The Memoirs of Mary Queen of Scots by Carolly Erickson

Author:Carolly Erickson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Historical fiction
Publisher: ePub Bud (www.epubbud.com)
Published: 2009-08-10T14:00:00+00:00

THIRTY-FOUR

I made my way up the rickety, half-ruined stairway that led to the top of the tower just as the sun was dipping below the horizon of Lochleven. Clinging to the railing with one hand I clutched a small lantern in the other, its feeble light gleaming dully against the old stones of the tower, stones that had been put there, so Geordie had told me, by builders two hundred years earlier.

Dusk came early at that time of the year, the soldiers of the watch changed at six o’clock each evening and I hoped that they would be busy settling into their evening routine and would not scrutinize the top of my tower too closely, knowing that the light was failing and that before long it would be difficult for anyone to send or receive signals.

Not that I was under suspicion. Up to that time I had not been a difficult captive, rather the opposite. When I had first come to the island Sir William had inspected my quarters every few days to see what I did there, and to uncover any escape attempts I might try to make, but in recent months he had come much less often, and he did not interfere with Geordie’s goings and comings from the lake shore, even though he knew very well that his brother was doing errands for me.

I suspected, though I did not know it for certain, that Sir William hoped that I might marry Geordie; the regent was known to approve the match and the Douglas family would surely benefit. For though my Scottish throne had been taken from me, I had strong (albeit disputed) rights as heir to the English throne and if Queen Elizabeth did not marry and have children, I might well succeed her. If Geordie married me he might one day become King of England—something Sir William would be very glad to see happen.

I grasped the loose handrail and pulled myself up the final step. My body had become unwieldy now that the time of my delivery was near, I moved much more slowly than usual and going up and down stairs was a challenge. However, I managed to heave my bulk up onto the leaden roof of the tower and took my first eager look out across the lake, its color faded to a dull gray in the crepuscular light.

There was a small rowboat, painted black so as to be difficult to see, hovering near the shore of the island, partly screened by a line of trees. A tiny flame flickered in the bow, then disappeared.

Jamie! It had to be Jamie! I squinted in an effort to see who it was, to assure myself that it was indeed Jamie and not some spy hoping to entrap me. I could not make out the face of the person in the boat, but his body had the strong, compact shape of Jamie’s body and I trusted that I was indeed looking at my husband. I grinned and held up my lantern for the briefest of moments.

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