Chapter 32

Following the visit by the Scottish envoy, the Earl of Leicester made his decision in secret almost without hesitation.

The Scotsman was right in a sense; the bond between Elizabeth and him was his greatest asset in maintaining his position in the English court, and he couldn't afford to lose sight of the bigger picture for the sake of a small gain.

The risk of becoming King of Scotland was too great; he had to deviate from the marriage arranged for him by Queen Elizabeth and find a way out of this political maze!

The Earl of Leicester plotted with the Scottish envoy and the young and ambitious Lord Darnley, and together they planned a hunting trip, after which they would secretly put Lord Darnley on a carriage bound for Scotland.

Lord Darnley was overjoyed and even forgot to follow etiquette in bidding them farewell, saying only that when he became King of Scotland, he would never forget these two friends who had helped him and would reward them with many benefits.

In the sweltering summer forest, the Earl of Leicester and Melville, mounted on horseback, stood together by the roadside, watching the carriage depart.

As soon as the carriage disappeared from the road, the Earl of Leicester chuckled and said curiously, "Mr. Melville, your Queen has asked you to bring such a man back to be your husband. Aren't you afraid of being harmed in return? Be careful that he doesn't use the King's name to usurp your Queen's ruling power and swagger around in Scotland."

"To say such a thing only shows that you don't know our Queen Mary well enough..." Melville said with a smile, making the sign of the cross on his chest, sincerely thanking God for giving Scotland such a king, "...Our Queen is far more wise and powerful than her fathers and ancestors, just like Isabella I of Spain, a born ruler who can win everyone's sincere submission with her charm."

“Yes, I completely believe that. After all, the Queen of Scots was a stunning beauty who became famous in the French court for her looks and artistic talent from the age of fifteen,” the Earl of Leicester said dismissively.

He simply took it as a Scotsman flattering his monarch.

Although the Earl of Leicester was reluctant to admit it, in terms of political ability and governing talent, Elizabeth was the most formidable of all the kings he had ever seen, far surpassing the previous monarchs of England.

Compared to that, what is the Queen of Scots?

...

Upon returning to London, the two faced together the raging fury of Queen Elizabeth I.

The Queen was furious because her entire plan had been disrupted, and Scotland had gotten what she wanted, leaving England with her desired husband. What was most unbearable was that the one who had betrayed her was none other than her lover, the Earl of Leicester, whom she had been so devoted to!

Despite the presence of outsiders, Elizabeth I flew into a rage, berated the Earl of Leicester, stripped him of his current court position, and barred him from entering the palace to see her for the time being. Melville, on the other hand, escaped unscathed because of his status as a Scottish envoy.

Then, having just escaped from Whitehall Palace back to his temporary residence, Melville had barely had time to catch his breath when he heard from his servant that Spanish envoys had come to his door!

Without a doubt, the sharp-eyed Spaniards must have come looking for the engagement at this time of year!

Upon hearing the news, Melville, who was lying in bed, couldn't help but cover his face with his hands, curse, and then, in a fit of rage, scrambled out of bed, put his hat back on, and headed to the drawing room.

The Spanish envoy was furious.

"This is not what we agreed on! I was writing to His Majesty just a few days ago to discuss the marriage with Scotland, and you turn around and bring here a greenhorn, wanting him to marry your Queen! Where does Scotland place Spain?" the Spanish envoy said, waving his arms.

Knowing exactly what attitude to adopt at this moment, Melville sneered and said defiantly, "He proposed the marriage alliance first, but I haven't received a clear response from Spain. Isn't this just making a fool of us? Please tell the Spanish Emperor that our Queen of Scotland can't wait forever for your Spanish Crown Prince to pick and choose. If His Highness Carlos is not willing, Scotland certainly has the right to choose someone else."

"A third-rate lord dares to compare himself to the future King of Spain? If you Scots have any smart people, you should consider how powerful Spain is. If Mary, the Queen, wants to marry well and then use her husband's country to defeat England, she should be more patient!" the Spanish ambassador said sarcastically.

Aside from irreconcilable enemies, no one would want to avoid a marriage alliance with a first-rate power like Spain. This is why Philip II dared to keep dragging things out, wavering between Princess Margaret of France, Anna of Austria, and the Queen of Scots.

"Please also convey to the King of Spain that if he truly wants to arrange a good marriage for his son, he should be more decisive instead of hesitating! While Spain may be powerful, our Queen of Scotland has the first right of succession to the English throne!" Melville said angrily.

Instantly, the two were on the verge of exchanging blows, glaring at each other with neither willing to back down!

After a long while, Melville stepped back and said helplessly, "Sir, I understand your duty, but our Queen Mary will definitely choose her husband this year. Please write to the King of Spain and ask Lord Darnley to go to Scotland for a preliminary investigation. She has not yet made a final decision to marry him."

"And what happens after the inspection?" the Spanish envoy asked somberly.

"After the investigation, it will be the Queen's decision, not something a mere envoy like myself can decide. But before that, if Spain also sends someone over, who knows which person our Queen will choose?" Melville said, avoiding the main point.

“Alright, I understand,” the Spanish envoy said reluctantly.

...

As expected of my Foreign Secretary, Mary smiled slightly when she saw Lord Darnley alighting from his carriage, and then politely welcomed her cousin to Scotland.

Mary had been staying in Scotland and was unaware of the intricate schemes and plots that London had been involved in; she would have to wait until Melville returned to explain them to her in detail.

All she knew was that her Foreign Secretary, despite the pressure from Queen Elizabeth, had successfully completed the task she had given him, and had done so flawlessly and brilliantly!

In order to maintain the image of the nobility and royalty, some things must be discussed intensely in private, but must be kept very subtle on the surface, such as marriage proposals.

Having a deep understanding of the essence of the matter, Lord Darnley moved into Holyrood Palace in Scotland as a relative of the Queen. However, he did not rashly approach Mary to discuss marriage. Instead, he first tried to understand the situation in Scotland and worked hard to appease all the forces at the same time to eliminate their hostility.

His efforts filled his day to the brim, leaving almost no time for anything else.

Maitland, a close confidante of the Queen, and her secretary, David Leejo—Lord Darnley went to join them on horseback hunting, drinking, and chatting.

Lord Darnley, the Earl of Maurice who is still in regent, warmly accompanied him to a Protestant Mass and excitedly expressed his intention to convert.

Lord Randolph Darnley, the British envoy serving Elizabeth, reserved his lunch break for this man and at the table lavishly praised Queen Elizabeth's kindness and intelligence.

The real Queen Mary and her ladies-in-waiting—Lord Darnley, who was determined to please the Queen, reserved the most important dinners and after-dinner banquets here, dining with Mary every night without fail, and afterwards discussing art, music, and dancing, all according to Mary's preferences.

In short, I didn't offend anyone, and I was very friendly with everyone.

After Mary secretly investigated Lord Darnley's schedule, she couldn't help but admire him as a master of time management!

...

Since the guests were so hospitable, Mary, as the hostess, certainly couldn't let them down and had to reciprocate with even greater hospitality.

Mary knew exactly what to do. Although news of her impending marriage had spread throughout Europe, she never mentioned it once in front of Lord Darnley. Even when he brought it up, she would subtly and tactfully indicate that she had not yet made up her mind and was still considering who she could be more like-minded, share common interests, and be a good candidate to entrust her life to.

At such times, Lord Darnley would shudder and become even more excited, inviting the Queen to various forms of court entertainment.

Mary would happily accept the invitation, and at the same time bring along her good brother, Earl Morley, ostensibly to strengthen the bonds between relatives.

Earl Morley, who had no desire to have a queen on his head followed by a king, grew increasingly gloomy each day.

After this period of time lasted for about two or three months, several large Spanish ships and one Italian ship stopped in a Scottish port on the same day.

—The Crown Prince of Spain, Don Carlos, and the Duke of Ferrara of Italy both came to Scotland.

—They were also visiting Scotland, or rather, they were there to propose to the Queen.

...

Mary, who had just finished dancing with Lord Darnley, sat on the throne in the hall and could hardly believe her ears when she heard the traditional message from the messenger on horseback.

It's one thing for the Duke of Ferrara of Italy to come here, but the Crown Prince of Spain has also come to Scotland?

"It is absolutely true, Your Majesty. Those ships all fly the coat of arms of the Spanish royal family and are guarded by a well-disciplined army and powerful cannons. Apart from Spain, there is no other naval force like that in all of Europe. I was even fortunate enough to enter the cabin and meet His Highness Don Carlos. He was dressed in magnificent clothes and had an arrogant demeanor. The maids around him were all incredibly beautiful. After inquiring about my official rank, he ordered me to come and report to you immediately that he had come to visit you," the messenger said.

Three suitors gathered in a palace.

This is truly a gathering of stars.