JAMES. You’re upset!

Christ, I’m sorry… stay… please stay. What’s wrong? Let me…

JOAN. My lord! You’re the King! Don’t chase me!

You shouldn’t…!

She breaks off in exasperation. She drops into a curtsey.

(Toneless.) I beg your pardon, Your Majesty. I’m feeling unwell, do I have your permission to leave your royal presence?

JAMES. No, no, stay please…

He takes the onions from her and puts them back on the table.

Well, if you’re unwell…

I’m sorry. I’m sorry you’re not well.

JOAN. This is a poor country. A poor, poor country.

JOAN exits.

JAMES stands looking after her, completely bereft.

ISABELLA. I don’t know what her problem is. I offered her my wine.

JAMES. Fine. We’ll do this here and now.

(Turns to MURDAC.) There’s a woman over by the palace gate you should go and see. She lives on your land. On your son Walter’s land. She came to petition me for justice.

ISABELLA. The cheeky bissum!

JAMES. Go and see her.

ISABELLA. We’re not running off to talk to some woman with a grudge on my son…

JAMES. It’s only a step outside. Go and hear her story.

(To MURDAC.) This is your business, your family’s business.

MURDAC hesitates.

ISABELLA. Don’t do it, Murdac, you’re in the middle of your lunch.

JAMES. Go and look.

MURDAC exits.

ISABELLA. What woman’s this?

MEG (quiet to JAMES). Should I go after the Queen?

ISABELLA. Walter? What woman is he talking about?

JAMES (to WALTER). You tortured her.

WALTER. I never did!

JAMES. You nailed horseshoes to her hands and feet.

ISABELLA. Oh, someone’s making up stories!

WALTER (realises). Oh, her. Aye, but she was just an old biddy who keeps her cows on my land.

JAMES. On her land. Separated from yours and her grazing all her life.

WALTER. Like I said. She was just an old cow-wife.

JAMES. You broke her ditches down.

WALTER. You’re not really going to make this fuss over a cow-wife, are you?

JAMES. While I am King, while I am King, the key will keep the lock and the broom bush will keep the cow and no man, no man, will stand above that law. You can read the law. You can read it in Latin and tell me it back in French. So keep it.

WALTER. Or?

MURDAC is back on. He is shaken. He speaks to ISABELLA.

MURDAC. It’s Ada Stewart, from Blairgowrie. He’s crippled her.

WALTER. Och, she wouldny shut up! Scolding me like I was a bairn.

ISABELLA. She’s known you since you were a bairn, Walter!

WALTER. She was scolding me!

JAMES. She came to him, her lord, the man who owed her protection.

She asked for justice. He had her held down and shoed her like a horse.

WALTER. It shut her up. I’ll tell you that.

JAMES. You pay her restitution or I’ll give her every field of yours that touches hers.

WALTER. Oh, you’ve got your eyes on my land, you greedy wee monarch.