Johnnie sat in his rowing boat on the little lake at the bottom of the garden, a news-sheet spread before him, his coat turned up around his ears against the sharp frost. He was reading one of the many royalist papers that spread a mixture of good cheer and open lies in an effort to keep the king’s cause alive, even while he squabbled with his Scots hosts at Newcastle. This edition assured the reader that the king in his wisdom was forging an agreement which would convert the Scots from their stubborn determination never to accept the English prayer book or the English system of bishops. As soon as the Scots had agreed they would then sweep down through England, return the king to his throne and all would be well again.

Johnnie looked up and saw his father coming through the orchard. John waved and walked to the bank where a little pier stretched into the water.

‘You must be freezing,’ John remarked.

‘A bit,’ Johnnie said. ‘This can’t be right. The Scots aren’t likely to surrender all they believe in when they have all but won the war. They aren’t likely to start fighting for the king against Parliament when they’ve been allies with Parliament for the last few years.’

‘No,’ John said briefly. ‘You bought the paper. What did you think it would tell you: the truth?’

‘I just want to know!’ Johnnie sat up abruptly and the boat rocked. ‘He has no chance, has he?’

John shook his head. ‘What your paper doesn’t tell you is that they’ve refused to take him to Edinburgh unless he too signs their covenant, against Laud’s prayer book and against the bishops. Of course he can’t sign. He’s just turned the kingdom upside down to try and make us do it his way. But the Scots are going back to Scotland, and they don’t know what to do with him. Nobody knows why he went to them in the first place. There was never any chance of an agreement. They’ll send him to Parliament.’

Johnnie went pale. ‘Betray him to his enemies?’

‘He’s with his enemies already but he wouldn’t see it,’ John said bluntly. ‘The Scots and Parliament have been allies since the war started. Of course they would work on him to try and make a peace. Of course if he won’t bend they have to hand him over.’

‘What will he do?’ Johnnie asked, anguished.

John shook his head. ‘He must surrender and accept the terms Parliament imposes. Parliament and the army have defeated him. He has to give up.’