Mary and Darnley secretly send Catholic Darnley loyalist Lord Barrett on a mission to invade England and capture Elizabeth. When Mary refuses Darnley the crown matrimonial, he threatens to tell Elizabeth of the plot. Mary sends Bothwell and Rizzio to meet with Gideon and stop the mission entirely, and they are successful. Prince Henry purposely antagonizes king Charles, and his bravura causes Narcisse to switch allegiance to this likely winner. Catherine casts a black magic spell, desperate to rescue Charles. Mary swears to Gideon never to threaten Elizabeth's throne again but he tells lover Elizabeth of the failed coup, hoping to encouraging her to marry archduke Ferdinand to strengthen England. Mary appoints Bothwell her bodyguard and Rizzio her advisor, shutting Darnley out from power.
—KGF Vissers