RAMSAY. I could find the musicians.

MARGARET. You could find the Privy Counsellors.

JAMES. Oh, funny.

(Calling.) Cochrane, Sandy! Stop that, my party, my games. Come over here.

They do so.

Make yourself comfortable, come on. You need to help me out. There’s an awful lot of talking going on in that parliament of mine.

SANDY. Well, whose fault’s that?

JAMES. Sorry?

SANDY. Can I just ask you something? What the hell is so special about Amiens? That’s the third time you’ve been banging away at us, trying to get money for that expedition. (Won’t happen, by the way.) What’s at Amiens?

JAMES. You’ve been.

SANDY. Aye, that’s why I’m asking!

COCHRANE (as if it’s obvious). The cathedral, man!

SANDY. You want to go and look at the cathedral? What for?

COCHRANE. Inspiration.

JAMES. Cochrane and I are planning a cathedral for Scotland.

SANDY. Sixty thousand pounds’ worth of inspiration, eh? Great.

JAMES. Anyway, I thought we could have our own debate.

MARGARET. James, it’s too hot for arguments.

JAMES. Not argument. Debate. About love.

SANDY. What?

JAMES. You’ll have heard of it, Sandy, I’m sure.

What is the highest form of love?

SANDY. We know that. We’re taught that…

JAMES. Leaving God out of it. Just this once. The highest form of earthly love. Is it the love required by duty? A child’s love for its father, maybe.

The love you can’t help. Slicing through you like lightning.

RAMSAY (abrupt). Yes.

The love that…

When you can’t help it. It takes you over.

RAMSAY is instantly deeply embarrassed.

JAMES. Well, Ramsay has voted.

Cochrane?

COCHRANE. I’m not playing your games, King James. I know your games.

JAMES. Going to have to press you, Cochrane.

COCHRANE. I love my work. What can I tell you?

JAMES. So, the King’s service? Is that work?

COCHRANE. Never that.

MARGARET is getting up.

JAMES. Margaret? Where are you going?

MARGARET. I’m bored with this game.

JAMES. You haven’t played it yet.

If you had to choose, Margaret. The love of a mother for a child or a woman for her lover, which is best?

MARGARET. The one that doesn’t ask you to choose.

JAMES. Oh! Good answer! Jamie? Same question.

JAMIE. I… I don’t understand the question.

JAMES. And I thought we were buying you a decent education. Brother Sandy!

SANDY. Yes?

JAMES. Do we believe in brotherly love, Sandy? Brother Alexander?

SANDY. Well, I hope we do!

JAMES. So do I. So do I.

Where are we putting it? Above the love for a father?

SANDY. Ooooh… Same?

JAMES. Alright… above the love for a child?

SANDY. Eh… same again, maybe a wee bit lower.

JAMES. A man for his lover?

SANDY. Oh, higher than that. For sure.