When George is gone, Cecily sits by his side, takes his hand, nets his fingers with hers and kisses his knuckles.

‘Well said,’ she tells him.

He leans back in his chair.

She follows his gaze to the view from the window, of the river’s tide falling from Westminster and George walking against it.

In the end, after days of wrangling, a compromise. They are met again, Cecily and her menfolk, and Chancellor George brings the news. ‘Parliament will make Richard the King’s heir,’ he tells them. ‘Next in line when Henry dies. Protector, meantime, with full governance of the kingdom.’

Cecily looks up from perusing the paper he has brought. ‘They will disinherit a prince then, but not a king?’

George shrugs. ‘They think the prince a bastard.’

‘And so he is.’ She scans the page, turns it back and forth, points. ‘But they have not set that down.’

The room falls silent, just the grumbling of the fire, troubled in its grate. She looks from Warwick to Salisbury and her sons. Their eyes are fixed on Richard, who at last stills the ruby on his finger, stretches his arms before him, flexes his neck and says, ‘Alright.’

‘It’s not enough,’ says Cecily, so sharp that Richard winces. ‘They must say why Marguerite’s son cannot inherit. Make it clear.’

‘Oh, I don’t think they can prove that case, any more than you can, Cecily.’

‘She will fight to restore him then, and never give up.’

‘Then I will have to destroy her.’

‘Even if you do, you have ten years on the King, you may die before him.’

‘Then our son will inherit.’ He smiles, soft, looks at Edward. ‘What a king he will make.’ As Edward squares his shoulders, lowers his head, Richard speaks to the room. ‘Are we agreed, gentlemen?’

And they nod, still silent.

Richard looks again to George. ‘I suppose, with all those grand titles and privileges, I also acquire the right to defend myself?’

‘Expressly so.’ George retrieves the paper from Cecily and reads, ‘You are given full authority to suppress trouble in England, with power to command, in the King’s name, the support of all his subjects. Any who move against you, or against your kin, are guilty of treason.’

‘Including the Queen?’ Cecily wants clarification of every point.

‘It is clearly implied.’

‘Then enough of this talking.’ Richard rises to his feet. ‘While we dither our enemies gather. Salisbury, you and I will go north to deal with Northumberland, prevent him meeting up with Exeter and Henry bloody Beaufort. Edward, I want you to go first into Wales, raise men and follow us north. But watch your back, Jasper Tudor will be at it.’

‘Am I for Wales too, father?’ Edmund, still so young, eager not to be left out.