is important, Your Grace, that the embassy which the King of France is sending, should not succeed. I come to ask you to use your influence in every way in order to make it fail.”
Margaret nodded slowly.
James came riding back to Edinburgh. Exuberantly he came to his Queen. He had brought velvet and damask for new gowns, and jewels for her to wear with them.
Margaret expressed her delight, while the King gently stroked her swollen body.
“And how is my Queen and her little bairn?”
“Your Queen has been a little sick and very lonely.”
James embraced her, determined to banish self-pity. “Then she shall be so no longer. I want you to help me plan entertainments such as we have never had before. We have visitors coming to see us and they pride themselves on their skill at the joust. We shall have to show them that in Scotland we are no mean performers.”
“The French?” she asked.
“The French. You will be amused. Such handsome men; and such charming manners!”
“Is it fitting that you should receive the French,” asked Margaret, “when my father's ambassador has been waiting a long time for an audience with you?”
James raised his brows in a puzzled way. “Do not tell me that my Queen is turning her attention to politics!”
“Why should she not?”
“For many reasons, one of which is that dancing and music and showing my Court how elegant and beautiful she is, becomes her better.”
“I am no longer a child, James.”
He laughed. “You grow old. Eighteen, is it?”
She shrugged impatiently. “You must realize that I am not merely a woman with whom you may amuse yourself, and who has the privilege of giving you
legitimate
children. I am the Queen.”
He rubbed his finger along her cheek. “A charming queen of whom any king would be proud.”
“Therefore you should talk to me of more serious matters than the plays Cuddy and Dog devise.”
“But are these not serious matters?”
“James, you know they are not. Why cannot you receive my father's ambassador and mend this silly quarrel with England?”
He was at once withdrawn and the obstinacy showed in his face. He would be gentle and kind, he seemed to imply, but always he would be the ruler. She must understand that.
“My dear Margaret, this pretty head of yours must not be troubled with such tiresome matters. I have no wish to see Dr. West.”
“Why?”
“Other matters occupy me.”
“You are ready to dance and joust, to hunt and hawk. Why cannot you meet the ambassador sent by the King of England?”
His eyes narrowed and his lips tightened. “I do not care that my subjects should be arrested and made prisoner. It is an unfriendly action.”
“Dr. West wishes to explain this matter to you.”
“I will tell you this much,” he said. “Sir Patrick Hamilton has escaped out of England, though his brother Arran remains there. They have not been well treated in your father's domains. That does not please me. And if your Dr. West is here to attempt to persuade me not to receive the French embassy, you may tell him he is wasting his time. I understand he has seen you. Now let him return to his master and tell him that in Scotland it is the King who decides what shall be done; and when his subjects have been maltreated he is not to be won over with soft words.”
“You are cruel to me,” cried Margaret. “And I in my present condition!”
James laughed softly. “Nay, when was I ever cruel to you? Everything in reason that you ask for is yours. You shall have pleasure, fine clothes, precious jewels. But you must not meddle, my love, in matters which do not concern you.”
He left her then, and when he had gone she stared sullenly before her. Again she had been insulted. In England, they would know that not only was her husband unfaithful to her, but he would not discuss matters of state with her. She was nothing more than a doll to be played with and set aside—she was there merely to become pregnant as soon as
Margaret nodded slowly.
James came riding back to Edinburgh. Exuberantly he came to his Queen. He had brought velvet and damask for new gowns, and jewels for her to wear with them.
Margaret expressed her delight, while the King gently stroked her swollen body.
“And how is my Queen and her little bairn?”
“Your Queen has been a little sick and very lonely.”
James embraced her, determined to banish self-pity. “Then she shall be so no longer. I want you to help me plan entertainments such as we have never had before. We have visitors coming to see us and they pride themselves on their skill at the joust. We shall have to show them that in Scotland we are no mean performers.”
“The French?” she asked.
“The French. You will be amused. Such handsome men; and such charming manners!”
“Is it fitting that you should receive the French,” asked Margaret, “when my father's ambassador has been waiting a long time for an audience with you?”
James raised his brows in a puzzled way. “Do not tell me that my Queen is turning her attention to politics!”
“Why should she not?”
“For many reasons, one of which is that dancing and music and showing my Court how elegant and beautiful she is, becomes her better.”
“I am no longer a child, James.”
He laughed. “You grow old. Eighteen, is it?”
She shrugged impatiently. “You must realize that I am not merely a woman with whom you may amuse yourself, and who has the privilege of giving you
legitimate
children. I am the Queen.”
He rubbed his finger along her cheek. “A charming queen of whom any king would be proud.”
“Therefore you should talk to me of more serious matters than the plays Cuddy and Dog devise.”
“But are these not serious matters?”
“James, you know they are not. Why cannot you receive my father's ambassador and mend this silly quarrel with England?”
He was at once withdrawn and the obstinacy showed in his face. He would be gentle and kind, he seemed to imply, but always he would be the ruler. She must understand that.
“My dear Margaret, this pretty head of yours must not be troubled with such tiresome matters. I have no wish to see Dr. West.”
“Why?”
“Other matters occupy me.”
“You are ready to dance and joust, to hunt and hawk. Why cannot you meet the ambassador sent by the King of England?”
His eyes narrowed and his lips tightened. “I do not care that my subjects should be arrested and made prisoner. It is an unfriendly action.”
“Dr. West wishes to explain this matter to you.”
“I will tell you this much,” he said. “Sir Patrick Hamilton has escaped out of England, though his brother Arran remains there. They have not been well treated in your father's domains. That does not please me. And if your Dr. West is here to attempt to persuade me not to receive the French embassy, you may tell him he is wasting his time. I understand he has seen you. Now let him return to his master and tell him that in Scotland it is the King who decides what shall be done; and when his subjects have been maltreated he is not to be won over with soft words.”
“You are cruel to me,” cried Margaret. “And I in my present condition!”
James laughed softly. “Nay, when was I ever cruel to you? Everything in reason that you ask for is yours. You shall have pleasure, fine clothes, precious jewels. But you must not meddle, my love, in matters which do not concern you.”
He left her then, and when he had gone she stared sullenly before her. Again she had been insulted. In England, they would know that not only was her husband unfaithful to her, but he would not discuss matters of state with her. She was nothing more than a doll to be played with and set aside—she was there merely to become pregnant as soon as
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