Beaded with pleasure in every seam,

And furred to charm the dead.

If she’d just wear this dress I mean,

I swear upon my soul,

That she could not wear grey or green,

That showed her half as whole.

ISABELLA. You’re welcome, you’re welcome.

ISABELLA is greeting people as they enter the tent, getting them wine.

You are all here because you’re friends to this family, you’ll eat with us, you’ll drink with us…

ALISDAIR. You’ll make war with us!

MURDAC moves away.

Dad?

ISABELLA. Never mind him.

ISABELLA and the Stewart boys are moving amongst their guests, giving them drink.

Take a drink. You’re with us.

Take a drink to show you’re with us.

GUARDS have entered. MURDAC nods at them and steps clear to allow them to creep up on the tent.

WALTER. If you’re ready to stand with this family against the King, raise your glass. Santé?

Everyone cheers ‘Santé!’

GUARD. In the name of King James – Walter, Alisdair and James Stewart, you are under arrest.

The GUARDS charge into the tent and go for them.

A fight.

ISABELLA. Get off them! Leave them! Leave my boys!

ISABELLA draws her weapon, screaming as she goes for the GUARDS. MURDAC pulls her off and disarms her.

What are you doing!?

Walter! Alisdair!

ALISDAIR. Run, Big James. Run!

ALISDAIR and WALTER are captured. BIG JAMES gets away. The GUARDS are restraining ALISDAIR and WALTER. They are dragged off.

A GUARD hands MURDAC a ring.

GUARD. The King sends you this ring as a token of his gratitude and of the oath between you.

The GUARD exits.

ISABELLA (to MURDAC). What have you done!?

What have you done to us!

MURDAC. What I thought best to do.

ISABELLA. I set you aside!

You’re not my husband! Do you hear me?

He turns away from her.

I don’t even want your name! When I see you next I will kill you, Murdac Stewart! Do you hear me? I will kill you and your pet King!

MURDAC exits. BALVENIE and other SCOTTISH LORDS and LADIES are still just watching, shocked and uncertain. ISABELLA turns on them all, daring them to intervene.

What are you all looking at? Take your eyes to the ground.

You do not look at this, you do not.

ISABELLA exits.

LORD. Is it war now? Is that what’s happening?

BALVENIE. I don’t know.

LORD. I need to go home. I need to stand on my own land, with my own family.

The LORDS and LADIES exit in all directions. BALVENIE goes to exit but BIG JAMES steps out of hiding and puts a knife to his throat.

BIG JAMES. Quiet, old man, quiet… they’ll be searching the bushes and the fields for me, the kitchens and the kirk. Look me in the eye…

He releases BALVENIE so he can do so.

I need to see the truth.

You know I could kill you.

BALVENIE. Yes.

BIG JAMES. You know I would kill you, if it suited me.