“Mother, I must leave you for a time.  Matters can no longer continue as they are.  Surrender to the English I will not, and there remains for me but to defend this castle to the last, and then to escape to France; or to cross thither at once, and enter the service of the French king, as did Wallace.  Of these courses I would fain take the latter, seeing that the former would bring ruin and death upon our vassals, who have ever done faithful service when called upon, and whom I would not see suffer for my sake.  In that case I should propose that you should return and live quietly with Sir Robert Gordon until times change.”

Dame Forbes agreed with her son, for she had long felt that further resistance would only bring ruin upon him.

“There is yet one other course, mother, and that I am about to take; it is well nigh a desperate one, and my hopes of success are small, yet would I attempt it before I leave Scotland and give Aberfilly back again to the Kerrs.  Ask me not what it is, for it were best that if it fail you should not know of it.  There is no danger in the enterprise, but for a month I shall be absent.  On my return you shall hear my final resolve.”

Having attired himself as a lowland farmer, Archie proceeded to Edinburgh, and there took ship for London; here he took lodgings at an inn, which he had been told in Edinburgh was much frequented by Scotchmen who had to go to London on business.  His first care was to purchase the garments of an English gentleman of moderate means, so that he could pass through the streets without attracting attention.

He was greatly impressed with the bustle and wealth of London.

“It is wonderful,” he said to himself, “that we Scots, who were after all but an army of peasants, could for nigh ten years have supported a war against such a country as this, and it seems madness to adventure farther in that way.  If my present errand fails I will assuredly hold firm to my resolve and seek a refuge in France.”

Archie ascertained that Robert the Bruce lodged at Westminster, and that great gaieties were taking place at the court for joy at the final termination of hostilities with Scotland, now secured by the execution of Wallace.  He despatched a letter to the earl by a messenger from the inn, saying that one who had formerly known him in Scotland desired earnestly to speak to him on matters of great import, and begging him to grant a private interview with him at his lodging at as early an hour as might be convenient to him.  The man returned with a verbal reply, that the earl would see the writer at his lodging at nine o’clock on the following morning.

At the appointed time Archie presented himself at the house inhabited by Bruce.  To the request of the earl’s retainer for his name and business he replied that his name mattered not, but that he had received a message from the earl appointing him a meeting at that hour.