The Thistle and the Rose (24 page)

“Is there nothing we can do?” asked Margaret. “What if we three went together and pleaded for those boys? Henry loves to grant such requests.”

Yes, she thought, it reminds him of his power over us all.

“If it were in public…,” mused Mary, who understood her brother even better than Margaret. She stood up suddenly and laughed. “I have a plan. He will come to Westminster Hall to pass judgment; it will be a ceremonious occasion. The Cardinal, the Council, the Mayor and Aldermen will be with him; and so shall we, for you know how he likes to have us with him. Now if, when all are assembled, we take off our headdresses, let our hair fall about our shoulders and throw ourselves on our knees…Why, don't you see…?”

“It would be as effective as a masque,” agreed Margaret.

On the high dais in the hall of Westminster sat the King; with him was the great Cardinal Wolsey whose magnificence and pomp rivaled that of Henry; there were the Council, the Mayor, and the Aldermen; and seated with the King and his family—his wife and two sisters.

Then into the hall the prisoners were brought—they were mostly youths, but there were some old men among them and even a few women. They looked wretched, dirty, and hopeless, bound by ropes with halters about their necks. Outside their families clustered, and the sounds of their weeping could be heard within. The ringleaders of the revolt had already been punished and were at this time hanging by their necks from the signposts outside their master's dwellings; it seemed more than likely that the miserable prisoners would have met the same end before nightfall.

Henry stared angrily at the prisoners, his face scarlet, his frown so deep that his blue eyes were almost lost in the plump flesh about them.

The Cardinal had asked the King to show mercy on these prisoners, the majority of whom were little more than children, but Henry sullenly replied that the peace of his city had been violated and he could not tolerate such conduct; example must be made; he would have the citizens see what happened to those who defied the King's law.

But it was clear to Margaret watching, that Henry was not as angry as he wished it to be believed; he was playing a part now as he loved to do in the masques: the great King, all powerful and terrible…yet ready to be moved to mercy.

Mary met her eye. It was the signal. They took off the headdresses which confined their hair, and it fell about their shoulders. The three of them were noted for their beautiful hair.

The King looked startled as they threw themselves at his feet and weeping asked him to show mercy on the prisoners. He stared sternly at those beautiful bowed heads for some seconds before he allowed his face to soften. Then the frown left his face and the little eyes shone bright blue.

“Aye,” he murmured, “they are indeed young. And how could I refuse to tender mercy when beseeched in such a manner?”

There was a silence in the hall, but it only lasted for a few seconds. Then the prisoners, understanding, took their halters from their necks and tossed them into the air.

The three Queens rose to their feet. Margaret and Mary were smiling at each other; but Katherine was weeping.

It is true, thought Margaret, that it is like a masque!

The farewells had been said and Margaret had started on her journey north. It was pleasant traveling through the green English country in the early summer days, and Margaret would have been in no hurry had she not so longed to see her son. She was excited too at the prospect of reunion with Angus; her feelings had changed toward him; she had often told herself during the last year that had he been with her she might not have passed such carefree days; but all the same she could not suppress her excitement as she came nearer to the Border. She was thinking too of Albany and wondering whether she might not make some terms with him; and contemplating such interviews gave the same lifting
of her spirits as she felt at the prospect of meeting her husband again.

When she reached the city of York which greeted her with as much pomp on her return from the English Court as it had when she had passed through on her journey toward it, she found that a servant of Albany's was staying there. This was Gaultier de Malines, and Margaret sent for him and asked him if he had news of his master.

“Yes, Your Grace, my master has departed for France after a long delay. He sailed from Dumbarton on the eighth day of June.”

“And my son the King?”

“He is well and happy, Your Grace; and since it was known that you were returning to Scotland he has been moved from Stirling to Edinburgh where he has his apartments in David Tower.”

“Ah! So he is well and happy. I rejoice. I hope soon to see him.”

It was good news; but she was a little sorry that Albany had returned to France. Not that she would betray this to anyone, for indeed, she only half admitted it to herself.

She learned that, before leaving, Albany had appointed a Regency which consisted of the Archbishops of St. Andrews and Glasgow and the Earls of Angus, Arran, Huntley, and Argyle with the Sieur de la Bastie who would of course guard his, Albany's, interests.

Margaret was glad that Angus formed part of that company although it did mean that after her departure to England he had thrown in his lot with Albany. Perhaps it would have been foolish of him to have accompanied her to England; perhaps he was growing up to wisdom. But how much more contented she would have been if he had thrown aside everything to be with her, as she had when she had chosen to marry him.

And when she passed over the Border, there was Angus waiting to greet her—as he had been ordered to do by the Council—and when she saw him she forgot her disappointment. He was as handsome as ever, although he had aged a little. He was no longer a boy, having lost some of his innocent looks, but he was her Angus and still the most handsome man in Scotland.

Impulsive and warmhearted as she was, she thrust aside all rancor
. Let them have done with the past. There he was, come to meet her, to welcome her back to Scotland.

He rode away from his men toward her, and she too advanced ahead of her party.

“Margaret—” he began.

But she interrupted: “Oh, my dearest, how long it has seemed without you!”

The smile that touched his lips was one of relief, but she did not notice this; she only saw that he was smiling at her, that his eyes were warm with admiration, for the year of luxury had restored all her vitality and she was young and beautiful again.

She held out her hand; he took it and his lips were warm against her skin.

“You are pleased to see me?” she asked.

He lifted his eyes to her face and it seemed to her that words were unnecessary.

So together they began the journey to the capital, and in those first days of reunion she did not notice that there was something sheepish in his manner; that often he failed to meet her eye.

She was happy to be back, for soon, she promised herself, she would see her little son. Angus was with her, her dear husband who had made his mistakes and was sorry for them.

Her friends wondered how long it would be before she discovered Angus's secret; and those who loved her, trembled for her, because they knew how great her grief would be.

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that she should see her son as soon as possible, and she lost no time in making her intentions clear.

This had been expected and the lords of the Council had prepared themselves for it. It had been arranged that young James should be well guarded in Edinburgh Castle and that three Lords—Erskine, Ruthven, and Borthwick—were to take it in turns to live with him there as his guardian, each doing this service for four months of the year. The castellan, Sir Patrick Crichton, ordered twelve guards to watch each night outside the King's bedchamber; and there were guards placed at all salient points, while a master gunner with six cannons was stationed on the walls. The Abbot of Holyrood had his quarters in the outer castle as an added precaution; and before anyone was allowed to enter the King's apartments he or she had first to receive permission from the castellan to do so.

Thus when Margaret arrived at Edinburgh she was at first denied admittance. This infuriated her but, longing as she did to see her son, she restrained her anger and pleaded with his guardians that she was his mother and had been long without a sight of him.

“Take me at once to the castellan,” she pleaded.

She was taken to Sir Patrick Crichton, who was very uneasy.

“Your Grace,” he said, “I have my orders. I regret that they must be enforced even against you, but I fear I must do my duty.”

“I am the King's mother,” Margaret retorted, “and I demand to see him.”

“Your Grace, I cannot allow you to enter the castle accompanied by so many attendants. Only twelve may enter and only four of those accompany you to the King's apartments.”

Margaret flushed with anger but, determined to see her son, she again forced herself to control her feelings.

“Very well then,” she said, “it shall be as you say. Now, I pray you, take me to my son.”

She stood on the threshold of the apartment looking at him. He was sitting with David Lindsay and David was instructing him in playing the lute.

James stared at her for a few moments while David Lindsay rose to his feet.

“Your Grace…,” he began.

But James had dashed at her. “Davie,” he cried, “it is my mother. At last she has come.”

Then he threw himself into her arms.

She embraced him, kissing and holding him as though she would never let him go, while the tears fell from her eyes onto his tawny curls.

She saw David Lindsay wipe a tear from his eye and she smiled up at him.

“Oh, Davie,” she cried, “it is good to be here.”

Although Margaret was allowed to see her son, she was not permitted to spend a night in the castle. These were uneasy days made pleasant only by the company of her son and little daughter. She was beginning to notice a change in Angus and, guessing that his conscience troubled him for some reason, she believed this to be due to the friendship he had shown to Albany during her absence. Of course that created a rift between them; how could it be otherwise?

But the days spent at the castle brought her great contentment. James was a son of whom any mother would be proud. Every day she saw his father in him. There was intelligence in the blue-gray eyes; his abundant hair with more than a dash of red in it framed a face that was pleasant to look at; his nose would be aquiline when he grew up, Margaret decided, and it seemed likely that he would be another such as his father. She smiled to think of the jealousy his wife would feel; she would sympathize with her when the time came. Who could understand more than one who had suffered it all before? His tutors were delighted with his sharp wits; and
besides David Lindsay, Gavin Dunbar, John Bellenden, and James Inglis all supervised his education.

But it was David Lindsay whom the young King loved more than any of his other tutors; this was probably because David was more of a playfellow than a tutor. David made himself the most exciting of companions; and to see them together was to be given the illusion that they were of an age.

David's one idea was to make a man of the King and, even when James had been little more than a baby, he had dressed up as a grisly ghost to teach him never to be afraid, but to investigate any strange phenomenon and so discover the truth beneath it.

David was succeeding admirably.

But although she was allowed to see her son frequently, Margaret greatly desired to take part in his upbringing. David commiserated with her.

“They'll always suspect Your Grace of trying to take him away from Scotland, down to your brother's Court,” he told her. “You tried once, and they think you'll try again.”

Margaret agreed; and she thought: Aye and I would, given the opportunity.

One day when Margaret arrived at the Castle, she was met at the outer gate by the Abbot of Holyrood.

“Your Grace,” he cried, “you must not enter the Castle.”

“Why not?” she demanded.

“A child belonging to one of the attendants has the botch.”

“The botch!” Margaret cried in horror, visualizing the beautiful skin of her son covered in unsightly boils and swellings. “Not… James?”

“Nay, Your Grace, as soon as it was discovered that there was a case of botch in the Castle he was taken at once to Craigmillar Castle where he is now under the guardianship of Lord Erskine.”

Margaret turned to her companions.

“We are going at once to Craigmillar,” she said.

Lord Erskine made no attempt to prevent the Queen from visiting James at Craigmillar, which was only three miles from Edinburgh. It was strongly fortified but by no means the fortress that the Castle was. As she rode toward it and studied the lofty square keep,

Margaret could not help thinking that it would be easier to bring James out of Craigmillar than out of Edinburgh Castle.

James was delighted with the move, as he was growing tired of living so long in David's Tower at the Castle; and Lord Erskine was a lenient guardian.

If only, thought Margaret, Angus were not so strange. If only his aims were the same as mine!

There was no one to whom she could talk of her desires except David Lindsay; and when she hinted to him that she would like to have her son completely in her care, he was horrified at what an attempt to abduct him might mean.

“Your Grace,” he said, “if you took the child away from his guardians and carried him into England, many a lord would declare the time had come to dethrone James and crown Albany King.”

Margaret pondered this. It might be so. And although she was ready to forgo the right to rule, for the sake of having her family about her, she could not allow James's future to be jeopardized.

She was suspected of plotting to carry him off, and when certain members of the Council heard how frequently she was permitted to enter Craigmillar Castle, they declared it was time James was brought back to Edinburgh.

No sooner was the city pronounced free of the botch than James was hurried back to his old quarters.

This was not the way, reasoned Margaret. While she visited James she would be watched and every movement she made would be suspect. She had once tried to abduct him and carry him to England, and they were expecting her to do the same again.

She decided then to leave Edinburgh and go to her Castle of Newark in Ettrick Forest and there quietly plan her next move.

She believed that, with Angus to help her, she could regain the Regency and the right to be the guardian of her own child.

She wanted to confide in Angus but something in herself prevented her from doing this. Since she had been back in Scotland their life together had been very uneasy. He made excuses to absent himself from her for long periods. He had his estates to look after, he told her; and he was constantly engaged in the work of the Council.

She realized that he had grown up during the year she had been away. He had made a niche for himself in the affairs of Scotland, and was quite clearly recognized to be a figure of importance. Arran's hatred of him was enough to show that, if nothing else.

She must be reasonable. They must work together, for then they would have a good chance of success.

An event occurred which gave her an idea that she might put an important post in the way of Angus. That should please him and show him that he could lose nothing by confiding in and working with his wife.

The post of Warden of the Marches had been bestowed on his good friend the Sieur de la Bastie by Albany before leaving for France; a reward to a friend who had rendered him good service more than once.

Albany—and de la Bastie—could have had little knowledge of the wild Bordermen; otherwise the former might have thought twice before offering such a gift, and the latter before accepting it.

Lord Home and his brother William had mortally offended Albany and, although he had forgiven them again and again, at length he had decided to do so no more, and had ordered them to be executed. It was thus that the post of Warden of the Marches had fallen vacant.

Home was a turncoat, a wild and arrogant man; but he was a Borderer and, although the Border barons fought each other, they did not care to see one whom they considered a foreigner pass the death sentence on one of their kind. Moreover the Home clan considered it a duty to avenge their leader. Thus when de la Bastie went to the Border to carry out his duties he was set upon and murdered.

This meant that the post of Deputy Governor which had been de la Bastie's was vacant.

Why should not Angus fill it? Margaret asked herself. Then, with Angus as Deputy Governor, it would not be difficult for her to regain her old influence, for her husband would surely support her.

She laid this suggestion before the Parliament.

They would not consider it for a moment.

Disconsolate and lonely—Angus was away, engaged on one of his numerous duties—Margaret brooded on the estate to which she was reduced. She was too impulsive where her emotions were involved. She knew this but she could not restrain herself. How could she sit alone at Newark, brooding on the fact that she was not allowed to direct the upbringing of her own son; that when she—the Queen—suggested a post should be bestowed, she was ignored?

As always at such times she found pleasure in making wild plans.

James was the center of these plans.

He was back in Edinburgh Castle and it was going to be difficult to get him out of that fortress, but she was not one to consider impossible that which was difficult.

Then she remembered that one of her husband's brothers, George Douglas, was the Warden of the Castle.

Now the days had some meaning. George Douglas was eager to serve his Queen and sister-in-law.

He wrote to her. Yes, as Warden he had a certain power within the Castle. He had access of course to David's Tower, and could give her news from time to time of the King. He implied that he knew it was more than news she wanted; and he was ready to help give her that too.

“Dear George Douglas!” she murmured.

She was determined to be careful. She would take no one into her confidence, and was rather glad that Angus was away because it would have been difficult to keep this secret from him.

She might do what she had intended to do before she went into England. That had been a good enough plan. If only Lord Home had been able to divert the attention of the guards he would have rescued the two princes.

Then, she thought angrily, I should have had two sons today, for I am sure my little Alexander would not have died if he had been with his mother.

It was pleasant there at Newark, making plans, waiting for the secret messenger from George Douglas, assuring herself that she could not be unlucky this time.

Perhaps they could substitute another child for James. It would not be discovered until they were away… almost at the Border. Henry would be eager to welcome his dear sister and her little son who was so like himself. Perhaps James would marry the little Princess Mary; then Henry could be relied on to send an army to Scotland, subdue her enemies and place James securely on the throne, there to rule, when he was of an age to do so, with Mary beside him; but in the meantime his mother would be the Regent of Scotland and the guardian of her son.