But Nan had gone.

Tears blinding her, Cecylee sank onto the window seat. Had Lisette's curse come true? She buried her face in her hands, tears trickling through her fingers. She took in great gulps of air as her chest heaved. Gradually, the room became silent. Cecylee blindly felt for her handkerchief and looked up.

They stared back.

The queen had arrived.

Cecylee rose, curtseyed, and took her place at the front of the procession. She was first lady of the land. She grabbed one corner of the queen's train and held her head high. But the magnificent service was a blur. Cecylee could see nothing.

Chapter 29.

January 1454 The queen returned to the political scene with great determination. Motherhood transformed her, and not for the better. She became fiercely protective of her son's rights and she aimed to crush the House of York. From that moment on, a bitter struggle ensued, not so much between the king and York, or even between Somerset and York, but rather between my lord of York and my lady queen. York had won over the majority of the magnates and would seize power if nothing were done. It was imperative edouard be declared heir to the throne of England.

"We must take the prince to Windsor," said Somerset, kissing Marguerite on the lips when she expressed her worries to him. He bundled her into her warmest furs, handed her the baby, and they set off to visit the king.

"My lord King!" said Somerset, speaking loudly and slowly as they entered the king's presence. "You have a fine son. All you need do is bless him." He took the prince in his arms and knelt.

King Henry sat in his chair, dressed in a faded blue robe trimmed with ermine. He stared vacantly.

Somerset brought the baby close so that the child was nearly sitting in the king's lap. The baby prince, restless, kicked out, one slipper hitting the side of the king's leg.

The king started. His head lolled.

"Place your hand on the prince's head and declare him to be your heir, I beseech you."

The king drooled, and a servant hastily wiped his mouth with a napkin.

Marguerite took the baby from Somerset.

"There are evil people who would deny him his rights," she said. "There has to be a formal announcement that he is your son, otherwise York will seize power."

The baby turned pink and wailed.

The king stirred and turned in the direction of the sound. But his eyes were empty.

"Bless your son, my dearest lord," said Marguerite.

The king slid down in his seat as his head fell to one side.

"My dearest Queen, I fear he cannot do so," said Somerset, signaling for the servants to hoist the king up in his chair. He covered her hand with his own. "I grieve to tell you this, but we have to admit defeat."

Marguerite handed him the baby and rose. "I do not admit defeat." She snapped her fingers. "We'll ride for London at once."

She swept into her rooms at the Palace of Westminster, demanding that her scribe attend her immediately.

"My love," said Somerset, hurrying behind her. "What can you do? The king recognizes n.o.body."

"Many magnates are reluctant to support York's bid for the regency because it might look as it they were committing treason. So, I am drawing up a bill."

Somerset looked over her shoulder as the scribe wrote to her dictation: Item the first, I, Marguerite, Queen of England, desire to have the rule of the land of England in its entirety; Item the second, I, Marguerite, Queen of England, desire to have the power to appoint the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Treasurer, the Lord Privy Seal and all such other officers of the land; Item the third, I, Marguerite, Queen of England, desire to have the ability to give all bishoprics and all other such benefices within the King's gift; Item the fourth, I, Marguerite, Queen of England, desire to be granted by parliament an annuity consisting of monies for upkeep of the king, the prince, and myself-

Chapter 30.

January 1454 My lord of York and others of his affinity learned of the queen's plans for herself and England when a large crowd gathered outside Warwick's London residence, The Herber, now a focal point of opposition.

"We won't stomach foreigners," they shouted.

Inside, Warwick met with York, Salisbury, and Norfolk. On hearing the crowd, he went to the window and opened the cas.e.m.e.nt.

"I pray you, good people, what is the meaning of this?"

"Queen's got the whip hand!" shouted one.

"She wants to rule!" shouted another.

"That one's a manly woman!" shouted a third. "Doesn't like taking orders."

"Ooh!" shouted the crowd.

"We don't want her!" shouted a fourth.

"We don't want her!" chanted the crowd.

"My lord of Warwick!" bellowed a beldame dressed in a purple velvet gown and a plum-colored horned headdress, "are you aware the queen has drawn up a bill giving herself supreme power over England?"

Warwick paled, clutching the cas.e.m.e.nt. "G.o.d's teeth!" How was it possible? Warwick employed many spies in the queen's household and had yet to receive this news.

The crowd roared with laughter.

York, Salisbury, and Norfolk hurried to the window.

"A York! A York! A York!" shouted the crowd, as York appeared.

"What mean you, madam?" bellowed Warwick, beckoning to the beldame. "How came you by this information?"

She sank into a low curtsey and beckoned to a young girl. "This is my maid Popelina, who has a sister who is washerwoman to the queen. Today, I allowed her to have the afternoon off to visit her sister."

Warwick leaned out of the window and beckoned. "Come closer. We'll not bite."

The crowd laughed and made way for a fresh-faced girl of around seventeen, who now appeared and bobbed a curtsey.

"Tell us your story," said Warwick.

" 'T'was not more than an hour since, sir-I mean, my lord. I was just helping my sister make up the queen's bed with fresh linens. We were spreading them out on the bed and tucking the corners just so. The queen is very particular about the way her bed is made-"

The crowd guffawed with laughter.

"What did you hear?" asked Warwick. This information was fresh from the oven if it were less than an hour since she'd heard the queen speak.

"Well, sir. The queen was in the next room talking to someone-"

"Her scribe," put in the beldame.

"Her scribe. I heard her say that she desired to rule England."

The crowd booed loudly, then rustled with mutterings.

"What else did she say?"

"Something about making a chancellor and making bishops-and money. That's it. I was bending over a tuck and smoothing it down, and I was thinking, Holy Mother Above, the queen wants to be king. I ran off as soon as I could to tell my mistress, for she told me always to keep an ear out for anything the queen might say."

"And so I brought the matter straight to your lordship," put in the beldame, "for I thought you ought to know."

Warwick thanked her and with a nod sent someone to ascertain if the story were true. If it were, he would employ Mistress Popelina to turn down beds for the queen in every corner of the country.

The Lords and Commons were offended by Queen Marguerite's highhandedness and took note of the people's determination not to be ruled by their haughty and arrogant French queen. And thus many lords who might not otherwise have done so first began to support Richard of York.

In March of the year 1454, the sudden death of the Archbishop of Canterbury gave great urgency to the matter of a regency, for the archbishop's successor could only be chosen on the authority of the king. A regent was needed.

Before reaching their decision, the lords of the council made one last visit to the king to see if he showed any signs of recovery.

He did not.

And so they sent for the Duke of York, closest of the lords to the throne of England by reason of his descent from the second and fourth sons of King Edward III.

On the twenty-seventh day of March of the year 1454, the Lords in Parliament nominated Richard of York to be regent of England. He was to enjoy the same t.i.tle and powers, and the same limitations on his authority that Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, had enjoyed during the long minority of King Henry VI. The Lords decreed that York should neither have t.i.tle of governor nor regent, but should be named Lord Protector and Defender, because it conveyed a personal duty of protecting the realm both from enemies without as well as rebels within. They further stipulated that if the king did not recover, the office of protector should devolve upon Prince Edward when he achieved his majority. As this would not happen for at least fourteen years, great trust was put in York's hands.

Chapter 31.

April 1454 Richard of York bowed low, unrolling a scroll and scanning it briefly, and lifted his head. "From now on, you will reside at Windsor with your lord husband, the king."

"You cannot order me to do that."

York smiled. The last time he'd met the queen, she'd held his life in her hands. Now, he held power.

"Have you not heard, my lady, that I am regent?"

Marguerite bit her lip.

"You will leave within the hour."

She was silent.

He turned to Somerset, who stood by, handling the baby prince. "And you, my lord, will go to the Tower to answer charges of treason."

"No!" shrieked Marguerite. She flung herself between Somerset and York. The baby prince wailed.

Her extreme action took Richard aback.

"My lord of Somerset will be well treated in the Tower. He will be tried by his peers in the House of Lords, as is his right. There is no need to be hysterical."

"He's not going," shouted Marguerite.

York nodded and the Constable of the Tower entered the room with an armed escort.

Marguerite shrieked again, the baby echoing her shrieks.

York sighed. Why did she have to make things so difficult? He was saved by Somerset, who put his hand on her cheek.

"My dear lady and my love, be not so fretful. All will be well." He handed her the baby prince: "See how fine our prince is. No one can take that away from you."

"But they will try," said Marguerite, sweeping York a look. "Oh how I know it. Already, York-"

Somerset took the queen's hand and kissed its palm.

York nodded, and the Constable of the Tower read out the indictment, charging Somerset with treasonable acts and summoning him to the Tower to await his trial for impeachment. Handing the baby back to Somerset, Marguerite leapt to her feet and seized the parchment.

"Of course!" she cried. "It is signed and sealed by the hand of York. Oh, he will stop at nothing to destroy you."

Somerset glared, handed the baby prince to the queen, and took the doc.u.ment. He scanned it and looked at York, who folded his arms and waited. By now, the room was filling with armed guards. He turned to the queen.

"Marguerite, don't take on so. You know I must go."

"There must be something I can do."

Somerset shook his head.

York signaled; the guards took each arm and led Somerset off.

Marguerite collapsed in a heap of tears. Richard waited. After she'd sobbed herself dry, he said, "You will leave within the hour. Your household will follow in a few days."