before I lose my temper with you altogether!’

George took the hint, turned, and retreated hastily from the room. Edward impatiently waved the rest of the assembled company out too. When they had gone, Richard sat down beside him on a footstool.

‘You are very hard on him, Edward. He does have a point—you are somewhat grudging to him, whereas you are always so generous and open-hearted to me. Who can blame him for getting envious? Remember the northern command you gave me? He was very bitter about that, being so much older than me, and I’m afraid his jealousy and bitterness could cause much trouble for us all in the future!’

‘He has to be kept in his place. Lately, he is far too full of himself. And I did not give you that command out of favouritism, but because you were more fitted to it than George! You are far more able, even if younger! You are the cleverest of us all—I may be king, but I envy you your capable, clear mind!’

‘I thank you for the trust you place in me, brother, and I hope I may never give you cause to rue it. Loyalty binds me! It has always been my motto, and you have my loyal allegiance until death! But, to go back to George—’

Edward groaned, ‘Do we have to?’

‘What is your real objection to his betrothal to Isabel Neville? It would be a good match—think of the enormous estates she will inherit! Richard Neville is the richest man in England! And he is far richer than you, even though you are king!’

‘And don’t I know it! That’s another one who needs taking down a peg or two! I fear he is becoming a threat to us, Richard! He is full of resentment since I sent him packing last spring and powerful enough to do us real damage if he’d a mind to! Do you think I want our two families united by marriage, given the strained relations between us?’

‘But surely it would bring you together again? You were the best of friends until you decided to marry Elizabeth without telling anyone!’

‘No, he would think I was giving him permission to rule and guide me again, and I won’t have that any more! It is best if I keep him at arm’s length. I don’t want him to think I have put aside my anger at his attitude to my marriage!’

Richard shook his head. ‘I hope you will not regret this decision in the future, Edward. I know Richard Neville well—remember, he was my mentor and friend too! I grew to care for him and for all his family. Basically, he is a good man. It is a great pity we cannot go back to being friends once more!’

‘And you care for one of his family in particular, I believe, Richard? Young Lovell, your friend, told me how you and Anne were always together.’

Richard felt his face grow hot. He hoped he was not blushing. ‘We have always been good friends, that’s all!’

‘Well I’m glad of that! I had thought that maybe you were also thinking to the future and perhaps hoping that you and Anne would be betrothed! One brother hankering after a Neville girl he cannot have is enough for me to deal with at the moment, thank you!’

Richard felt an inward moment of fear. If Edward really knew how he felt about Anne… but he was not about to tell him at that moment—that would have to wait.

Raglan Castle, Gwent, 1468

Woking Old Hall,

Surrey

September 1468

My Dear Henry,

Your Uncle Jasper has lately suffered another defeat at Harlech Castle, in spite of fighting with his men to defend it. It is the last of our great castles to fall to the Yorkists when they besieged it and has held out for seven years! Unfortunately, your uncle just did not have enough soldiers with him to overcome the Yorkist force, led by Lord Herbert, your guardian, who was victorious. It will make you very angry—and sad—to hear that King Edward has rewarded Lord Herbert with the Earldom of Pembroke now, having stripped Jasper entirely of his title and lands in revenge. I do not know if he will ever have them back, unless King Henry is restored to power soon. Uncle Jasper has been pursued by Lord Herbert’s men but is not easily caught, especially in his own country, which he knows well.