‘My dear, one’s intentions get little consideration. If one is successful one is a noble hero; if one fails, a villain.’
‘Oh come, William,’ said Alice. ‘You are strong enough to stand against them.’
‘I fear Gloucester.’
‘He has not the same power these days.’
‘He could always make trouble and now his friendship with York is growing.’
‘York. What is his grievance?’
‘That he doesn’t wear the crown.’
‘Why this is a nonsense.’
‘It would seem so. But he reckons he comes nearer through Clarence than Lancaster does through John of Gaunt.’
‘That is going back a good way.’
‘That matters not. There is a certain reason in it.’
‘Oh, no, it is too far back.’
‘As you say, it is far back and there are closer matters with which to concern myself. I have to face the Parliament. Well, I can tell them that the delegation will be coming to England to discuss the truce and that in the meantime I am advising the strengthening of the frontiers round Maine.’
‘That should please them.’
‘For the time being. But the reckoning is coming. I want them to know that whatever is arranged it is none of my doing.’
Alice looked at him a little dubiously. She did not remind him that when a man set out to guide a country’s policy, to be the most important minister in the land, he would surely be blamed if anything went wrong.
‘The Queen settles in happily, it seems,’ she said to change the subject.
‘Is she really beginning to lead the King?’
‘I can see it coming. She was born to lead and he to be led so the outcome is inevitable.’
‘Alice, try to restrain her a little.’
‘It is difficult. She is honest by nature. She finds it hard not to speak her mind. She lets it be known that she regards Gloucester with something like venom. She is sure that he is plotting to destroy the King.’
‘She is probably right but she should not say these things. Gloucester will show his hand if she goes much farther. At the moment he is pretending to support the marriage—which we know full well he did everything he could to prevent. I distrust him in this mood.’
‘Margaret does not yet understand the devious ways of statesmen.’
‘She must learn to, Alice.’
Alice lifted her shoulders. ‘She is a lady of very strong views. She will go her own way, I think.’
‘If anyone can influence her, you can.’
‘She is fiercely loyal. She is affectionate. But she will not prevaricate. No matter what one tried to make her she would always be Margaret of Anjou.’
‘And the King?’
‘He thinks that the words which fall from her lips are pure wisdom.’
‘She has managed to enchant him.’
‘He loves her strength. It appeals to his weakness. And she is very pretty but small and that seems to make her especially attractive to a man like Henry. He feels protective when he looks at her, knowing all the time that he will rely on her to protect him.’
‘Well, Alice, we must pray that we can extricate ourselves from this situation with skill so that we are not blamed for any of the demands which will have to be made.’
It seemed that he might do so, for when in the Parliament he explained that although there was no real peace with France, only a truce, that the frontiers of Maine and Anjou were being strengthened and that a delegation was coming to England, he was applauded.
The Commons congratulated him on the manner in which he had conducted affairs, and when the Duke of Gloucester moved a motion to the same effect in the Lords, he felt he had come through very well indeed.
But very quickly he became more uneasy than ever. When Gloucester complimented him he ought to be very wary indeed.
It was, he knew, only a respite.
The French Embassy had arrived in England.
From the City they came by barge to Westminster where Henry, with Margaret, was waiting to receive them. With them were the Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Buckingham and the Earl of Warwick. Margaret was very interested to meet this last nobleman for Henry had told her a great deal about his tutor, the Earl of Warwick, and he appeared to have had a great affection for that stern old man. This was not that Earl of Warwick, however, but a very ambitious young man of about seventeen or eighteen, a certain Richard Neville who had come to the title through his marriage with old Warwick’s daughter Anne Beauchamp. Also present were the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. The French Embassy was headed by the Counts of Vendôme and Laval and the Archbishop of Rheims.
It soon became very clear that there was only one condition which the King of France would consider in making peace and that was the surrender of Maine. It was the great issue. He knew, and the English knew, that once that province was surrendered the English hope of claiming the French crown would be over.
When they were alone Margaret discussed the matter with Henry.
‘You want peace,’ she said. ‘You should give up Maine. I know my uncle well. If he says that is the only condition, he will insist on it. He means it.’
‘Oh, he means it,’ said Henry. ‘I have no doubt of that. If it rested with me alone I would say: Take Maine, let us have no more war. No more loss of life. No more high taxation. But the people...what will they say? My father gained so much. They have come to expect victories.’
‘They have had very few of late.’
‘No, not since the Maid came. But they believe that will pass. This war, you see, has been going on and on and up and down. It is down now but they think it will go up again.’
‘And yet they protest about paying taxes for it.’
‘People always protest about paying taxes. They want the war to end...but victoriously for us.’
‘Henry, the English are beaten.’
‘The English are never beaten until the last battle.’
‘Do not have any more battles. They are useless, Henry. They bring you no good.’
‘I know. War is waste of men and materials. People should be enjoying the beauties of life. But what can I do?’
‘Give up Maine,’ said Margaret softly.
Gloucester was gleeful. The Cardinal was a sick man and had had to retire from affairs. One enemy the less, thought Gloucester.
He now concentrated his attack on Suffolk.
Suffolk was a friend of the French. He had brought the Frenchwoman over. He was going to sell English possessions in France to the French just to buy the King a pretty French wife.
Were the people going to stand by and allow this to happen? Gloucester knew how to set up a whispering campaign. He was going to bring Suffolk down and perhaps the King and Queen. Who knew what would happen then? Perhaps his dream would be realized. He was the next of kin.
York believed that he had a chance. York before Lancaster! He was a very ambitious man. During the negotiations for the marriage of Margaret and the King, York had been in correspondence with the King of France trying to arrange a marriage for his eldest son Edward with one of Charles’s daughters. Young Edward must be about three years old. Oh yes, York was ambitious all right and he had his eyes firmly fixed on the throne.
All very good. He would be a good adversary of Suffolk.
Gloucester went to see York. He was getting friendly with him. So it was when men had a similar aim, although the goal might not be the same for they were both after the crown.
‘What think you of this conference?’ he asked York.
‘The French are asking for the return of Maine and Anjou.’
‘And what say you as a soldier to that?’