The king looks confused. ‘I did?’ he asks. ‘Oh yes, I did. I promised them they would be safe. Er – Margaret, you won’t hurt these men, will you?’

She has a face of ice. ‘Not at all,’ she says to him. ‘You have nothing to worry about.’ And to the guard she says, ‘Take them out.’

I whisper urgently. ‘Margaret – they have his word.’

‘Three fools together,’ she hisses. To the guards she nods again. ‘Take them out.’

* * *

We have lodgings in the dorter house of the abbey of St Albans, overlooking the frozen orchard. The fighting was in the streets around the abbey and many of the wounded are coming in to the chapter house and the barns, where the nuns are caring for them, and the monks carrying them out for burial when they die. I have managed to get a tub for Richard and he is washing himself with jugs of water. He has taken a wound to his sword arm and I have sponged it with thyme water from home, and bandaged it tightly. Anthony, thank God, is unhurt.

‘Where’s John?’ I ask. ‘Is he with the cavalry?’

Richard has his back to me as he gets out of the tub, dripping water all over the floor. I cannot see his face. ‘No.’

‘Where is he?’

His silence alerts me. ‘Richard, is he hurt? Richard? Is he here in the abbey?’

‘No.’

I’m afraid now. ‘Where is he? He’s not hurt? I must go to him. I should send to Elizabeth, I promised her I would.’

Richard ties a sheet around his waist, wincing slightly. He sits down by the little fire. ‘I am sorry, Jacquetta. He’s dead.’

‘Dead?’ I say stupidly.

‘Yes.’

‘John?’ I repeat.

He nods.

‘But the cavalry broke Warwick’s line, they won the battle for us. The cavalry won this battle.’

‘John was in the lead. He took a spear in the belly. He’s dead.’

I sink down onto the stool. ‘This will break Elizabeth’s heart,’ I say. ‘Dear God. He is nothing but a boy. And you have come through unscathed so many times!’

‘It’s luck,’ he says. ‘He wasn’t lucky, that’s all. He was unlucky, God save him. Did you foresee it at all?’

‘I never foresaw a future for them,’ I say bitterly. ‘But I said nothing and I let her marry him though I could see nothing ahead for the two of them. But it was a good match and I wanted her well married and rich. I should have warned her, I should have warned him. I have the Sight sometimes; but I might as well be blind.’

He leans forwards and takes my hand. ‘It’s just fortune,’ he says. ‘A cruel goddess. Will you write to Elizabeth? I can send a man with a message.’

‘I’ll go to her,’ I say. ‘I can’t bear that she should hear this from anyone but me. I’ll go and tell her myself.’

* * *