"'No, madam, I am sure that thou dost wrong the Duke, who is filled with all respect and love for your Majesty,' put in the Cardinal.
"'Ay, my Lord Cardinal,' I replied, 'well hath he shown his love for me and mine. Look at the prisoners at Pomfret, which never did offence to Gloucester, except that the love they bore my late lamented husband and his family hath stirred up anger in his savage bosom.'
"'Nay, indeed, your Majesty, thou dost abuse and misjudge the Duke of Gloucester,' said the Cardinal. 'As I understand the matter, it is this,' he continued; 'Lord Rivers, Sir Richard Grey and Sir Thomas Vaughan, were suspected of some plot against the King's freedom, and Duke Richard, when he learned of it, caused these three gentlemen to be detained until after the King is crowned, when it shall be for his Majesty to decide whether they shall be set at liberty or no.'
"'A pretty tale indeed is this about a plot to gain control of the King's person,' I replied with scorn. 'My Lord Cardinal, no one knows better than dost thou that my brother would be the last to so conspire against my son. 'Tis but a lie, devised by that accursed Richard!' I cried, as mine indignation began to gain ascendency over my better reason, 'to shield his own black treason. Well do I believe, my Lord Cardinal, that this limping villain desires but to gain control of both my sons, that he may work his will upon them; and God, or rather the devil, and himself do know what that may be. And be assured of this, Master Cardinal!' I almost shrieked, to such a state of fury had this rehearsal of my wrongs aroused me, 'I shall not permit my tender son, the Duke of York, to fall into the hands of that traitorous cur, so long as this Sanctuary stands to protect the gentle babe. Gloucester hath already, through treachery, obtained control of one of my pretty children; but so long as his mother can protect the other be thou assured, good Cardinal, that hump-backed Gloucester shall not control him.'"
The Queen, as she said these words, in her excitement arose from her chair and, standing like a statue before me, her head thrown a little aback, her nostrils slightly distended, like those of a horse that hath just scented fresh-spilled blood, and her whole pose bespeaking resolution and defiance, looked like some angry Goddess about to hurl destruction upon those which had been the cause of her anger. Verily, my children, this was indeed a Queen.
My soul was so filled with admiration for this noble and unfortunate woman that I needs must kneel at her feet and kiss the hem of her gown.
"Arise, Sir Walter," said her Majesty, tenderly; "I do not deserve such homage. This trouble is but God's punishment for so neglecting his commands, when I was in a position of power. Ah, my friend, sorrow doth tame the haughty spirit and maketh us to realize that we must live for other purposes than the fulfilment of our ambitious dreams.
"Thou mayest think it strange in me to thus take thee into my confidence and tell thee of my troubles. But this, I tell thee, Sir Walter, is the reason. Thy father was ever a faithful servant and friend of my dear husband's house; and had King Edward lived thou hadst been raised to considerable power. Thou hast proven thy loyalty to me, even in my trouble, when those which have received, at my hand, the greatest honours have deserted, what seems to them, a sinking ship. Besides all this, my soul must needs pour out its grief on some sympathetic ear. Therefore I tell thee this story of the troubles of a Queen which, whilst her husband lived, had scarce to express a wish, and the policy of an empire changed as does the wind. To-day she seeks safety for herself and family within the precincts of a Sanctuary, than which place, where is safer? And even it is not."
"Come, madam, thou must not yet despair," said Dorset, tenderly, as he saw tears rushing unto his mother's eyes. "Surely Gloucester dare not do harm to the little Duke."
"Ah, my son," replied the Queen, "well do I know that thou dost speak thus to lighten my heart with hopes of safety for my little Prince.