There was not a lord at Court who was ready to knuckle under to the Queen’s paramour. They complained together of the Queen’s loose living and told themselves that they had not supported her that she might rule Scotland with the help of Harry Stuart.

Margaret was unaware of the grumblings. She was so happy to have her son and lover contented. They were three happy conspirators — all certain of success.

She wrote to Henry in England telling him that she had successfully flouted the restrictions placed on James by Albany, and that the boy was now in Edinburgh recognized as King. She thought that James should be turning his thoughts to marriage, for although he was as yet young, his betrothal was of great importance to him and to Scotland. Nothing would delight Margaret more than to accept her dear niece, the Princess Mary, as her daughter; and knowing her dearest brother’s affection for his nephew (who bore such a striking resemblance to himself) she felt that he would not be averse to accepting him as his son.

Thomas Magnus, Henry’s ambassador, arrived in Scotland with Henry’s reply to this proposal, and when Margaret heard that he was in Edinburgh she was eager to see him without delay.

James and Harry were with her when she received Magnus, who told her that his master was pleased to hear that James had freed himself from the restraint put on him by Albany and that he hoped that now there would be an end to the strife between their two countries.

“My brother must be assured that this will come to pass,” Margaret replied. “Pray tell me what was his comment on my proposal concerning the Princess Mary.”

Magnus glanced at Harry, but Margaret waved an imperious hand. “All that you have to say may be said before the Lord Chancellor.”

Magnus was clearly surprised that such a young man should hold the office, but he said: “My master, the King of England, declares himself to be overjoyed at the prospect of the match you propose. At this time a marriage alliance exists between the Princess Mary and the Emperor Charles; but this is a match which my master would be happy to see abandoned for the sake of one with Scotland.”

“This is news I have longed to hear!” Margaret told him.

“But,” interjected Magnus, “it would be necessary to keep the proposed alliance between Scotland and England a secret until that between England and the Emperor has been officially abandoned.”

Margaret nodded; she turned to James and Harry.

“I am so happy,” she said. “I have always longed for this. My son the true King of Scotland, and friendship between my native land and that of my adoption.” The glance she gave Harry was warm and secret. She wanted to say: And I love and am loved.

But of course he understood.

“I know,” she went on, “that my brother has my welfare at heart. He has not understood my desire for a divorce and has opposed me in this matter, but I feel sure, now that there is this understanding between us, he will no longer put obstacles in my way. I do not forget how he keeps the troublesome Angus in England, knowing how it would embarrass me if he returned to Scotland.”

And then, my love, her loving glances told Harry, there will be an end to this secrecy. I shall let the whole world know how matters stand between us two.

Magnus took out the letters and gave them to her.

She sat at the table with James on one side of her, Harry on the other; and while they were thus engaged there was a knock on the door.

Margaret looked up startled; she had given orders that she was not to be disturbed except in an emergency. She could not believe that she had been disobeyed.

“You may enter,” she called.

One of her pages opened the door, and a man with the stains of travel on his clothes stood there.

“You have news?” asked Margaret, rising.

“Yes, Your Grace, and I thought it should be brought to you without delay. The Earl of Angus crossed the Border this day and is now in Scotland.”

The Queen's Third Marriage

In the dark of night a band of horsemen was making its way toward Edinburgh. At its head rode Angus, his face grim with purpose. Beside him rode Lennox and Buccleugh; they had joined him because they were not prepared to take second place to Harry Stuart.

What a foolish woman she is! thought Angus. Again and again she throws away that which she values. First with me; now with this Stuart fellow. Thank God for a fool!

“We’re within a mile of the city,” he murmured to Lennox. “Who’ll go ahead and scale the walls and unlock the gates to let us in?”

“There’ll be plenty of volunteers for that duty,” answered Lennox.

Angus nodded. Circumstances had changed him from the young boy with whom the Queen had fallen in love. He was an ambitious man now, yearning to rule Scotland. And as the Queen’s husband — he was determined to hold out against the divorce — it was his place to control the Queen’s son.

He was determined to get James into his possession; then he could demand what terms he liked to make with Margaret.

He had heard that she constantly referred to him now as my lord Anguish. Let her. She would see that he could cause her anguish enough. He had Henry of England behind him; he had made sure while he was at the Court of England that Henry had understood his sister’s leanings toward France through Albany. Henry disapproved of Margaret’s obtaining a divorce; he had accepted Angus as his brother-in-law from the first, and continued to do so.

The walls of the city loomed ahead in the darkness and Angus called a halt.

Lennox gave a sign and several men dismounted and crept toward the walls. There was silence among those who waited which seemed to go on for a long time; then the gates of the city were thrown open. Dawn was beginning to show in the sky when Angus and his men marched into Edinburgh through the High Street to St. Giles’s Church.

There was an atmosphere of expectancy in Holyrood that night.

Margaret was conscious of it. It was due to the fact that Angus was in Scotland, and she could not feel safe while he was there.

Harry Stuart was in her bedchamber; it had become common knowledge that he was her lover, and Margaret’s passion was too ardent for her to submit to subterfuge. Her love for this young man was apparent in every look she gave him, and she knew it was no use attempting to hide it. Better to show it in — as some called it — a brazen manner. She was not ashamed of her love, nor was he.

“Harry,” she said, “I have not felt at ease since I knew Anguish had crossed the Border.”

“We’ll be a match for Anguish when the time comes,” Harry assured her.

She took his hand and kissed it. “My blessing,” she murmured. “What comfort you give me!”

“That is my great desire and always will be,” Harry told her.

He was very pleased with life which offered him so much honor and so much devotion from the Queen.

“It seems oppressive,” Margaret said, “in spite of the November cold.”

“Let us to bed,” replied Harry. “I promise to drive off the oppressive atmosphere and the November cold.”

She laughed and kissed him.

“Harry,” she said, as they lay in each other’s arms, “I fancy you have been quiet of late. Is there something on your mind?”

“It is not easy to keep troubles from you. Your eyes are so sharp.”

“Then something is worrying you.”

“I’m afraid, my love.”

“Afraid! You, Harry? I do not believe it.”

“Afraid of offending you. If I did, I think I should walk out of this apartment and leap down from the topmost point of the Palace.”

“Don’t say such things! I can’t bear it. Tell me, what has made you feel thus?”

“Something which happened long ago and of which I have not told you.”

“Someone you loved?”

“Or thought I loved,” he said. “I did not know love until I knew my Queen.”

“And this… someone you thought you loved?”

“I married her.”

“I see. So she is your wife. And you visit her?”

“Not since we told each other of our love. In truth she is no longer my wife. I have divorced her. It was easy enough.”

Margaret was silent for a few seconds, then she said: “Tell me her name.”

“You would not know her. She is Lady Leslie. My love, my Queen, you are angry with me for keeping this secret?”

“Oh, no, Harry, my darling. I could never be angry with you. And why should I be now? You married her before we met. You kept her existence a secret from me, fearing to hurt me; and you tell me now because she is no longer your wife.”

“Oh, Margaret… if you were the humblest maiden within these city walls, I would love you and count it an honor to be your husband.”

She lay against him. “Thank you for telling me, Harry. It is always so much better to be told than to discover. I have been hurt by the men whom I have loved. Let us swear now that we will never keep secrets from each other. If our love fails we will tell. If we are unfaithful we will tell. Do you promise?”

“There will never be occasion to tell.”

“I know, my love, but let us swear all the same.”

So in the quiet of that night they swore; they made love; and they slept. But not for long.

Margaret released herself from her lover’s arms as the disturbance outside her door roused her from her sleep. There was a faint dawn light in the room and she could hear the sound of shouting in the streets.

Hurrying into the antechamber, she called to her women who helped her to dress, their teeth chattering, their fingers fumbling as they did so.