Behind him entered Mary Seyton.




CHAPTER V

At the time appointed the queen was ready: she had suffered so much at
Edinburgh that she left it without any regret. Besides, whether to spare
her the humiliations of the day before, or to conceal her departure from
any partisans who might remain to her, a litter had been made ready.
Mary got into it without any resistance, and after two hours' journey she
reached Duddington; there a little vessel was waiting for her, which set
sail directly she was on board, and next day at dawn she disembarked on
the other side of the Firth of Forth in the county of Fife.

Mary halted at Rosythe Castle only just long enough to breakfast, and
immediately recommenced her journey; for Lord Lindsay had declared that
he wished to reach his destination that same evening. Indeed, as the sun
was setting, Mary perceived gilded with his last rays the high towers of
Lochleven Castle, situated on an islet in the midst of the lake of the
same name.

No doubt the royal prisoner was already expected at Lochleven Castle,
for, on reaching the lake side, Lord Lindsay's equerry unfurled his
banner, which till then had remained in its case, and waved it from right
to left, while his master blew a little hunting bugle which he wore
hanging from his neck. A boat immediately put off from the island and
came towards the arrivals, set in motion by four vigorous oarsmen, who
had soon propelled it across the space which separated it from the bank.