Free Jean Plaidy by The Reluctant Queen: The Story of Anne of York

father’s power was increased by the support of the King of France. He had given my father the chance to patch up their quarrel, but Edward would know that the resentment still smoldered and would grow when Warwick fully understood that Edward was no longer prepared to be led.
    He may well, at this time, have come to think of my father as an enemy. My father was a little careless—and so was the archbishop, for when the Pope’s emissary came to England, he did not present himself to the court in the customary manner, but went straight to the Moor in Hertfordshire, which was the archbishop’s residence in the South of England.
    It was natural that the king should want to know what business was taking place between Rome and the archbishop and he must have discovered that he was seeking not only to become a cardinal but also a dispensation for the marriage of George and Isabel.
    This would have made Edward highly suspicious, for neither of these projects had his approval.
    Poor Isabel! I was glad she did not know at that time of all the difficulties that were being put in her way. She was too blissfully happy to accept the fact that she was just a pawn in the game—to be moved whichever way was most advantageous to the players.
    My father managed to persuade the king that it was necessary for him to accept an invitation to the court of France.
    I remember his departure at the head of a cavalcade, and heard the shouts of “A Warwick!” and “Long live the earl!” It was very heartening. When we saw him thus we could believe he really was mightier than the king and that Edward must soon realize this and it would all be as it had been before.
    It was unfortunate that no sooner had my father left for France than emissaries from the Duke of Burgundy arrived. We heard about the magnificent reception they had received at court and how feasting and jousting had been arranged to make the visitors understand how welcome they were. It was a situation that needed my father’s attention and he should not have been out of England at such a time.
    But how were we, at Middleham, to know that momentous events were building up to a climax that would change our lives?
    We heard vague rumors and we did know that the Burgundians were in England and being well received by the king while my father was being fêted by the enemy of Burgundy in France—which was a strange situation.
    Visitors to Middleham told us how the Woodvilles were very much to the fore, making sure that the visitors from Burgundy noticed them; and they made it clear that they had the friendship of this powerful family that had so recently come into evidence. Meanwhile the king showed his regard for the Burgundians by inviting them to the opening of Parliament.
    My mother was worried, I knew, though she said nothing.
    â€œWho cares about the Burgundians!” said Isabel. “As soon as we get the dispensation, George and I will be married. And once we are, nobody can stop us.”
    â€œDo you think it will be easy to get the dispensation?” I asked.
    â€œOf course.”
    â€œI think what our mother is worried about is that the king has all these people at court while our father is a guest of the King of France and he is not friendly with Burgundy.”
    â€œWhat do you know about it?”
    â€œVery little. But then, what do you know?”
    â€œI know I am going to marry George and that is all that matters to me.”
    I knew Isabel well, so I was fully aware that she did not want to think of all these conflicts because in her heart she knew that her fate was not in her own hands—or even those of George; but in those of my father and the King of England.
    Then something rather alarming did happen. If my father had been in England, it might not have come to pass, but he was away and, although Uncle George was determined to fight for the family of Neville, he was not sure how to do it. We learned of this