Sacrifice Read Online Free Page A

through the shutters, he rose, pale and haggard from lack of sleep, and soft-footed down the stair to the taproom.
       There his retainers were waiting. Six men, burly and grim-faced,wearing his livery of the white boar and armed with swords and daggers. Buckingham was also present, red-eyed and nursing a headache, but otherwise none the worse for wear.
       All seven looked to Richard for the order. To his shame, he hesitated. The words thickened and stuck in his throat.
       Curse my weakness! Fool! Degenerate! Infirm of purpose!
       He stammered, coughed, and tried again. “It is time,” he croaked, turning away from their doubtful stares, and led the way up the steps.
       Rivers’ squire had been bribed not to lock and bar his master’s door. Richard shoved it open and stood aside to let his retainers pour in and take the man in his bed, seizing his wrists and dragging him from his sleep.
       His eyes snapped open, and he looked around in total bafflement. The proud and dignified nobleman was gone, replaced by a pathetically vulnerable figure in a wine-stained nightshirt, his thick black hair tousled and disordered.
       “What…what?” was all Rivers could say. He was still mazed with drink, and had to be held upright to face Richard.
       “Anthony Woodville, Lord Rivers,” said Richard, his voice as stern as he could make it, “I arrest you on suspicion of treason.”
       Rivers gaped stupidly. His brow furrowed, and his mouth worked frantically. One of Richard’s guards slapped a hand over it before he could speak. That, too, was pre-arranged.
       “We will not listen to this traitor’s lies,” said Buckingham, from his position well to the rear, “they pollute the very air.”
       “You have conspired against my person,” Richard continued, stiffly and mechanically, as though reading from a script, “that is, the person of the Lord Protector of England. By doing so you conspired against the state, and our lord king. There will be no need for a trial. I find you guilty on all counts.”
       Judge, jury and executioner. Richard had taken them all upon himself, though he would not personally wield the axe that severed Rivers’ head from his body. That would be done later, by a headsman in the courtyard of Pontefract Castle.
       Rivers’ death was but a formality. As far as Richard was concerned, he was dead already.
       The prisoner struggled to break free, to be heard, jerking his head from side to side. Another of Richard’s retainers seized him round the waist. Together the three men ran Rivers against the wall and knocked the wind out of him.
       “Take him away,” Richard said dismissively, “he does offend my sight.”
        They dragged him out and down the stair, leaving Richard and Buckingham alone.
       Buckingham rubbed his hands. “A good start,” he said happily, “now for Edward.”
       With Rivers safely trussed up and tied to a horse, the two dukes rode the ten miles to Stony Stratford, where Rivers had left the young king and the bulk of his retinue.
       Speed was of the essence. There were two thousand Welsh soldiers at Stony Stratford, and they wouldn’t hesitate to take up arms in defence of Edward if they thought he was in danger. Richard had a mere four hundred men. Buckingham had none save his squire and attendants.
       It must not come to a fight, thought Richard, there must be no exchange of blows or hard words. I am the Lord Protector. I merely seek my rights, and to rid this realm of traitors.
       Richard needed to think and act fast. In his mind, he had already persuaded himself that any threat to the Protector’s well-being constituted a threat to the realm, and was therefore treason.
       Fear, combined with lack of sleep, made him nervous. He chewed his bottom lip until it bled and kept his horse at a hard gallop, outstripping his retainers as he urged her up the highway of Watling Street.
       In the event, all went