Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/479

 EXPULSION OF MENDOZA. 463 lease. Thus much at least she had a right to expect from him, and again his professions were most warm. But the same subtle influence was at work to persuade him that so long as her life was in no danger ' for that would touch his honour ' it would be more convenient 'that she should remain in captivity some years longer.' If she was free, she would disturb Scotland, and per- haps take the crown from him ; perhaps, also, ' she might marry again, being still of an age to bear children.' Coming to him as this information did from Sir Robert Melville and other of the Queen of Scots' best friends, Fontenay had not been able to discredit it ; he had therefore asked James frankly, how much of it was true ; whether it was possible that he meant, after all, to forsake his mother and sell himself to the false Englishwoman. James had given him a sharp answer, saying he would take good care of his mother, but * bidding Fontenay be less curious in matters which did not concern him. It was equivalent to a confession. Fontenay discovered that an intrigue of some kind with England was undoubtedly going forward. The King, it was likely, really would marry Elizabeth if she would have him, and, at any rate, had a most dangerous in- clination towards an alliance with her. lie pretended that he was deceiving her. But he had recently enter- tained Davison, the English ambassador, at a banquet in Edinburgh Castle ; and Fontenay, who was present, told Mary Stuart he had seen noblemen, pretending to be her friends, contending for the honour of kissing the