Queen in Waiting - Plaidy Jean. Страница 42

"He's a good looking man," commented George Augustus.

"Your Highness means he is good looking in his way. Tall, strong ... oh yes he is that, but he has the looks of a porter to me." She smiled admiringly at George Augustus. "One sees that there is no breeding there."

"Of course ... of course," said George Augustus. "Well, I wish the Countess well of him."

"She is bringing him to the notice of the Elector," Caroline pointed out. "I hear that he has been promised a good post if the Elector goes to England."

Henrietta lifted her hands prettily as though to say that, versed as she was in the ways of St. James's, the manners of Hanover were a mystery to her.

George Augustus watched her thoughtfully.

When he left his wife's apartments he did not stop thinking of Caroline's new dame du palais.

She was amusing and witty; but at the same time modest. A very unusual combination; and she was beautiful.

He had been moderately content with life lately. He had a good wife of whom he was becoming fonder every year; they had a growing family—a boy, two girls and another child on the way; and they had years before them. He had distinguished himself on the battlefield. People could no longer laugh at him behind his back because he was below average height. He had proved himself to be a man.

He thought of his father; he thought often of his father and was always soured in doing so. George Lewis's great strength

was that he would never care what people thought of him; George Augustus cared deeply. So George Lewis could have three mistresses as well as casual affairs and not care if one or all of the women were unfaithful to him; he wouldn't have cared if he gave up all his mistresses, which he would if he wanted to. George Lewis kept mistresses purely for the physical pleasure he received from them. What impression he was making had no effect at all. For instance he did not care that Platen was deceiving him with this Craggs fellow; he didn't care that Kielmansegge had been in and out of every bed in the court; the promiscuity of Platen and Kielmansegge meant no more to him than Schulemburg's fidelity.

But George Augustus never did anything without wondering what effect it was having on the spectators.

And now it occurred to him that they might be laughing at him because at the moment he had no mistress. He was not eager to have one. He liked Caroline; he liked family life; he was fond of the children, and Caroline was, and he assured himself always would be, the best woman in the world. But a man should have a mistress. If he did not his virility would be doubted.

"Why is he such a devoted husband?" people would ask. "Poor George Augustus, one woman is enough for him."

"One is not enough 1 " he said vehemently.

He had made up his mind. The pretty Englishwoman was amusing and she would not be domineering. His father was anxious that he should not become too popular with the English; it was for that reason that he had shown his geniality with every English visitor at the Court.

An English mistress. That would irritate his father and prove his own manhood.

He began to court Henrietta Howard; and as she had come to Hanover for advancement, what better opportunity could she have than friendship with one who could in time be a King of England. The courtship progressed with the utmost speed and satisfaction; and in a short time Henrietta Howard became the mistress of George Augustus.

When Caroline heard of her husband's infidelity she was angry. She had befriended this English woman, had given her a place in her household, had done everything she could to help her and this was her reward.

She restrained herself from speaking to George Augustus but when she was alone with Sophia expressed her annoyance when Sophia gave her the opportunity by remarking that she looked out of humour.

"I have every reason to be," retorted Caroline. "That English woman Howard has become George Augustus's mistress."

Sophia nodded, but she did not look disgusted.

**You seem to think this is a matter for rejoicing."

"It should improve his English," Sophia reminded her.

Caroline looked at her mother-in-law in astonishment. "Is that all you have to say?"

"It is enough. If he is to be a King of England he must speak English. That is where his father is such a fool. He refuses to make an effort. I should be delighted to hear that he had added an Englishwoman to his seraglio. Still, George Augustus who speaks adequately already—although with the most atrocious accent—should very shortly improve."

Caroline did not speak and Sophia went on: "There is nothing like being in close contact with foreigners for learning their language. You my dear, should engage an Englishwoman to converse with you, for your accent is as bad as that of George Augustus."

"I really believe you are pleased that he has taken up with this Howard woman."

"My dear, do you still let these unimportant matters distress you? George Augustus admires you; I'll swear he loves you—as far as he is able to love anyone other than himself—more than anyone else. Do not irritate him. Accept this woman, show no rancour, and you will still continue to have all that you need. Why, I believe you will rule your husband more than I was ever able to rule mine, providing of course you do not allow your annoyance over these little irritations to show. You know George Augustus. You are ten times more clever. Don't forget it. Now what you must do is find someone to teach you English, so that he does not outstrip you."

Caroline was silent. Her mother-in-law was right, of course. So the Princess's response to her husband's infidelity was to engage a young woman who had been to England and spoke the language to converse with her daily.

And while George Augustus dallied with his new mistress learning English in the plcasantest way, Caroline struggled with conversations between Fraulein Brandshagen and herself, and learned to speak the language but alas, with a deplorable accent which was exactly like Fraulein Brandshagen's, for in spite of that long stay in England, the Fraulein had not been able to lose her German accent.

In due course her child was born—another daughter. They called her Caroline and George Augustus showed in a hundred ways that he was very satisfied with his wife.

As she lay in bed, her newly born child in her cradle nearby, Fritzchen, Anne and Amelia at her bedside, come to look with interest at the new addition to the family and with awe at their mother who had provided it, she knew that she should be reasonably content.

The future looked bright. She had caught Sophia's enthusiasm for the crown of England; for it could be hers, if she was wise.

She must never antagonize George Augustus. She must always remember the terrible example of Sophia Dorothea, the prisoner of Ahlden. George Augustus might, in certain circumstances, be as vindictive as his father. And one thing which could make him so would be if his manhood or self importance was doubted.

How right she had been to listen to Sophia. Let him have his Englishwoman; while she, Caroline, threw him a mistress as one threw a dog a bone, she would remain the w^oman he most admired in the world, the one he really loved. Love? There was of course only one person whom George Augustus could love and that was George Augustus. As long as she remembered that and never did anything to disturb his image of himself, she had a good chance of ruling him, and in due course, England. The first she must do in secret, of course, and he must be the last to suspect it; but there would be little secret about the second; and when she thought of being crowned Queen of