The Forgotten Princess (Forgotten Royals)

Chapter Fourteen

Light glistened on a frozen pond as beautiful and fragile as my hopes of a future with Richard. My heart lurched as Eleanor wobbled out on the icy surface with Richard leading her. Children skated around her with ease, uncaring that with one mishap, they could meet a freezing fate. I hadn't wanted her to join them, but she always wanted to skate and Richard insisted that he could teach her. As her feet seemed to go in opposite directions, I doubted he would have much luck.

"Perhaps I should call her back," I said.

Aunt Joan huffed and gestured for me to follow her as we walked by the pond's edge. "Don't fret so, Anne. You used to give your mother a devil of a scare when you skated and you were half her age."

"I was reckless," I murmured.

The ghosts of a happier time slipped into my mind. A time when the old king sat on the throne and I barreled out on to a frozen pond. The world had whirled away when I spun on the ice, caught in the joy of the moment. Edmund had feared to venture after me, but I sped past everyone.

My aunt's fur-lined sleeves brushed against me as she patted my shoulder. "You could join them. You ought to have some fun."

What I needed to do was talk with Richard before he left for court. We had to have a plan for getting Prince Hal's support. It would be hard enough to write to each other when I returned to that wretched gatehouse. But Eleanor wanted to skate with the other children and never had an opportunity to learn. Of course Richard had to offer to teach her. It took away our precious time together, but I couldn't refuse when Eleanor's eyes lit up.

"I haven't skated in years," I said, as if my life hadn't become the equivalent of skating on thin ice. "I wouldn't want to look like a fool in front of... everyone."

"Young Sir Richard would never think you were a fool," Aunt Joan said. "And no one could object to your closeness if he were helping you."

She gave me a mischievous smile, and I fought a laugh. It was a tempting suggestion, even if I was afraid of falling on my arse. But we were surrounded by wives of her husband's men and I worried they might spread tales of anything that appeared improper.

I shook my head. "I'd likely knock him down with me."

And the same will happen when we marry.

My spirits plunged at the thought. I tried to fight the worries and remember what Richard said about making a move. But sometimes all I could see were the many ways we could lose.

"I don't think he would mind," Aunt Joan said. "Not a young man who rode so fast to arrive here before Christmastide ended. No gentleman has ever done such for me, not even his father."

I flushed. "I'm sure he wanted to pay his respects to you."

She pushed back a stray strand of hair and chuckled. "I'm sure. You needn't play coy. I understand you haven't chosen an easy path. But it's good to have someone like him. He's brave and even my lord husband has spoken with grudging approval about his accomplishments. The young York is sure to fly high on his own merits."

"You don't think I'm making a mistake?" I whispered, the roar of wind concealing my words from everyone but her. "I fear the king would be rather displeased."

"Perhaps he'll be happy that your security is no longer on his conscience." Aunt Joan moved forward at a faster pace, undeterred by the winds that were slowing down her party. "Don't forget, time has passed. It's been almost two years since that terrible business. The young York was shown great favor by bringing the princess to Denmark. If you had asked me a year ago..."

"My stepfather seemed worried about it," I said.

"His fortunes are tangled up with your mother's family." She held her skirts and stepped over an icy patch on the ground. "But things are different now. Neither of you are in a position to cause any trouble for the Lancasters. Any man of sense would see that's true."