My mother said: "The queen is very clever. Any woman who has managed to keep Edward all these years must be. I know how she does it, of course. It is by closing her eyes to his many amours. I do not think I could have done that if I had been in her place and I thank God I was never called upon to do it in mine. I was lucky in my marriage."
"My father was lucky, too. Where would he have been without you?"
"Your father would have been a great man. It just happened that the wealth and titles I brought to him helped him to get what he wanted a little earlier."
"And brought him to his end," I said sadly.
"Yes, that is true. But most men of influence end up either on the battlefield or the block."
"Would it not be better to have no influence and die peacefully in bed after having lived a long life?"
"I feel sure they would not agree with you, Anne. And what a morbid subject! Do you think we should make some garments for Isabel's baby? I should like to try that new embroidery stitch I learned the other day."
So we stitched and we talked and we often spoke of Isabel.
We were stunned when the news came. I helped my mother to her bed. I had never seen her so stricken.
Isabel was dead. She had died after her little boy was born and he soon followed his mother to the grave.
I could not believe it. Isabel ... dead! There were so many memories of her. She had been so much a part of my childhood. She was too young to die.
My mother wept in silence at night. By day she was withdrawn. I had never seen a face so sad as hers.
As for myself, I was equally desolate. It was inconceivable. Never to see Isabel again! Never to receive a letter from her.
I thought of those little ones: Margaret and Edward. Poor motherless children. And George? He had loved her, I believe, in his way, although I could not believe he would ever love anyone but himself, I
had never heard that he was unfaithful. At least he was not like the king in that respect.
How hard it was to believe that Isabel was dead, and for a long time afterwards I would find myself thinking: I will write and tell Isabel that.
Death was in the air. Isabel had died in December just before Christmas a sad time to die and in January there was another death.
Isabel's was of little importance in court circles, but that of Charles the Rash was another matter.
The Duke of Burgundy dead meant that the heiress to his vast estates was a woman his daughter Mary. So Mary of Burgundy had become the most desirable parti in Europe. Richard was thoughtful. He talked to me of it. He said: "I wonder what Edward is thinking now. Louis paid him to keep away because Burgundy was Edward's ally and Louis feared Burgundy more than he feared England. But what will happen now that Burgundy is no more?" There is, of course, Mary."
"A woman!" said Richard.
"Whom will she take for her husband? That is what everyone will be watching. She will need a strong man to stand beside and hold what she has inherited. You will see now, there will be a rush to marry her from all the most ambitious men in Europe."
"Poor Mary." I said.
"She will be married for her estates."
"I believe her to be a strong-minded young woman," said Richard.
"She might insist on making up her own mind as to which man she will marry. It will be interesting. Her stepmother -our sister Margaret, as you know may have some influence with her. If she had an English husband, that would do us no harm. Margaret will surely think of that."
It soon became clear that the demise of the Duke of Burgundy was going to have a big effect on a number of people.
In the first place, Edward called a council and Richard was summoned to London. As always he was loth to leave Middleham and the family life which he loved. "Why should you not come with me, Anne?" he said.
I was pleased, although I hated the thought of leaving Middleham and the children. Yet I felt that on this occasion Richard particularly wanted to have me with him. Always at the back of his mind was the question of what George might do next. Isabel was dead and George would be free to many. I believe some premonition of what would happen was in Richard's mind. It might have been that he needed someone with him to whom he could talk freely, someone in whom he could have complete trust. I was that one.
The journey will be hard going," he said, "for we shall have to travel with all speed if we are to get there in time for the first day of the council meeting."
I knew I could leave the children in the care of their nurses and attendants and Richard and I left for the south.
I felt uneasy to be at court. Clarence was there. He met me with an absolute nonchalance, as though the cookshop incident had never happened. He talked sentimentally of Isabel and said he was heart-broken; but his expressions of pleasure at seeing me and his recollections of his dear Isabel struck me as somewhat false. As with his brother Edward, when one saw them after an absence, one was always aware of their outstanding good looks -the height, the splendid physique, the clean-cut features, the almost perfectly masculine beauty. But I fancied Clarence looked a little bloated: his complexion was more florid. I knew of his fondness for good malmsey. Isabel used to say she often chided him for drinking too much: and when he drank he went into realms of fancy, seeing himself as the all-powerful one the king, no less.
When we arrived in London the council was already sitting. Edward, I knew, would be delighted to have Richard's support. He would be very wary of Clarence. I wondered that he allowed him to come to the council after his past record. Edward seemed to wave all that aside simply because he would not let himself believe that he had a brother who would betray him if he had a chance to do so.
After that first council meeting, Richard told me that the discussion had centred on trade. The great concern was what the effect would be on our English markets, and of course whether the death of Burgundy England's ally and Louis' enemy -would give Louis an opportunity of refusing to honour his treaty. However, Edward had a secret meeting with Richard and this I believe was at the root of his concern as much as any other.
In our apartments, as we lay in bed, Richard unburdened himself to me. After all, I was with him that he might talk openly to someone whom he could trust. He had once said that talking to me was like talking to himself and as he listened to himself he saw a subject from a different angle. Moreover he knew that everything he said to me would go no farther.
"Edward's real concern is not so much with trade and the pension, for he believes he can keep trade going and still have a hold on Louis. But our sister of Burgundy is trying to arrange a match between Mary and George."
"But Isabel..."
"Isabel is conveniently dead. If I know our brother, he will be on the look-out for a convenient match ... and what could be more so than this? Burgundy is one of the greatest estates in Europe. Clarence is avid for power. He wants the throne of England, of course. In his heart Edward knows that. But there is another matter. Burgundy has always believed it has a claim to the English throne. What do you think would happen if Clarence married Mary of Burgundy?"
"I think in the first place that Edward would never allow it."
"You are right. I know he seems easy-going, but when it is necessary, he can be strong. He likes peace. He is affable almost to a fault and it will need a good deal to provoke him. But in a matter like this he will stand firm."
"Margaret, your sister, wants it."
"Margaret always loved George dearly. I was so jealous of him when we were young. As I have told you, to Margaret he was always her dear little brother, so handsome and charming. Edward was the same as far as George was concerned. But Edward will certainly not allow this Burgundian marriage."
"And Clarence?"
"I am afraid he will be vengeful."
"Against the king? Will he dare?"
"When he is in one of his impulsive moods, he will dare anything. He does not look beyond the immediate present. He sees his wild dreams come true. I'll swear that now he
is seeing himself Lord of Burgundy and doubtless ... in due course ... conqueror of England."
"He frightens me, Richard."
"He frightens us all. If he were not the king's brother and Edward were not the man he is Clarence would have lost his head long ere this. Margaret stresses the point that Mary should marry an Englishman to ensure that the ties between us are kept intact. We all agree. But what Englishman? Not Clarence. Not Rivers."
"Rivers?"
The queen's brother. Edward had allowed his name to go forward as a possible husband. It is only because the queen has pleaded for it. Everyone knows how she constantly puts forward members of her family. That has been one of the main troubles since Edward married her. Edward placates her, particularly when he knows there is not a chance of her attaining her ambitions."
"You mean that Edward has actually allowed Rivers to seek Mary's hand in competition with George?"
"He will not allow Clarence to be in the running."
"Yet Rivers is there?"
"Rivers has not a chance. Mary would laugh at the suggestion. So would everyone else ... except the queen who is robbed of her good sense where the promotion of her family is concerned. She thinks that because she, a woman of no standing, succeeded in marrying a king, she can pair off members of her family with all the great houses, not only in England but in Europe."
"And your sister Margaret favours Clarence! Does she have much influence with Mary?"
"She may have, but Mary is a strong-minded young woman. She will have her own views, I doubt not. What she needs is a strong man beside her and neither Clarence nor Rivers would fit the role. She would, of course, reject them both. But, in view of Margaret's preference for George, Edward says he cannot allow his name to go forward."
"I can see why he is worried. But what will Clarence say when he, the king's brother, is rejected by the king while Rivers is offered?"
"He will be furious. There is no doubt of that."
"And say that the king favoured his wife's brother and rejected his own."
"He will say a great many things, then lose his senses in his favourite malmsey and think up some ambitious project."
How I wished we could leave court and all the intrigues. My heart was in Middleham. I think Richard's was too.
I was with Richard when Clarence stormed in. Richard dismissed everyone else and I was alone with him and his brother.
"I will endure this no more." burst out Clarence.
"There is a conspiracy against me."
"That is not so, George," began Richard.
"And if you are referring to this Burgundy matter "My brother would not allow me to accept the offer. Yet that nobody ... that upstart, prancing Rivers ..."
"George, Edward knew from the beginning that Rivers would be unacceptable."
"He has insulted me. I am not good enough. I, the king's brother, the Duke of Clarence of the House of York ... yet that ninny ... just because he is the brother of that... witch! God give me patience. How much longer shall I endure these insults? I ... who have every right to the crown of this land ..."
"George, be careful." said Richard.
"You, brother. You are a toady. Edward is the king, you say. You dance to his tune. You are his favourite brother because you have no spirit. We should stand against him ... both of us."
This is treason." said Richard.
George laughed at him. The good little brother. Was it not always so? Edward is right. Edward is wonderful. We must obey Edward, even when he marries a witch. Edward could never leave women alone ... and he learns nothing. He is duped by that witch who would set her family up against us. This is the end."
"Have a care, George, lest it should be the end of Edward's leniency towards you."
"I shall endure no more."
"You have endured nothing. Mary herself will choose her husband. If she wants you, the offer will be made, and rest assured she will laugh the idea of Rivers to scorn."
"Our brother must be mad to allow his name to be suggested."
"Only because it will not be received with any seriousness." "Our sister Margaret wants me. She has said so."
"George, if Mary wants you, rest assured there will be a match for you with Burgundy."
"Edward will try to stop it."
"Wait and see."
"You and I should stand against this tyranny. Oh, I know you, little Gloucester. You would never stand against Edward ... treat you how he would."
"I have never had anything but love and kindness from him."
That's because you toady all the time."
"Would it not be better if you were a little more loyal to the king?"
George stalked impatiently from the chamber.
When he had gone, Richard said.
"You see how indiscreet he is? I only hope he does not destroy himself."
"If he is destroyed, he will have none but himself to blame."
"He is inflamed by wine. He will calm down in time."
"I hope it will be soon. He seems very eager to marry again although it is only a short time since Isabel died. I thought he cared for her. I know she cared for him."
"A lot of people have cared for George. We all did. I have told you often how Margaret and Edward doted on him. George cares only for himself. He is a dreamer of wild dreams. He sees a consummation of these dreams but he refuses to accept what is necessary to reach it. That is his trouble. He has already had a try for the throne with your father. He refuses to see that Edward has been amazingly kind to him, to take him back ... to treat him like I brother. Anyone but George would have learned his lesson. But George never learns. I fear for him and for us."
"Richard, you have so many cares," I said.
"I wish we could go .home and live quietly."
Richard sighed and I knew he shared my wish.
Clarence was certainly in a wild mood. His anger was directed mainly against the Woodvilles, and he decided to take the law into his own hands.
At first there were rumours which shocked me deeply.
I heard two of the women who had accompanied me from Middleham discussing Isabel and I wanted to know what they were saying about my sister. They were loth to tell me at first, but I insisted.
They are saying that she was poisoned, my lady." said one.
"Poisoned! My sister! That is not true."
"My lady, it is what is said."
"I want to know more of this."
The duke, my lady, is prostrate with grief."
Prostrate with grief, I thought! It did not seem so since he was proposing to marry Mary of Burgundy.
They say he is determined to find the culprits."
They could tell me no more. I asked Richard about it.
There will often be such rumours," he said.
"One should not take a great deal of notice of them. It may be that someone was saying Isabel was young to die and the rumour starts. People are always ready to suspect poison when someone dies."
"Isabel was never strong."
Richard looked at me anxiously. I guessed what he was thinking. Why should Warwick, the strong man, and his healthy wife, produce only two delicate daughters? I guessed that thought had often been in his mind. With Isabel's death, his anxiety about my health had been increased.
I went to him and laid my hand on his arm.
"I am going to live for a long time," I said.
"I must... for you and Edward. As for Isabel ... that last child, little Richard, was too much for her. She was not well before. She had already had three children ... the last two too soon together. This rumour of poison is nonsense."
On Isabel's death Ankarette Twynyho had returned to her native village in Somerset and decided that she would settle there among members of her family. I am sure Ankarette would have been very contented and would have become quite a figure in the village with her anecdotes about the court and people in high places.
She had served the queen as well as my sister and therefore Clarence
turned his attention to her.
He must have been the one who set in circulation the rumours that his wife had been poisoned, and as his hatred against the Woodville family had been intensified by this recent rivalry for the hand of Mary of Burgundy, he decided he would find a way of calling attention to their villainy.
With a company of guards he rode down to Somerset and there found Ankarette. His men seized her and took her off to Warwick to be tried for the murder of my sister and her baby son.
Clarence implied that she was a servant of the queen and that the queen had sent her to my sister with instructions to poison her and her child.
He set up his own judge and jury who, on his orders, found her guilty of the crime and condemned her to death by hanging.
The sentence was carried out without delay.
When I heard the news I was overcome with horror. I had known Ankarette well. She was quite incapable of such a deed. She had been very fond of Isabel and had loved all children.
Clarence was crazy. Why should she want to poison Isabel? Clarence hinted that the woman was obeying the orders of her mistress, the queen.
Richard was both bewildered and shocked.
"What a fool my brother is!" he cried.
"He acts without thinking. He just wants to strike a blow at the Woodvilles and he does this terrible thing to an innocent woman. After this, they will work against him more than they ever did before. He has proclaimed himself not only their enemy but as a reckless, foolish man, a creature of no judgement. He will destroy himself."
I thought perhaps that would be the best thing ... for him and for us all.
"You see what he has done?" went on Richard.
"He has not only murdered this innocent woman, but he has behaved in a manner which would only be permissible if he were king. He has taken the law into his own hands, which no subject must do. He must stop this rash behaviour or he will certainly find himself in such danger from which even the king will not be able to save him."
The Reluctant Queen Page 24
