To the Tower Born - Robin Maxwell by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ePub Bud (www.epubbud.com)
Published: 2013-07-28T04:00:00+00:00

“He was hundreds of miles from the Hastings plot!” she rudely interrupted Gloucester. “He had no contact with Hastings or Lord Stanley or Bishop Morton!” These were the others who had been arrested that fateful morning in the midst of a council meeting at the Tower from which Hastings was uncere-moniously dragged to his beheading on the Green. “Or do you have proof that he was part of that conspiracy?”

Richard remained calm and dignified throughout Nell’s tirade, and she was conscious and very grateful that Buckingham was nowhere in sight. Was that, she wondered, the reason she felt she could speak so boldly to the protector?

“You are correct in that I have no direct proof of Lord Rivers’s involvement in the Hastings plot. But he was warned, as was his sister, that any conspiracy involving any member of the Woodville family would provoke the severest consequences for himself.”

“But the queen dowager took no part in the plot!” Nell cried, realizing too late that she had revealed information she had no business knowing.

Gloucester looked at her with more interest now. His small, wiry body seemed to tense, and he came to stand directly before Nell.

“How is it that you are so sure of the queen’s innocence?”

“I . . . I . . .” Nell’s brazen confidence suddenly failed her.

“And did you really believe that no one knew about your love affair with Antony Woodville?”

Nell felt her body go rigid with anger.

“The truth, Mistress Caxton, is that Rivers did not die so much for his part in the Hastings plot as for his involvement in the original Woodville treachery when my brother died. The queen attempted a coup against myself, and against her own husband’s will.”

“But Antony knew nothing of the original plot either!” Now Richard was genuinely surprised.

“The queen simply wrote and told Lord Rivers to bring the king to London, quickly, with a large army. I saw the letter,” Nell continued, her voice trembling with passion. “She never mentioned to Antony that you had been named protector in her place.” Gloucester looked suddenly stricken. He sat on the edge of his desk and was silent for a long moment, his eyes darting as he considered the shocking information that he was clearly hearing for the first time.

“So you are saying,” he finally began, “that his own sister allowed Rivers to step into the deadliest of situations without even a warning?”

“That is precisely what I am saying.”

Gloucester was clearly upset. “Thank you for coming, Mistress Caxton. You have . . . you are . . .” His stuttering unnerved Nell. Angry as she had been on her arrival, now she could see that Richard of Gloucester was grap-pling with the most horrifying mistake—what he had previously viewed as a justifiable state execution was little more than murder.

“I wish to see my father,” Nell said, more a demand than a request. “Lord Rivers was my father’s dearest friend, and he will need my comfort.”

“Yes, of course. But a day. No more.” Gloucester had gone very pale.

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