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Chapters (55)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Book
  3. About the Author
  4. Kingmaker: Winter Pilgrims
  5. Dedication
  6. Though the Lancastrian Claim comes from Edward III’s THIRD son, it relies on a) possession and b) that the crown can not pass through a woman – Philippa Mormer – so must fall to the next male in line. The Yorkist Claim relies on their descent from Edward III’s SECOND son, and says it can pass through Philippa. The Tudor Claim ignores the fact of passing through a woman – Lady Margaret Beaufort – or that John, Earl of Somerset, was born illegimate.
  7. Factions in the Wars of the Roses
  8. Prologue
  9. PART ONE
  10. 1
  11. 2
  12. 3
  13. 4
  14. PART TWO
  15. 5
  16. 6
  17. 7
  18. 8
  19. 9
  20. 10
  21. 11
  22. 12
  23. 13
  24. PART THREE
  25. 14
  26. 15
  27. 16
  28. 17
  29. 18
  30. 19
  31. PART FOUR
  32. 20
  33. 21
  34. 22
  35. 23
  36. PART FIVE
  37. 24
  38. 25
  39. 26
  40. 27
  41. 28
  42. 29
  43. 30
  44. 31
  45. PART SIX
  46. 32
  47. 33
  48. PART SEVEN
  49. 34
  50. 35
  51. 36
  52. 37
  53. 38
  54. 39
  55. Acknowledgements

The canon plunges the boat pole into the water and heaves, sending the boat off into the current as the two men on the bank start following them. After a few moments the one in the water wades back on to dry land and shouts after the canon. She cannot make out his words and in a little while the boat crosses the ford and the man in the river is lost to sight.

Katherine stares back over her shoulder long after, though, watching as first the roofs and then, finally, the priory’s church tower slip away until at last, for the first time in her memory, she is beyond its sight, floating in a land unknown.

PART TWO

Across the Narrow Sea,
February–June 1460

5

THE SISTER SITS ahead and keeps watch with the giant’s axe across her knees. She is rubbing her blistered feet and Thomas can think of nothing to say to her.

Finally she speaks.

‘Where shall we go?’

It is a good question.

‘We must make our way to Canterbury,’ he tells her with more certainty than he feels. ‘We must seek redress from the Prior of All. He will hear our case and see that justice is done.’

The sister turns to him and studies him as he talks. Her eyes are blue, her face paler than vellum.

‘Where is this Canterbury?’ she asks.

Thomas does not know.

‘It is where the Prior of All is,’ he says.

There is a pause.

‘So you do not know?’ she says.

‘No,’ he admits.

She nods and turns her back on him again. He feels only confusion. To think that the day before he had been looking forward to rubbing gold leaf over a letter T he’d built up from the page with gesso. She says nothing more and after a while the mist begins to clear and a flock of gulls wheels above them, wings black against the pale clouds.

‘More snow,’ he says, and thinks of the night to come.

Then there is a crash in the rushes, and a shout from the bank.

‘Oh Great God above.’

It is the giant. He comes pushing through a stand of reeds and is almost on them before Thomas heaves on the boat pole and sends the boat lurching across the river.

‘Leave us be!’ the sister cries. ‘For the love of the Trinity, leave us be!’

The giant comes down at them, but stops at the water’s edge. He looks about wildly and shouts something unintelligible. He seems stuck.

‘Merciful Mary,’ Thomas breathes. ‘He’s scared of the water.’

The giant stares at them, deciding what to do. Then scrambles along the river’s edge, ripping his way through the thickets. Ahead of him a bittern takes flight with a slow clap of wings.