The Everlasting Covenant (50 page)

“
But you
’
re not only a knight
--
you
’
re a baron with full title.
”

He spat into the fire.
“
Wressel is nothing. I have been your guard and consort for over ten years, what am I to do if you die before I have altered the inheritance of Ayliffe? Retire to Wressel?
”

His eyes glittered, and for a man so large his fidgeting seemed odd. Anne swallowed hard. Worse than his ambition was his impatience. He was filled with ludicrous plans. He hoped to have Brainard disinherited, himself named as the earl, and Sloan as the heir. Clifton
’
s heir.

“
Ayliffe,
”
he said.
“
I must have Ayliffe.
”

“
But Sloan is Lord Forbes
’
s heir
... If Brainard is disinher
ited, Sloan might take Ayliffe now.
”

“
Nay, madam, that will have to
change. But you need not worry –
God willing, Ayliffe will one day fall to your sons through us. If there is no interference in their loyalty to me, that is.
”

As she watched him, she could see the plans formulate in his mind. Between him and Ayliffe there was only Brainard, if Clif
ton could sway some higher power to let him own that title. And between his affection for her sons and their loyalty to him, there was only Dylan.

She watched in sheer wonder as Edward
’
s death and the events that followed plummeted them all into a debacle worse than the decade before, when Warwick had temporarily captured the power he coveted. This time, however, there was no king hov
ering offshore to land with armies and right any wrongs. This time the heir to the throne was a twelve-y
ear
old boy.

Richard of Gloucester did not attend the burial of his brother, but intercepted Anthony Woodville and Prince Edward en route to London. Anthony, Earl Rivers, and the other escorts were taken as prisoners, and the little prince was brought to the Tower for his protection. Elizabeth fled into sanctuary in Westminster with her other children, where Anne visited her secretly when
ever possible. By June Clifton was among the eight boatloads of soldiers who went with Richard and Cardinal Bourchier, the Archbishop of Canterbury, to the sanctuary to take Elizabeth
’
s other son, ten-year
-
old Richard, into custody with his brother.

By the end of June Earl Rivers had been executed without a trial, along with some of Edward
’
s other supporters. The little princes had not been allowed out of the Tower, and in churches throughout the city sermons were read about King Edward
’
s invalid marriage to Elizabeth. It was bandied about that Edward had previously pledged himself to Eleanor Butler and given her a child, the troth-plight was considered no less binding than marriage, and Edward
’
s sons were declared bastards. It was a favorite route to power. Yet again the conspiracy rose about legitimate versus illegitimate birth.

Richard crowned himself. Among his faithful followers was Clifton, Lord Wressel.

Queen Elizabeth, whom Anne had always found stronger than any other woman, wept copiously.
“
If only a mother could be allowed to see to her children. They should never take our children from us.
”

Anne thought of her own
--
Sloan still out of the country, Gage at Ayliffe, and Deirdre still with her at Westminster. Her
letter, dated before the death of Edward, which sanctioned the marriage of Deirdre to Sir Justin deFrayne, was no longer valid. But within a week of Richard
’
s coronation, Anne was sent word from Trenton that Marcella was dead. Anne hid the letter and began making plans for a conspiracy that might anger Clifton enough to kill her.

Richard
’
s coronation at Westminster was on the sixth day of July in 1483, but it was late August before Clifton was summoned to ride with Richard as an escort back to York. Anne asked permission to take Deirdre back to Ayliffe. Clifton left her a twenty-man escort, some silver, and approved her decision. He did not wish to look after a family. Richard needed him.

“
Perhaps when I join you at Ayliffe in the spring, I will be your lord,
”
he said pompously.

“
I have always named you my lord and husband, Clifton,
”
she said.

“
Do not even pretend you would be pleased, madam. I know you better than
you think. Dare not interfere –
that is my only warning.
”

When Clifton was gone, while Anne and Deirdre were pack
ing, she crossed a few open palms with silver, sent messengers, bribed a priest, and calmly advised her escorts that she had just received word of her mother
’
s death and must settle Deirdre at Heathwick before returning to Ayliffe. Any one of them, she advised, who worried at Sir Clifton
’
s reaction to a change in plans, need not accompany her. She offered to hire escorts from London.

“
You are the Countess of Ayliffe,
”
said one.
“
It is by your order that we serve Sir Clifton.
”
All twenty agreed to accompany her to Heathwick. It was the first time since she married Clifton that she had tested his orders for his men, and she was exhilarated to find they were her men. It calmed her considerably during her dangerous plan.

Deirdre, thinking only that they traveled to her dower de
mesne to settle her with her uncle Trenton, was downcast as they traveled. But when they entered the Heathwick gates and
she saw Justin, her eyes swelled with tears of joy. She stifled a gasp of surprise, and a trembling hand rose to her lips.
“
Oh, Mother,
”
she murmured,
“
thank you.
”
And then, lifting her skirts, she ran into Justin
’
s open arms.

There was more than one familiar face within the Heathwick courtyard. Dylan, who had been advised to send his nephew to Deirdre
’
s holding, had delivered him. He stood beside Sir Trenton Gifford in front of the hall, looking at her across the courtyard. He was too far away for Anne to read his eyes. She glanced at her daughter as Deirdre embraced and kissed her knight. The young couple stood looking at each other with the caressing eyes of lovers long parted. Daphne had been correct. They could not have been kept apart for long. She looked back at Dylan.
What about us?
she wanted to ask.

Anne
’
s reunion with Dylan was sedate. He bowed from the waist and she curtsied. She embraced Trenton, grateful that the reunion with her brother gave an excuse for her sentimental tears. They walked into the hall together, Anne between these two knights who were once enemies.

“
This took great courage, Anne,
”
Dylan said.
“
I was afraid you would not be able to succeed.
”

“
I have not had success yet,
”
she said, laughing nervously. When they were all seated before a warm hearth and the servants were out of earshot, she began to explain what must take place.
“
What we shall witness at Heathwick shall be called a celebration of a reunion. I obtained a royal sanction for their marriage from King Edward and Queen Elizabeth.
”
Trenton leaned forward in surprise.
“
That
’
s right –
before the king died and Richard crowned himself. I placed a few careful pieces of silver with a priest in London who will swear that he called the banns and performed the wedding last February. Trenton,
I
hope your priest will perform a secret ceremony now to make the matter right. Later, your castlefolk may help them celebrate with a late wedding feast, but we must all get used to the idea that they were wed before the king died.
”

Dylan smiled.
“
God
’
s blood, but you
’
re clever!
”

Anne shuddered.
“
We had best get these young people wed
ded and bedded before Sir Clifton finds out what I
’
ve done. All the cleverness in the world will not hold his anger at bay for long.
”

“
Where is the hearty knight now?
”
Trenton asked.

“
With King Richard in York.
”

“
At the bastard
’
s right hand,
”
Trenton grumbled. He paused to await the service of three goblets of dark red wine delivered by a castle maid.

“
You do not support this reign?
”
Anne asked in a whisper when the maid had gone.

“
Few do, Anne,
”
Trenton said.
“
Dylan and I have had several hours in which to discuss this atrocity. Richard still thinks Dylan his loyal servant, but there are many close to the king who are dissenters. It is for the princes that we hold back.
”
Trenton glanced around.
“
Buckingham is not for Richard. If need be, he will lead a rebellion.
”

“
Clifton is at the king
’
s right hand.
”

“
I am at his left,
”
Dylan said.
“
For now.
”

“
I
saw you at the coronation,
”
Anne nearly gasped.
“
You ...
”

“
I carried his robes away from the archbishop, yes. Where did you expect me to be?
”

“
Oh, Dylan, again? This is dangerous work!
”

“
Aye,
”
Dylan said.
“
When has it been otherwise?
”
He lifted his goblet toward Trenton.
“
There are good and brave people to work together on this conspiracy.
”

Trenton returned the salute, and Anne was suddenly filled with happiness.
“
You are allies now,
”
she murmured
.

“
We have been allies for a long time, Anne,
”
Trenton said.
“
It has been a spoken alliance for only a short time, but it was formed when I brought our mother here, to Heathwick. It was then that I understood and finally knew whom to blame.
”
He looked away in discomfort.
“
You will take our mother
’
s chamber while you
’
re here. All of her things, her letters and clothes and jewels, will need to be dispersed. Read some of the letters, Anne.
”

“
And now you engage in a dangerous conspiracy,
”
she whis
pered to her brother. She could not bear to think that some
rebellion against the king might cost her both Trenton and Dylan.
“
Be careful,
”
she said, knowing better than to try to change the minds of either of them.

“
What of Ayliffe, Anne?
”
Trenton asked.

“
Clifton
’
s labor is to convince Richard to defer Brainard
’
s title to him. Under the order of widowhood, given me by Lord Forbes before his death, Brainard could not inherit the earldom while I live. Clifton hopes to share title with me and bequeath it to Sloan.
”
She shrugged her shoulders.
“
Perhaps he will suc
ceed.”

“
You must stay here then,
”
Trenton said.
“
Ayliffe is not worth the cost of your life, and I do not believe Clifton values you.
”

Anne smiled at her brother.
“
Gage is at Ayliffe, Trenton.
”

“
We could fetch him ..
.
”