'My lord,' said Gloucester gently, 'your father left instructions that I, his brother, who was closer to him than any other, should be Protector of the Realm and of your person. Do you give your consent that your father's wishes be carried out?'
Edward looked helplessly about him. He wanted to protest. He looked to Lord Richard Grey but his half-brother knew that there was nothing to be done against Gloucester, for it was true that the late King had named him Protector.
'Y . . yes,' stammered the King. 'I agree that my father's commands shall be carried out.'
Then, my lord, we shall return to Northampton,' said Gloucester.
To Northampton! But my mother is waiting for us in London.'
'I must first of all ascertain that it is safe for you to go there.'
'But my mother. . . .'
'Your mother could not protect you as I shall. We are returning without delay to Northampton and very soon I am sure my friends in London will let me know what is happening there and as soon as it is safe we shall return and you shall be crowned King of England. We shall leave this place in an hour.'
He left the inn and sitting on his horse he addressed the soldiers.
'Your task is done,' he said. 'The King is safely in my hands which is where his father wished him to be. As soon as I have news from London that it is safe for him to go there I shall accompany him to the capital. I trust, my friends, that ere long our King will be attending his coronation. Now there is no need for your good services. Disperse and go back to your homes. You will be told if and when you are needed.'
There was a slight hesitation and murmuring among them then they turned away and did as they were bid.
Gloucester went back into the inn.
'Where are Lord Richard Grey and Thomas Vaughan?' he asked.
'They are with the King, my lord.'
'As soon as they leave him, arrest them. Let them be sent with Rivers to Sheriff Hutton.'
JANE SHORE
The Queen with her son, the Marquess of Dorset, was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the young King with his uncle Rivers.
She could not understand the delay for she knew that Anthony was at Stony Stratford. That was the last place from which the messengers had come.
Tf we are to be all prepared for the coronation on the fourth there is little time left to us,' she declared.
'We will get it done in time, never fear.'
Elizabeth looked with faint exasperation and a great deal of affection at this handsome eldest son of hers. He was like his father who had been an extremely handsome man. She had certainly managed to attract good-looking men, she thought ruefully. Edward had of course been incomparable and royal at that, but her first husband had been a most outstandingly handsome man and Thomas took after him. Thomas of course was not the most steady of men; he was impulsive and she had to confess a little arrogant and quite vain. His stepfather had spoilt him, taking him about with him. Now Thomas was known as one of the biggest rakes in the kingdom.
At first she had been annoyed when he and Edward had gone off adventuring together and then she had thought it was not such a bad thing. Far better that the King should be with Thomas rather than Hastings. Thomas and Hastings did not like each other and she had heard that they were both contenders for Jane Shore now that the King was dead.
What an attraction that woman appeared to have! The King had been devoted to her until his last days. She must have great physical gifts; but there must have been something more than that to hold Edward to her for so long. Hastings, it seemed, was
really in love with her—or so rumour went, but she would have none of him. The same rumour had it that she had succumbed to Dorset now that Edward was dead.
Poor Jane! Although he was her son and she was devoted to him, Elizabeth rather pitied the woman who relied too much on him. He was a rake of a different kind from Edward and Hastings. Edward had been a romanric at heart and Hastings most certainly was. There was nothing of that about Thomas. Thomas knew exactly what he wanted and that was the grarificarion of his sexual appetites which were as voracious as those of the late King—or almost as voracious—for surely none could compare with Edward in that respect.
She was deliberately trying not to think of what might be happening at Stony Stratford because she very much feared something had gone wrong. She had given instructions that couriers were to come in a continuous stream, so anxious was she to be ready when her son arrived.
It had been hours now and there were none. Anthony should be almost in sight of London now.
At last, the messenger had arrived. Something was definitely wrong. The Queen commanded that he be brought to her without a second's delay. He was breathless and stammered out the news.
She could not believe it. Gloucester had the King! He was at Northampton with him! Anthony and Richard arrested!
'Oh God preserve us,' she cried, 'this is disaster.'
She looked at Dorset. He was never at his best in a crisis.
'Gloucester has defeated us,' he cried. 'A thousand curses on Gloucester. A pox on the man!'
'But what are we to do?' demanded Elizabeth. 'He has arrested your brother and your uncle. What do you think will happen to us when he comes to London?'
'We must get away . . .' cried Dorset. 'But where can we go?'
Elizabeth was ready. It had happened before. She said: 'We must go into Sanctuary.'
She looked about her at all the rich possessions which she so loved. Leave them ... go to Sanctuary. How long would she remain there? And yet she must. How could she know what Gloucester would do when he brought the King to London?
'We must prepare to go at once. I will take all the children with me. He cannot harm us in Sanctuary. I lived there before when
the King was in exile. I shall do it again. But this hme I shall take with me . . . some of my possessions. 1 shall not go empty-handed as I did before.'
Then let us start at once to collect what you will take with you. There is little hme to be lost.'
Elizabeth frantically called to her servants and began directing them as to what must be packed. Others must go and prepare the children. She thanked God that young Richard was with them. He and the five girls must be prepared at once to leave and as soon as her precious possessions were crated they would sail up the river to the Sanctuary.
Meanwhile Hastings had received the news that the King was in Gloucester's hands. The city was crowded with the nobles from all over the country who had come for the King's coronation and it occurred to Hastings that he should inform Thomas Rotherham Archbishop of York, who was also Chancellor and who by good fortune happened to be in London at this time, that all was well.
The old Archbishop who was sixty years of age was startled from his sleep by the news.
Hastings' words intended to reassure him did nothing of the sort. 'All will be well,' Hastings' message ended.
The old man pondered it. He was a supporter of the Queen and he did not like this. 'All will be well,' he muttered. 'But it will never be as good as it has been.'
No, it was a great disaster that Edward should have died so young before they were prepared for his death and thus to leave this innocent child to carry on the responsibilities of the crown. He hastily dressed and as he did so it was brought home to him more and more what this meant. The Queen's family was too powerful to stand aside and let Gloucester take over what they had decided was theirs.
He must warn the Queen without delay. He set out at once for Westminster Palace. There he found a most extraordinary scene. The Queen was seated on the rushes, her expression blank and despairing; all about her were servants packing crates, taking down tapestries from the walls and putting valuable ornaments into boxes.