The Sun in Splendour

'I shall have to leave here very soon,' said Dorset. 'It's dangerous.'

'I am glad you realize it.'

'Oh yes, Jane, it will be sad to be far away from you, but I have to get away ... to raise an army to come back and show Edward's little brother that it is not as easy as he thinks.'

'I doubt he thinks it easy,' said Jane. 'Edward talked a great deal about him. He had the highest regard for him. He used to say he trusted him as he did no other.'

'Please, Jane, do not sing Gloucester's praises to me. The man is after power like everyone else. He sees himself as ruling the country through his little nephew King.'

'Edward did not think that.'

'Edward always refused to see ill in anyone. Look at the manner in which Warwick duped him. We have to think of the little King. He is desperately unhappy because my uncle Anthony was taken from him. He frets for my brother Richard. Just think, those fine men are in the hands of that hunch-backed little upstart.'

'He is not a hunchback. One shoulder is a little higher than the other, that's all. Edward used to say that they forced him to wear armour that was too heavy for his bones. Moreover Edward always thought so highly of his administrative power. He trusted him as he did no one else. . . .'

'Yes, exactly as he trusted Warwick when the mighty Earl Kingmaker was thinking of unkinging him and remaking Henry.'

'Wait a while,' said Jane. 'See what happens. Go back to Sanctuary where you will be safe.'

'Dear Jane, you are the perfect mistress but do not seek to meddle in matters of which you know nothing. I am going to instruct you and you shall play your part, I promise you.'

'What do you mean, instruct me?'

'I want you to do something for me. You will, won't you?'

'If I can I will, but what is it?'

'Jane. Listen. We need to bring men to our side . . . influential men. Men like Buckingham . . . but I don't know enough of him. There is one other whom I know very well and who is important to us. You could help me here, Jane. You could persuade him. He would listen to you.'

'Who is this man?'

'Hastings.'

'Hastings! You know how I feel about Hastings/

'Oh come, Jane. You bear him a grudge and that is not like you. What did Hastings do but admire you? What has he ever done against you but look at you with longing? I know that at one time he tried to abduct you and take you by force. Don't think too hardly of him, Jane. It was the sort of adventure we all indulged in/

'I have never forgotten it.'

'But you have forgiven him. He has always been so eager to

show you how pleased he would be for a little norice from you.'

'You think 1 could persuade him to change sides?'

'Yes, Jane, 1 do . . . cleverly, subtly . . . as you with your merry witty talk would know how to.'

'You ask the impossible.'

He took her by the shoulders and shook her.

'Do this for me. I want to be back in power. I do not want to skulk in Sanctuary afraid of Gloucester's guards for ever. Come Jane, do this for me. Be my lovely little Jane. It would be a challenge. Do you fear you could not do it?

'I have not considered doing what you ask.'

'It would be revenge on him. He treated you with scant respect when he tried to abduct you . . . aye, and would have done so but for that last minute dash of conscience which beset your maid. Have your revenge, Jane, and work for me at the same time. Help me out of this wretchedness into which I have fallen. Think of my mother, our proud Queen. Think of the Princesses and the little Duke of York. They are forced to live in Sanctuary, afraid to emerge. Afraid of their lives. Oh Jane, help me . . . help the Queen who has always been your friend. You loved the little Duke didn't you? I think you were a special favourite of his. The King once said that you had told him you looked on Richard as your own. And little Catherine and little Bridget. . . . Think of them.'

'I am sorry for what has befallen the Queen, but it is not for me to meddle.'

'So you will nrt help your friends?'

'I would if I could. But Edward named the Duke of Gloucester as the Protector of the Realm and of the little King.'

'He did not tell him to send the Queen into Sanctuary.'

The Queen went of her own free will.'

'Because my brother and my uncle have been arrested. For what, Jane? For bringing the King to his coronation.'

Jane was thoughtful. Then she said: 'Lord Hashngs was the King's best friend.'

'And you should remember that.'

'He never liked the Queen.'

'Oh that was due to some silly quarrel about the Captaincy of Calais which went to Hastings when my mother thought it should have gone to my uncle.'

Jane continued silent.

Dorset drew her to him and began to make violent love to her.

'Promise me, Jane/ he said. 'Swear you will help. Amuse yourself with Hastings. . . .'

'What you suggest is . . . is. . . .'

He stopped her with his kisses. He was laughing. 'You'll do it, Jane,' he said. 'You'll do this for me.'

Jane felt half ashamed, half excited. She was glad to escape from Dorset. When she was with him he was irresistible but she fervently wished that she could fight off the violent passion which he inspired in her. She wanted love. She had it astonishingly enough from Edward. There could be none to replace him but he was gone now and it was no use brooding on the past.

Since she had left Dorset she had thought a good deal about Hastings.

She had always told herself that she disliked him. She had never forgotten that experience when she had been about to take the ale which her maid had brought; she remembered still the frightened look in the girl's eyes and then her confession. Often she had wondered what would have happened if she had drunk the ale and gone into a deep sleep while Hastings was let into the house and carried her away.

Hastings himself had often looked shamefaced and had even told her how he repented that act. She had shrugged his apologies aside. She had told herself that was in the past and of no importance now for he would never attempt such an action with her again. The King had laughed at it. 'Forgive poor old Hastings,' he said. 'He's a good friend to me. I trust him and that means a great deal. What he did I am afraid we would all have done if the idea had occurred to us.' She had protested and made Edward see that men who thought they had a right to treat women so were rogues. He agreed with her, and said: 'But then you are so beautiful, Jane. A temptation to us all, and did I not take you away from that virtuous goldsmith of yours?'

She could sound Hastings. He always looked at her with a kind of brooding tenderness nowadays which made her feel differently towards him.

When she next saw him he was on the way to Westminster to talk with the Protector. They were arranging when the corona-

tion should be, she knew. Dorset had said that the Protector would put it off for as long as possible because once the King was crowned he himself would cease to be so important.

She smiled at Hastings. He immediately hesitated. She supposed she had never done that spontaneously before.

He paused and bowed low. 'Greetings, Mistress Shore,' he said. ' 'Tisa fine day.'

'It is so,' she answered.

He was still pausing, looking at her with that obvious admiration.

'You grow fairer than ever every time I see you,' he said.