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“And if he was, indeed, murdered, Bothwell’s refusal to give him an audience with the king seems more than suspicious. Aye?”

Again, it seemed all agreed.

“So the question is, why would Bothwell want to have him murdered?”

“And what was the message?” Juliette added.

Everyone turned toward Kathryn, who shrugged. “I do not know. Even when my father was privy to the messages he carried, he never shared them with me.”

“The timing is curious,” Bryce said, sitting back in his chair. “This happened soon after King Edward returned from his long sojourn in the East.”

“Could it have been a request to renew his allegiance?” Neill speculated. “It was one of his conditions of my reward.”

“I don’t understand why Caxton has not already been removed,” Kathryn said. “Everyone I’ve spoken to says he’s awful.”

Bryce answered for him. “And yet he lines the king’s pockets.”

“The reason,” Toren interjected, “we refused to treat with Caxton is because he accepts black mal in exchange for setting even the worst criminals free. If Englishmen aren’t held accountable for their crimes, why should we submit to the Day of Truce?”

“But the situation has changed,” Neill said. “With his attention now on France, the king will need both funds and support. Alexander’s fealty has become more important.”

Kathryn startled at that news. “Do you believe we will go to war with France?”

Neill exchanged a look with his brother. No one was sure of the answer, but he had a definite opinion on the matter.

“I do.”

Toren whistled. “Edward is willing to release his profitable warden if he can retain the loyalty of a king who might provide him with some security.”

“Where does Bothwell stand on any of this?” Kathryn asked.

“A question I’ve been wondering about,” he admitted, “since you told me of your suspicions.”

Toren frowned. “None know. He never speaks at any of the councils, much to Douglas’s annoyance. He attends to report back to the king. No more, no less. ’Tis a role Douglas fills whenever Bothwell is not in attendance.”

“Hmmm.”

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Neill smiled at Kathryn’s expression. She looked so intent, so serious.

“I bet I can guess his leanings,” she blurted.

They were all thinking the same thing now. The English king’s messenger had disappeared under mysterious circumstances after bringing a message so inflammatory he would only share it directly with the king. The king’s chancellor had refused to allow it, and the messenger had been killed that same night.

The Earl of Bothwell had no wish to see the Scottish king allied with King Edward.

Which made Kathryn’s revelations akin to the most important information they had currently about the situation along the border.

“How much of this situation do we report to the council?” Toren asked.

They all looked at Kathryn, who, rightly so, appeared panicked. “You cannot tell them.”

“Do we agree,” Toren said finally, “about what all of this implies?”

“Aye,” Neill said, “although we know naught for certain. Naught except Lady Kathryn is not safe here.”

“Neill, you need to get her out of here,” Juliette said at once.

He’d already thought the same.