Lord and Master

by Nigel Tranter Book 1 in the Master of Gray Trilogy series.

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3.9(49)

Patrick Gray is born into one of Scotland’s great noble families and possesses the charm, intelligence and ambition to move easily through dangerous courts. His involvement in a scheme to free the imprisoned Mary, Queen of Scots, draws him into the rival networks surrounding the Scottish succession and Elizabeth I’s government.

Gray’s gifts make him a valuable diplomat and conspirator, but they also encourage a ruthlessness that leaves allies uncertain of his true loyalty. From Scotland to the Tudor court and the wider politics of Europe, he uses personal magnetism as a political weapon, overcoming resistance while creating enemies who understand how much he enjoys control. Love and friendship are repeatedly tested by calculation, secrecy and betrayal. The first Master of Gray novel introduces a man capable of serving great causes while never separating public action from personal advancement, and begins a family saga in which the consequences of his manoeuvres will pass to the next generation.