The White Duchess - The White Queen

Baynard Castle, London, England, Spring 1461

Edward moves the York-Neville family, or at least what remains of it, to Baynard Castle in London. It has been a York property that passed through the family for several years and it is safe. He has also been thinking, although he has not told me, that it is close enough to the River Thames that if anything should happen his family and I could hop on a boat and escape across the channel to Calais or Burgundy.

Alice Montagu and Cecily Neville cannot be comforted. Their husbands, the men they thought that they would grow old with, have suddenly been taken from them in a cruel war. Cecily still has young children and she has to tell them that their father died bravely, fighting an enemy he knew he had no chance with. I then had to tell my children that both of their grandfathers have perished, fighting a battle so that they may live another day. Only Lizzie is old enough to understand that they are truly gone and she cries bitter tears. In the days that follow her and the other York children are buckwild and belligerent, coping with the death of those deer to them by doing the one thing they know how, by making noise and destruction throughout the house. 

Cecily and Alice Montagu take it upon themselves to watch them while Edward and I start to plan. Edmund, Corneille, Antoine, and Warwick make their way back to London, all of them are still processing what has happened. Warwick swears revenge and Corneille and Antoine pledge themselves before me saying that as I was the future Lady of Burgundy it was their job to see to my safety and best interests. I accept their homage. Even if I didn't want to, I have to. I am running low on friends. 

I no longer get any letters from Jacquetta. I know by now that she's probably constantly with the queen and it is too risky for her to send any information. My husband and I will have to go off of what our spies in the north tell us and our guts alone. It is a daunting reality that we settle into. However, it is one that we all face head on.

They prepare an army. I once again call on the people of Derbyshire and Devon Who immediately answer my calls for men. Edward insists on leaving behind 2500 soldiers to defend London which leaves him with 3500 to work with. Margaret's army is certainly more than double that although he thinks he can pick up at least another thousand more on the way to meet her. In the meantime the now Dowager Duchess of York send her two younger boys George and Richard to Flanders to be put in the safekeeping of my great grandfather. I refuse to send my children. Queen Margaret will not enter the city, I am sure of it. If worse comes to worse and Edward loses and England is lost I will have time to leave with the rest of the York family. I will have time to figure out what to do. 

"Please Edward," beg him, "don't go."

He turns to face me, "And what would you have me do?"

"Flee," I tell him. "If we could get Burgundy now we could raise an army in Flanders. We could come back while we still have a chance at the throne. You going off right now is a death sentence. I do not wish to be widowed at 20."

"I would if I could," Edward tells me, "but we cannot flee now. Margaret has brought hell upon England and I am afraid that if we leave the country will suffer. We must take a stand. William Hastings," I grimace at the mention of his friend who I have no affection for, "believes that Margaret's army will make its way to Mortimer's Cross to cut off our supply lines from Wales. I'm taking Jasper Tudor and Robert Stafford. We will intercept her army there. And we will win."

I stare at him incredulously. "You cannot tell me that you expect to win with the army we have and the monstrosity that Margaret of Anjou commands. Edward, we are leading men into a slaughter."

"No, we are leading men to victory. I will only accept victory. There will be nothing else besides victory and I will drive Margaret of Anjou out of this country and make her flee back to France or Scotland."