“Aye, my lord,” the serving woman replied. “I went up to the hall myself the day after, before we departed for London. I saw both of their murdered bodies lying slaughtered in the courtyard of the hall. I had to leave them there, and it has troubled my conscience ever since, my lord. But I had no means of burying them, and no one to aid me in such an endeavor. The earl had ordered me to get my little lady to safety, and that was my first obligation.” Elsbeth wiped the tears that had begun to flow from her eyes.
“You did your duty well,” the duke praised her. “You have naught to regret, mistress. Why, though, I wonder, was Stanton attacked?”
“When word came of King Edward’s victories and the final defeat of the Lancastrians, one of the Percys decided to attack the few Yorkists in the region in an effort to avenge King Henry. And, I expect, to steal their lands. The Radcliffes were more prominent than most, and the earl, while never involving himself in the politics of it all, had also never hidden the fact that he stood with King Edward.”
“Why was Stanton not better defended?” DukeRichard wanted to know.
“Stanton Hall is not a castle, my lord,” Elsbeth explained. “It was a large stone house alone out on the moor. It had suffered destruction in the past, but was always rebuilt. I once heard my father bemoan the factthat the Radcliffes could not get permission to fortify our home or build a castle. The house was built upon a hillock. And a moat had been dug around the bottom of the hillock. The Scots who came calling over the border were usually just looking to steal our cattle, our sheep, or a pretty girl.”
“You are not near Berwick then?” the duke asked.
“Lord, no!” Elsbeth exclaimed. “We are closer to Cumbria, on the border with Scotland. The region is very desolate, my lord. Those who attacked us were not near neighbors. But if the Radcliffes were killed then the land was for the taking.”
He nodded and then, looking down at Adair, smiled softly. The child had fallen asleep in his lap. “Poor little mite,” he said, stroking her dark hair. Then he looked to Elsbeth. “Listen well to what I tell you, mistress. My brother will accept his responsibilities with regard to this daughter of his. And the queen will not move against the child for the promise she made to Jane Radcliffe. But do not trust the queen. She is a cold and venal woman whose clever wiles managed to ensnare my lustful brother into wedlock. Even her own children fear her. Her first husband was a Lancastrian knight. Her grown sons from that union are dissolute and greedy, as are most of her relations, save her eldest brother. Did your master give you any coin for the child?”
Elsbeth nodded. “I wear a pouch beneath my skirts, my lord,” she told him. “And there are gold coins sewn into the hem of one of my little lady’s gowns.”
“Keep a few for your mistress, but tomorrow you will give me the bulk of your funds. I will place them with Avram the Jew in Goldsmith’s Lane,” the duke said.
“A Jew? In England? I thought there were none,”
Elsbeth said, surprised.
“There are exceptions to every rule, mistress. London is a city of great mercantile importance, and the Jews are the world’s bankers. Therefore Avram does business in Goldsmith’s Lane even while England’s laws prohibitJews from taking up residence here. I will put Adair’s little fortune to him, and the receipt will be with my own household treasurer. You are free to draw upon the monies for the child’s care when you need it, but it cannot be stolen from her by any in the queen’s household.
And should you ever need the aid of Richard, Duke of Gloucester, mistress, you have but to ask.
“I was yet a boy when King Edward took Adair’s mother for his leman. Once when my brother George was bullying me she stepped in to protect me from a beating. As you can see,” he said, “I am not like either of my older brothers, who are sturdy of frame. I am slender and slight.” He smiled. “George was practically a man, but delicate Jane Radcliffe stepped between us and said in her gentle voice, ‘It does not behoove your reputation, my lord of Clarence, to abuse your younger sibling, who has really done you no offense.’ I remember the look on George’s face. It was pure outrage that this beautiful young woman had reprimanded him.
“My brother George is overweening proud, as you will eventually see. But she was Edward’s current mistress, and greatly in his favor. Certainly more so than George. He turned on his heel without a word and left us. Then Lady Jane took a silk handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped the blood from my cheek where George’s ring had cut it when he struck me. ‘You must get that attended to, my lord,’ she told me. And then she left me. And another time, when George took all the candied violets from the dish so there were none left for me, Lady Jane gave me some from her own plate. She was always doing kind things like that, mistress. I think I fell in love with her for a short time, and was even jealous of the king. And then she was gone from the court.”
Elsbeth’s eyes were filled with tears. “She was a very good woman, and a good wife to my lord earl, God assoil both their poor souls.” And Elsbeth crossed herself, as did Richard of Gloucester. “But you are a good man too, my lord. It is not my place to thank you for yourkindness to my little lady, but I do.” Elsbeth caught up the duke’s hand and kissed it.
“Thank you,” he said. “I recognize Adair as my blood kin, and I will always be there for her as I am for my brother Edward’s children. The princesses Elizabeth and Mary will be her playmates. Little Cicely is not even three yet, and little Prince Edward will be a year next month.”
“The queen’s nursery is a busy one then. But Adair will be no trouble, for I will look after her,” Elsbeth said.
“The queen has little to do with her children,” the duke responded. “The royal nursery is the province of Lady Margaret Beaufort, whose son, Henry Tudor, is considered the new heir to Lancaster. She is a strong-minded woman, and ambitious for her son. But she is also fair and devout. Adair will be safe under her guid-ance, and you safe in her service.” He stood up, Adair still sleeping in his arms. “Show me the child’s cot, and I will put her there. I will come to see her before you depart on the morrow. Midmorning will be soon enough for you to reach Westminster the same day. I shall have two of my men escort you.” He followed Elsbeth into another room, Beiste by his side, and, laying Adair down where Elsbeth indicated, drew the coverlet over her as he placed a kiss on her brow. “Sleep well, my lady Countess of Stanton,” he said. And then with a brief nod of his head to Elsbeth he left them.
When he had gone Elsbeth sat down upon the pallet cot next to Adair’s. Reaching out, she patted the wolfhound’s head while reveling in the warmth coming from the wood brazier. God was obviously watching over them, if today was any indication. To have been rescued from their long and miserable travels by the king’s brother was more than simple good fortune. And to have that great lord remember Jane Radcliffe with kindness, and to publicly accept Adair as his own kin, was a miracle. Her little lady was warm and dry and well fed for the first time since they had fled from Stanton.
Elsbeth whispered a prayer of thanks to God and his blessed Mother. She offered her prayers for the souls of the earl and his wife. Then she lay down to sleep, certain that they were finally safe. As long as Adair was safe nothing else mattered.
Chapter 2
It was the bells sounding for prime that awakened both Elsbeth and Adair. The older woman arose slowly, calling to the child as she did so. “Time to arise, my precious. Today we go to Westminster to meet the queen.
You must look your best.” She walked to the door of the little guesthouse and, opening it, let the dog out. Then, undoing the bundle she had packed for Adair, she drew out a gown of soft jersey, crimson in color. She spread the garment out on her cot, smoothing the wrinkles from it.
Then she poured a little water into a brass basin and directed her charge to get up and make her ablutions.
When Adair had washed her face and hands andscrubbed her teeth with the cloth, Elsbeth slipped the gown over the sleeved camise in which the child had slept. The garment was cut with fullness from the neckline, and without any waist emphasis. The neck opening was square, and the sleeves tight from shoulder to wrist.
The gown had a small train and the hem was trimmed with a darker red silk ribbon. Elsbeth sat her little mistress back upon the cot and brushed her long, dark hair until it was shining. She fit a pair of dark leather shoes upon the child’s feet, and set a narrow jeweled band above her forehead. Around her neck she hung a thin gold chain with a small crucifix.
“There!” she said, standing back and viewing the girl.
“You are ready to meet the queen and make your case for protection, my precious. Now sit down while I hurry and dress. The duke has promised to come to see you before we go.” She hurriedly washed herself in the basin and drew on a dark blue gown similar in design to Adair’s. Braiding her nut brown hair, she pinned up the plait and tucked it beneath a soft white cap with a stiff turned-back brim. Then she slid her feet into a pair of worn but still serviceable round-toed leather shoes.
