ealm. Before his dominating
personality all overt opposition had crumbled, and with Rivers and Grey
in prison, the Queen Dowager in sanctuary at Westminster, and Dorset
and Edward Woodville fled beyond sea the political horizon seemed clear
and bright.

Meanwhile, the Duchess of Gloucester and her Household had come to
London and were settled at Crosby Hall in Bishopgate Street. When they
neared the Capital, the Duke and a few of his chosen Knights had ridden
out into the country to meet them; and Sir Aymer de Lacy had gone gayly
and expectantly, thinking much of a certain fair face with ruddy
tresses above it. Nor had he been disappointed; and it was her
pleasant, half-familiar greeting that lingered in his mind long after
the words and sweet smile of the Duchess were forgotten. He had
tarried beside the Countess' bridle until the Hall was reached; and as
she seemed quite willing for him to be there, he had been blind to the
efforts of others to displace him. With Selim she had been openly
demonstrative, welcoming him with instant affection and leaning over
many times to stroke him softly on the neck or muzzle. Once, as she
did it, she shot a roguish smile at his master, and he had nodded and
answered that again he was wishing he were a horse--whereupon she
deliberately repeated the caress, glancing at him the while, sidelong
and banteringly. But when he would have pursued the subject further,
she crushed him with a look, and then for the remainder of the ride
held him close to commonplaces.

And if De Lacy thought to have again the delightful associations and
informal meetings that had obtained at Pontefract, he quickly realized
his error. There, the Household was relatively small, and life had run
along in easy fashion. He had seen the Countess daily--had walked or
ridden with her as his duties permitted, and every evening had attended
in the presence chamber and gossiped with her for a while. Those few
days of unhampered intimacy had let them know each other better than
months of London would have done. Lord Darby had been his only active
rival, and even he was not there constantly. But in the Capital it was
otherwise. Scores of Knights, young and old, now sought her favor and
were ever in attendance. Indeed half the eligible men at Court were
her suitors, and the feeling among some of the more impetuous had
reached a point where it needed only the flimsiest of excuses for such
an exchange of cartels