The Prince and the Quakeress - Plaidy Jean - Страница 25

But now she was dead, and there was Newcastle making his insufficiencies apparent every day and Pitt clamouring to take office and Henry Fox standing by, cunning as his name implied. Pitt and Fox...good men both. Pitt had integrity; he knew that; and men of integrity were as rare as they were valuable; and Fox, well since he had married Richmond’s daughter he was wealthy and he did not have to rely on his position in politics. Security could make a man honest. Perhaps Pitt and Fox provided the answer.

And there was one other the very mention of whose name made the veins stand out at the King’s temples: Bute. But could not ignore him because of the power he wielded at Leicester House. Was it true that he was the Princess’s lover? Of course it was true. One only had to see the pair together to know that they were cooing like a pair of turtle doves. The Princess doted on Bute as she never had on Fred. He didn’t blame her there. Married to Fred, poor woman; anyone who married Fred would have his sympathy. And Fred was gone and she was free, so let her have a little fun, poor woman. But she was not going to put Bute into his government while he lived. And when he had gone...Ah, then Bute would be there; she would see to that. He was installed there in her household as though he were young George’s father—and he behaved as such, by all accounts. And young George accepted him!

And what was all this talk about a Quaker? The young puppy must have a mistress, one supposed. But why couldn’t he choose one from his own or his mother’s household or even the King’s household, come to that? Why must the young fool go sniffing round Markets?

It was because he was concerned about his grandson that the King had sent for him, and the boy had come down to Hampton and was waiting to be called in. All right, let him come.

The King was standing with his back to the door looking out of the window at the craft on the river when the Prince entered.

The King turned slowly. So this was his grandson, Fred’s boy. The King frowned. He was tall, and George II had always disliked tall men because they reminded him of his own lack of inches, something which all his life had irritated him. Now the Prince of Wales stood there, tall and gangling, not making the most of his height which irritated the King as much as his having it.

‘Well?’ barked the King.

‘You...Your Majesty sent for me.’

‘Don’t stammer. Never could abide it. Now...what’s all this, we hear. Abducting Quaker girls from Markets. By God, what do you think you are? A dashing young gallant, I suppose. But let me tell you this, you young puppy, you are the Prince of Wales and are not expected to behave like some ninny on a theatre stage.’

This was spoken in French so fast that the Prince could scarcely keep up with it. He realized to his dismay that he was expected to reply in the same language.

‘Well,’ went on the King, ‘what have you to say for yourself? Young Quaker girls! Why can’t you find a girl in one of the households? Why do you have to go prancing round Markets. Do you know there has been trouble. Enquiries made. Good respectable tradesmen looking for their girl. There has been a note delivered to the Secretary. Did you know that? Of course you didn’t, you young puppy. Not your job to know, you say. Yours is only to go sniffing round Markets.’

‘Sire...’ stammered George, and could go no farther.

‘So you’re dumb, are you? It’s time I took a hand with your education. That mother of yours...Women are no good at this sort of thing...except your grandmother. She was a woman who could do anything. No one worthy to unbuckle her shoes. I’ll speak to Waldegrave. This won’t do, you young puppy. It won’t do. Do you hear me? Then say something. Don’t stand there like a ninny!’

‘If Your Majesty would speak in English...’

A further offence. The Prince spoke perfect English. The King was not going to display his very imperfect brand.

‘Don’t tell me what to speak.’

‘Sire, I...I did not tell you...I...I…’

‘Stuttering ninny! Now what’s this about the Quaker girl? You send her back to her family and find a woman in your mother’s household...better there than your own.’

‘I...I must ask Your Majesty not to speak of...of this lady in this manner.’

‘So you are telling me how I should appeal to my subjects, are you?’

‘Your Majesty does not understand...’

‘Not understand. Look, you ninny, I had mistresses when I was your age. Don’t think you’re the first. But there are whores enough about you. You don’t want to go to Quakers for them.’

The Prince had turned pale. ‘I must ask Your Majesty not to speak of this lady in this way.’

‘I speak of my subjects as I please, boy.’

‘N...not of this one.’

If George had not drawn himself up to his full height the King might have laughed at him; but he did and he towered above his little grandfather so that the King had to look up to him.

‘Infernal puppy!’ shrieked the King, and bringing up his hand slapped the Prince so violently across the face that he reeled backwards. ‘Get out of my sight, whelp, idiot, puppy! Get out before I set the guards on you.’

The Prince stared at his grandfather, but the King, his face purple, shaking with rage, was on the point of calling the guard.

George stumbled out of the room, humiliated and angry. He never wanted to see the old man again; he never wanted to see Hampton again.

The guards smiled at each other as they watched the Prime stalk out of the palace to the river stairs and take boat to London.

Only the King quarrelling with the Prince of Wales…an old Hanoverian custom.

• • •

The King sent for Lord Waldegrave; he wanted to speak to him he said about that young puppy, the Prince of Wales. Waldegrave looked sad and the King nodded grimly.

‘I can see you have no great opinion of your pupil.’

‘I fear I shall never make a scholar of him, Sire.’

‘Scholar! Who wants a scholar? Don’t want the puppy bleating poetry all over the place. But the young fellow doesn’t seem to have any sense. That’s what I complain of.’

‘He is very slow, Your Majesty. I suppose he tries to learn, but it’s not easy for him.’

‘Lacks the intelligence, I suppose.’

‘Not a very good brain, Your Majesty.’

‘I know...I know. Takes after his father. A stupid ass, that was Fred. And it seems this one’s the same. Fred’s mother...’ The King’s eyes were glazed with tender memories. ‘How different she was. I used to say to her: "You’re more like a schoolmarm than a Queen." If she were here now. There’s not a woman worthy to unbuckle her shoes, Waldegrave.’

Waldegrave successfully managed to stifle a yawn. The eulogy on the late Queen—whom the King had delighted to humiliate during her lifetime—would go on for precisely five minutes and Waldegrave knew it almost off by heart. One virtue the King possessed was his precision. He was always accountable. He was as regular as a clock in his habits. There were people at Court who remembered how he used to walk up and down outside his mistress’s door, his watch in his hand, so that he could call on her at precisely the time he had set himself to do so. He would leave at the arranged time also. The joke at Court was that he made love by the clock.

So Waldegrave waited while he delivered his speech on the virtues of the Queen. The King wiped his eyes at the end as he always did. Waldegrave wondered mildly whether Madame Walmoden had to listen to a recital of the late Queen’s virtues before getting into bed with her lover. He hoped so. Caroline deserved that small consideration after all the accounts she had had to listen to of his affairs with other women.

The King had finished with his Queen and was now ready to get to the business for which he had summoned Waldegrave.

‘So you find the young puppy no good at his lessons?’