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CHAPTER I The King Maker

A stately lady was looking out of the window of an apartment in the
Royal Chateau of Amboise, in the month of June, 1470. She was still
handsome, though many years of anxiety, misfortune, and trouble, had
left their traces on her face. In the room behind her, a knight was
talking to a lady sitting at a tambour frame; a lad of seventeen was
standing at another window stroking a hawk that sat on his wrist,
while a boy of nine was seated at a table examining the pages of an
illuminated missal.

"What will come of it, Eleanor?" the lady at the window said, turning
suddenly and impatiently from it. "It seems past belief that I am to
meet as a friend this haughty earl, who has for fifteen years been the
bitterest enemy of my House. It appears almost impossible."

"'Tis strange indeed, my Queen; but so many strange things have befallen
your Majesty that you should be the last to wonder at this. At any rate,
as you said but yesterday, naught but good can come of it. He has done
his worst against you, and one can scarce doubt that if he chooses he
has power to do as much good for you, as in past times he has done you
evil. 'Tis certain that his coming here shows he is in earnest, for
his presence,--which is sure sooner or later to come to the ears of the
Usurper,--will cause him to fall into the deepest disgrace."

"And yet it seemed," the queen said, "that by marrying his daughter
to Clarence he had bound himself more firmly than ever to the side of
York."

"Ay, madam," the knight said. "But Clarence himself is said to be alike
unprincipled and ambitious, and it may well be that Warwick intended to
set him up against Edward; had he not done so, such an alliance would
not necessarily strengthen his position at Court."

"Methinks your supposition is the true one, Sir Thomas," the queen said.
"Edward cares not sufficiently for his brother to bestow much favour
upon the father of the prince's wife. Thus, he would gain but little
by the marriage unless he were to place Clarence on the throne. Then
he would again become the real ruler of England, as he was until Edward
married Elizabeth Woodville, and the House of Rivers rose to the first
place in the royal favour, and eclipsed the Star of Warwick. It is no
wonder the proud Earl chafes under the ingratitude of the man who owes
his throne to him, and that he is ready to dare everything so that he
can but prove to him that he is not to be s