In which Nora of Lancaster continues to fight for her family and their rightful place on the throne of England, despite all that she has lost already.
THE WHITE PRINCESS
BOOK TWO IN THE COUSIN'S WAR SERIES
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That same day, Lizbeth stood in her room, waiting for Bishop Morton to arrive with her mother. Soon enough, the door opened and Nora ran in, a large smile on her face.
"Oh, Lizbeth!" Nora exclaimed happily as she rushed to engulf her daughter in a hug, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
She pulled away, a large smile on her face as she grabbed ahold of Lizbeth's hands. "There is sickness, then," She commented and Lizbeth frowned, wondering how her mother could smile while saying such a thing, "It will play in our favor."
Lizbeth didn't answer. Instead, she looked ahead, seeing that Cecily was standing in the doorway, listening to their conversation.
Nora noticed as well and turned to Cecily. She began to heavily breathe, staggering as she made her way toward her step-daughter. "Cecily..." She trailed off, acting as though she was sick, "I think I have caught the sweat."
Cecily and Bishop Morton exchanged a look with each other before Cecily wasted no time closing the door.
Watching the door close, Nora gradually began to smirk in satisfaction. She turned to face Lizbeth, who was giving her a disapproving look. "What?" She asked her daughter in confusion, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"'Favor'?" Lizbeth asked her mother, shaking her head in disapproval, "People dying? You think that that is good?"
"Of course it is," Nora replied, causing Lizbeth to stare at her in horror, "They'll blame Henry for bringing it to England. They view it to be God's curse for claiming what was never his in the first place. And when enough of them have died, the rest will rise up in their grief and overthrow him."
Lizbeth felt horrified, feeling as though her mother was practically unrecognizable at that moment. Her mother never thought like that before, what had changed?
"I sent out food and money. Physicians to attend the sick," Lizbeth informed her mother, causing Nora to give her a weird look.
"You did what?" Nora asked her daughter in disbelief.
"I thought you'd be happy!" She complained and it was true. The person her mother was three years ago before her father died would have been happy and proud of her. Yet, the woman who stood before Lizbeth at that moment was nothing like that woman, "We are not monsters! You cannot just let people die."
"We have no control over who dies, Lizbeth! We cannot play God, if you haven't realized," Nora complained in frustration, "You must admit, though, this does work to our advantage. Surely you can see that. Can't you?"
"Did you write to Francis Lovell? Order him to kill the king?" Lizbeth asked, an angered look on her face.
"Of course I did. I..." She trailed off, her eyes lighting up while playing the role of the 'madwoman' as everyone was beginning to view her to be when in truth, it was all an act, "Is he dead?"
