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‘My lords Hastings and Buckingham are loyal to him,’ Kate said. ‘They will insist upon the term of his office being lengthened.’
‘I think they will,’ A
‘What of Lord Hastings?’ Kate asked. It seemed to her that Buckingham was getting the lion’s share of the rewards. ‘Surely his help has been as invaluable? After all, it was Hastings who first warned my father that the Wydevilles were plotting to seize power. If it were not for Hastings, he might not have been in time to take the King.’
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‘Is that all?’ Kate was surprised.
‘In truth, I think it a little strange,’ A
‘Maybe he has something else in mind for Hastings,’ Kate said.
*
A messenger caught up with them near Royston. The Duke was now Lord Protector: the Council had formally invested him, and had entrusted him not only with the governance of the realm but also with the tutelage and upbringing of the King.
It was done with the consent and goodwill of the lords, he had written, and I have sovereign power to order and forbid in every matter, just like another king. Lord Hastings ca
But it might yet be. The Duke had pressed for the condemnation of Rivers and Grey and two of their associates, but the Council had refused to convict them. They say there is no certain evidence, he fumed, and they remind me that, at the time of the alleged attempt on my life, I was not Lord Protector, so ca
‘But if he lets them go, they will seek his death,’ the Duchess protested, her voice shaking, her face drawn with fear. ‘If he has gone too far in the matter, it was because he had no choice. He was right to imprison them, for they were powerful men and would certainly have risen against him, with the backing of the Queen and the rest of her faction. But seizing their estates too? I’m not sure he should have done that, for they have not been attainted by Parliament.’
‘Not yet,’ Kate said confidently. ‘They will be. They must be! Ca
Kate never forgot her first sight of London. Approaching from the northern heights, after the long journey south from Wensleydale, she suddenly saw before her the fabled city nestling in its broad valley: a marvellous, teeming panorama of rooftops and church spires, dominated by the massive presence of St Paul’s Cathedral, and ringed by strong walls. And as the noble cavalcade progressed slowly downhill from the village of Highgate, she saw fine houses set in spacious gardens and orchards, which presently gave place to more populous and prosperous suburbs.
They were to have gone to Baynard’s Castle, the palatial riverside residence of her grandmother, the Duchess of York, but the Duke had sent ahead to say that he had removed from there to Crosby Hall, a great mansion he had rented in the City of London, and would await them there. Kate had felt a pang of disappointment about that, because she had been looking forward to seeing her grandmother, but no doubt they would visit her during their stay.
They entered the City through Aldersgate, their route taking them past the great priory of St Martin-le-Grand, then east into Cheapside and Cornhill, and so to Bishopsgate; and suddenly Kate found herself in a maze of bustling thoroughfares crammed with overhanging timbered buildings and hordes of people. There were stately merchants, rowdy apprentices, sober tradesmen and craftsmen, elegant dames attended by servants, and beggars crying for alms, all jostling each other, eyeing the myriad wondrous wares on display in the shops, and getting in the way of the drays and carts that plied their business. The cacophony of noise was deafening, and the smell was awful. All ma
‘Make way! Make way for my lady the Duchess of Gloucester!’ cried the captain at the head of their escort, as the townsfolk – some very fine and puffed up in their velvets and gold chains – stepped unwillingly out of the path of the horses. A few doffed their hats and bowed; others peered curiously at the occupants of the horse litter.
The Londoners knew of the Duchess A
Many assumed that the robust boy sitting next to the Duchess was Edward of Middleham. But, to her sorrow, A
Kate, looking avidly beyond the looped-back curtains of the litter, and waving back to some of the friendlier bystanders, had quickly perceived that London was in a ferment of anticipation. Overheard snatches of conversation, meaningful looks thrown in their direction by a cluster of merchants engaged in heated debate, the catcalls of street boys, and the nervous demeanour of the Duchess, all gave her to understand that they were riding unprepared into the midst of a city split by unrest.
As the litter clattered and juddered along Bishopsgate, Kate felt a deep sense of foreboding. It was clear that her father’s authority was by no means fully established. Judging by the mood of the citizens, many were still anticipating that another civil war might break out. She saw men wearing hauberks, brigandines, padded jackets and even armour; most carried daggers, and some had swords. There were more people than normal on the streets, A