Kate leaned over to kiss him, her impossibly long and lustrous red hair spread like a veil of satin over him. “Then let us learn together, my lord. At this moment, we have no one but ourselves to please.”

Ignorant of such matters as they were, the last thought they had was of consequences.

As a result of an afternoon of pleasure and more later that same night, Richard was to learn painfully of its uninvited fruit.

The few lines of untidy scrawl in between ink blots came soon after his first letter to Kate. Her elegant dexterity with the harp did not spill over to the quill he noted with a grin, and he loved her the more for it.

My dearest love, I, too, yearn to be with you once more. And more so now that I am with child.

Richard smothered his gulp with his hand and read the announcement again. Could this be true? They had only made love three times in the space of a mere twelve hours. Sweet Jesu, he was to be a father? Surely he was too young? His seed not ripened? Fifteen was young to sire a child, wasn’t it? And yet he did not doubt his beloved. He read on: My mother Haute knows, but she believes it to be her son’s.

Thank Christ, Richard thought and then crossed himself. “Forgive me, Father.” he mumbled, not meaning to take the Lord’s name in vain, especially not in the matter of bastardy.

Tell me what more I should do and when I shall see you again, Kate wrote. And fear not, for I am well. Your faithful Kate.

Richard knelt at his little prie dieu, and stared at the exquisite painting of the Virgin and Child in the well-used prayer book King Henry had given him. “Help me to be the man I need to be for my child, sweet Mother of God,” he said, feeling the comforting mantle of childhood slip away. “Help me shoulder this new responsibility. I shall not abandon the babe—nor Kate.”

He bowed his head, turned the page, and prayed.

PART THREE

PART THREE

Lord of The North, Edward’s Man

Leicester, December 7, 2012

Dr. Jo Appleby had undertaken the osteology examination at ULAS (University of Leicester Archeology Services) and was waiting to reveal the results to us…. together with Dr. Piers Mitchell, a scoliosis specialist…

The remains would be on a table in the centre of the darkened room, positioned on a specially designed light box that would illuminate them gently from beneath…the remains would be given as much dignity within the analysis as possible.

I don’t remember the opening words of the session. All I could see was the box that illuminated Richard, his washed bones bright against the darkness. To me he seemed unprotected and I felt like a ghoul invading his privacy….