She did, however, fear that Mary's unwise friends among the Catholics cherished the purpose of making Mary queen of England.

Although John had heard faint rumors of such a plot, he had been given to understand that Mary had no share in it, and he believed that the adventure in which he was about to embark had for its only purpose her liberation from a cruel and unjust imprisonment.

Her cause appealed to John's chivalrous nature as it appealed to so many other good though mistaken men who sought to give help to the Scottish queen, and brought only grief to her and ruin to themselves.
Dorothy had heard at various times just enough of these plots to fill her heart with alarm when she learned that John was about to be engaged in them.

Her trouble was twofold.

She feared lest personal injury or death might befall John; and jealousy, that shame of love, gnawed at her heart despite her efforts to drive it away.
"Is she so marvellously beautiful ?" Dorothy asked of me over and over again, referring to Mary Stuart.