Ankarette talked to me when I was retiring for the night.
The Duke of Gloucester came to Warwick Court today." I said.
"But the guards would not permit him to enter."
"What?" I cried.
"How could that be?"
Ankarette paused, the gown which she was about to hang up still in her hands.
"There is a quarrel between him and the Duke of Clarence. The guards were uneasy. I should think so! They will have offended the Duke of Gloucester mightily. To call on his brother and be refused admittance!"
"What... is this quarrel?"
She lifted her shoulders.
"They say the king is involved ... and he does not know which one to favour. The king loves his brothers well and when they are fighting together over some matters he wants to please them both."
I did not say any more. Clearly Ankarette did not know the cause of their quarrel, but I did.
I was afraid. I woke in the night, trembling. I had been haunted by vague nightmares. Clarence was in those hideous fantasies ... smiling ... but the smiles were a mask. I knew that evil lurked behind them. And I was in his power. He was my brother-in-law. It was he who had command over me, Richard was trying to rescue me. There was conflict between the two brothers, and the king stood between them. He could save me, but where his family was concerned he was weak. He wanted to please both his brothers. He wanted to give me to Richard and at the same time please Clarence by preventing the marriage. It was not surprising that I was afraid.
I had always been wary of Clarence. I had never understood Isabel's infatuation with him. I always thought that in the first place she had wanted a husband and an ideal choice seemed the powerful brother of the king who would have been in line for the throne if Edward did not have a son; he had been a very acceptable part; and it had gone on from there. Indeed I believehe cared for her. I should have thought him incapable of real affection, but there are many facets to people's characters and I suppose a man could love one sister and be ready to destroy the happiness of the other.
I lay shivering in my bed. He was determined not to share my father's fortune. To what lengths would he go to keep it to himself?
I thought I had escaped from all my troubles. I had contemplated a happy life with Richard but I could see that I should have to fight my way to it.
But Richard was close by. He would help me. He had tried to see me and had been held off by his brother's guards He would not allow that to pass. He would come again, possibly with his own guards.
Meanwhile I tried to fight off these alarming thoughts and, as the night closed in on me, I lay listening for footsteps outside my chamber. I did not know what action he would take but I was fearful.
People died of strange maladies which were never explained. King Henry had died of melancholy, they said. There could be many causes, I supposed, for sudden and convenient deaths.
When daylight came, my spirits revived a little.
Richard was not far off, I kept telling myself. He would save me.
It was during the morning. I could not bear to be within those walls and went into the courtyard and sat on a wooden seat there. I did not want to talk to Isabel. I could find no comfort from her. She would support her husband; she would say I was young and inexperienced, that George was my guardian and he had my good at heart.
I gazed at the cobbles, thinking of Richard's coming to Warwick Court and being barred by the guards. I could imagine his anger. He would not let it rest there. He would come again. I knew it.
A serving maid slipped unobtrusively into the courtyard. I had not seen her before. There were so many serving maids at Warwick Court that I could not be familiar with them all.
She came and stood before me, looking cautiously about her, and said in a low voice: "My lady, I must speak to you. I have a message from ... the Duke of Gloucester."
My heart began to beat very fast.
"Give it to me." I said.
"I have to speak to you, my lady. I dare not here. People may be watching. Could I perhaps ... come to your chamber?"
"Yes ... yes. Come now."
"My lady ... if you will go to your chamber, I will come to you when I can. I will bring you something ... I can say you sent for it ... if I am asked."
"I will go to my chamber now."
"Please, my lady ... sit awhile ... then go. I will join you as soon as I am able. It is important to take care." She bobbed a curtsey and walked away.
I forced myself to sit for a few more moments, then I walked round the courtyard and after that went up to my chamber. I did not have to wait long, which was fortunate, for my impatience was unendurable. She came in almost furtively.
"My lady," she said.
"I have this message from the Duke of Gloucester."
"How did it come to you?"
"I have a friend who is in the duke's service at Crosby's Place." I nodded. I knew Richard was often at Crosby's Place when he was in London.
"Yes, yes." I said.
"Give me the message."
"It is not written. I have to tell you."
"Then do so ... please ... quickly."
"The duke has tried to see you and been refused admittance."
"I know this to be."
There is a quarrel between the brothers and the king wishes to please them both. The duke, my lady, wants you to go to him."
"Where?"
"That is what I have to tell you. If you will be ready to leave after the household has retired for the night a carriage will be waiting to take you into sanctuary. There the duke will be waiting for you. I will conduct you to the carriage when you are ready. The duke is very anxious to get you out of Warwick Court. There must not be battle between the two brothers. If there were the king could come down on any side. The Duke of Clarence now has you in his possession. The Duke of Gloucester would have you in his."
"I shall be ready." I said.
"Oh ... er ... my lady, if aught should go wrong ... I beg of you not to mention my part in this."
"I promise. I would not."
"It would be the end of Jack and of me ... if my lord of Clarence ..."
"I understand. I would never betray you for helping me."
"There will be feasting in the great hall tonight, as the duke is here. As soon as you can retire to your room, do so, and be ready. I will come to your door. Come out at once and follow me. I will take you to the carriage and there leave you. You will go straight to sanctuary and tomorrow the Duke of Gloucester will come to you."
"Thank you a thousand times. I shall never forget what you have done for me.
She kissed my hand and left me.
I do not know how I managed to suppress my excitement during that day.
I was with Isabel in the afternoon. We sat over our needlework as we often did. I must have seemed preoccupied, but that was not unnatural.
Isabel did say: "Anne, I think you are beginning to realise that George is right."
I nodded and hung my head.
"He is, when all is said, only trying to do what is best for you. He has your welfare at heart."
Still I did not answer. I was amazed at my duplicity, but I did have to keep reminding myself that I must not betray by the slightest word or gesture that I was contemplating flight.
There was a great deal of revelry in the hall that night, as was the custom when the Duke of Clarence was present. The long tables were filled with retainers and there were all the squires and pages who were considered necessary to the comfort of the diners.
The minstrels were playing in the gallery as the scullions and serving men and women hurried back and forth to the kitchens.
The duke was seated at the centre of the table on the dais and Isabel was on his right hand, I on his left.
He was very merry and I noticed that now and then he put out a hand to caress Isabel. She was smiling and happy. My heart was pounding. I longed to be free to go to my chamber and be conducted to the waiting ca
rriage.
Clarence was particularly affable to me. I think Isabel must have told him that I had come to my senses and that I understood I should be wise to obey my guardian and be a docile ward in future.
He was drinking heavily, I noticed, but he frequently did. He called for a song. It was about love and he listened with a sentimental gleam in his eyes.
He parted my hand.
"Anne." he said.
"My dear little sister. I am going to see that all is well for you. Your welfare is one of my greatest concerns. You know that, do you not?"
He put his face close to mine and I said: "I know that you think of my future, my lord."
"You are my dear wife's sister, and everything concerning her is dear to my heart. Come. Drink with me ... to our happy future. Wine ... wine ... good Malmsey wine for the Lady Anne."
One of the men filled my goblet.
To the future." said Clarence.
"Our friendship, Anne, yours and mine. It is as steady as a rock and always will be. Come, you are not drinking. I want to see the contents of that goblet go down. Otherwise I shall think you are not sincere with me."
I forced myself to drink.
There. Now we are friends. Did you see that, Isabel? Anne and I understand each other. So no more anxiety, my dear, on our account."
"Anne knows that you are concerned for her good." said Isabel, "do you not, Anne?"
"I know that my lord duke is concerned for my future." I said ambiguously.
"Well." said Clarence, "let us have another song. Tell those minstrels. This time a merry roundalay."
So they sang and some danced and it seemed a long time before I could escape to my chamber.
Once I was there, I put on a cloak and waited, but not for long. There was a gentle tap on the door.
"Are you ready, my lady?" She spoke in a whisper.
"Bring nothing. Those are my lord's orders."
"I am ready."
"Then come."
I followed her down the spiral staircase. Quietly we went. I was praying that we should meet no one on the way.
We were fortunate and reached the courtyard unseen. We sped across it ... out through the gate ... and there was the carriage waiting.
She opened the door and I stepped in.
"God's speed, my lady," she said, and ran back through the courtyard. And I was jolting along, away from captivity ... away from the Duke of Clarence.
A drowsiness began to creep over me. I could scarcely keep my eyes open. So listless did I feel that I did not even begin to wonder why, when at a time like this I should expect to be particularly alert.
The carriage had stopped. The driver descended and looked in.
"Are you comfortable, my lady?" he asked.
"Yes. Have we arrived?"
"Not yet. We've a little way to go."
"Where are we going?"
"Can't say. Waiting for instructions. All's well. Take a little nap. You'll soon be there ... where they will be waiting to welcome you. I closed my eyes. It was so easy to slip into sleep.
I awoke suddenly. I could not remember for the moment what had happened. Then my mind cleared. I was in the carriage going to the sanctuary where I should meet Richard.
I sat up. I was not in the carriage. I was in a small room ... an attic room. There were rushes on the floor and I was lying on a pallet. There was an unusual smell. Later I recognised it as rancid grease and other unpleasant ingredients.
I put my hand to my throat and touched the coarse material of my gown. But when I had left I had been wearing a velvet dress and cloak. I was supposed to be meeting Richard. I must be dreaming. I tried to shake off the dream but it was becoming like a nightmare.
The unfamiliar room ... the unfamiliar dress ... I could hear the sound of voices below ... shouting, raucous voices ... and horses' hoofs. I was in a street.
I called out: "Who's there? Where am I?"
A woman who had been sitting in the shadows stood up and came over to me.
"You all right, Nan?" she asked.
"Nan?"I asked.
"You had one of your turns." I'm not Nan."
"No," she said.
"Not that again. We're getting tired of your fancies, Nan. Lets stop it, eh?"
"I cannot understand what you are talking about. What am I doing here? I was in the carriage going to sanctuary."
She laughed.
"Anything to get away from the pots and pans, I see. And don't give yourself such airs. Talk proper like the rest of us. We've just about had enough of you showing off, just because you was once a lady's maid to some grand lady ... and ever since you've been aping her. We don't swallow that, Nan. We never did. You're just Nan. Now get up and down to that kitchen. If you're quick, you might be in time for a crust of bread and a sup of ale."
A terrible fear was creeping over me. I said: "Do you know that I'm the Lady Anne Neville?"
"Yes," she said.
"And I'm His Grace of Canterbury. Come on, up with you."
I rose unsteadily to my feet. I noticed that one side of the room sloped down to the floor.
I said: "Please tell me what has happened. I left Warwick Court in the carriage. What happened? I must have gone to sleep."
"Asleep and dreaming, that is what you've been doing ... when you ought to have been washing them pans. There's work to be done in the kitchen, my girl. The place don't run itself."
"Oh, God help me," I prayed.
"I am going mad."
I was given a push which sent me reeling against the wall. I turned to the woman appealingly.
"Will you please tell me what this means? Who brought me here? Where are my clothes? Will you tell me where I am?"
"You're out off your mind. Nan, that's what you are. You know where you are and where you've been this last month. Sometimes I think you're truly addle-pated. We don't believe your stories about you being this and that great lady. Stop it, Nan, or people will say you're really off your head. You won't know the difference twixt what is and what ain't."
She pushed me towards the door. It opened onto a flight of stairs and, seizing my arm, she made me descend them with her.
We went along a dark corridor and another door was opened. I was dazzled by the light which came from a window through which I glimpsed a yard containing several tall bins.
I blinked and saw that I was In a kitchen. A man was standing against a bench. His shirt was open at the front, disclosing a hairy chest, and there was a black fuzz of hair on his arms. He was tall, commanding-looking and he surveyed me with some interest.
"Oversleeping again." said the woman.
"I demand to know where I am and who brought me here." I cried.
There were two girls, one plump with a saucy, laughing face, the other small, pale and insignificant.
The saucy one pranced into the centre of the room and said: "I demand to know where I am and who brought me here." in an attempt to imitate my voice.
"Who are you today, sweeting?" said the man.
"What do you mean?"
"Lady Muck or Madam Slosh?" asked the saucy one.
I was staring at them aghast. I had been the victim of a conspiracy. It was becoming obvious to me that there had been some diabolic plot and these people were involved in it.
I said: "I am the Lady Anne Neville. I left Warwick Court, as I thought, for sanctuary. Will you take me there immediately?"
The tall man bowed.
"My lady, your carriage awaits." he said.
"Where is it?" I asked, and they burst into laughter.
"Here." said the saucy girl.
"We've had enough of this. Don't stand there. Will your ladyship get on with washing them pans? They'll be wanted for the midday trade."
I had never washed pans. I did not know how to begin. The thin girl was at my side. She said: "Ere, I'll give you a 'and."
I heard someone say: "She is going to faint or something."
I was pushed into a chair. The kitchen
was swimming round me. Thoughts chased each other through my mind. The girl who had told me that she had a message from Richard ... the attentions of Clarence as he had sat beside me ... his favourite Malmsey wine which he had insisted on my drinking. Yes, it was a plot... a dastardly plot. It had nothing to do with Richard.
There had been something in the wine to make me drowsy, to dull my senses; the driver of the carriage had waited until it had had its effect so that I should not know where I was being taken. And they had brought me here to this dreadful place. Richard would not know where I was.
As the horror of my situation dawned upon me, I felt numb with terror. All these dreadful people around me were involved.
They were trying to tell me I was not myself, that I belonged here.
I was someone called Nan. I felt my whole life slipping away from me. I was a prisoner in this frightening place. I was caught, trapped in a conspiracy devised by the Duke of Clarence.
Even now when I look back at that time, I find it hard to believe it ever happened to me. It was so wildly melodramatic and there were times during that terrible period when I found it difficult to cling to sanity and they almost convinced me that I was mad.
I would whisper to myself: I am Lady Anne Neville. I am the daughter of the Earl of Warwick. I am betrothed to Richard, Duke of Gloucester. These people are liars, all of them. They are playing parts which have been written for them as in a play. Why? And who is the playwright?
I knew, of course. It was Clarence. He was my enemy, our enemy: mine and Richard's. He was going to prevent our marriage at all costs. That was why he had put me here. To be rid of me? But why send me here? Why could he not simply have killed me? Because he dared not? Richard was my protector. Clarence was the king's brother but so was Richard.
What if Clarence ordered these people to kill me? They could bury my body somewhere here, or throw it into the river, and no one would hear of me again.
I was in a state of numbness for two days; after that, growing a little accustomed to my dismal background, my mind roused itself from its hopeless lethargy and I began to consider what I might do.
I was forced to work by threats of physical violence from the woman whom I had first seen when I had awakened in these sordid surroundings. I had to try to play the part assigned to me -that of kitchen maid.
The Reluctant Queen Page 18
