‘And what of the Earl of Warwick?’ Sir John asks. ‘What has he to say on the matter?’

Hastings’s eyebrows shoot up.

‘Nothing yet,’ he says. ‘He is expected this evening.’

It is now late afternoon and men are leaving the courtyard in clusters, wrapping their cloaks about them and hurrying down to their barges to be taken back to the city, or out through the gates to the road that leads back through Newgate. The Duke of York’s men are left in the fading light looking ill at ease and out of place. It is impossible to know what they’ve been told to expect, but surely, Thomas thinks, it cannot have been this curious anti-climax?

‘We should go and find him,’ Richard says. ‘Appeal for his jurisdiction against Riven.’

‘Find who?’ Sir John asks.

‘The Duke of York.’

Sir John turns on him.

‘Have you lost your wits, my boy?’ he asks.

‘Not at all,’ Richard says. ‘If we appeal to him now, he will think we do so because we believe he is king. He will be flattered. He’ll look favourably on us.’

Sir John is taken aback. There is a pause. Then Hastings nods. It makes sense.

‘Well, I suppose we can but try,’ Sir John admits.

‘Quite,’ Hastings adds. ‘What’s the worst he can say? And I’ll come with you, if I may? We share a great-grandmother, the Duke and I.’

They look at him afresh.

‘Philippa of Clarence,’ he says, as if it is amusing, ‘daughter of Lionel, son to King Edward the Third. From there, we part company, though. This way.’

They leave the others in the courtyard and pass through a gateway into the palace courtyard, where the concentration of the Duke of York’s troops becomes only denser, and here they see that Richard is not the only man to have had the idea of seeking an interview with their commander. The stairs leading up to his apartments are choked with men waiting for the self-same thing.

‘It’ll be a long wait,’ Hastings supposes. They stand on the twisting stone steps for more than an hour, unable to proceed upwards, and soon unable to reverse thanks to the press of those who’ve come after them. Sir John begins to flag. Thomas passes him a wineskin. Candles are lit. They can smell the kitchen fires. At last they arrive on a landing. Here are the tapestries depicting Judgement Day and some scenes from the life of Solomon and Nebuchadnezzar. Beyond a barrier of five more guards across the doorway is a clear corridor and beyond that, a solar in which Thomas can see more men in the light of a fire. Stewards in plaincloth pass by, bearing trays of fragrant pies and ewers of wine.