Matt Ford

Darnley fixes him, uncertain.

The man flips the coin, offers a toothy grin.

She could be off her throne before these even go into circulation.

Darnley feels himself straightened as his father's face fills his head again.

He cannot let Mary humiliate him, reduce him, but is he really willing to keep his crown by stripping Mary of hers?

That night, the Queen's Chamber, Holyrood Palace.

Mary watches, stomach churning, as Darnley plunges a dagger into her secretary's limp, blood-soaked body, then stand back and offer a sickening smile to the rebel lords that surround them.

So now Mary's watching her husband unexpectedly stab her secretary.

He's an Italian man.

Good looking, by all accounts.

Okay.

And obviously what Darnley's trying to do is make out that Mary has been tonking the secretary.

Completely fictitious.

What is fact is that in fact Darnley had been tonking this secretary.

That's right.

Mary moves her gaze to one of the Lords as he addresses Darnley.

You watch her.

We'll rally reinforcements, Your Majesty.

Mary trembles as the rest of the nobles charge from the room, knives raised.

Mary squeezes her eyes shut, forcing down panic.