Isabel was attracted to him from the beginning and he was very attentive to her. If he resembled his brother Edward, he would be like that with all girls, of course; but I was glad, for his coming made up for the disappointment she had recently received about marriage. Isabel was longing for that state. She wanted a grand title, riches and power perhaps. That would not be surprising, considering her father's veneration for these assets, and George was the brother of the king.

Richard seemed to have grown much older during that Christmas he had spent with the king. His brother had talked to him often and Richard had learned a great deal about the state of the country and some of this Richard passed on to me. He had an even greater desire to serve his brother. I had no doubt that the king had promised him it should not be long before he did so. He must spend just a few more months under the guidance of the king's good friend, the Earl of Warwick, and then he would be ready.

My father was determined to show the Duke of Clarence that he was very welcome at Middleham. Or perhaps he wanted to remind him of his wealth and power. I was just beginning to realise how important it was to my father that people should be made aware of this.

I believe the hospitality shown to the Duke of Clarence was no less grand than that set before the king himself; there was feasting, dancing and great merriment every evening; and mock tournaments had been arranged to take place in the tilt yard for their pleasure. Clarence enjoyed this as he was very skilled and usually came out the victor. This may have been arranged, for my father would want to show his distinguished visitor that he was an honoured guest which would include allowing him to win. But perhaps it was rarely that this had to be maneuvered, for Clarence was very skilled, a superb horseman, and adroit with the sword achieving all his triumphs with an effortlessness which won the admiration of the ladies, and in particular Isabel.In fact, Clarence was remarkably like his elder brother, winning people to his side with charm, only as Richard said not quite as perfect. But of course, in Richard's eyes nobody could be.

Richard was obliged to join in the displays. I used to sit with my mother, Isabel and the ladies watching, and while I did so, I would pray that he would win and not show the fatigue he must be feeling.

We talked now and then together, but not so much as we had now that his brother was there to spend a good deal of time with him.

I asked him about Christmas and learned that it had been very enjoyable and that he and the king had been together most of the time.

He told me what a moving ceremony there had been at Fotheringay whither he and the king had gone immediately after Christmas.

"Both my father and brother were murdered on December the thirtieth, three years before, and we have a ceremony to remember their deaths every thirtieth of January, just one month by calendar after the date of their deaths. It is a very solemn occasion in which the entire family joins."

"Does that not bring it all back too bitterly?"

"It is important that we do not forget."

"But you could not forget. I know it is always in your mind." He nodded gravely.

"I wish you could have been there, Anne." he went on.

"We had a hearse covered in golden suns. The sun is our emblem, you know ... the Sun of York. There were silver roses and banners showing Christ seated on a rainbow and others with angels in gold. It was wonderful." I "And your mother? Does this not make her very sad?"

"It makes her very sad but she insists on being present. She is very proud of our family especially now that Edward is king,! She knows it is what our father would have wished. He did not get the crown for himself but it came to Edward."

He paused and I knew he was thinking, as I was, of that head on the walls of York wearing the paper crown which had meant the temporary triumph of the House of Lancaster. A short-lived one, it was true. But now here was glorious Edward the incomparable King of England. There were tears in Richard's eyes and I was happy because he did not mind that I saw them. I knew he would have been ashamed and angry if anyone else had.

During that spring and summer Richard was often away from Middleham. The king would send for him and most joyfully he went. I was continually hoping that he would come back and was always quietly happy when he did. He would tell me of his exploits with the king; how Edward had given him his own company of followers; how good his brother was to him; how honoured he was to be the brother of such a king.

Isabel told me that the king was more fond of Richard than he was of George, which was not fair to George, he being the elder. Richard, was, after all, only a boy, and small for his age not in the least like his brothers. But Edward liked his adoration, for really Richard was quite blatant about it. As a matter of fact the king had given more honours to Richard than he had to George.

"Who told you that?" I asked.

"George, of course."

"You seem to have become very friendly with him," I replied.

She smiled secretively and I went on: The king gives honours to Richard because he is so loyal."

"George is clever and handsome and if Richard were not the king's brother no one would take any notice of him."

"You don't know Richard."

"You're so young," retorted Isabel contemptuously. I think George is very attractive. It is a pity he is not the eldest. Then he would be king."

There were dreams in her eyes. I thought, she is thinking of George as a future husband.

That was an uneasy spring followed by an uneasy summer. I supposed it would always be like that until Margaret was completely defeated. There were Lancastrian risings throughout the country and my father would be away for long periods of time, and when there were arrivals at the castle my mother would be fearful of what news they might bring. With good reason. Fortunately there were more Yorkist victories than setbacks and a great deal of the credit must be given to our family.

At Hedgeley Moor my uncle John Neville, Lord Montague, greatly outnumbered by the Lancastrians, defeated them and shortly afterwards at Hexham delivered the final blow. It was a great success for the House of Neville and it was generally accepted that the Earl of Warwick was making the throne safe for Edward. I had never seen my father so contented. He had achieved the very pinnacle of power; his dream had come true. He had made Edward king and so he thought he could not have chosen a better man to suit his plans. Edward was the perfect king: affable to the people, greatly loved by them: he had all the charm and grace a king should have. Moreover he was pleasure-loving, which would prevent his meddling in state affairs which was exactly what my father wanted. The king should be amused while, in his name, the Earl of Warwick ruled the country.

It was late September. We had come to a period of comparative peace. After the defeat at Hedgeley Moor and Hexham, Margaret I fled the country; the Lancastrians were in disarray.

My father returned to us contentedly. His family were receiving the honours they deserved. After his magnificent performance at Hedgeley Moor, John was given the Earldom of Northumberland. George Neville, at that time Chancellor and Bishop of Exeter, was to be made Archbishop of York. This was what my father wanted his family in high places with himself at the head of the state to be called on should his help be needed, while Edward remained the charming representative, doing Warwick's will as though it were his own with the grace and charm of which he was capable. It was a dream come true. Then came the awakening.

It was a late September day. How well I remember it! We had arisen as usual and Isabel and I had spent the morning at our lessons and in the afternoon ridden out with the grooms for a short period of exercise.  We were in the solarium with our mother and some of the ladies when there were sounds of arrival from below. My mother rose from her chair and went towards the door, but before she could reach it my father strode into the solarium.

I had never seen him look as he did. He had apparently coir straight from a long journey, but where were his followers? Eve as the thought entered my mind I heard the sounds of the arrival below. He must have ridden on ahead of them.

My mother immediately dismissed the ladies. They left' needlework where it was and went swiftly out. She signed for us to follow them. We went to the door and Isabel caught my hand. She stood in a corner behind a screen and I stood with her.

Both my parents were so agitated that they did not notice we were there.

My mother stammered: "You have come from Reading?"

"Aye ... from Reading."

"Richard, what has happened?"

"Disaster," he said.

"Margaret?" whispered my mother.

"Worse," he said.

"Worse. The king has married."

"But it was his wedding you were going to discuss. You were arranging it."

"I know. I know. The effrontery! He is not what I thought. This has changed everything. The truth is, Anne, I did not know this man I set up. I have worked for him. I have made him what he is ... and what do I get in return? Ingratitude. Defiance. The Council is outraged, but of what avail? The deed is done. I should never have made him king."

Isabel and I were as still as statues. We had to stay and hear more.

The king married! He was to marry Bona of Savoy. Our father had arranged it.

My mother said: "Richard, what does this mean?"

My father was silent for a few seconds. Then he said slowly: "It means that all my work has been in vain. I have given my support to the wrong man. I have put him where he is, guiding him, shielding him. I have made him the king. And what does he do? He flouts me. He has married that woman while he was allowing me to negotiate with the King of France. He has made a fool of me. After I have put the crown on his head, he is showing me quite clearly that he intends to go his own foolish way."

"My dear," said my mother, "this has been a terrible blow. You have ridden far. You need rest. Then we can talk of it calmly. Please rest now, Richard."

He put his hand to his head.

"Everything that I have done," he murmured.

"Useless. I have put him there ... and now I see that I made the wrong choice!"

"He will regret it. He will soon be back with you."

"Aye!" said my father fiercely.

"He shall regret it."

The Rift

Everyone at Middleham was talking about the king's marriage and I guessed it was being discussed all over the country. There was a great deal I did not know at the time but I learned later, little by little.

To my father's chagrin, the people where on the king's side. Was it not just what the handsome boy would do? And, like the romantic lover that he was, he snapped his fingers at conventions and married the object of his devotion.

"God bless him" said the people.

"He may be a king but he is a gallant boy at heart."

It was indeed a romantic story. He had met Elizabeth Woodville in the forest by chance, it was said; but there were some who laughed that to scorn. Who was this woman? She was older than he was and already a mother with two children by her first marriage. She, with her mother, had planned the whole episode. She had stood there, her golden hair loose about her shoulders, holding her two boys by the hand and when the king had appeared she had knelt and begged him to restore her late husband's estates; and, so attracted was he by her outstanding beauty that she was able to trap him into marriage.

Isabel was obsessed with the subject; she was a little piqued because the king had come to Middleham and seen her. Yet he had not fallen madly in love with her. How she envied Elizabeth Woodville!

"It is witchcraft, of course," she said.

"Elizabeth Woodville's mother is said to be a witch. And who is Elizabeth Woodville? There are ladies of higher birth than she is who would have been far more suitable. Oh yes, it was certainly witchcraft."

"Ladies of high birth such as the daughter of the Earl of Warwick?" I asked rather maliciously."I feel sure that if I had been older I studied her. She really was very pretty and well aware of it. Yes, I thought, perhaps if she had been older ... how differently my father would have felt about that! Then he would not be regretting the cancellation of the plans for marrying the king to Bona of Savoy. It was hard to imagine Isabel, my sister, Queen of