White Boar and the Red Dragon, The by Margaret W Price Read Free Book Online

Justice, which, he suspected, was probably of more worth to him than the gold.
    So they were true then, the stories he had heard about Lord Hastings—that he preferred very young girls and if he could not get them willingly, then he just forced them? It was horrible, horrible!
    ‘Cheer up, Dickon! It’s about time you knew the ways of the world! At least I helped them! Do you think badly of me then for giving them short shrift?’
    King Edward had got up, swaying slightly, and put his arm round Richard’s shoulders, the big, protective brother. ‘The look on your face, Dickon! Anyone would think you had witnessed murder!’
    ‘I have not witnessed justice—real justice! The man was right. Lord Hastings should be punished!’
    ‘But he’s my friend, Dickon, and one does not put one’s friends on trial!’
    ‘Not even if they deserve it and are obviously guilty of what they have been accused?’
    ‘How can you know that? Do you really think I believed the man’s story? I only gave him the gold to get rid of him! For all we know, he had abused the girl himself—it happens! And I’m just too tired today to be bothered with such things!’
    ‘So will you speak to Lord Hastings about it and find out if it’s true?’
    The king laughed and slapped Richard’s back. Then he sat down heavily on his throne again and rubbed his temples peevishly with the tips of his fingers.
    ‘Enough of this, Dickon. Let it go! Take pity on your poor brother’s head!’
    ‘I do, Edward, but I do not admire my King’s so-called Justice!’
    He turned his back on the king, went to the window, and watched the snowflakes falling. He felt their icy cold without touching them. They matched the feeling inside him.
    ‘The trouble with you, Dickon, is that you’re an idealist! You’ll soon grow out of it—at least I hope you will!’ cried George. ‘Or you’re going to have a very miserable time! The world is a hard place, and if a man gets any kind of justice in these times, he can count himself lucky!’
    Big and bluff and golden-haired like Edward, George thought himself, at fifteen, very much the man of the world; very worldly-wise. He knew how to use his charm with devastating effect on everyone, usually getting his own way.
    And then that day, he was an adult! Last night, Edward had initiated him into the pleasures of bedding a girl!
    He could not wait until tonight for more!
    But the one girl he really wanted seemed out of his reach—like the Pole Star. That was Isabel Neville, Lord Neville’s eldest daughter—he who was now known as The Kingmaker, since he had helped Edward to the throne. Without him, Edward would never have managed it on his own, he thought enviously.
    But Warwick was a proud man, the greatest and richest landowner in the kingdom—far richer than the king himself. He seemed to own more of everything than anyone else, and George knew he had set his sights on Isabel marrying at least a king! And she probably would do too, with the enormous dowry in gold and estates to bring to the husband who was chosen for her! And that was the heart of the matter. He did not think Warwick would accept him as his son-in-law. He knew Isabel was as fond of him as he of her, though they had only met circumspectly at Middleham Castle when he and Richard were in training there as knights, under Warwick’s mentorship.
    When the time came for her to be married, she would have no choice in the matter. Love would never enter into it, sadly.
    Meanwhile, there could be plenty of diversions.
    The Duchess Cecily, who up to then had said little, came up to Richard where he stood looking out of the window.
    ‘Richard, I applaud your sense of justice! It is admirable! You will grow up to be a wise and fair man, I feel! That is very much to your advantage and to the advantage of the House of York—for you have a great task ahead of you!’
    ‘What do you mean, Mother? I am not sure I understand you.’
    ‘I know you remember what I