Reign – A Grain of Deception

By: Stacy Miller

The episode opens with Scottish guards attacked by English soldiers while making a grain delivery to the town of Canonbie near the English border. One of the guards gets his hand chopped off to send a message to the Scottish queen. Back in Scotland, while the guard’s hand is being sewed back on, Mary (Adelaide Kane) laments to James (Dan Jeannotte) that the only way that the English would have known about the grain delivery to Canonbie is if there is a leak in the Scottish court. But James assures Mary that’s impossible as the four guards who knew the specifics of the delivery can be trusted. It’s not the guards that Mary is worried, it’s the men’s wives.  She reminds her brother that women can be a more deadly adversary than men when it comes to deception.

Lord Darnley (Will Kemp) secretly meets with his lady love Keira (Sara Garcia).  He vows that he’ll get her out of her impending marriage as she’s the most important thing in the world to him.

After the incident with the grain, Mary decides that she’s going to control what the English learn from their wives.  Her plan is to drop false information to the women at a party she’s having.  She also talks with Greer (Celina Sinden) about the idea for Greer and her husband to move back to Scotland to manage Lola’s family lands.  At the party, Mary casually mentions in conversation that if the English steal the latest shipment of grain, they be in for a surprise as it is poisoned. As it turns out, Mary’s theory that the wives are the ones leaking information is accurate.  One of the women at the party is having a dalliance with a blacksmith who isn’t loyal to Scotland and has been sharing the intel received from his squeeze with the English guards. Mary also learns that one of the ladies at her party is Emily Knox, (Claire Hunter) the young wife of John Knox (Jonathan Goad).  Poor Emily is belittled because she thinks the fancy belt she has is a choker. Greer tells Mary that rumor has it that Emily’s marriage to John Knox is an unhappy one. But that’s hardly a shock from what we know of John Knox. Mary thinks that James should get “friendly” with Emily.  The wife of John Knox would definitely be a source of valuable information. But James refuses. “I am not your whore,” James says. “But you’re John Knox’s butcher?!” Adelaide angrily asks her brother.  She doesn’t think that James’ primary reason for refusing is his honor as a gentleman, but his revelation that John Knox would have him killed if he was discovered. Yet when Mary has her mind set on something, she can’t be deterred and has a gift sent to Emily Knox from James.  Of course, James is angry with his sister for going behind his back.  Greer helps to calm James down with the reminder that Mary isn’t trying to hurt him, she’s loyal and just trying to protect what she loves. Later, Mary again requests James’ support. “Pick a side James and let it be mine.  Because unlike John Knox, I’ll never betray you.  I need your help James, not just as your queen but as your sister.”

Over in England, even though Elizabeth (Rachel Skarsten) knows that John Knox was behind the assassination attempt, she can’t take action without proof.  To that end, she enlists Narcisse’s (Craig Parker) help in getting John Knox to help plot another attempt.  And afterwards, Narcisse can kill Knox himself if he wants.  Since Narcisse is waiting for France to arrange his release, he has nothing but time on his hands.  So, Narcisse meets with John Knox and they talk about their mutual dislike of Queen Elizabeth.  Narcisse thinks that someone should take the snooty monarch down a peg or two. Knox is intrigued, but plays it pretty close to the vest.  Narcisse is believable enough as he is a grieving husband wanting revenge for the death of his wife, but Knox remains guarded. And then he overhears some servants talking about the death of Lola’s son John’s nanny.  What he was told about the woman’s death was obviously a lie and the only reason he would have been lied to is if the nanny spilled the beans about him. Smart schemer that he is, John Knox doesn’t fall victim to Narcisse’s trap and fails to show up at the French Embassy for the murder plotting summit. But unfortunately for them, fifty nobles of the Protestant faith do show up.  Elizabeth is understandably worried that the amount of people against her has amassed in size.  Gideon suggests Elizabeth putting them in the tower, but have them presented to English court as traitors first. Elizabeth has another suggestion. “Kill them, kill them all.”  John Knox is caught as he tries to leave England brought before Elizabeth.  He taunts her about being scared and reminds her that she is a queen of questionable noble birth with her throne up for grabs. “Take your anti-monarch poison back to Scotland and direct it towards Mary,” Elizabeth angrily tells John Knox.

Narcisse is furious that John Knox is getting away with being responsible for Lola’s beheading. But he is determined to at least make Elizabeth pay. Meanwhile, Elizabeth has been helping Lord Darnley by having Keira’s fiancée Lord White break off their engagement so Darnley can be with Keira and not marry Mary. To get back at her, Narcisse tells Darnley’s mother Lady Lennox (Nola Augustson).  So, Lord White’s money train is cut off and now Lord Darnley will have to marry Mary, which will put Elizabeth’s keeping the English throne in question.

In France, Catherine (Megan Follows) is being given grief from daughter Leesa (Anastasia Phillips) on little brother Charles’ (Spencer MacPherson) fitness as King. Where has King Charles been? Certainly not running the kingdom reasons Leesa.  She also says her husband King Philip of Spain thinks a Spanish noble should take over the job of Chancellor while Narcisse is in England and unable to perform his duties. “I’m aware of who you married, Leesa. You don’t have to say it,” Catherine says annoyed that her daughter is constantly reminding that she is married to a king and for Spain’s meddling on how France is being run. She does get Charles to sign the document guaranteeing Narcisse’s release from England.  But something is amiss with King Charles.  He looks sickly and his hands are bruised and bloody.