Page 77 of The Changeling

‘I will go to England,’ she said. ‘Elizabeth is my cousin, and a queen like me. She will understand that I am no enchantress, but a woman cruelly betrayed and deceived.’

‘But in France you have lands of your own, and income,’ another lord said. ‘You will be safe there.’

‘I will be safe in England. My cousin will shelter me.’

I shook my head, not believing Mary could be so trusting.

Elizabeth would never sit easy on her throne while Mary lived. There would always be those who plotted to throw down a Protestant queen and replace her with a Catholic one.

Her men tried to persuade her, but she was adamant. At last they bowed and withdrew, and Mary came to sit by the fire. I warmed her wine for her with a hot poker, and served her the bread and cheese, while Mistress Gowland heaped glowing coals in a bedpan and slid it within the bedsheets.

‘Thank you,’ Mary said wearily. ‘Will you bring me my cards so I may play solitaire? It is too early to go to bed yet.’

Mistress Gowland obeyed. Expertly Mary shuffled, then turned over the first card.

She gave a little gasp. The queen of spades lay on the table before her. An omen of misfortune.

‘It means naught,’ she said uneasily. ‘It’s just a coincidence.’

She laid out the next card.

The ace of spades. The card of death.

Mary pushed the two cards away from her so violently they fell to the floor. ‘What does it mean? Who is to die?’ she cried.

‘May it be your enemies,’ Mistress Gowland said, though she looked pale and frightened.

Sure knowledge came to me. ‘Your ravisher Bothwell will die chained to a pillar – filthy, raving mad and alone.’

Mary stared at me, the back of her hand pressed to her mouth.

‘Your brother James will die before his time, felled by a plume of fire like that breathed by a dragon.’

Mistress Gowland inhaled sharply, then said, ‘Good!’

I looked at the queen with pity. ‘I am sorry, your Grace. You too shall die before your time, by the will of one whom you trust. They will cut your heart from your body and bury it in secret.’

Tears began to trickle down her face. ‘My son? My wee man?’

‘The boy who now sits on the throne of Scotland will one day rule three kingdoms in peace.’

She dabbed at her eyes with her handkerchief. ‘That is something, I suppose.’

I knelt before her. ‘Your Grace, I beg that you will release me from your service now. I must go home.’

She stood looking down on me in dismay. ‘Oh, Caitlín, must you?’

‘I am sorry, madam. It is time.’

‘Very well,’ she said with a sigh, laying one hand on my wild dark curls. ‘I thank you and bless you.’

She looked at Mistress Gowland, waiting by the door with her hands folded neatly before her. ‘What of you, Lyndal? Will you leave me too?’

‘No, madam,’ she said. ‘I’ve always had a fancy to see the queen of England. I’ll go with you.’

‘Thank you,’ Mary said faintly.

We undressed her and put her to bed, then I went with leaden steps to find somewhere for me and Carlin to sleep. Lyndal lit a candle for me, then detained me with a gentle hand on my sleeve. ‘God speed you, lassie. You’ve been a faithful servant to the queen. May God bless you in your travels, and I hope we meet again.’