Her servants came to her and said that there was a man without who had a message for her.
Her heart started to beat uncertainly. From whom? she wondered. And somehow she knew it was from Dorset.
She sent for the man; she took the crumpled paper. Yes, Dorset. He had escaped from Sanctuary. He was in a house not far from the Chepe. She knew of the house. It was one which was frequented by the men of the Court and had a reputation for harbouring high-class prostitutes.
They were good to him there. He wanted her to come to him at once. It was important.
She crumpled the paper in her hand. She did not want to go. Dorset would have to understand that she was not like the women he was meeting in that house. But he was in acute danger. If it were known that he had left Sanctuary the hunt would start. The Protector would not be content until he had caught him and brought him to trial.
At the moment the Queen’s brother, Lord Rivers, and her son, Richard Grey, were held by the Protector. There was no doubt of what Dorset’s fate would be if he were caught.
She pondered a while and then she decided that she must at least see him.
She told the man: ‘I will come at dusk.’
He went away satisfied.
She went swiftly along by the river through to the Chepe until she came to the address Dorset had sent her. She was recognised at once by the lady of the house, who took her through several passages to a room at the back of the house and there was Dorset.
He came towards her and seized her hungrily. She tried to hold him off but it was the same as ever and she felt her resistance slipping away.
‘Jane ... my Jane ...’ cried Dorset exultantly. ‘I knew you would not fail me.’
‘You said you must see me. What are you going to do?’
‘I’ll tell you later. There is time yet. We have the whole night before us.’
‘I must go.’
‘What, through the streets at this hour! Come confess it, Jane, when you agreed to come at dusk you knew you would not leave until morning.’
‘I will not stay.’
He laughed; and she knew she would.
During the night she learned the real reason why he had sent for her. Of course he had delighted in her body, but there were many handsome women on the premises and any would have been delighted to entertain the mighty Marquess of Dorset even though he was in hiding. The general belief was that the King would soon be crowned and then the Protector would go back to the North; the Queen and her family would emerge into prominence again and they would naturally be the ones who would control the King.
‘I shall have to leave here very soon,’ said Dorset. ‘It’s dangerous.’
‘I am glad you realise it.’
‘Oh yes, Jane, it will be sad to be far away from you, but I have to get away ... to raise an army to come back and show Edward’s little brother that it is not as easy as he thinks.’
‘I doubt he thinks it easy,’ said Jane. ‘Edward talked a great deal about him. He had the highest regard for him. He used to say he trusted him as he did no other.’
‘Please, Jane, do not sing Gloucester’s praises to me. The man is after power like everyone else. He sees himself as ruling the country through his little nephew King.’
‘Edward did not think that.’
‘Edward always refused to see ill in anyone. Look at the manner in which Warwick duped him. We have to think of the little King. He is desperately unhappy because my uncle Anthony was taken from him. He frets for my brother Richard. Just think, those fine men are in the hands of that hunchbacked little upstart.’
‘He is not a hunchback. One shoulder is a little higher than the other, that’s all. Edward used to say that they forced him to wear armour that was too heavy for his bones. Moreover Edward always thought so highly of his administrative power. He trusted him as he did no one else ...’
‘Yes, exactly as he trusted Warwick when the mighty Earl Kingmaker was thinking of unkinging him and remaking Henry.’
‘Wait a while,’ said Jane. ‘See what happens. Go back to Sanctuary where you will be safe.’
‘Dear Jane, you are the perfect mistress but do not seek to meddle in matters of which you know nothing. I am going to instruct you and you shall play your part, I promise you.’
‘What do you mean, instruct me?’
‘I want you to do something for me. You will, won’t you?’
‘If I can I will, but what is it?’
‘Jane. Listen. We need to bring men to our side ... influential men. Men like Buckingham ... but I don’t know enough of him. There is one other whom I know very well and who is important to us. You could help me here, Jane. You could persuade him. He would listen to you.’
‘Who is this man?’
‘Hastings.’
‘Hastings! You know how I feel about Hastings.’
‘Oh come, Jane. You bear him a grudge and that is not like you. What did Hastings do but admire you? What has he ever done against you but look at you with longing? I know that at one time he tried to abduct you and take you by force. Don’t think too hardly of him, Jane. It was the sort of adventure we all indulged in.’
‘I have never forgotten it.’
‘But you have forgiven him. He has always been so eager to show you how pleased he would be for a little notice from you.’
‘You think I could persuade him to change sides?’
‘Yes, Jane, I do ... cleverly, subtly ... as you with your merry witty talk would know how to.’
‘You ask the impossible.’
He took her by the shoulders and shook her.
‘Do this for me. I want to be back in power. I do not want to skulk in Sanctuary afraid of Gloucester’s guards for ever. Come Jane, do this for me. Be my lovely little Jane. It would be a challenge. Do you fear you could not do it?
‘I have not considered doing what you ask.’
‘It would be revenge on him. He treated you with scant respect when he tried to abduct you ... aye, and would have done so but for that last minute dash of conscience which beset your maid. Have your revenge, Jane, and work for me at the same time. Help me out of this wretchedness into which I have fallen. Think of my mother, our proud Queen. Think of the Princesses and the little Duke of York. They are forced to live in Sanctuary, afraid to emerge. Afraid of their lives. Oh Jane, help me ... help the Queen who has always been your friend. You loved the little Duke didn’t you? I think you were a special favourite of his. The King once said that you had told him you looked on Richard as your own. And little Catherine and little Bridget ... Think of them.’
‘I am sorry for what has befallen the Queen, but it is not for me to meddle.’
‘So you will not help your friends?’
‘I would if I could. But Edward named the Duke of Gloucester as the Protector of the Realm and of the little King.’
‘He did not tell him to send the Queen into Sanctuary.’
‘The Queen went of her own free will.’
‘Because my brother and my uncle have been arrested. For what, Jane? For bringing the King to his coronation.’
Jane was thoughtful. Then she said: ‘Lord Hastings was the King’s best friend.’
‘And you should remember that.’
‘He never liked the Queen.’
‘Oh that was due to some silly quarrel about the Captaincy of Calais which went to Hastings when my mother thought it should have gone to my uncle.’
Jane continued silent.