Reign – A Better Man

By: Stacy Miller

Last week Mary (Adelaide Kane) and Lord Darnley (Will Kemp) were wed. As the episode opens, Darnley is getting into the music that will be played at his coronation.  He thanks Mary for allowing him to use her private secretary, David Rizzio (Andrew Shaver) to help with planning the coronation. Darnley asks Mary whether he can visit her bedchamber tonight, that is, if she still desires an heir. Mary thinks he should concentrate on the coronation.  She borrows David for a quick word. In the hallway, Mary tells David that she will be meeting with Lord Hamilton in order to gain Protestant support and he has to make sure to keep Darnley and Lord Hamilton apart. The men have a bitter history.  Mary meets James (Dan Jeannotte) and tells him that he needs to find out whether John Knox knows of her planned negotiations with Lord Hamilton and if he will try to cause trouble.  The only way for James to do this is to find out what Emily Knox (Claire Hunter) knows. Mary tells James that she is pregnant with Darnley’s child. James leaves when Greer (Celina Sinden) arrives. Greer tells Mary that even though she made her interest for James known, he still treats her with as much interest as he does the furniture.  Mary reminds that Greer is still married so James is just showing respect for her situation. So is Emily Knox, but James doesn’t have any problem with her state of matrimony. Mary hints that things aren’t always as they seem.  She obviously can’t tell Greer that James’ interest in Emily Knox is that he’s on a spy mission.

Meanwhile in England, Elizabeth (Rachel Skarsten) and Gideon (Ben Geurens) share a sensual bath together. Gideon tells Elizabeth that he’s arranged a party in her honor to introduce her to possible suitors. Elizabeth reminds that after a match is made, whatever is between them has to stop.

In France, Narcisse (Craig Parker) tells Nicole (Ann Pirvu) that her influence has worked wonders on Charles (Spencer MacPherson).  They are interrupted by Catherine (Megan Follows). Her other son Henry (Nick Slater) is returning from fighting the Turks. Henry is more suited to the throne than his older brother.  Catherine wants Narcisse to get Nicole to convince Charles to abdicate the throne and leave court quietly. Catherine couldn’t bear the thought of losing another son, which would happen if Charles and Henry were to compete to rule.  Narcisse returns to Nicole’s room and offers her a chateau in the country if she convinces Charles to abdicate and leave court with her. But what Nicole wants is to be in the thick of court, not hiding in the countryside.  She tells Narcisse that she has fallen in love with him and wanted to learn the ways of court by his side.  Angered, Nicole refuses to help Narcisse (or the monarchy) anymore.

Gideon tells Elizabeth that there is a great turnout at the party; thirty-two potential suitors from sixteen countries.  Elizabeth says if she finds anyone promising, she’ll take them off to the garden to talk alone.  During the party, Gideon scans the room while Elizabeth dances with a potential suitor. Later, Gideon learns that Elizabeth has gone off to the garden with Archduke Ferdinand (Steve Byers). Watching Elizabeth’s laughter from the balcony, Gideon has a sad look on his face.  Has Gideon fallen in love with his queen?

Mary takes an audience with Lord Hamilton. He thinks he was a much suitable match for her and she should have married him instead of Darnley.  Mary tells Lord Hamilton that if she has his Protestant support, she will restore the Hamilton family seat on the Privy Council (this is obviously a big deal).

In France during a christening, Protestants burst into the church and take hostages. They give the father of the baby being christened a message to deliver to King Charles. The man gives the note to Catherine: Unless King Charles releases the Protestant prisoners he’s holding, the Catholic hostages (including the baby) will be killed.   Narcisse gives Catherine the news that Nicole will no longer help them sway Charles toward abdication. Catherine urges Narcisse to seduce the girl.  Meanwhile, the Protestants in the church begin executing their captors so King Charles will take them seriously.

Darnley is furious that Mary has invited the Hamilton family to court given his history with them. It seems Lord Hamilton’s grandfather murdered Darnley’s so there’s been bad blood between the two families ever since. Mary explains that she needed the Protestant support and has also offered Lord Hamilton a seat on the Privy Council.  “Why don’t you just offer him the throne instead?” sneers Darnley.  He warns Mary that the Hamilton family is an ambitious lot that will no sooner take her life to get what they want.  He is angry that she didn’t discuss the decision with him first as he is her husband and king, not just some figure head. Mary reminds that she had hoped that their marriage would be more (but you cheated on me is the unspoken implication); she tells him that a good king has to put his own feelings above everything for the good of the throne.  He has to be the better man. “I’m trying,” Darnley says. “Try harder,” is Mary’s retort.

Back in England, Gideon comments that Archduke Ferdinand seems like a likeable fellow. Elizabeth could see a match between them, but it would all be for naught if she is barren.  She wants Gideon to sleep with her and if she becomes pregnant with his child, she’ll know she’s not barren and can consider Ferdinand. This angers Gideon; he is not her breeding horse.  He tells Elizabeth that his feelings for her have changed.

In France, Narcisse tells Nicole about the situation Charles is dealing with; he needs her help.  Nicole reminds that she refuses to help a man that is using her for what he wants. Narcisse tells Nicole that he does care for her, but his wife Lola was killed and being with Nicole would feel like a betrayal of Lola’s memory. Nicole heard what happened to Lola and offers Narcisse her understanding. She reasons that he does love her and decides that she’ll help him with Charles.  Narcisse fills Catherine in on the events with Nicole.  He says that in order for them to get what they wanted, he had to cheapen Lola’s memory. Charles helps saves the Catholic hostages and the baby who was being christened at the time they were taken is named Charles in the king’s honor. Charles enjoys the adulation of being king.

James comes to see Emily Knox.  Emily tells James that she knows that he was using her and that her husband found out.  Now she is beaten and humiliated by him on a daily basis.  Emily wants James to help her get away from her shame.  She needs to go far away from her husband (and James).  In exchange, Emily provides James would information: Her husband John Knox and Lord Hamilton are plotting to assassinate Mary at the coronation!

Lord Darnley takes liquid courage in the form of alcohol for his meeting with Lord Hamilton.  When the men meet for the first time, it’s anything but pleasant. Lord Hamilton snipes that Darnley is only inviting him to stay because he is doing his wife’s bidding. He taunts that if Mary had married him, she’d already be pregnant. “We’re working on it,” Darnley says. “Work?  I assure you if Mary were in my bed she would not consider it work,” Lord Hamilton taunts.  But Darnley needed pressure himself to produce an heir; if he fails, the Hamilton family are next in line for the throne. Darnley reminds Lord Hamilton that Hamilton’s father was born a Catholic bastard who became a Protestant.  Lord Hamilton counters by taunting that Darnley’s grandfather was a Scot who sold his soul to become an English man and was a coward like Darnley himself.  Darnley refuses to take the bait.  He tells Lord Hamilton that he hopes he’ll accept Mary’s offer to join the Privy Council.  Lord Hamilton tells Darnley he will, if nothing more than to turn the Privy Council against Darnley.

Elizabeth admits that she doesn’t want any of the suitors.  She tells Gideon that she wants him.  Gideon tells Elizabeth that he will start courtship proceedings between she and Archduke Ferdinand. And if she becomes pregnant, they will keep their child a secret.

James rushes to Mary to tell her that Lord Hamilton and his family are plotting to kill her. He tells Mary that they need to leave the castle for their own safety until the Hamilton family can be arrested.  As they are leaving, James and Mary face the Hamilton family.  James order the men to throw down their weapons, they are under arrest. A sword fight ensues and Lord Hamilton is stabbed. He says that John Knox was right about the plot to kill the Hamilton family before he dies. James realizes that Emily lied. In order for Mary not to lose the Protestant support, James agrees to take the blame and later, Mary publically banishes him from Scotland. Mary tells Emily she knows she lied but her punishment will be returning home to a loveless marriage.

Darnley comes to see Mary in her bedchamber and tells her that maybe his coronation shouldn’t be a lavish affair given all that has happened.  He assures Mary that he can take care of her and wants her to consider starting a family with him. Mary tells Darnley that she is already pregnant. Prince Henry arrives for the coronation and because Leesa wrote that Charles was abdicating the throne.  Catherine tells him that Leesa was mistaken. Henry acts as though he’s glad he doesn’t have to be king and can do what he wants.  But the look on his face at Darnley coronation tells a different story.