Richard wearily climbed back into the saddle and joined Edward on the road to Coventry. He was not so much thinking about Margaret as wondering what had become of Anne, who was last known to be in the deposed queen’s company. It had occurred to him the night before, as he lay under the stars unable to sleep, that she was now a widow and free to remarry. Despite her childish peskiness at times, he remembered her fondly. They had liked each other then, but would she want him now? Had she loved Edouard in the end? He even wondered if she might be with child. He had sat up then with a “nay!” on his lips. She was not even fourteen, he recalled, so surely the marriage could not have been consummated. And yet…I was only fifteen when Kate conceived our very first time.…Then he had a more disturbing thought about Anne’s possible pregnancy: Her child would be the Lancastrian heir and mean Edward’s hard-fought victory at Tewkesbury would have been for naught. He wondered if Ned had contemplated such an unpropitious circumstance, and if so, would the child even be allowed to enter a Yorkist world. In truth, he thought not. Time alone would tell.

Richard would never forget the triumphant entry into London on the twenty-first day of May, for Edward had given Richard the supreme honor of leading the procession. Londoners were greatly relieved that Edward’s victory at Tewkesbury had also put paid to the recent Lancastrian attacks on their city. With news that northern dissent had also dissolved with the intervention of the earl of Northumberland, there was nothing or no one now to stand in Edward’s way of reclaiming his throne. Tower-bound King Henry had no one to rescue him now.

With Richard rode William Herbert, earl of Pembroke, who had also distinguished himself at Tewkesbury. The two men were about the same age, and Herbert would become a staunch supporter of Richard’s in the years to come. The roar of the crowd as they emerged from under the Bishopsgate caused their horses to shy and the pair exchanged surprised grins at the cheering throngs.

The colorful cavalcade was pelted with flowers—mostly white roses—and the air was filled with clarions and trumpets and the ear-stopping roar of “God save the king,” almost drowning out the pealing of hundreds of church bells. Riding in full armor upon a colossal gray courser and carrying a vicious war hammer, Edward’s majesty was almost mythical. It was as though Thor himself had come amongst them, although no one still believed in the old pagan gods.

Somewhere behind his brothers, George sulked, once again eclipsed by Richard at the head of the procession, and his resentment grew.

It was then Richard saw Kate at the front of the crowd, John clinging to her neck, and Molly holding Katherine by the hand. The little girl was jumping up and down with excitement, and his heart leaped at the sight of his little family. Kate took John’s hand and waved at Richard, who grinned back at her.