Francis Lovell proudly escorted the protector’s wife along Chepeside towards Bishopgate and Richard’s domicile there at Crosby Place. “Gloucester’s lady,” somebody cried out recognizing the white-boar cognizance, and once the word was passed that the Kingmaker’s daughter was in their city again, Londoners flocked into the Chepe to cheer her. Despite his treason, they still had a fondness for the deceased Warwick. It warmed Anne’s heart to hear the shouts of welcome, thinking it was due her as Richard’s wife. She waved and smiled shyly, recognizing the important role she now played, but she hoped Crosby Place was not much farther.

She caught sight of two lovely women standing by the conduit, looking past her to someone in her entourage. One of them in a widow’s wimple looked familiar, and Anne frowned trying to remember where she had seen her before. She turned in her saddle to ascertain who they were focused on and saw it was Richard’s son, John. All at once, she knew. “Kate Haute!” she murmured, dispirited by the widow’s beauty despite the unattractive head covering. She was Richard’s leman and mother of John and Katherine, who was now one of her ladies and the image of her mother. No wonder Richard had tumbled Kate, Anne thought, as she noted the remarkable amber eyes in the heart-shaped face that were fixated with longing on John. A momentary pang of sympathy for the widow engulfed the gentle duchess as she imagined the pain of having to give up Ned.

When she was lifted down into Richard’s loving arms at Crosby Place, Anne forgot Kate. It was Anne’s first visit to the large, gothic mansion. “It is magnificent,” she enthused, noting the ceiling-high windows of colored glass, gilded carved beams overhead, and the red-and-blue tiled floor in the great hall. A servant removed Anne’s soggy velvet cloak and hood, and she shivered. Richard looked anxiously at her, for she had lost weight and dark smudges ringed her eyes.

“Are you unwell, my dear?” he asked, leading her along a passageway to her chamber, where he had thoughtfully ordered a fire to be lit on this dreary day. “I will order you a hot bath after you have rested. Perhaps I was selfish to ask you to come.” He smiled, and Anne noticed he had lost a tooth. “Aye, it had to be removed last week. I regret I could no longer withstand the pain.”