The Gowrie Conspiracy

by Alanna Knight

  ‘Treasure, Alexander? Surely money could not buy him such a future.’

  Alexander wagged a finger at him. ‘That is where you are wrong, Tam. This treasure chest does not contain money. It is a casket of letters. Letters that my grandfather had from his mother, Queen Mary. Letters that her deadly rival, her cousin Elizabeth of England, tried in vain to purchase from him.’

  ‘And what makes these letters so important to the king?’ asked Tam, again knowing full well from conversations he had had with Tansy.

  ‘Among those letters allegedly written to Lord Bothwell from the queen, and mostly forgeries, indicating her guilt concerning her husband Lord Darnley’s murder, there is another item. A document.’

  The fatal document, thought Tam grimly.

  ‘You see, if this casket is opened, it will also reveal the truth that the king has murdered and tortured so many to hide. And if Elizabeth ever reads it all his hopes of inheriting her throne will be gone forever. And I will have avenged my grandfather and my dear father’s deaths.’

  Tam wanted to know more, knew such information was vital, but before he could frame any questions, Alexander said, ‘I must leave you now, for I have people to see and I am to be up and about at dawn to join the king. He leaves Falkland at seven in the morning.’

  Tam went back to his room and closed the door. He no longer felt like sleeping. Was the missing document in the Ruthven’s possession all this time the cause of Margaret Agnew’s murder and sundry foiled attempts on Tansy and himself at Falkland?

  And was the next murder attempt to be that of King James? Was this the reason for his time-quest?

  He went over to the window. Alexander had not gone straight to bed. He was walking across the courtyard to the stables.

  A moment later he was joined by the steward Henderson and they were again in deep and earnest conversation, perhaps a continuation of what he had interrupted earlier. Whatever the context, Henderson was not happy about it. He shook his head as if in ignorance or protest whereupon Alexander gripped his arm and adopted an almost threatening attitude. At last some compromise seemed to have been reached and the two returned indoors.

  Tam slept badly and awoke early, in time to hear horses in the courtyard and see Alexander ride out with Henderson at his side. Going downstairs, he met John who sighed and repeated what Alexander had told him. He had been invited to hunt with the king but, alas, would be giving his sermon this morning.

  Showing no desire to linger, and mentioning as an excuse that he still had final notes to prepare, he left Tam to break his fast alone in the dining-room, served by two silent but attentive maids.

  Thanking them, Tam went outside wondering how he was going to fill in the day. Irked once again by having so little to do, he walked down to the river and decided that he might take refuge in his favourite pastime, as the fishing promised to be excellent on such a day.

  As he sat for a while by the riverbank before returning to the house, he wondered whether Alexander would manage to persuade the king about the treasure awaiting him. If Alexander’s scheme was successful and King James arrived at Gowrie House, then Tam decided to make himself invisible. He had no wish for any further encounters with the lustful king or for a royal command which would enrol him as a victim of the Royal Bedchamber.

  Hopefully he told himself that the king was most probably fickle where young men’s affections were concerned and by now had forgotten the existence of Tam Eildor.

  That alas, was not so. At the royal hunt not only was treasure in the form of a casket of letters being whispered in the king’s ear but also the mention of one Tam Eildor.

  Now conveniently downgraded by the Master of Ruthven from “dear friend and honoured guest” to “our honest steward”, Tam was to provide the final lure for the amorous king.

  Chapter Twenty

  The royal hunt was in progress and the prize, a fine buck, was leading the huntsmen and Alexander Ruthven a merry dance. In vain Ruthven was urging King James to proceed with all possible speed to Gowrie House where the man he had found with the treasure that His Grace longed to possess was being kept chained in a secret room, awaiting His Grace’s interrogation.

  The hunt had lasted four hours, from seven until eleven, far longer than Alexander had expected and when at last the buck, sensing its doom, returned to its own territory they were back almost at the royal stables.

  Again stressing the urgency of returning to Gowrie, Alexander found the king reluctant to leave before his personal ceremonial butchery of the buck. The moment which ended with James being up to his elbows in its blood was his particular and most anticipated delight of a successful hunt.

  ‘The treasure, Sire. I entreat you.’ Alexander’s whispered reminder at his side.

  James frowned, looked at the waiting huntsman. There would be other fine bucks, perhaps not as splendid as this, but the chance of capturing the treasure awaiting him at Gowrie House was urgent and might not come again.

  So, grudgingly he made his choice. He would leave immediately without even changing his horse, exhausted as were the other beasts by the long morning’s hunt.

  ‘We will accompany you,’ he told Alexander, gesturing towards Lennox and the Earl of Mar.

  Alexander panicked. ‘Sire, it is meet that Your Grace come alone.’

  James sharply demanded why, to which Alexander conceded that he might make an exception for His Grace’s royal cousin, Sir John Erskine, keeper of Stirling Castle and guardian of Prince Henry in the royal nursery, plus one or two servants.

  At the king’s doubtful expression, Alexander bowed and whispered that too many noble lords who were present with him at the hunt might mar the whole purpose of the visit.

  When James somewhat reluctantly agreed Alexander, with a sigh of relief, bowed again.

  A short distance away, just out of earshot, Lennox and Mar, who had been observing young Ruthven’s frantic behaviour during the hunt and at this short interview with the king, marvelled at James’s obvious excitement.

  Lennox shook his head. Whatever the two were discussing it had to be strong indeed for James to relinquish the climax of morning’s exhausting hunt and the garroching of the buck, the quarry that had eluded them for several hours.

  Riding alongside, James leaned over and whispered confidentially, ‘Ye canna guess, Vicky man, what errand we are riding for. We are to get a treasure in Perth.’

  He then told Lennox the story that had been carefully prepared for those not in the plot. Last night in the fields around Perth, Alexander had come upon a rough base-like fellow. This stranger had had his cloak drawn up to his mouth and faltered in answering young Ruthven’s questions.

  He behaved so suspiciously that Ruthven began to look at him more closely and saw there was something hidden under his cloak. Dragging it aside he saw a great wide pot under the man’s arm, full of coined gold in great pieces and, taking the man back secretly to Gowrie House, he chained and locked him in a safe and private room.

  Then aware that the coins might be treasure trove he set out to Falkland at four in the morning to inform the king.

  ‘What d’ye think o’ that?’ James demanded

  A pack of lies from beginning to end, was what Lennox would have liked to say. And James, so normally astute, must be out of his wits to believe it. But he had a suspicion there was more, much more in this little tale than he was being told.

  So in reply to James’s question, he did what he always did best. When in doubt, bow, his smile and slight inclination of the head to be taken as agreement.

  James put a finger to his lips. ‘Ye’re to tell no one, Vicky,’ he warned. ‘Aboot this treasure, no’ even the breath o’ it. D’ye understand?’

  Again Lennox inclined his head, but he wanted to know more.

  ‘Foreign gold, is it, sire?’ he asked, his curiosity tinged with caution for he prided himself on being was somewhat less vulnerable than his royal cousin, whose soul leaped at the first whiff of gold.

&
nbsp; James laughed. ‘No’ gold exactly, no’ in so many words, ye ken. But a treasure, aye, Vicky. The greatest treasure in the world to us,’ he added solemnly. ‘If we get this one which we have long sought then all our troubles, over the succession and sichlike, will be resolved. Now, what think ye o’ that, Vicky?’

  Considering young Ruthven’s odd behaviour during the hunt, his wild dashing hither and thither and scowling at everyone, Lennox now was forced to the conclusion that Ruthven was not the only one out of his wits that morning.

  Trying to sound casual, he asked lightly, ‘What greater treasure is there, sire, if not gold?’

  ‘Ye’re no’ listening to what we are telling ye, once again, Vicky,’ said James shortly and frowning he asked anxiously, ‘Ruthven wishes the matter to be kept a close secret.’ Pausing, he added, ‘Think ye that the lad is discreet?’

  James was a worried man. Lennox detected the note of caution and judging by the odd and erratic behaviour he had witnessed that morning alone, he would not have personally placed a substantial wager on discretion as one of Alexander Ruthven’s overwhelming virtues.

  As for the treasure story, it was preposterous. But if James wished to believe it then who was he to incur his royal cousin’s wrath by putting up a convincing argument against it. So choosing his words carefully, he said, ‘I believe Ruthven to be a discreet and honest gentleman.’

  ‘Ye do, eh, Vicky? But can he keep a secret?’ Without waiting for the reply which Lennox would have found extremely difficult James, removing his hat to scratch his head, added, ‘Did you hear aught strange about him?’ And pausing for a moment to look closely into his face, ‘Ye ken, in yon time you were wed to his sister?’

  ‘Sire, that was eight years ago,’ Lennox protested. ‘Alexander was but ten years old.’

  Lennox’s marriage to Sophia Ruthven had been brief indeed. She had died the following year and now happily remarried he preferred to forget, as far as James was concerned, that he had ever associated with one of the hated Ruthvens.

  Leaving the remainder of the hunt behind they progressed swiftly towards Gowrie House with Alexander still riding back and forth in the same demented fashion. At last, when the spires of Perth were in sight, he came alongside the king, drew rein, bowed and said,

  ‘Sire, have I your permission to ride ahead and announce to the Earl my brother that Your Grace is at hand?’

  Tam heard the huntsmens’ horns.

  There was no mistaking the sound that interrupted John enjoying a leisurely meal of mutton broth and fish. Having just returned an hour ago from St John’s Kirk, he was now in jubilant mood, associated with relief that the ordeal of the sermon, which had been very well received, was over.

  As for Tam, he realised that this was the first intimation of the king’s imminent arrival and that no messenger had been sent ahead as would have seemed advisable.

  Tam also decided that it was also clear from John’s agitated behaviour that he was taken completely by surprise and that Gowrie House was ill prepared for a visit from King James. He further concluded that Alexander had also failed to advise his brother of the plan he had in mind which he had put to Tam the night before.

  Summoning servants, John gave hasty instructions while listening impatiently to panic-stricken accounts of the contents of the larders. How long it would take to prepare a meal and including their reproaches that having just arrived a few days ago from Trochrie, there had been no opportunity to stock up on lavish provisions that would be expected by a royal visitor.

  As Tam listened he realised he had no excuse to leap away and hide before the king arrived. His assistance was also needed in the scene of frantic activity, moving furniture and setting a table where, as was his usual custom, the king would dine alone separated from his retainers at the far end of the hall.

  By the time King James entered, there was a semblance of normality. Apart from John, who still looked flustered and angry, his grim manner suggesting that once alone with his brother he would use harsh words for springing this particular surprise on him without even the courtesy of a messenger in advance.

  John was particularly aggrieved at his brother’s thoughtlessness, especially on his sermon morning, since Alexander knew full well that it was something of an ordeal however well prepared and that John had looked forward to enjoying the rest of the day in pleasant and tranquil pursuits.

  There was no escape for Tam. Having been warned by Alexander to expect his presence at Gowrie House, King James beamed at him across the room.

  Dismissing the customary welcome from the Earl with a vague nod, he shambled over to where Tam was standing among the serving-men.

  Tam bowed low and James put a hand on his shoulder, stroked his arm and touched his cheek fondly, much to the astonishment of the other servants. Then, turning, he regarded critically the still unfurnished hall, its unpacked trunks stacked hastily against the walls.

  Frowning, he pointed to the table set aside for him. ‘Here, Master Eildor. Sit ye down, here by us. Tell your king what news.’ And pointing to the chair opposite, waiting until Tam was seated, his raised hand a royal command that they were to be served forthwith.

  Leaning forward, he gazed intently into Tam’s face and patted his hand. ‘We await most eagerly your return to our service, Master Eildor. ‘Twill be Edinburgh this time though, not Falkland since we remove there directly.’

  Tam was thankful for that small mercy at least, trying to pretend to be unaware of hostility hovering a short distance away in the disapproving face of the Duke of Lennox who had entered at the king’s side. Normally James dined alone and the fact that he had been excluded from the royal table in favour of Tam Eildor was a personal affront.

  Lurking nearby, Lennox was aware of John Ramsay. Assured of being happily reinstated once more as James’s favourite after Eildor’s departure from Falkland, Ramsay wore a similar expression of anger for although the two had never been friends they were both united in the hope that they had seen the last of the upstart fisherman from Peebles.

  Taking the wine offered him, James dismissed the Earl with his apologies for the delay in having meat ready to put before his royal guest. Leaning forward, he dragged his chair closer to Tam and asked confidentially:

  ‘D’ye ken aught o’this man with the bag o’ gold that the Master apprehended in yon fields outside the town last night? He tells us that he brought him here secretly, bound him and locked him away in a private room, his gold with him. Aye, gold – this treasure for us to examine.’

  And listening to the story, Tam realised this was a pack of lies invented for general distribution. Alexander had never met any such man, having retired early to leave for Falkland, as he had informed Tam, at four in the morning.

  ‘We have told young Ruthven that we canna interfere in such matters. No man’s treasure that is a free and lawful subject, can appertain to the King, except hid under the earth,’ he quoted and added virtuously. ‘But the lad maintained that this wild fellow was about to do that very thing.’

  And with a shake of the royal head, ‘A tricky situation, Master Eildor, aye, verra tricky, was it no’? Ye ken, this might be foreign gold brought in for the Papist cause. We may have to go to law to sort it all out.’

  Tam wondered why he was being treated to all these confidences. With his knowledge of Alexander’s declared intention to himself, was he being set in place as alibi – or witness? Utterly confused, he wondered should he warn the king of a possible kidnap plot?

  But caution dictated the terrible results of setting such a revelation in progress. Not only for himself but, remembering James’s taste for vengeance, for the Ruthvens – and that included Tansy.

  And he comforted his conscience with the thought that Alexander dealt in fantasies that he could never hope to put in effect when it came down to practicality.

  A platter of cold meats was set before James. A not very inviting repast, thought Tam, noting James’s expression and also the fact that no repast of
any kind was set before himself.

  The implication was obvious: his favoured position had gained disapproval all round. Averting his eyes from the king stuffing cold mutton into his mouth with both fists and then wiping them on his breeches, Tam took note that although James attempted to converse with John lingering nearby, he received few direct answers.

  Indeed, John seemed very much out of sorts and whether this was the natural unease at being a rather poor host to his royal visitor or whether it had some deeper meaning was beyond Tam.

  There were other guests. Despite Alexander’s warning and instructions, James had brought fifteen retainers with him in all. Including Lennox and Mar they were seated at a board at the other end of the gallery.

  As far as Tam could see no food was coming their way either and Lennox, grown hungry and impatient, took the situation in hand.

  He came forward, bowed and whispered in his cousin’s ear.

  James turned and regarded the disconsolate group staring reproachfully in his direction.

  Motioning to John he said, ‘You are neglecting your guests, sir. Is it not time that some repast was put their way? Aye, and wine too, for hunting is thirsty work and naught has passed their lips since the early hours of this morning.’

  John bowed and looking more agitated than ever went hurriedly towards the kitchens.

  Tam looked round curiously for Alexander. He had disappeared a while ago. His continued absence worried Tam. Where was he and what was more important, what was he planning?

  Unable to leave the royal table without the king’s permission, opportunity arose when James sprang to his feet, quaffed down the rest of the wine and ambled over to the garderobe to relieve himself.

  John had returned and as he was engrossed in directing two of the servants, Tam seized the chance and went in search of Alexander.

  He found him in the Great Gallery. In earnest whispered conversation with a man in armour. A man who carried a sword and wore a dagger.