The White Princess by Philippa Gregory Read Free Book Online

paragraph. “Of course, he won’t want anyone to say that they are joint king and queen. He’ll want to be seen to take the throne on his own merits. He won’t want anyone saying she takes the queen’s crown on her own account. He can’t have anyone saying that he’s got the crown through her.”
    “But we’ll all go to his coronation?” my aunt Katherine asks. “They’ve left it very late but—”
    “Not invited,” my mother says shortly.
    “It’s an insult! He must have Elizabeth there!”
    My mother shrugs her shoulders. “What if they cheered for her? What if they called for us?” she says quietly. “You know how people would cheer for her, if they saw her. You know how Londoners love the House of York. What if the people saw us and called for my nephew Edward of Warwick? What if they booed the House of Tudor and called for the House of York? At his coronation? He’s not going to risk it.”
    “There’ll be York kinsmen there,” Katherine points out. “Your sister-in-law Elizabeth has turned her coat, as her husband the Duke of Suffolk has changed sides again. Her son, John de la Pole, that King Richard named as his heir, has begged Henry’s pardon and so they will be there.”
    My mother nods. “So they should be,” she says. “And I am sure they will serve him loyally.”
    My aunt Katherine gives a short snort of laughter and my mother cannot stop her smile.

    I go to find Cecily. “You’re to be married,” I say abruptly. “I heard Mother and Aunt Katherine talking.”
    She turns pale. “Who to?”
    I understand at once that she is afraid that she is to be humiliated again by a marriage to some lowly supporter of the Tudor invasion.“You’re all right,” I say. “Lady Margaret is standing your friend. She’s marrying you to her half brother, Sir John Welles.”
    She gives a shuddering sob and turns to me. “Oh, Lizzie, I was so afraid . . . I’ve been so afraid . . .”
    I put my arm around her shoulders. “I know.”
    “And there was nothing I could do. And when Father was alive, they all used to call me Princess of Scotland, as I was to marry the Scots king! Then to be pushed down to be Lady Scrope! And then to have no name at all! Oh, Lizzie, I’ve been vile to you.”
    “To everyone,” I remind her.
    “I know! I know!”
    “But now you’ll be a viscountess!” I say. “And no doubt better. Lady Margaret favors her family above everyone else, and Henry owes Sir John a debt of gratitude for his support. They’ll give him another title and lands. You’ll be rich, you’ll be noble, you’ll be allied to My Lady the King’s Mother, you’ll be—what?—her half sister-in-law, and kinswoman to the Stanley family.”
    “Anything for our sisters? What about our cousin Margaret?”
    “Nothing yet. Thomas Grey, Mother’s boy, is to come home later.”
    Cecily sighs. Our half brother has been like a father to us, fiercely loyal for all of our lives. He came into sanctuary with us, only breaking out to try to free our brothers in a secret attack on the Tower, serving at Henry’s court in exile, trying to maintain our alliance with him, and spying for us all the while. When Mother became sure that Henry was an enemy to fear, she sent for Thomas to come home, but Henry captured him as he was leaving. Since then, he has been imprisoned in France. “He’s pardoned? The king has forgiven him?”
    “I think everyone knows he did nothing wrong. He was a hostage to ensure our alliance, Henry left him as a pledge with theFrench king, but now that Tudor sees that we’re obedient, he can release Thomas and repay the French.”
    “And what about you?” Cecily demands.
    “Apparently, Henry’s going to marry me, because he can’t get out of it. But he’s in no sort of hurry. Apparently, everyone knows that he has been trying to renege.”
    She looks at me with sympathy. “It’s an insult,” she says.
    “It is,” I agree. “But I only want to be his queen; I