Heriot got most of his information from letters sent by Mary Gray to Lennox. And from these, certain significant pointers emerged. For instance, that the Lord Gray had stood security to the Council in no less than twenty thousand pounds, for the captive Earl of Orkney, in order that he should be freed from Edinburgh Castle for a short space—a vast sum to hazard for so apparently small privilege. It was thought that Orkney had been quietly spirited off to Castle Huntly for some important conference—and then as quietly returned to durance vile. Then, only a month or so later, Patrick Gray was again standing surety to the Council, this time for five thousand pounds, for Orkney's younger brother James Stewart, that he should cease importing arms and ammunitions into the Isles of Orkney from France and confine his person to a limited area of mainland Scotland—though that area centred on Angus within Gray's influence and sheriffdom. Again, that same spring, he was standing surety—though only for five hundred merks this time—for Sinclair of Murkill, again not to transport arms and munitions to Orkney. Others, too, troubled the Council with secret and ominous activities—and for all, Patrick Gray, or one of his Catholic friends, nobly stood cautioner. It seemed that he now had almost unlimited funds at his disposal.
King James, as it happened, was also in funds—for the Ulster plantation scheme and baronetcy-selling was going quite splendidly, with good Protestant applicants falling over each other to be involved, from southern Scotland and north-west England especially. Some of the wretched Irish proved a little difficult— as they always did, of course—demurring about being deported southwards; but James thought up an excellent alternative, no fewer than eleven thousand of the most militant males to go to Scandinavia to help the Danes fight the Swedes—at King Christian's expense, naturally, a valuable export. Since James was at the same time working very hard behind the scenes to arrange a peace between the Swedes and Danes, the thing was the more delightful and did no injury to his well-known pacific reputation
Despite these preoccupations—and the continuing education of young Robin Carr—James did by no means entirely overlook his ancient Scottish realm He ordered the Earl of Orkney to be removed from Edinburgh to Dumbarton Castle, into much stricter imprisonment, and indeed instructed Tam Hamilton to start gathering material for a trial of his cousin on a charge of high treason. He issued a proclamation that any other of the Orkney Stewarts, legitimate or otherwise, found in mainland Scotland, would be apprehended likewise and held for similar trial—and did indeed collect both the aforementioned James Stewart and an illegitimate brother Edward. He forbade the carrying of arms and munitions of war into any Scottish or Orkney port, under pain of treason. He promulgated new regulations against practising Catholics meeting together—although he emphasised that freedom of worship was still a man's inalienable right, so long as it was done in private. Moreover, the sum of five thousand pounds was to be distributed amongst Scots parish ministers who preached adequately in support of the King's policies, as from Christ's own Vice-regent And finally, with a sudden edict, he declared that the ancient Scottish Privy Council, with its ninety-one members, including all the Scots Lords of Parliament, had outlived its usefulness and was herewith disbanded and nullified. In future it would consist of only twenty-six members and ah appointed by himself. He appointed ten herewith, all carefully chosen, half of them bishops. So Patrick Gray was out, dismissed from the Privy Council for the second time
For his part, Doddie Home, Earl of Dunbar—who had now added to his responsibilities the offices of Lieutenant of the Border Marches, Keeper of Holyroodhouse, Master of the Great Wardrobe (in England) and Collector-General of Customs as well as Lord High Treasurer and Great Commissioner—did his part He arranged a General Assembly of the Kirk at Glasgow with himself as Commissioner and the Archbishop of Glasgow as Moderator, which proceeded to deliver practically all central and provincial power in the Church of Scotland to the bishops—and excommunicated the most prominent Catholics. In his other capacity as Borders Lieutenant he hanged no fewer than one hundred and forty of what he named the prime thieves of the Marches, for to discourage envious folk elsewhere as he humorously put it.
The powder-trail in Scotland was nearing the barrel and flashpoint seemed imminent.
In all this ferment, life at the English Court went on as usual, indeed all England appeared to be completely unaffected. The great matter here was the forthcoming investiture of Henry as Prince of Wales and the nation-wide celebrations to mark the occasion—one of the principal of which seemed to be the raising of Carr to the dignity of Viscount Rochester and Knight of the Garter.
James Stewart had all—or most—nicely in hand.
24
LUDOVICK OF LENNOX rubbed his hands before the cheerful fire— for it was unseasonably chilly for April—and glanced around the pleasant panelled room.
"You have made a difference in this house, Alison," he observed. "The woman's hand. Would that I had a chamber as kindly at Whitehall."
"You have better at Methven," the young woman reminded.
"Aye. To be sure." He gazed out of the window across the street to the Royal Exchange building with its soaring square tower. "You judge me a fool? Or worse? That I leave Mary there —and my heart with her? To live here at a Court I mislike, aye even despise. She would not come, you know—Mary. Nothing would make her leave Methven."
"I know, yes. She loves Methven. But that is not what keeps her from London. She loves you a deal more, Vicky. She has a clear eye. She knows that her place here could never be aught than that of courtesan, unable to appear with you in your life at Court An embarrassment and hindrance to you, her own pride the sufferer. She is better at Methven, with Johnnie."
"Aye—say it then, ghl, say it. Where I should be, too, were I not a weakling."
"No, Vicky—you are not that. You cannot help yourself. You were born to be a duke. Of the royal house. Your place is with the King—must be. Your duty. He relies on you as he does on no other—even though he seems to scorn you often. None other can walk in on him, unsummoned. No other man may call him James. Your influence for good, with the King, is great There is no other to fill the place of the Duke of Lennox—Geordie always says it. He says the King heeds you and your advice more than he would ever admit."
'You would scarce think it! I am his whipping-boy! Lord save me—the only legitimate near kinsman to His Sacred Majesty! Other than the sons he resents. Ha—but here is Geordie! I hope I have not brought you away from some matter of great moment, friend? Some juggling with pounds Sterling, to buy or sell us ah !"
"I was but parading St Paul's with my fellow-usurers, gossiping away better men's credits !" Heriot assured. "This is a happiness ! We see you insufficiently often, Vicky."
"Alas, yes. James uses me as errand-boy ever the more—call it ambassador if he will! I have now been over most of Christendom on his ploys—France, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden. I am new back indeed from the Rhineland, where James would now marry off young Elizabeth to the Elector Palatine, as better for his purposes than Gustavus. He would bring the Empire into his peace-making now. So I traipse and travel—all in the name, of peace on earth!"
"A worthy cause, is it not?"
"So I would suppose. Yet I know not one tithe of what he is at, when he sends me, so intricate, so unfathomable are his methods and labyrinths. I fear I have not the wits to be Jamie Stewart's ambassador. But—who has? Save perhaps Patrick Gray!"
"He trusts you, Vicky—as there are few he does. And as he would never trust Gray."
"It may be so. But can I trust James? There's the rub! But... Gray. That is why I am here, Geordie. I have come straight from a meeting of the Privy Council. I am for Scotland the morn's morn. Would that you were coming with me, again. But," he glanced at Alison, smiling, "that attraction is not what it used to be, I think!"
"I could by no means leave London this week..."
"No, no—I did not think you could. I but came to see if I might carry any letters or messages for you, o
r otherwise serve you, in Scotland."
"You are kind. Will you be gone for long ? " "That depends on... fate! My errand this time is an awkward one. I am to bring back the Earl of Dunbar." "Bring back?"
"Aye. Doddie Home's reign is over, I think! James has given him a lengthy rope—of a purpose, I swear—and now he has hanged himself! He is summoned back to London to give account of his stewardship."
"But he comes frequently..."
"This time I am sent to fetch him! He will perceive the difference ! And I am to bring Tom Hamilton, Dunfermline and Archbishop Spottiswoode with him."
"These too? Are they in trouble also? All these?"
"I think not They are to act Dunbar's accusers, rather."
"Ah! What has he done, then? We all know the style of him. He is a rogue—but James has always known that he was. And used him, in despite. What has he done, to change that?"
"He has committed the unforgivable sin. He has put his hand in James's pocket! So long as it was others he robbed—like Logan or the Catholics—James could use him. You would have thought, as Treasurer and Collector both in Scotland, offices capable of lining his pouch richly enough for any man, he would have been careful not to foul his nest But, no. He has it seems, been taking his pickings out of James's beloved Ulster scheme. If a Scot wants a share in Ulster now, he has to get it through Doddie Home—at an extra charge! The man is a fool—for it was bound to come to the King's ears in time. I suppose the fact is that he is just a Home Border freebooter at heart, for all his earldom, like the rest of his clan, and could not keep his hands off even the King's kye!" "Aye, James would not like that"
"How did the King find out, do you know?" Alison asked.
"Oh, yes, we know. A friendly letter, no less—not to James himself but to the English Privy Council, through Lord Chancellor Ellesmere. From Patrick, Lord Gray of Fowlis, no less ! Enclosing sworn testimony. Statements from three Angus lairds that they had paid each one thousand pounds Scots, above the required figure, for Ulster lands, signed and sealed."
"Save us! So Gray wins another round 1" Heriot exclaimed. "He set a trap—and the fool Dunbar walked into it. Mind, Scotland will be the cleaner lacking Dunbar. But it makes Gray that much the stronger. "Who is there now to oppose him?"
"Heaven help me—myself, I fear!" Lennox answered ruefully. "Or so James would have it. After I have seen to Dunbar, I have to be the new Great Commissioner for Scotland, to deal with the Kirk-and Patrick Gray "
"Oh, Vicky!" Alison cried.
"I protested, actually refused, there and then, before the Council. But James made it a royal command, on pain of treason. What could I do ? At least it will mean that I am much in Scotland. Can see more of Mary."
There was silence in that panelled room above the goldsmith's shop for a little, as they all considered the implications of this development
"Mary... ?" Heriot demanded. "What will she say ? You are to bring down her father!"
"God knows! Only ... James can make me go, mind you—but he cannot control what I do, there. With Mary's sharp wits, we may find a way to weather this storm,"
"The King is a devil!" the young woman declared.
"I wonder?" her husband said, slowly. "If I was James—which God forbid I — I think ... I might have done the same "
"Oh, you ever favour him, Geordie "
"He has two realms to govern, lass. One of them four hundred miles away."
"Geordie's right," the Duke admitted. "And James has the cleverest man in Europe to master—so he sends me! He can scarcely expect me to outwit Gray—so what is he at? Though, to be sure, it may be getting beyond the wits stage. Coming to the sword, at last! And with the sword, it may be, I might shine a little brighter "
"Oh, no... !"
"Is it so bad as that, Vicky?"
"It looks so. Young Robert Stewart, Orkney's bastard and favourite son, has set himself up, in Kirkwall, as his father's appointed representative, indeed proclaimed himself Sheriff of Orkney and Shetland, declaring the Isles to be an independent principality under Udal law. He has taken over all Scots shipping there and announced that he is coming to rescue his father and uncles."
"Rebellion! From the Orcades. Lord—is this to be taken seriously?"
"Who knows? It sounds crazy-mad. But if Gray is behind it— and few doubt that—then it is serious indeed. Shiploads of arms are known to have been sailed into Kirkwall for months past. But not only Kirkwall—there is word of the like all along the east coast of Scotland, from Angus northwards. Especially into the Catholic Gordon lands of Aberdeenshire and Banff. This threatened invasion is not just to rescue Earl Patrick from Dumbarton Castle! It could be the armed Catholic revolt, at last, only making use of Orkney."
"With what hope of success ?"
"More than seems likely at first glance. Our peace-loving monarch has maintained no real army in Scotland. Such Scots soldiers as there are, are over in Ulster settling in the planters and ejecting the Irish. Dunbar has divided and weakened the country. And, more important, recollect who Patrick of Orkney is—the King of Scots' nearest living kinsman. Nearer than I am. His father was illegitimate, yes, where mine was not, but he was a son of James the Fifth and brother to Queen Mary. And Earl Patrick himself is not illegitimate, whatever else he is."
"Dear God—you mean he might yet become King Patrick the First?"
"Would that be so much more strange than the plot to put the child Henry on the throne in 1603 ?"
"I can scarce believe all this serious, Vicky."
"Maybe not. But have you forgotten the Casket Letters, Geordie? What is it James so fears in them? That he himself could be proved illegitimate—or allegedly so! Would Orkney, then, not have a better claim to the throne? And it is believed Gray now holds those Letters. You may not see it as serious—but James does. Sufficiently to have given me a private letter for Patrick Gray. And told me privily I shall receive secret instructions from him before I leave for Scotland. Gray, no doubt, is only using Orkney for his own ends—but that could mean Scotland with a new and resident king again. Which many might welcome. James is much concerned. Not so much that he fears for his Scots throne, I think—he believes God will secure him that! But that he, the peace-maker, may have to take the sword to hold that throne. To have to go to war in his own native land, just when European peace seems to be within his grasp."
"And that, I swear, is Patrick Gray's strongest card! If indeed there is a devil here, Alison lass—that is he!"
* * *
Heriot and his wife were conducted through the gardens of Denmark (or Somerset) House, in the golden September sunshine, to the same arbour where once before the man had sat, with the Queen, and handed over to her the jewel which was his first present to Alison. Anne sat there again, amongst the ripe-hanging fruit and turning leafage, and looked notably older than on that other occasion, older and sadder, if not wiser—although she was still but thirty-six.
The Queen was alone and she dismissed the junior Lady in Waiting who had brought them, "My friends," she said, in her guttural voice, heavier even than it used to be, as they made their obeisances, "come and sit by me. It is pleasant here, and the sun warms my aching joints."
'Your Majesty still suffers pain?" Alison asked.
"Bodily pain is the least of my troubles," the Queen said.
"His Highness the Prince of Wales is better, Madam?" Heriot enquired. "I heard that he appeared very well at the ship-launching of the Prince Royal, at Gravesend."
"Better, yes—but still less than well. He has grown listless, pale and complains of pains. Both in the head and belly. It is unnatural in so fine, so strong a young man."
"Some passing weakness, Madam. Outgrowing his strength, belike. He is now eighteen, and tall. Often it is so ..."
"No. That does not come suddenly, as this has done. It is only since his investiture. He has begun to fail. My physicians can find nothing amiss. They have purged and bled and dosed him. They speak, the fools, even of witchcraft!
Oh, Master Geordie—I dare speak of this to none. Save perhaps you, my old friend. It could not be ... it could not be ... that he is being slowly poisoned?" She choked on the word.
"Your Majesty!" he exclaimed "Save us—do not . . . never think it! Never that! Here is folly, surely—begging Your Majesty's pardon. A mother's fond fears run riot! The heir to the throne! The most popular figure in the realm ... !"
'There's the rub! Too popular, I vow. When one is so popular, others less so may seek to pull him down."
"But, Highness—not the King's son?"
"No? If it is the King who most resents that popularity?"
"But—Sweet Mercy! You do not. .. you cannot... ?"
"James has been turning against Henry for years," she said, in a level voice. "Because Henry prefers my company. Is all that James is not—graceful, handsome, strong, noble. And the people love him. As they do not love his father. That James cannot forgive."
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