Kingmaker: Broken Faith (56 page)

In both cases I have tried to understand why the men belonging to Lord Hungerford and Lord Roos capitulated apparently so speedily, and have advanced a theory that, since it is predicated on the existence of a fictional character, cannot possibly be the real one, but there may have been some other similar forces at work on those days. Whatever the cause of their running, it saved lives in the end, and perhaps that was reason enough? The men in both camps would have been very similar types, from adjacent neighbourhoods, and perhaps their hearts weren’t really in it? Perhaps they remembered the trauma of Towton too clearly, and this was an outbreak of genuinely civil civil war?

As for William Tailboys and his mules carrying what remained of King Henry’s war chest, that is true. He was captured after the battle hiding in a coal mine with an unknown but large sum of money, quickly distributed among Lord Montagu’s men, and was executed in Newcastle in July that year, two months after the battle. Quite what he had been doing in the meantime is one of the gaps in our knowledge wherein fiction writers thrive.

Meanwhile, though, poor old Henry VI continued to evade capture until 1465, when he was finally caught and taken to the Tower of London. In some ways he was probably better suited to captivity than kingship, since he was a simple soul, given to prayer, and he was to spend the next five years there until he was winkled out to play one last, fateful role in the continuing story of Katherine and Thomas …

While I was trying to finish this novel, I was convinced my slog was solitary, but since looking up from it I have seen that it would have been much less fun, and much harder work, without the support and friendship of a hundred different people, some of whom I’d like to thank by name.

First, I’d like to thank those of you who were so encouraging about my first novel,
Winter Pilgrims
. Without Ben Kane and Manda Scott’s kind words, and Hilary Mantel’s unexpected endorsement, this second one might have been a trial of endurance, but your very generous encouragement really gave me wings, as did that of Robin Carter and Kate Atherton, who were so kind about me in their excellent blogs: Parmenion Books and For Winter Nights. I can’t tell you how cheering your comments have been, so thanks very much, guys.

Second, thanks are due to my lovely agent Charlotte Robertson, who has been wonderfully positive and calm in all things, as well as my editors Selina Walker and Francesca Pathak, who have tolerated my endless deadline dodges. I’d very much like to thank the amazingly patient Mary Chamberlain for applying her eagle eye on matters of plot and plausibility, as well as Tim Byard-Jones for his terrifically astute nit-picking on matters concerning the fifteenth century. Thank you too, David Allison, for all your brilliant suggestions. Without your help, this book would not be half the book it is, while at the same time baeing double its length.

Next, my thanks are owed to Johnny Villeneau and Leslie Bookless for putting me up and putting up with me, and to Jacko for being such an easy and enthusiastic audience. Thank you, also, Kate Summerscale and Sinclair McKay, for your continued support – you know what I mean – as well as, all too familiarly, Anna and John Clements, for, again, you know what. I’d also like to thank Nick and Lilian Philips, who have been models of generous support and very tolerant friendship. I could not have finished this without you.

Most of all, though, I’d especially like to thank Kazza and Martha and Tom and Max, too, for continuing to make it all the subject of high comedy.

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Epub ISBN: 9781448183340

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Copyright © Toby Clements 2015

Map © Darren Bennett

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First published by Century in 2015

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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781780891705