Her gaze narrowed. “Please do.”
“I sent a letter to Isabella. Did she receive it?”
“She did.”
“I was hoping she would share its contents with you. I was trying to warn you that you and your court are in danger.”
The queen sat back down and folded her hands in her lap. “I read the missive, Lady Margaret. Was that a warning?”
“Yes, it was.” She glanced at Christina, who stared coldly at her. “Aymer de Valence has been ordered by King Edward to capture you, Your Majesty. Sir Guy seeks the command.”
Christina leaned over to the queen and whispered in her ear. The queen said, “We know all of this, Lady Margaret. What else do you know?”
Margaret hesitated. “Aymer has spies amongst Bruce’s closest friends.” She did not look at Marjorie now.
Christina looked surprised, while the queen remained impassive. “How do you know this?” Bruce’s other sister, Mary Campbell, demanded.
“Sir Guy told me,” Margaret said.
Christina turned to Elisabeth. “We must warn Rob.”
Queen Elisabeth nodded. Then she said decisively, “There is one way you may prove your new loyalties once and for all. Will you get down on your knees and swear your fealty to me and King Robert?”
Margaret trembled. But she lifted her chin and said, “Your Majesty, I will swear my fealty to you and Robert Bruce.”
* * *
MARGARET MADE HER way back to the hall, having left only to use a privy chamber, aware of one of the queen’s guards carefully following her. She was now in attendance on the queen, but she was not trusted yet. She would swear fealty to her new liege after the mass on Sunday. Margaret did not think that she would be trusted even then.
She turned a corner in the corridor and was seized by both shoulders. “I am so happy you are here!” Isabella cried.
After the harrowing interview, Margaret had taken a seat behind Marjorie and Christina, and she had remained quiet for the rest of the afternoon. What she had really wished to do was retire, in both exhaustion and relief, but she knew better than to ask for permission to leave the queen. She also knew better than to openly seek out Isabella, which would only garner more disapproval from her new liege.
Now, Isabella embraced her wildly. Margaret smiled, hugging her in return; she had missed her dear friend. “How are you?” she asked.
Isabella’s smile vanished, tears filling her eyes. “Margaret! I am in grave jeopardy!”
Margaret glanced around, but, except for the single guard, they were alone. “Can we speak freely?” she asked. “Were you given permission to leave the queen?”
“I do not need permission, as they know I am not a spy. I pray to God you are not here on some terrible mission.”
“I am not,” she said firmly, alarmed, because if Isabella was suspicious of her, then the queen and her ladies would be even more so. “I spoke the truth when I said that I had left Sir Guy, Isabella. I am defying him and Buchan.”
“I am glad. Come with me,” she said urgently.
Margaret did not think that a good idea. “Isabella,” she began, but Isabella pulled her toward the stairs. “I believe I need the queen’s permission to leave the hall!”
“She gave you her permission,” Isabella said with a scathing glance. Clearly, she despised Elisabeth. She hurried down the next corridor, pulling Margaret with her. She pushed open the door of a small bedchamber. “I sleep here, with three other ladies,” she said. “We must make certain that you and I share a chamber.”
Margaret thought that unlikely, considering that the queen did not like Isabella and did not trust Margaret. Then Isabella seized her in a crushing embrace.
Margaret took one look at her unhappy face and put her arm around her. Isabella cried, “I am so glad you are here now! It is terrible being here with the queen, she hates me!”
“Of course she despises you. You are sleeping with her husband. You must end your affair.”
“I cannot. I love him!”
“Isabella! You must think clearly! No good can come of loving Robert Bruce. You are making an enemy of your own queen—when you must remain with her, for safety’s sake. And you know that what you are doing is wrong,” Margaret said more gently.
