JAMES. Higher than you’d put your love for any creature that gripped you under the sheets. You love me more than that?

SANDY. You know I do!

JAMES. So have you betrayed many of your lovers?

SANDY. Eh?

JAMES. Cheated them? Lied to them? Conspired to have them killed, maybe?

SANDY. What…

JAMES (driving over him). Because I’ve got a strong suspicion you might be plotting all that against me, Sandy.

SANDY. No!

JAMES. No? You speak against me in parliament. You’ve got a very cosy little gang there with all your neighbours. What else are you all talking about when you’re not shouting me down?

SANDY. What lies have you been listening to?

JAMES. You know what? I don’t even like you, Sandy, never did.

COCHRANE. James… this isn’t the time.

SANDY (to COCHRANE). Oh, so this is your doing, is it?

(To JAMES.) If you’ve let the likes of him fill your head with poison there’s nothing more to say, is there? You think I’m a traitor.

JAMES. I know you are, Sandy. And what’s more, I bet I’ll have the proof of it soon.

SANDY. Well… once you get an idea in your head there’s no shifting it, is there? I’ll need to go…

(To MARGARET.) Sorry, Margaret.

MARGARET. No, Sandy, just wait…

James! Come on! What has he done?

JAMES. You think I don’t know my own brother?

SANDY. See you next time, Jamie.

SANDY exits. JAMES shouts after him.

JAMES. Traitor!

JAMIE. It’s not true!

MARGARET. Jamie!

JAMIE. He’s not a traitor!

JAMES goes to hit him. MARGARET restrains JAMES, furious.

MARGARET. Stop it! Don’t you dare hit him!

JAMES turns on her, terrifyingly angry.

JAMES. Get your hands off me!!

Everyone is shocked, JAMES is lost in himself, trying to hold it together, breathless with rage.

COCHRANE (to MARGARET, gentle). Leave him. It’s alright. You just need to know how to handle him.

JAMES is still really agitated, holding it in. COCHRANE goes to him, speaking quietly.

That’s enough, you’ve done enough, just… let it cool down now.

JAMES. Fuck off, Cochrane.

COCHRANE. So I will if you don’t look me in the eye and remember yourself. Come on. You don’t want to let this out. You want to keep yourself together.

JAMES. I’m fine.

COCHRANE. You’re great. You said your piece. You’ve told him you know what he’s up to.

JAMIE. Don’t kill him! You can’t kill him!

JAMES. Actually, you know I can. Being the King.

MARGARET. Stop it, James!

MARGARET has pulled JAMIE to her.

JAMES. Choices, Margaret. It’s all about choices.

(To COCHRANE.) Let’s go and see if there’s any of the good stuff left up in our room, shall we?

Ramsay, find the musicians.

JAMES and COCHRANE exit.