‘I doubt either will have the power to stop it, Alice.’ ‘What have you done but ever serve your country.’ Suffolk was silent. He had served his country, it was true, but he could not deny that he had served himself rather well at the same time.

He sat down and covered his face with his hands.

‘It is like a prophecy coming true. Do you remember years ago a soothsayer telling me that if I could escape from the Tower I should live? If I did not I should die.’

‘A safe prophecy for any man,’ said Alice scornfully. ‘But put such foolish notions from your head. What will happen? You will have a hearing and how then could anyone bring charges against you.’

‘They will accuse me of giving Maine to the French.’

‘But that had to be. It was the price of peace.’

‘But it did not buy peace. They will accuse me of losing Normandy.’

‘You were not there. Somerset was in charge.’

‘That matters not. They want to bring these things against me and they will do so. They have accused me of many things.’

A silence fell between them. Yes, the people had accused him...of Gloucester’s murder, of being Margaret’s lover.

Any accusations which could be thought of would be brought against him. When a man was down anything could happen to him.

‘We shall not despair,’ said Alice. ‘I shall see the Queen.’

‘Take care. They hate the Queen. Do not let us involve her in this more than she is. It can do us no good and it can bring harm to her. Be patient, Alice. I have to face the Parliament and I can give a good account of myself, I promise you.’

‘But if they are determined to find you guilty...’

‘They have to prove it, my dear. I tell you I did not reach this position from which so many want to tear me down by being reckless or without guile.’

‘I know. I trust you, William. You will pull through this as you have through other things. It is just that to see you here...’

‘It is the Tower. It has that effect. So many cruel things have happened in this grim fortress. While one is here it seems impossible to escape from them. But I shall come through these troubles. Once let me get out of the Tower and all will be well.’

‘I believe you,’ said Alice.

She had to. She could not bear to contemplate the alternative.

###

He stood before his peers and listened to the charges against him.

They declared he had conspired to secure the throne for his son John Pole by contracting for him a marriage with Margaret Beaufort the daughter of the first Duke of Somerset. The child had been two years old only when her father had died and she had been taken into Suffolk’s house, there to be brought up until that time when she could be married to his son. This was nonsense. He had had no such thought. There would be many to claim the throne before Margaret Beaufort. The real grievance was the loss of Maine and Anjou which had been surrendered to the French. Suffolk was accused of working for the French and it was said that this was the reason why he had given over these important provinces. Moreover he had failed to supply adequate forces and arms to the army serving in France and was thus responsible for the present debacle. These were the main charges, but in addition evidence was brought out that there had been some maladministration in property and money and that Suffolk had come far too well out of too many transactions for the good of the nation.

They were determined to condemn him and he knew it. But he also knew his own powers. He would not be easily defeated. He could give a very good account of himself.

He was taken back to the Tower.

Alice came to the Queen. She threw herself at Margaret’s feet and seizing her hand begged her to help her.

‘They are going to condemn William,’ she said. ‘They have made up their minds. They are all against him.’

‘Not all,’ said Margaret. ‘We will save him. I promise you, Alice. Come to the King at once. He will give an order that William shall be freed from these ridiculous charges.’

Alice kissed the Queen’s hand. There were tears in her eyes. ‘Oh my lady, 1 knew you would be a good friend to me.’

‘Of course I am your friend. Do you think I shall ever forget how you looked after me when I was so young and apprehensive? You and William are my first friends in England. Of course, Alice, we shall not allow these wicked men to harm William. They shall withdraw their charges at once. Come, we will go to the King.’

Henry was as grieved as Margaret. William was his good friend. He relied on William.

‘You must order them to free him from the Tower at once,’ said Margaret.

He looked at her rather sadly. There was much that Margaret did not understand. He was the King, yes, but he was to a large extent governed by his Parliament and he could not order the release of a man whom they had condemned.

‘It will not be as simple as that,’ he explained. ‘The Londoners are against William and the Parliament is always afraid of the Londoners. You see the people don’t understand that we had to give up Maine for peace. They blame William for the loss of Maine.’

Margaret did not meet Alice’s eyes. She could not. Was it not she who had persuaded the King, because her father and her uncle had wanted the surrender of Maine? She had helped to bring about this situation and was partly responsible for the disaster which had befallen her friends.

‘The war could not have gone on,’ she said quickly. ‘We had to have peace. If we have lost almost all the whole of Normandy that is not William’s fault.’

‘The people will have their scapegoat,’ said Henry.

‘And they have settled for William,’ added Alice.

There was silence for a while and then the King said: ‘I cannot order him to be released. There would be riots all over the country if I did. I can order him to be banished. Yes, that is the answer.’

‘Banished,’ cried Alice.

‘Yes, my dear. He can go abroad for a time and you can join him. In due course he will come back.’

Margaret looked at Alice. She could see the dawn of hope in her eyes.

###

The King had given the order of banishment. Suffolk was to leave England for five years.

Alice came to see him in the Tower.

‘Don’t you see, it is a reprieve,’ she said. ‘Oh, William, I have been so miserable, so much afraid. But Margaret and Henry are our friends. Henry does this because it is the only way of fighting your enemies.’

‘To be banished from the country I have served...from my home...’

‘Hush,’ said Alice. ‘Be thankful and rejoice. They were after your life. Remember what they have done for others. They would have had your head but for the intervention of the King.

The Queen was wonderful. She is a true friend...a loyal friend. She insisted that the King act and you know he does all that she tells him. You will go to France. There you will stay...perhaps not five years and I shall join you there. And perhaps the children...’

‘They will confiscate our estates.’

‘We’ll get them back, William. Be thankful. They have made you the scapegoat for inevitable defeat. But rejoice that you have escaped thus easily.’

They sat silently together. Then he said: ‘You are a great comfort to me, Alice, and always have been.’

He was in better spirits when they parted and settled down to prepare to leave his prison.

The cool March air was exhilarating after the confinement of the Tower. Alice was right. All would be well. The walls of the Tower were enough to unnerve any man when he found himself a prisoner within them. In six weeks’ time he was to leave England. He would not be safe until he had done so, but those six weeks could be spent on his estate in Suffolk. There he could be surrounded by his family. He could put his affairs in order.

One of the guards of the Tower came to him as he stood looking over the river inhaling the fresh morning air.