Of all, the loyal Will Hastings had the most to lose with Buckingham’s ascendancy. Was it then that he began to question Richard’s motives? Or shore up a future for himself? At first he had been the most ardent supporter of Richard as protector, but as an older statesman, he perhaps believed by counseling Richard he would retain his close position to the throne and thus the young king. It was this expectation that made him send for Richard in April in all urgency, and Richard had duly rewarded him by according him governorship of the royal mint and the captaincy of Calais—no paltry offices. Surely, Will had thought, his loyalty was unquestioned, and thus he would also remain as chamberlain to the young king and on the protector’s council. He had expected the inexperienced Richard of Gloucester would gratefully seek his guidance upon arriving in London. Instead it seemed the now-mature Lord of the North had a mind of his own. As well, Richard’s generosity towards his young cousin threatened those expectations, and thus Will was wary of Buckingham.

Following one of the many council meetings in May, in which he had played a major part and was beginning to relax his guard, Will strolled over to Richard expecting an acknowledgement of his invaluable insights.

“I thought that went well, Lord Gloucester,” he offered. “If there is anything else I can do for you…”

He was rudely cut off.

“There is, Lord Hastings. You can kindly remove the whore Jane Shore from the house my brother, in his folly, thought necessary to give her. And she must return any jewels she was gifted,” Richard said, coldly. “They all belong to the crown, and, if you have not noticed, we have an innocent child as king, my lord, not a Caligula. I will not allow my nephew to have his father’s mistress sully his young reputation by allowing that woman to publicly flaunt her former liaison with my brother at court. She must go. Do you understand?”

Stunned, Will went pale but for two pink spots of anger on his cheeks. “Jane Shore is a decent, kind woman,” he asserted, “and, what is more, your brother loved her.”

A long time ago, Will and Edward had decided Richard was a prude, but even so Will had not been prepared for Richard’s contempt now. “It does not surprise me that you defend such a woman, my lord,” Richard parried. “You are as debauched as she is. I pray you, have her removed immediately from the house and the court or…”

Furious if not not a little uneasy, Hastings shot back, “…or what, my lord duke?” This conversation was not going at all as he had anticipated, and he began to be concerned. What if Richard knew that Will himself had taken Jane as his mistress, having loved her throughout her time with Edward? Perhaps Richard already knows, Hastings thought, alarmed.