Whereas Mary sought to soothe conflict, Bothwell was overweening and puffed up with pride, behaving as if he were king already. He was never in love with Mary. His efforts to woo her were minimal. He dominated their relationship to the point of brutality, yet she accepted and even seemed to welcome her subordinate role. Mary could be strong and masterful, but it now looked as if she wanted to surrender all her worldly cares to Bothwell, who took the opportunity to usurp her power and authority at every turn. Why this should have happened remains a mystery. Mary’s correspondence dried up in
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