The Prince and the Quakeress - Plaidy Jean. Страница 26

‘He’s not lazy, Sire, perhaps it’s an inability to learn. Sometimes I think he tries.’

‘H’m,’ grunted the King. ‘He’s a brainless whelp. Am’ course, his mother keeps him under her thumb and that prize stallion of hers too, I doubt not. Between them the pair hope to turn out a nice little wooden doll, who’ll nod when they say nod and shake when they say shake. That’s it, eh, Waldegrave?’

It was not the sort of agreement one gave even to the King, so Waldegrave contented himself with smiling at His Majesty.

‘Oh, I know, I know. And now I hear the boy has a mistress. A young Quaker, they tell me.’

‘There is a rumour to that effect, Sire.’

‘Quakers,’ mused the King. ‘Their women are thin. I never fancied thin women, Waldegrave.’

No need to mention that, thought Waldegrave. Your Majesty has made that perfectly obvious.

‘And he’s not content with choosing a nice plump woman of the Court. He must go for this thin Quaker and snatch her from her husband almost at the altar. What do you think of that, Waldegrave? I’d never have believed it of the puppy, that I wouldn’t.’

‘It is said that His Highness was aided in the matter.’

‘Some interfering scoundrels, I am sure. Ha! And that mother of his none too pleased—nor the Scottish stallion either, eh? I hear they knew nothing about it until it was over. Is that true do you think, Waldegrave?’

‘I think so, Your Majesty.’

The King was in a sudden good humour at the thought.

‘Well, well,’ he went on, ‘it’s time we mated the puppy. That much is clear.’

‘Your Majesty has someone in mind?’

‘When I was last in Hanover I looked around. The Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel brought her two girls to see me.’

‘And Your Majesty liked what you saw?’

The King licked his lips significantly. ‘So much, Waldegrave, that if I’d been twenty years younger I’d have married the elder of the girls myself and that would still have left the younger for my grandson.’

He shaped the outline of a generously formed female shape with his hands.

‘Charming young girls, Waldegrave. Charming.’

‘Well then, Your Majesty, since you feel the time has come...’

‘How old is he? Sixteen, seventeen? In a year or so, I think, Waldegrave.’

‘Your Majesty will wish the Princess Dowager to be informed.’

‘H’m. Wait a bit. But I think we should give thought to these matters. It’s time the young puppy was mated. Quakers!’

• • •

When the Princess Augusta heard of the rumours she was infuriated.

She paced up and down her apartment and her lover had difficulty in pacifying her. ‘Do you think that old scoundrel would dare bring one of those Wolfenbuttel girls over here without consulting me?’

‘Surely not,’ soothed Bute; although he believed the old scoundrel capable of doing anything.

‘I will not have one of those girls for my daughter-in-law. I detest their old mother. She is the most unattractive woman I ever knew, and the girls will take after her. George is too young to marry. And I will not have one of those girls here.’

‘You might find that you liked the girl when you met her. She might not take after her mother; but of course I agree that George is too young to marry.’

‘He will come of age when he is eighteen and that is not far off. He will have to marry then; but it will not be one of those Wolfenbuttel girls. Their mother is the most meddling, intriguing woman you can imagine. The father was all right...but like as not the girls will take after their mother. When George marries I should like him to choose someone from the Saxe-Gotha family—my own.’

‘It would be ideal, of course.’

‘Well, since the old scoundrel has his eyes on Wolfenbuttel perhaps he could be looking towards Saxe-Gotha.’

‘Our best plan would be to make George understand that he must never accept one of those girls whose mother you so dislike. Shall I sound him? Perhaps you could follow on from there.’

She pressed his hand. ‘As always you provide the answer.’

• • •

Bute found George in the schoolroom, his brow furrowed as he tried to understand the different methods of taxation which had been applied through the various preceding reigns and the measure of their success. He was very pleased to be interrupted.

‘I thought you would wish to know that the King is thinking of marrying you off.’

George turned pale. ‘It cannot be!’

‘Certainly not to the woman of the King’s choice.’

‘So he has chosen?’

Bute nodded slowly. ‘He has decided on either Sophia Caroline or Anna Amelia of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel. You are to pick which you prefer.’

‘I cannot marry.’

‘So your mother thinks. She has the strongest objections to either of these young females.’

‘It would not matter who they were. I consider myself married already.’

Bute nodded sympathetically. So the boy was still held in the Quaker web. But give him a little time.

‘Do not be unduly alarmed. I am sure that if you firmly decide not to be forced into marriage by your grandfather will stay free.’

‘You will help?’

‘Have I not sworn always to do so?’

‘Oh, thank you...thank you. I don’t know what I should do without you.’

‘Why should you?’ Bute laughed breezily. When you are King all you will have to do is to make me your chief minister and I shall always be at your side.’

‘Of course, that is what I intend to do.’

Oh, triumph! thought Bute. If you could hear that Newcastle...Pitt...Fox...you would shiver with apprehension. The old man cannot last much longer surely. And then this boy will be King and that means that I and the Princess will in fact rule this land. What a dazzling prospect for an ambitious man!

‘I shall keep Your Majesty to that.’ Spoken playfully to hide the sealing of a promise beneath a jocular guise.

‘Oh hush! Remember the King still lives.’

‘God save the King!’ cried Bute, and whispered: ‘And in particular His Majesty King George III.’

George smiled faintly and was immediately anxious. ‘So you understand that I could not consider marriage...any marriage. I am morally bound to Hannah. I want no one else.’

‘I understand. But have no fear. The King may attempt to force this marriage on you, but we will stand firm. He needs the consent of Parliament, and members will be afraid to give that consent, if you are firm enough. They remember that his star is setting and yours is about to rise. You must remember it, too. Do not give way easily to anything. Stand firm. Remember that any day you could become King.’

‘I do not like my grandfather. He is a disagreeable man and since he struck me I fear I can never feel what I ought towards him. But I do not care to speak of him as a dead man when he is still alive. He has as much right to live as I have...that is how I see it.’

‘A right and noble sentiment worthy of Your Maj...Your Highness. But I am warning you. Stand firm. Declare your refusal to take one of these girls and your grandfather is powerless.’

‘How can I thank you!’

‘Oh,’ laughed Bute. ‘Don’t forget the promises you have made to me.’

‘I swear I never will.’

Bute was able to tell the Princess that he had persuaded the Prince to stand out against the Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel proposition.

‘We have nothing to fear from St. James’s Palace. The King will see that he cannot rule the Prince from there. We are his guardians—and we must see that it remains so.’

• • •

The King’s face was purple with rage.

‘So the puppy won’t be bewolfenbuttled, he says. I’ll teach him whether to defy me. I say he shall be bewolfenbuttled, and like it. I’ll have him yelping to me to hurry on the marriage, I promise you, Waldegrave. He doesn’t want to marry? Well, it is his duty to marry, and I am going to see he does his duty.’

‘Your Majesty, the Prince would have some support in Parliament.’