Courting Her Highness Part 33

AFTER OUDENARDE.

ord G.o.dolphin went down to Holywell House to make plans with the Marlboroughs.

The Duke, realizing that Sarah had herself been largely responsible for her own unpopularity with the Queen, but not daring to tell her so, was torn between his schemes for further conquests abroad and those for ending this intolerable situation at Court.

G.o.dolphin, old, tired and having little love for his task, needed guidance and the Queen's recent appointment of two new Bishops to Exeter and to Chester had aroused his suspicion.

With Sarah they walked in the gardens, for she said, after the perfidy of that chambermaid she trusted no one-least of all her servants.

It was Sarah who talked. "Blackhall to Exeter and Dawes to Chester!" she cried. "That will mean two more Tory votes in the Lords. We can't afford it. And you know why Anne has appointed them, don't you? Because Masham has let Harley into the green closet and he has brought her round to his view that they are the men for the jobs. I tell you this, Marl, and you, Sidney ... we cannot stand idle any longer."

"She is as usual right," said the Duke, slipping his arm through that of his wife. "We have to be rid of Harley."

"But how?" asked G.o.dolphin.

Sarah looked at the Lord Treasurer's heavy eyes and pockmarked skin. A poor ally, she thought, lacking adventure. But what pleasure it gave her to turn from him to dearest Marl, who seemed to grow more handsome year by year and whose genius would win this battle for them as it had won Blenheim and Ramillies.

"You are right, Marl," she said. "We have to be rid of Harley."

"How?" repeated G.o.dolphin.

"He must be asked to resign," said the Duke.

"Ha!" laughed Sarah. "And you think this creeper into green closets, this friend of our dirty little chambermaid will do that?"

"I think," the Duke replied, "that he will have to be forced to do it."

"How?"

"If Sidney and I refuse to serve with him, he will have to go."

"And you will do that?"

"We will feel our way first."

"Trust you for that!" laughed Sarah affectionately.

"In the old days," said Marlborough sadly, "it would have been easy for you to have explained to the Queen."

"And now alas she won't listen to any but that dirty chambermaid."

"Who," put in G.o.dolphin, "will fight for Harley!"

"Marl," said Sarah, "you go and see her. She is fond of you, and if she has any grat.i.tude she should not be able to refuse you anything."

It was agreed that Marlborough should see the Queen.

The Queen sat back in her chair exhausted, and sent for Masham.

"Your Majesty is very tired," said Abigail anxiously. "I fear the Duke has wearied you."

"So tired, Masham. Far more so than when I go hunting the stag, I can a.s.sure you."

Abigail said that she was terrified every time the Queen hunted in the high wheeled chair which was drawn by the fastest horse in her stables. "I sit and tremble until Your Majesty returns. You are quite intrepid, Madam."

Anne pushed aside Abigail's fears. "I have hunted since I was a child, Masham; and my one-horse chaise is excellent for me nowadays."

"And now Your Majesty is as tired as after the hunt."

"More so, Masham, more so."

"Your visitor proved tiresome?"

"I'm afraid so, Hill. The Duke is such a charming man and I have always been so fond of him; and of course I never forget his brilliance in battle. But ... I cannot give way in everything however brilliant a commander he is, can I?"

"I am sure Your Majesty should never give way. It is others who should give way to you."

"I have grown so fond of dear Mr. Harley. Of course the Duke does not like him. He says that he does not care to serve in a ministry which contains Mr. Harley."

"I see," said Abigail.

"Yes, that is what he wants. And G.o.dolphin is with him. It would not grieve me greatly to do without G.o.dolphin, but I do not see what our armies would do without the Duke."

Abigail was silent.

"Oh dear," went on the Queen. "There seems to be nothing but quarrels. Make me some tea. I feel I need a little sustenance."

Abigail made the tea and planned at the same time as to how she could get the news to Harley that Marlborough and G.o.dolphin were attempting to oust him from his post.

When she returned with the tea she sat on the stool at the Queen's feet.

"That's better," said Anne. "Just the right amount of sugar. Of course I told the Duke that I could not do without Mr. Harley. I have come to depend upon him. I shall summon a meeting of Council; then they will have to attend. Perhaps then they will put their complaints of Mr. Harley to his face."

"But Your Majesty will not ask him to resign?"

"Certainly I shall not," said the Queen.

Abigail made her way to Albemarle Street; she was let in without question and taken up to Harley's private study.

He took both her hands and kissed her on the forehead; it was the chaste greeting he often bestowed upon her.

"Marlborough has been to see the Queen."

He nodded. "I know he is determined to ruin me."

"He hasn't a chance. The Queen is firmly behind you."

"A position, my dear coz, in which you have helped to place her."

"She won't allow you to resign."

"I am wondering if it mightn't be a necessity."

"A necessity!" Abigail was aghast.

"My dear cousin, you are so concerned?"

"But everything we have worked for ..."

"Will not be lost. Depend upon it, in the long run we will drive Marlborough and his virago of a d.u.c.h.ess out of office. But the time is not yet."

"Something has happened?"

He nodded.

"Something bad ... for us?"

He nodded again.

She, who was habitually so calm, stamped her foot in sudden anger.

"They have been clever, our enemies," he said. "Perhaps we underestimated them. We have been congratulating ourselves on the follies of Sarah, but her friends are strong and ingenious."

"Tell me," she said impatiently.

"They have arrested a clerk in my office."

"What has this to do with us?"

"A great deal. A communication he sent to Chamillart was opened in Holland."

"Who is Chamillart?"

"The French Secretary of State."

"Good G.o.d!" cried Abigail.

"You may well exclaim. He will be tried for High Treason."

"And you?"

"You can guess what our enemies are saying, can you not?"

"That you are guilty of ... treason?"

"Well, they couldn't have hoped for better luck, could they?"

"But you ..."

"I knew nothing of it, but the clerk was in my office. It is information which pa.s.ses through my hands which has been discovered on its way to the enemy. You can imagine that Sarah is choking with laughter over this. It may not be only my office that I may have to give up, but my head."

Abigail was pale.

"It won't come to this."

"Powerful people are doing all they know to make it."

"We will defeat them."

"How fierce you are, cousin!"

"But, this must not be. Everything we have worked for ..."

He came close to her and smiled his enigmatic smile which never failed to excite her.

"You are not disturbed," she asked. "You seem as though you do not care."

"But you do, cousin," he said smiling. "Odd, is it not ... that you should be more concerned than I?"

Marlborough and G.o.dolphin had absented themselves from the Council meeting, and although Harley attempted to open it he was not allowed to do so for the Duke of Somerset pointed out that there could not be such a meeting if both the Lord Treasurer and the Commander in Chief were absent. The Queen was angry, for she had meant to show Marlborough and G.o.dolphin that she could do very well without them.

It was an anxious day for Abigail when it was proved that William Gregg, the clerk in Harley's employ, had attempted to sell information to France and that he had received a hundred guineas for his pains.

The Whig writers were busy inflaming the people against Harley. Harley was the traitor, they said; he was hiding behind Gregg; and the Marlborough Junta waited eagerly for Gregg to betray his master.

In the green closet Abigail brought Harley to the Queen.

"My dear friend," cried Anne, with tears in her eyes, "I know full well what your enemies are trying to do to you. I'll not allow it. You know that I trust you."

"Your Majesty's kindness overwhelms me," Harley told her. "If I possess that, I care for naught else."

"Such trouble!" sighed the Queen. "And at such a time!"

She glanced towards the Prince who was propped up in his chair and it was clear that his breathing was more painful than usual.

"Masham has been with me all night," said the Queen. "We have had to be in constant attention upon my poor angel. He does not hear what we say. I fear he is very bad indeed. And all this trouble ..."

"Madam," said Harley, "I shall offer my resignation. I believe that is the way at this time to save you trouble."

"Mr. Harley, I could not accept it."

"Madam, you need to give your attention to His Highness. This is not the time to be plagued by the squabbles of your ministers."