The Prince and the Quakeress - Plaidy Jean. Страница 36

‘And teach him how to be a soldier, I don’t doubt,’ retorted Bute with a sneer.

‘And throw away his kingdom to the French,’ put in Augusta.

‘It strikes me,’ said Bubb, ‘that we’re well rid of the place. It was constantly draining the exchequer and was not much good to us.’ He shrugged and changed the subject. ‘The Prince seems to have grown up lately.’

‘Grown up!’ cried the Princess, alert. ‘What do you mean, sir?’

‘I thought I detected a change in His Highness. A certain dignity...which wasn’t there before. He seems to carry his head higher...Pleased with life and yet...’

‘And yet, sir?’

‘Well,’ said Bubb ‘he seems a little preoccupied with his thoughts.’

‘George never has any thoughts,’ said the Princess sharply. ‘At least, if he has any misgivings he would bring them at once to one of us.’

‘Then I daresay he has already told you of his...cares.’

‘He confided in us,’ said the Princess shortly.

‘In everything!’ added Bute.

• • •

When the Duke of Cumberland arrived at Court he was dumbfounded to find the cold reception which awaited him. He did not expect the welcome of a conquering hero naturally, but he had acted on orders and had obeyed the King’s command, although it was contrary to his own inclinations. He was no coward; he had never been one to withdraw from a battle, even when the cause was hopeless. And in this instance he believed there had been a chance.

Baron Munchausen, the Hanoverian Minister in England, was so incensed by the loss of Hanover that he wanted to call a council and have the Duke’s behaviour examined. He declared he had copies of the letters he had sent to the Duke. These would show that in surrendering Hanover the Duke had used his own initiative and that there had been no orders from St. James’s to do so. But Mr. Pitt–a man who had little friendship for the Duke–was the one to defend him. Hanover was temporarily lost, was Mr. Pitt’s reasoning; the Duke had surrendered it on orders from London; there was no point in denying this just to save some people’s faces. The deed was done; Hanover was lost; the best way of dealing with the matter was to face up to the truth; and the truth was that the Duke had acted on orders; England had for the time being lost a small electorate of little account; and her prospects on the American continent were promising.

‘Bury the past and over its grave build up the future; in that way it will soon be forgotten there is a grave there.’

But Baron Munchausen could only cry: ‘But this is Hanover!’

Mr. Fox had known of the Duke of Cumberland’s arrival and had come in readiness to greet him. Fox and Pitt were of one mind on this matter. The Duke was being used as a scape goat and they, being men of honour, were offering him their support. Pitt was against nepotism which he saw as the downfall of the army and therefore of the country, and was firmly opposed to the appointment of a commander because he was a King’s son; but Cumberland was a brave soldier, and he being unfairly treated in this instance, albeit by his own father. Mr. Fox agreed with him in this matter—so Fox was there to support the Duke.

Fox was a politician of brilliance, though he lacked Pitt’s eloquence; in fact he was a poor speaker, hesitant and unable to express himself with grace; but he had a sharp mind and was a match for any orator, even Pitt, by his calm reasoning powers. He never attempted to rely on rhetoric; reason was his weapon. He and Pitt admired each other; they were two ambitious men, tremendously envious of each other’s success; and Fox was more popular than Pitt, whose affectations irritated many. But they recognized the other’s talents and in this affair they stood eye to eye.

The Duke thanked Mr. Fox for being at Kensington to meet him when he was informed of the reason why the minister had come.

‘I am well in mind and body,’ the Duke told him; ‘and I have written orders in my pocket for everything I did. And now, Mr. Fox, you should take your leave as I do not wish it to be said that I have taken the advice of anyone on what I plan to do.’

Fox understood this and retired, but the Duke must have been extremely comforted to know that he had powerful men on his side.

• • •

The King hearing that his son was in Kensington Palace became more irascible than usual. He had to see the fellow, the fool who had lost Hanover. But in his heart he knew that the reason why William had not fought to save Hanover was because he had been commanded to give it up. George would not admit it. He could not face the fact that he was the King to have lost Hanover. It had to be someone else’s fault. Caroline had always shielded him. She had let him believe that suggestions were his when they were hers or Walpole’s. It had been such a comforting way of life. And here he was an old man...without Caroline—and Hanover lost.

‘A plague on them all,’ he muttered. He wanted to be young again...in Hanover, with Caroline his young wife. The happy days, he thought of them, letting memory skilfully paint them in bright colours for him. Caroline...Caroline...no woman worthy to...Amelia Walmoden was a wonderful woman...his Countess of Yarmouth...she would offer him some comfort for the loss of his Caroline.

But now there was this fellow...this Cumberland...this Willie come home...in disgrace. ‘Yes, sir, disgrace, I say. You lost Hanover...the home of our fathers...and you lost it.’

It was the only way he could bear to look at it. Though it had seemed the only alternative they had had to save Bremen and Verden. They had had to save the army. It was either that or Hanover.

‘Yes, yes...but I could not have lost Hanover, Caroline, could I? You would see that. Didn’t you always see everything.’

He looked at his watch. He was to go and play cards with the Princess Amelie, his daughter as he always did. If he did not hurry he would be late. Unthinkable. He was never late.

Amelie...Emily as they called her in the family...she getting old now, and she was sour. She had wanted Grafton. It had caused her mother some concern the way Emily had run after Grafton. Perhaps they should have found a husband for her. It was difficult with Princesses...not much royalty left abroad and it had to be Protestant royalty, which limited the choice. Either that or someone at home. The girls ought to have been given Englishmen. Why not? That would have been better than letting them go unmarried and turn sour like Emily.

She greeted him with a show of affection when he readied her apartments. The cards were ready.

‘Come,’ he said, ‘let us play.’

‘We are ready, Father,’ Emily replied.

He said quietly: ‘Your brother is in the palace.’

‘I know, Father.’

‘He’ll be coming to cards tonight. Don’t leave me alone with him.’

‘No, Father.’

‘It’s an order.’

‘Yes, Your Majesty.’

The game began and when the Duke of Cumberland came into the room the King did not look up, but he was aware of him, for he muttered: ‘Here is my son who has ruined me and disgraced himself.’

The Duke of Cumberland was scarlet with mortification, but he could not approach his father unless given permission to do so and after that remark the King gave no sign that he aware of him but stolidly went on playing cards. Nor could the Duke leave the assembly until the King rose and dismissed the company by his departure.

It was eleven o’clock and as soon as the King had left the card-room the Duke went at once to the apartments of the King’s mistress, the Countess of Yarmouth.

The Countess was an inoffensive woman whose main purpose was to please the King and keep her position; she made few demands on him and this was why she held her place. She was a little avaricious, but apart from trying to make money by selling honours she had few vices. She therefore received the Duke kindly for she was eager to help him, knowing that he had been unjustly accused.