February 21, 1554

I have been on my knees praying all night. A terrible thing has occurred. Mary Beaton, so strong and bold, might be dying. Here is what happened. We were skating today. Mary Seton and I had the babies between our legs when all of a sudden Puff skidded on her belly across the ice toward one of the bridge pilings where the ice was much thinner. The dog broke through. We heard her desperate barks. Mary Beaton was the closest, without thinking and really just full of good heart, she skated toward the little dog. Before she was even close, the ice cracked and she went under. We all started screaming. We saw Mary surface and grasp for a hold, but the ice broke off. None of us knows how to swim, and if we could it would be impossible with our hoops and kirtles and chemises and cloaks. The guards came with long poles and ropes. They tied the ropes to Robin MacClean, my head guardsman. He and another man crept out across the ice. They did break through, but being on tethers they did not go under. We were all screaming, “Mary! Mary!”

“I can’t find anything,” Robin yelled back. And then very courageously he dove under the ice! He seemed gone for the longest time. When he surfaced he had not Mary but Puff. But where was Mary?

“Tie me! Tie me!” I yelled at another guard. “I must go and find my Mary.”

Then a minute later Robin shouted. “I have her!” Somehow he attached a rope around her waist, and they dragged her up. But her body seemed to be lifeless as Robin MacClean staggered ashore with her in his arms. Her skin was blue and her eyes half shut and I could see only the whites. Someone in the meantime had taken Puff and cried out, “The pup lives.” But in that moment I cared not about Puff at all. I was glad Puff was alive, but I did not know whether my dear Mary Beaton would survive the night.

Nor do I yet. She is unconscious, her breathing ragged. A priest has been called for Last Rites. All I can think is that Mary must not die. How can God save a lapdog and not Mary? I shall not leave Mary’s bedside. I shall keep a vigil all night long.