Elizabeth I Page #2

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your life has been put to the rack.

And?

And it seems likely that

the so-called Queen of Scots

has solicited Spanish

help against you

- with the blessing of the Pope.

- Likely?!

"It seems likely"? This is our cousin,

Master Walsingham.

Is she not confined by us?

Is she not under guard

at our command?

Do we have proof positive that she

was involved in this attempt?

Has the young man

named her?

She long has been the focus

of such conspiracies.

But the active agent

of such plots?

If the Spanish seek a Catholic

for the throne of England, Madam,

then the Royal Catholic cousin

of the Queen of England

would appear to be

the obvious choice.

We did not ask to be lectured

on our dangerous cousin Mary.

If we are ever inclined to forget

our dear dear cousin

then the Council can be

relied upon to remind us.

Oh, Robin.

I am set about by enemies,

and I know not who to trust.

Well, not France,

I beg you.

Hmph.

Since I know you think

I argue for myself...

You speak for your

stomach sometimes.

I'll talk self interest.

What do you imagine Monsieur

will do with me after he has your hand?

Shall I be Catholique?

Shall we all be Catholic?

The Duke's religion is a private matter,

Robin, as is yours.

I will not make windows

into men's souls.

Yet he will be your master.

Monsieur will be bound

by strict conditions.

Robin...

the only things that will kiss

in this affair

will be lawyers' pens

and lawyers' papers.

He has foul breath

they say, and a hump.

Poor England

stands alone, Robin.

Well, gentlemen...

if marriage it must be

then it must be.

Oars up.

Oh, gentlemen,

why such long faces?

Are we about a marriage

or is a funeral in prospect?

Jean de Simier, chief aide

to the Baron de St. Marc,

and chief darling

to the Duke of Anjou.

Is this what passes for charm

at the French Court?

Are you what passes

for lack of it at the English one?

- Touche.

- I bring you jewels

from the Duke

his own self.

He's in ecstasy at the thought

of your beauty.

His representative

does him little credit.

A monkey.

A most obvious

monkey.

Personally I have always found

monkeys charming, and amusing.

- And intelligent.

- Oh.

Ah, Master Davison.

Thank you, Monsieur.

Welcome, Monsieur, to our poor country...

...full of miserable protestants.

The pleasure is mine, My Lady.

This way.

I'm sure Your Majesty

appreciates that

while the Duke is most

sympathetic to your faith

it is simply not possible

for my master

to convert to

the Protestant religion.

We would not ask it of the heir

to the throne of France, Monsieur.

I do not

know you well, ma'am,

but I know you would never

make a Catholic.

You do me great honor,

Monsieur.

My master the Duke is not one

to make issue of his beliefs.

Then he and I

are well suited.

We understand the Duke

seeks an annual income of...

60,000, madam.

Which the Council

has rejected.

Are we to talk

terms here, Robin?

Or do you think to drown my marriage

prospects in "No, maybe, perhaps"?

Let us continue to talk...

...walk with me.

My master was

so eager to see you.

I said to him, "But, Sir,

the Queen is waiting."

We are ourselves somewhat anxious,

dear Sir.

So when will he arrive?

He is already

on the boat, madam.

- What?

- We have come in disguise, Your Majesty.

You?

Oh Monsieur, of course,

excuse me... no?

Monsieur?

- No.

- No?

Madam...

I wish to present

His Highness Francois,

Duke of Alencon and Anjou.

Brother of the most

Christian King,

Henry III,

King of France.

We are most pleased

to make you welcome, Monsieur.

I cannot move, madam.

I am dazzled

by your beauty.

So do you think

your queen like our master?

So.

Much hangs on the result

of our conversation.

Oh, our every glance will

be weighed and discussed.

A man and a woman were never

at less risk of being natural.

I am not even supposed

to be here, Elizabeth.

And yet...

I have never felt

more natural.

And I too.

Both of us, I fancy, have spent

so long in the glare of court gossip

that... that privacy

seems unnatural.

- Mistress Val Leseur?

- No, sir.

Lady Anne?

Where is everybody?

Where is Her Majesty?

We understand

she is at Greenwich.

She spends

much time there.

The air is good there.

- What?

- Good Air.

And why are you

not with her?

That is indeed

a very good question.

My Lord?

I think it may be that...

Simier's Master

has arrived.

Anjou?

At Greenwich?

The Queen

is ready to be wooed.

Why should he not

be here, my lord?

Is it any

concern of yours?

You know my concern,

Lord Burghley.

I counsel

out of love for her.

This marriage

will not go.

Her heart

will be broken.

Not yours.

Or his, if he had one.

Personally I never

cared for the Dutch.

I find them common.

But you came to their aid.

They are a nation

of shoemakers, ma'am.

But I would rather have

them than the Spanish.

Ugh.

And besides,

they are Protestant...

and I have this weakness

for Protestants.

Does it extend to becoming

a Protestant yourself?

My Catholic relations

are far worse than yours.

They keep trying

to kill me.

- Mary, Queen of Scots.

- Ah.

You charming

French Cousin.

When she was betrothed

to my elder brother Francis

who was to be

the King of France,

it seemed most romantic.

But of course

Mary was only five.

Poor little thing.

She was Queen of France after all!

Queen of France,

then Queen of Scotland

and now...

she's nothing.

The park's deserted.

Empty of Frenchmen.

The duller for it then.

Why did you hide it

from me, Bess?

Can I not keep my counsel

if I choose?

Am I bound to you, sir?

If you cannot read my silence

then you are nothing.

So what manner of man

is this Duke d'Anjou?

Hmm?

- He is personable.

- Oh.

We like him well.

So you'll help him

retake the Netherlands?

Can you not

wish me happy, Robin?

Would my contentment

be such a burden to you?

I swear, I did not think it

would ever be granted me,

but these

last few weeks l...

- I cannot lie to you, madam.

- There's a new failing in you.

This marriage must not be.

When we were young and fair,

and favor graced us,

I sought you for my wife.

But you spurned me.

You said "Go.

Go seek some otherwhere.

Importune me no more."

And now...

And now?

Now would you bid me

hide a passion...

when a passion's caught me?

Me.

Late fruit of the tree,

a breath away from withering.

I pray you do not work on your brothers

in the council in this matter.

That is my stern command.

I am not allowed

to dance with her.

I understand, I am not yet

one of her intimates.

But this?

Is this still necessary?

Am I to go out in a veil

like a Saracen's wife?

Officially, Monsieur,

you are not here.

Unfortunately the Earl of Leicester

is not the only Protestant...

...in this miserable country.

Does the fellow

not dance?

The Court watches us

too closely.

How many hours

you and I...

...Have wasted dancing.

- Don't say wasted, Bess.

Each dance was worth

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