A Knight of the White Cross | Page 5

"You are a foolish boy," the queen said angrily. "Do you not see that by
marrying Warwick's daughter you will attach him firmly to us?"
"Marriages do not count for much, mother. Another of Warwick's
daughters married Clarence, Edward's brother, and yet he purposes to
dethrone Edward."
The queen gave an angry gesture and said, "You have my permission to
retire, Edward. I am in no mood to listen to auguries of evil at the

present moment."
The prince hesitated for a moment as if about to speak, but with an
effort controlled himself, and bowing deeply to his mother, left the
room.
"Edward is in a perverse humour," the queen said in a tone of much
vexation to Sir Thomas Tresham, when Gervaise had left the room.
"However, I know he will bear himself well when the hour of trial
comes."
"That I can warrant he will, madam; he has a noble character, frank and
fearless, and yet thoughtful beyond his years. He will make, I believe, a
noble king, and may well gather round him all parties in the state. But
your Majesty must make excuses for his humour. Young people are
strong in their likes and dislikes. He has never heard you speak aught
but ill of Warwick, and he knows how much harm the Earl has done to
your House. The question of expediency does not weigh with the young
as with their elders. While you see how great are the benefits that will
accrue from an alliance with Warwick, and are ready to lay aside the
hatred of years and to forget the wrongs you have suffered, the young
prince is unable so quickly to forget that enmity against the Earl that he
has learnt from you."
"You are right, Sir Thomas, and I cannot blame Edward that he is
unable, as I am, to forget the past. What steps would you advise that I
myself should take? Shall I remain passive here, or shall I do what I can
to rouse our partisans in England?"
"I should say the latter, madam. Of course it will not do to trust to
letters, for were one of these to fall into the wrong hands it might cause
the ruin of Warwick's expedition; but I should say that a cautious
message sent by word of mouth to some of our old adherents would be
of great use. I myself will, if your Majesty chooses to entrust me with
the mission, undertake to carry it out. I should take ship and land in the
west, and would travel in the guise of a simple country gentleman, and
call upon your adherents in all the western counties. It would be
needful first to make out a list of the nobles who have shown

themselves devoted to your cause, and I should bid these hold
themselves and their retainers in readiness to take the field suddenly. I
should say no word of Warwick, but merely hint that you will not land
alone, but with a powerful array, and that all the chances are in your
favour."
"But it would be a dangerous mission, Sir Thomas."
"Not greatly so, madam. My own estates lie in Sussex, and there would
be but little chance of my recognition, save by your own adherents,
who may have seen me among the leaders of your troops in battle; and
even that is improbable. At present Edward deems himself so securely
seated on the throne that men can travel hither and thither through the
country without being questioned, and the Lancastrians live quietly
with the Yorkists. Unless I were so unfortunate as to meet a Yorkist
noble who knew that I was a banished man and one who had the
honour of being in your Majesty's confidence, I do not think that any
danger could possibly arise. What say you, wife?"
"I cannot think that there is no danger," Lady Tresham said; "but even
so I would not say a word to hinder you from doing service to the cause.
I know of no one else who could perform the mission. You have left
my side to go into battle before now, and I cannot think that the danger
of such an expedition can be as great as that which you would undergo
in the field. Therefore, my dear lord, I would say no word now to stay
you."
She spoke bravely and unfalteringly, but her face had paled when Sir
Thomas first made the proposal, and the colour had not yet come back
to her cheeks.
"Bravely spoken, dame," the queen said warmly. "Well, Sir Thomas, I
accept your offer, and trust that you will not be long separated from
your wife and son, who will of course journey with me when I go to
England, where