When the Queen leaves the church she goes to the garden where her ladies are waiting for her. A messenger gives her a letter from her mother in Paris, but at the same time he secretly gives her a letter from Carlos. Rodrigue quietly talks to Eboli, the queen’s lady-in-waiting, while the queen reads the letters. Rodrigue asks the Queen to try to persuade the king to let Carlos talk to him. Eboli is in love with Carlos. She has noticed how Carlos has been agitated when he has been in the presence of the Queen, and thinks it is because Carlos loves her (Eboli).