Lord in Waiting

James III comes to the Scottish throne in 1460, when clan feuds remain violent and English intervention is a constant danger. The kingdom requires steady leadership, but the young monarch grows suspicious of the established nobility and increasingly turns to favourites whose influence deepens division at court.

John, Lord of Douglas, is a natural leader with a strong conscience and a serious idea of royal service. He finds himself comparing the weak and erratic James with the king’s capable sister Mary Stewart, whose judgement and resilience seem better suited to rule. His concern intensifies as James falls under the influence of William Sheves, the ambitious astrologer, alchemist and churchman who uses access to the king to advance his own power. The second Mary Stewart novel follows those trying to preserve lawful government when honest advice is unwelcome, and when loyalty to the crown may require opposition to the monarch’s chosen course.