Warwick quickly regretted his words and sought to diffuse the awkward silence. “Don’t look so serious, Richard. You know I was speaking in jest,” he said, gently grasping the youth’s shoulder. “You must be tired from your journey. Why not change out of your riding garb and join the countess and me for supper?”

“I thank you, my lord.” Richard bowed away from the unwelcome hand. “Until then.”

With a mixture of sorrow and unease, the earl watched his protégé leave the room. George might be easily swayed with the right incentives, but Richard was far more complex. What was more, Richard had integrity. He had to admire that, even if he could no longer count on the lad.

Richard was even more disturbed by a piece of information idly given by Isabel soon after his return.

“How long does it take to get to Rome from here?” she asked the Italian dance master, who was teaching the young apprentices the newest haute danse, which required the Neville daughters to participate. Richard observed that Isabel was in high spirits, her cheeks glowing, and her chattering excited. Anne was but a pale, mouse-like shadow beside her, although those, like Richard who knew her well, could see Isabel’s exuberance was trying the younger girl’s patience.

“La bella Madonna Isabella va a Roma?” Maestro Bassano enquired, lifting her lithe body off the floor for a beat of the music. “Perché? Why?”

“The Pope is there,” Isabel replied, landing like a feather. Seeing Richard watching her, she covered her indiscretion by laughing it off with a flippant, “Why does anyone want to go to Rome?”

As Richard circled Anne’s waist to emulate the movement so deftly executed by their teacher, his partner whispered: “My uncle, the archbishop, has sent a messenger to the Pope, and Isabel is certain ’tis about her and George. She is simply guessing,” she scoffed. As both girls grew older, Anne knew the time would soon come when they would be separated, and, despite occasionally squabbling with her older sister, she dreaded that time. “If the king has forbidden the marriage, Father would not disobey, would he? Isabel is being silly.”

But Richard did not think Isabel was silly at all. Was Warwick seeking dispensation? He decided he should pass on this tidbit to Edward, for what it was worth.

Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Advent 1467

Celebrating the yuletide season with his family again was mostly on Richard’s mind as he rode at Edward’s command to Coventry with an armed escort. So bad was the crime now in England that even Edward had to travel with more than a hundred bodyguards wherever he went.