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It truly did not surprise him that Dickon and Anne had married. No, Edward had known Warwick had planned that from almost the time it was decided Richard would not go into the clergy. Perhaps, there were times it surprised him they'd managed to survive the upheavals prior to their marriage. Perhaps, there were other times the closeness of their bond surprised him. In truth, it was reminiscent of the bond his Lord Father and Lady Mother had shared. He could not imagine Dickon could remember much about their parents together though. He doubted his little brother even realized he and Anne were so much like them.
There had been many times Edward had doubted the wisdom of the match, especially when Warwick had started his disloyalty. It had not helped that his Elizabeth had been dead set against any marriage which would favor Warwick.
He'd been almost shocked to discover how much Anne truly meant to Dickon. In a small way, he'd regretted not allowing the match. But then again, if he'd allowed the match, would Dickon have been won over to Warwick's side, he did not truly believe anything could have broken Dickon's loyalty. He'd promised, at first, the lass would never have to marry the Lancastrian prince, for he had no intention of losing his throne. Then when the unthinkable happened, he'd promised Dickon he could marry Anne when it was all over. It was one promise he'd been happy to keep, and that it galled George had made it only sweeter.
Edward had been relieved to discover Anne was not as shy as she seemed at first. No, he could never imagine any offspring of Warwick's as the shy and retiring type. Although, Dickon and his wife seemed perfectly put together in public, there were times when Edward could not help but wonder if they argued. He imagined they must, after all every couple argued, if for no other reason than to enjoy the pleasures of making up. He could just imagine them at a stalemate for days, both too stubborn to give in. He also could imagine his petite sister-in-law, in time he'd discovered her to be a force of nature, forcing Dickon to capitulate. The image was quite amusing to him.
In truth there were many things which amused him about Dickon and Anne, it amused him to see the way their eyes would follow each other across the Westminster chambers, the way Dickon clearly kept no secrets from Anne. It had vastly amused him to learn Dickon had referred to her as his “most beloved consort” in their household accounts. Of course, he imagined that to be for Anne's benefit, she would discover that when she reviewed the accounts.
Edward needed women like he needed air to breathe, he loved the chase of getting a new woman into his bed. He could never truly understand how both of his brothers remained faithful to their wives. With George he imagined it was because George needed his greed and money the same way Edward needed women. With Dickon though, it seemed to be more complicated. Edward knew Dickon had been far from a monk before he'd married Anne, after all he did have two acknowledged bastard children. He knew there had been a fair share of other women to share Dickon's bed before he'd married Anne. All of that had changed though, from the moment he'd married Anne, Dickon had shared no other woman's bed. Edward knew him to be a faithful husband, he knew it was well know, even in London, how much Dickon did dote upon his wife. He could little understand Dickon's faithfulness though.
It had amused him, to no end, to come upon Dickon and Anne in the Westminster gardens. It had amused him to find them locked in an impassioned embrace. He knew they imagined themselves to be in a secluded area, there would have been no other way Dickon would have been as demonstrative with his wife. Perhaps if it had been any other couple, Edward would have laughed and made his presence known. But he could not bring himself to do that to them.
It was clear to him that Dickon needed Anne just like he needed air to breath. There was something special about that depth of love, yet it was both a blessing and a curse. Edward could not help but hope God would be kind and take Dickon first. He could not imagine his brother finding anything worthwhile in a world without Anne Neville.