Phemy is fifteen years old and she thinks a new dress is life’s greatest thrill.

I have three living sons. Men I made.

I have my work.

You think I’d risk that just because I’m shaking at the thought of touching you? In a few months I won’t even remember what that felt like.

JOHN. You’re still sleeping with him.

MARGARET. I’m sleeping alone. And I’m fine.

JOHN. I don’t believe you. He has Scotland. He has you. He doesn’t value either of you. He doesn’t deserve either of you.

MARGARET. He’s the King.

A pause. JOHN is processing all of this, getting more and more angry.

The hawks might get these chicks if I don’t find them…

Will you help me look?

JOHN. There’s plague in the south again. They’ve closed the gates at Berwick. Just south of the border I saw cows howling in the byre with no one to milk them and children pulling at dead arms that’ll never lift them again.

God can take our lives in an hour, in a minute… and here you are, watching years pass, waiting. What are you waiting for, Margaret?

MARGARET. I’m not waiting at all.

JOHN. Nor am I.

We’re gathering. In Edinburgh.

MARGARET. We?

JOHN. All the men who love Scotland.

And all the men that can be called to bear arms.

MARGARET. An army.

JOHN. I want to do this without blood, Margaret. I want you beside me.

MARGARET. Oh, I see, I see…

JOHN. What?

MARGARET. There’s more than one reason to want to take a queen to bed, isn’t there?

A beat.

JOHN. Yes. More than one reason. But they’re all good reasons.

MARGARET. Were you planning on killing him before or after we had our night of passion? I’m glad marriage is on the table though. You’d need to marry me, wouldn’t you?

JOHN. It needn’t come to killing.

But you want what I want.

MARGARET. I just told you I didn’t.

JOHN. And I’m telling you I don’t believe you. You say you’ve looked in your own eyes. Well, I’m looking in them now and I know what I see.

MARGARET. You see what you want to see.

ANNABELLA is back on.

ANNABELLA. Are you needing us, Queen Margaret?

JOHN. Did she call you?

ANNABELLA. We’ve got them all. I held them all safe in my skirt, every one. Now let’s go inside.

JAMIE enters with an armed GUARD on either side of him.

JAMIE. Mum? Lord John says I should go to Edinburgh and talk to the parliament. What do you think? I think he’s right, it’ll be my parliament one day.

MARGARET (to JOHN). What have you told him?

JOHN. What he says. That he should come and talk to the parliament that’ll be his one day.