When Lord Darnley surprises Mary with a visit in Scotland, Mary sees a glimmer of a union that could be more than just political. Elizabeth fights to gain allies in her favor and Catherine must work to get Claude back on track by finding her a new husband.

Mary contemplates how to take over the English throne; Elizabeth struggles to find an appropriate suitor to marry. James gets caught up in a scheme orchestrated by John Knox.

Darnley teams up with John Knox to strip Mary of her throne, which will leave a close friend of Mary's dead. Elizabeth must banish Gideon from court at the request of her future husband, while Charles takes a bold stance against his brother Henri.