Free Owen by Tony Riches Page A

duties.
    ‘What will we do?’ She studies my face, as if trying to read my feelings.
    ‘I didn’t see this coming, Juliette. Has the queen said anything to you about how she plans to keep an eye on Harry?’
    ‘No... although she was concerned the Earl of Warwick would be too harsh on him.’
    ‘That could be the reason you’ve be chosen to stay with Harry.’
    ‘Not because of Edmund?’
    I put my finger to her lips to stop her saying any more. ‘We must never speak of that again.’
    Juliette seems as if she is about to cry. ‘The queen wishes to stay with the king’s household for as long as she can.’ Juliette puts her hand on my arm, apparently no longer caring who sees. ‘It will give us time...’
    I know what she is hoping. ‘I will ask the queen...’
    This time it is Juliette who puts her finger to my lips. ‘Let us choose our moment?’
    ‘You are right. The queen has enough to worry about.’

    I am right, for Sir Richard wastes no time in imposing his new regime on the young king. He decides Harry is too old for toy soldiers and orders them to be burned. Instead, the earl starts teaching him to use a sword, pitting him against young nobles of his own age. Unfortunately they have more experience, with predictable consequences. By the end of the first week, Harry has blood-stained bandages on both his hands and a cut on one cheek that refuses to heal and looks likely to leave a scar.
    The queen is upset when she sees her son’s fencing wounds and sends for me. I find her alone in her apartment, the first time we have been alone together since the earl’s arrival in Windsor.
    ‘It seems I am powerless to do anything about it.’ She looks at me with sad eyes. ‘I wrote to Bishop Beaufort, as he is the king’s official guardian.’ She shakes her head in despair. ‘He replied reminding me it was my husband’s wish for the Earl of Warwick to be Harry’s tutor, as stated in the late king’s will.’
    I have known Harry since his first steps and feel responsible for his safety. ‘I understand Sir Richard is to start preparing him to ride in the joust this afternoon. I could find an excuse to see it is done without unnecessary risk?’
    Catherine places her hand on mine. ‘Would you do that for me?’
    My body tingles with the warmth of her hand. Concern for her son has made her break the rule that keeps the safe distance between us, the first time she has touched me. As we stand there for a moment I look into her eyes and see the sadness diminish as something unspoken passes between us.
    ‘You know I will do anything for you, my lady.’ My words seem to have new significance, which is not lost on Catherine.
    ‘Thank you.’ She removes her hand, almost reluctantly.

    I feel strangely elated as I visit the tiltyard to see how her son will cope with the earl’s dangerous training. I have seen the young king being fitted for a steel breastplate and helmet and am concerned about how Sir Richard intends to make a man of him. I have no idea how I can keep my promise to the queen, but I can’t stand by and watch Harry be injured.
    The young king is already mounted on one of the smaller horses, instead of the timid highland pony he prefers. It looks as if he is already learning to control the horse and Sir Richard proves a skilled and patient tutor as he shouts words of encouragement. Once he is satisfied the king can stay seated in the specially made jousting saddle, Sir Richard hands him a long wooden lance. It is light and barely half the length of a proper jousting lance, yet I can see Harry is struggling to ride while holding it.
    At the end of the tiltyard is the quatrain, a target used for training jousters. A painted shield is fixed to one end of a rotating pole, with a weighted sack suspended from the other. The aim is to strike the shield with the tip of the lance while avoiding being hit on the back with the heavy sack as it swings around.
    One of the stable lads speaks in a hushed tone