Crown in Darkness

northern kingdom was the greatest threat to his realm. A hostile Scotland could bring war and devastation to England's northern shires with their long exposed borders and vulnerable coastlines. In 1278 Edward tried to force Alexander to concede that the English king was his overlord. Alexander refused and publicly insulted Edward, who never forgave or forgot such a gesture. Nevertheless, the English king was patient. He had worked too hard to lose Scotland, sacrificing his own dear sister to gain it only to see his nephews, Alexander's sons, die in mysterious circumstances. Edward-had often wondered, in Benstede's company, if the boys had actually been killed by the French or factions hostile to England. Nonetheless, Edward was satisfied that the Scottish king was childless for if he died without an heir Edward would advance his claims by arranging a marriage between his own baby son and Margaret, the Maid of Norway, and so the English king's writ would run from Cornwall to the northernmost tip of Scodand. There would be no more raids, no more wars along the northern march, no danger of a foreign king or prince using Scodand as a postern-gate into England.
    Edward hoped this would happen but Alexander and the interfering, conniving King Phillip of France proved they wished to change all this. English spies in Scodand reported an increase in envoys from Paris and the English were horrified to learn that Philip had managed to persuade Alexander to marry the spoilt bitch Yolande. Edward, fearing the worst, immediately despatched Benstede to Scodand to see what might happen. At first, Benstede believed he could do nothing but simply watch and report to his master: he had considered a secret alliance between Edward and the Bruce faction but realised that, ambitious as the Bruces were, they would never plot against the Scottish king just to hand the crown to Edward. Consequendy, Benstede diverted his attention to Alexander III and his new queen and hardly believed his good fortune to discover that relations between the king and his new bride were far from harmonious. Benstede would have let matters stay like that, or even secretively encouraged the Scottish King's break from his wife, helping him to obtain a decree of divorce from the Pope on grounds of non-consummation. That would have taken years. The Pope was in the hands of the French and would not quickly allow an annulment which would certainly insult the French court. Yet, once again, Alexander had moved quickly and secretively. Urged on by the devious and sinister de Craon, Alexander, so Benstede discovered, not only intended to divorce Yolande but immediately marry Margaret, the sister of Philip IV, and so move Scotland completely under French influence. The papacy, far from delaying the annulment would, under French pressure, actually hasten it through in a matter of months. Of course, Benstede was angry and the red-faced, boisterous Alexander had often teased Edward's envoy with malicious relish, baiting and taunting him with the prospects of a French prince sitting on the ancient throne of Scone. 'What then?' he had once jibed at Benstede. 'How does this fit in with your master's grand design? Never again, Master Benstede,' he shouted, 'will an English king demand from a Scottish monarch fealty for his own kingdom. Do you understand that? If you do, tell your master. Never, I repeat, never!' It was after such an interview that Benstede had decided Alexander must die, for what the Scottish king intended would plunge most of Europe into a bitter war and Edward would see his dreams fade. 'No,' Benstede whispered to himself, 'Alexander deserved to die.' The English envoy smiled to himself. It had all been so easy. The humble approach to an attentive ear, the quiet careful planning. A visit to Kinghorn, then back to Edinburgh to inform the King that his proud, pouting wife was aflame with desire for him. Other preparations were made. He had used that boatman, Taggart, to transport supplies across to caves on the other side of the Forth whilst Aaron had gone deeper into the countryside and purchased horses to stable there.
    After that, everything had gone to plan, even the storm was in his favour. Once Alexander attended the Council meeting, Benstede gave him the false message from his wife and promptly journeyed across the Forth to join Aaron, who had delivered a letter at Kinghorn, saying the King was to be there later that night and ordering the purveyor to bring