villagers survived and have rebuilt Stanton village. But they need their mistress. The girl will be sixteen shortly. Lady Margaret has taught her everything she needs to know about being a chatelaine. It is time.”
“She’ll need a husband,” the king said.
“She doesn’t want one,” the duke told him. “At least, not yet. She wants time to renew her acquaintance with Stanton without a husband overseeing her every move.
She wants a bailiff from among your servants to help her.” The duke quaffed half of his cup, then looked directly at his brother. “It’s a reasonable request.”
“Jasper Tudor has a bastard he particularly favors, and has been hinting to me through Mags that a marriage between the lad and one of my daughters, not Elizabeth, would suit him. I’m not of a mind to give him one of the queen’s girls, but I could give him Adair. Any disappointment Tudor felt would be mitigated by the fact that his son would gain an earldom by the marriage.”
“Adair will not have it,” the duke said quietly.
“I am her sire, and she will do what I tell her,” the king replied stubbornly. “If she would go home to Stanton then she must take Jasper Tudor’s son for her husband.
It is the solution to both of our problems, Richard.” He chuckled. “Mags lobbies again for a marriage between her son, the Lancaster heir, and my Bessie. But I think to match my oldest daughter with the young Dauphin Charles, Louis’s son. She will be queen of France, Richard, and that is far better than Countess of Rich-mond, you will agree.”
“I do,” the duke said. “But why give Adair, then, to the Tudors?”
“Because Jasper has asked for one of the king’s daughters, while Mags lobbies for her son, Henry Tudor of Lancaster, to wed my Bessie,” the king repeated.
“While I will refuse Mags, I will honor Jasper, and thus keep the Tudors in check. Eventually I may give one of my other girls, Cicely perhaps, to Henry. But my Bessie will be a queen.”
“I think Adair will not cooperate with you, Edward,” the duke warned his brother.
“It is true I do not know her well, Richard, but on the occasions I have seen her she seemed placid and sweet enough. She will do as she is told, brother.”
The duke laughed loudly. “You do not know her then, Edward. Adair may look like her mother, Jane Radcliffe, but she is your daughter in that she is stubborn and will have her own way in spite of it all. When you attempt to force her to the altar you will learn that to your sorrow.”
“If she is that difficult then it is time she had a husband to keep her in check. That company of women she keeps with Mags and my daughters is not good for Adair. She has obviously begun to think above her station,” the king decided. “She will marry Llywelyn FitzTudor as soon as I can arrange it.” Edward drank down the content of his goblet. “And if Jasper’s by-blow quickly puts a son in her belly, so much the better.”
Richard of Gloucester shook his head. Adair wasn’t going to like this at all. The duke considered his options, and decided it would be better if his favorite niece were made aware of the fate awaiting her. Perhaps she could convince the king of his folly in attempting to match her without her consent. Concluding his visit with his brother, the duke left the king and sought out Adair once more. Taking her aside he said, “I have news for you of a nature you may not like, poppet.”
“The king will not let me go home,” Adair replied, shaking her head wearily.
“Oh, he will let you go home, poppet, but the price for your return is that you must take a husband of his choosing. And he has chosen Jasper Tudor’s favorite bastard for the honor,” the duke said.
“I won’t marry him,” Adair said quietly.
“If the king says you will marry, you will marry, poppet. You must gain his ear and reason with him. No one else can,” the duke advised her.
“I know the Tudors seek to align themselves
“She’ll need a husband,” the king said.
“She doesn’t want one,” the duke told him. “At least, not yet. She wants time to renew her acquaintance with Stanton without a husband overseeing her every move.
She wants a bailiff from among your servants to help her.” The duke quaffed half of his cup, then looked directly at his brother. “It’s a reasonable request.”
“Jasper Tudor has a bastard he particularly favors, and has been hinting to me through Mags that a marriage between the lad and one of my daughters, not Elizabeth, would suit him. I’m not of a mind to give him one of the queen’s girls, but I could give him Adair. Any disappointment Tudor felt would be mitigated by the fact that his son would gain an earldom by the marriage.”
“Adair will not have it,” the duke said quietly.
“I am her sire, and she will do what I tell her,” the king replied stubbornly. “If she would go home to Stanton then she must take Jasper Tudor’s son for her husband.
It is the solution to both of our problems, Richard.” He chuckled. “Mags lobbies again for a marriage between her son, the Lancaster heir, and my Bessie. But I think to match my oldest daughter with the young Dauphin Charles, Louis’s son. She will be queen of France, Richard, and that is far better than Countess of Rich-mond, you will agree.”
“I do,” the duke said. “But why give Adair, then, to the Tudors?”
“Because Jasper has asked for one of the king’s daughters, while Mags lobbies for her son, Henry Tudor of Lancaster, to wed my Bessie,” the king repeated.
“While I will refuse Mags, I will honor Jasper, and thus keep the Tudors in check. Eventually I may give one of my other girls, Cicely perhaps, to Henry. But my Bessie will be a queen.”
“I think Adair will not cooperate with you, Edward,” the duke warned his brother.
“It is true I do not know her well, Richard, but on the occasions I have seen her she seemed placid and sweet enough. She will do as she is told, brother.”
The duke laughed loudly. “You do not know her then, Edward. Adair may look like her mother, Jane Radcliffe, but she is your daughter in that she is stubborn and will have her own way in spite of it all. When you attempt to force her to the altar you will learn that to your sorrow.”
“If she is that difficult then it is time she had a husband to keep her in check. That company of women she keeps with Mags and my daughters is not good for Adair. She has obviously begun to think above her station,” the king decided. “She will marry Llywelyn FitzTudor as soon as I can arrange it.” Edward drank down the content of his goblet. “And if Jasper’s by-blow quickly puts a son in her belly, so much the better.”
Richard of Gloucester shook his head. Adair wasn’t going to like this at all. The duke considered his options, and decided it would be better if his favorite niece were made aware of the fate awaiting her. Perhaps she could convince the king of his folly in attempting to match her without her consent. Concluding his visit with his brother, the duke left the king and sought out Adair once more. Taking her aside he said, “I have news for you of a nature you may not like, poppet.”
“The king will not let me go home,” Adair replied, shaking her head wearily.
“Oh, he will let you go home, poppet, but the price for your return is that you must take a husband of his choosing. And he has chosen Jasper Tudor’s favorite bastard for the honor,” the duke said.
“I won’t marry him,” Adair said quietly.
“If the king says you will marry, you will marry, poppet. You must gain his ear and reason with him. No one else can,” the duke advised her.
“I know the Tudors seek to align themselves
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