When did this happen? he asked himself again now. The vision of the cripple outside the church came to his mind, and he choked down a shudder. I am deformed, he thought. What had he done to deserve this? He pondered his many sins: He had cheated at cards when young Francis Lovell was set to best him; he had left the henchman’s dormitory several times to go hunting when he should have been studying; he had refused to dance with Anne on occasion because he had wanted to dance with Isabel; he coveted another man’s wife; he secretly hated George; and worst of all, he had betrayed Lord Warwick’s faith in him. Was God punishing him? Was his deformity indeed a sign from on high? He had been taught long ago that a crooked body came with a wicked mind. Had he been touched by the Devil? Was he capable of evil? The thought was unbearable, and he crossed himself and begged the Virgin Mary to intercede for him. Vowing to live a less sinful life, he found solace in prayer and eventually some rest that night.

The court at Coventry was merry that Christmas, and Richard became acquainted with more of the Woodville siblings, whose numbers seemed to grow daily. He met the once-beautiful matriarch Jacquetta, who took Richard’s face in her pudgy fingers and kissed him square on the mouth. “York’s youngest boy,” she purred; her slanting almond eyes also reminding him of a cat. She called over her shoulder to Richard’s mother, elegant in blue silk. “My dear Cecily, what a sweet child.” Child? Richard thought bitterly; the woman had not kissed him like a child.

“I am fifteen, my lady,” he said politely but firmly, and gracefully removing one of her hands he bowed over it. “Richard of Gloucester, Madame, an honor to meet you.”

Cecily glided up to Jacquetta, revealing that, despite their same birth year, the duchess of York’s tall, lithe figure had weathered the years more elegantly than the shorter, fleshier duchess of Bedford’s. “Have you not made my son’s acquaintance before, my dear Jacquetta? He was at Eliza-beth’s coronation, you remember.” She took Richard’s arm possessively. “This is my kind-hearted son who would like to right all the wrongs of the common folk. Aye, Richard, Edward told me of your passionate appeal. You will learn that it is not good for the people to desire more than their due, is it, Jacquetta? It just leads to violence, exactly as is happening in the kingdom today. Do peasants believe they can govern themselves? Nay, they are incapable. ’Tis why we must lead the way.”

Richard had not heard his mother so openly defend her privileged rank or seem to mock him, and he was taken aback. Another time, he might have kept silent, but his youthful indignation and new found confidence spurred him now.