Courting Her Highness

THE LAST MEETING

The sound of carousal could be heard in St. James’s Palace. Abigail smiled secretly as she ministered to the needs of the Queen.

Dear Masham! thought Anne, I should like to honour her with a title, but if I did, could I expect a lady of rank to do the menial tasks she does for me? I do not want any change. I want everything to be as it is now between us.

“There is excitement in the streets tonight, Madam.”

“Yes, Masham. The people regard this as a victory for Dr. Sacheverel.”

“And for Your Majesty. They have linked you with him. So often I have heard them shout, Long Live the Queen and Dr. Sacheverel.”

“He stands for the Church and I do not believe my present Government has the good of the Church at heart.”

“Your Majesty will doubtless soon have a new Government.”

“I have had petitions from the people to dissolve the present Parliament.”

“Bringing Dr. Sacheverel to trial has ruined them,” added Abigail.

“I shall seek an early opportunity of dissolving Parliament so that the people will have a chance of electing the Government they want.”

Abigail was exultant. This would be good news for Robert Harley and she would convey it to him at the earliest possible moment, although, of course, he knew, for the outcome was inevitable.

“Play to me for a while,” said the Queen. “I have a fancy for a little music.”

So Abigail went to the harpsichord and played the Queen’s favourite Purcell airs, but as she played there was such a sound of conversation from the ante-room that she stopped and, turning to the Queen, saw that she had fallen asleep.

Abigail went to the ante-room where she saw Lady Hyde and Lady Burlington laughing together.

Abigail said: “The Queen is sleeping.”

A short while ago they would have resented the intrusion, now they knew that a word from Abigail to the Queen could do them much harm so they smiled ingratiatingly at her and asked her if she had heard of the Duchess of Marlborough’s latest impertinence towards Her Majesty.

“I have not,” answered Abigail, “and should like to hear it.”

“Well,” said Lady Hyde. “Lady Marlborough was acting as sponsor at christening with the Duchess of Somerset and Lady Somerset suggested naming the child Anne. And what do you think Madam Sarah said to that? ‘There was never anyone good for much of that name. I’ll not stand for a baby named Anne!’ ”

“How dare she!” cried Abigail.

“Sarah would dare anything. Did you not know that?”

Mrs. Darcey, one of the palace ladies, came into the room, just as Anne, awaking and missing Abigail, called to her.

“Masham,” said the Queen, when Abigail entered, “you look disturbed. Is anything wrong?”

“I am just angered, Madam, by a further impertinence of the Duchess of Marlborough.”

“What is this?”

“It is just another rudeness, Madam. Scarcely worth the notice.”

“Nevertheless I would hear.”

Abigail told the Queen of the christening incident.

“That woman is continually showing her lack of respect and animosity towards me,” complained the Queen. “I’ll not endure much more of it.”

Mrs. Darcey, who overheard the last remark, went to Sarah and told her what had been said.

“You see,” cried Sarah to John, “there is continual tittle-tattle against me.”

“But what of this christening matter?”

“I was there,” admitted Sarah.

“And you made this remark?”

Sarah put her head on one side. “I was joking about the occasion when the Duke of Hamilton christened his boy Anne—hoping for royal favour, of course—and I said since this was a girl, why not, after the fashion set by Hamilton, make a boy of her and call her George.”

“It might be a good plan if you could see the Queen and explain this.”

“My dear Marl, I am heartily sick of playing the humble supplicant to that woman.”

“But the Government is in danger of falling. If you could regain your old friendship with the Queen we could recover all that we have lost.”

“It seems ridiculous to have been pushed aside for that chamberwoman.” Sarah’s eyes were glinting. “She shall see me. She shall. I shall explain to her and she will have to take notice.”

Marlborough laid a restraining hand on his wife’s arm. “My love, be careful. You can do it … if you will. But you must curb your tongue.”

Sarah’s lips were firmly set, but Marlborough’s misgivings were great.

“Your Majesty is disturbed?” asked Abigail.

“A request for an audience from the Duchess of Marlborough.”

“And Your Majesty will grant it?”

“The woman holds all her appointments still and that gives her easy access to my apartments. I would be rid of her. Do you know, Masham, I never want to see her again. Does that surprise you when you consider the greatness of the friendship we once had for each other?”

“What surprises me, Madam, is Your Majesty’s great patience with the Duchess.”

“My patience is fast running out. I do not wish to see her, Masham. She wearies me with her continual ranting.”

“Could Your Majesty write and tell her to put what she has to say in writing?”

“An excellent idea, Masham. I will do that.”

When she received the Queen’s letter Sarah was furious. She immediately wrote that what she had to say could not be put into writing. Anne replied by giving her an appointment for the next day, but when the hour approached Anne called Abigail to her and told her that the thought of seeing Sarah gave her a headache and made her feet throb.

Abigail bathed the feet and afterwards massaged them while the Queen planned the letter she would write to tell Sarah that she preferred what she had to say to be written.

But Sarah was not easily diverted. Again she replied that it was not possible to write what she had to say and again she demanded a private interview.

“Shall I never throw her off?” Anne asked piteously. Then she had the idea of leaving for Kensington and wrote to Sarah telling her that she would be away for some days and if Sarah would care to put what she had to say in writing she, Anne, would consider it while she was away.

But there was no escape. Sarah’s reply came back promptly:

“I am glad Your Majesty is going to Kensington to make use of the fresh air and take care of your health. I will follow you there and wait every day until it is convenient for you to see me, as what I have to say is of such a nature as to require no answer.”

Sarah arrived at Kensington Palace while the Queen was reading her note. She went straight to the royal apartments and told the Queen’s page to announce her.

Anne, sitting at her writing desk, Sarah’s letter before her, realized that she could no longer postpone the interview and gave permission for Sarah to enter.

When Sarah came into the room Anne remained at her desk, her pen in her hand.

She looked up as Sarah entered and said: “I have just read your letter. I was going to write to you.”

As soon as she was in her presence, so many memories came rushing back to Sarah that she forgot the change in their relationship and replied to the Queen with all the old imperiousness: “About what were you going to write, Madam?”

“I was going to write to you,” replied Anne, setting her lips into a line which should have warned Sarah.

“There was something in my letter, Madam, that you wished to answer?”

“There is nothing you have to say that you could not write,” insisted Anne.

Sarah was exasperated. The Queen was in what Sarah called the parrot mood. She would go on repeating her set phrases and it would be impossible to reason with her.

“I did not know that Your Majesty was ever so hard as to refuse to hear a person speak. Even the meanest have a right to be heard.”

“I tell people to put what they have to say in writing when I have a mind to.”

“I have nothing to say on the subject which is so upsetting to you, Madam. Mrs. Masham is not concerned in what I would say, but I cannot be quiet until I have spoken to you.”

“You may put what you have to say in writing,” insisted the Queen.

“It has been brought to my notice,” burst out Sarah, “that evil tales concerning me have been laid before you. It is said that I have spoken disrespectfully of Your Majesty. I would no more think of doing that than killing my own children.”

Anne’s expression did not change, but she did not look at Sarah’s heated face. Sarah Churchill had often spoken disrespectfully to her in her own hearing, so how much more inclined she would be to do so behind her back! Sarah no longer moved her to affection and her greatest desire was never to look on her one-time friend’s face again.

“There are many lies told always,” murmured Anne, turning her head and picking up her fan.

“I ask Your Majesty to let me know what calumnies you have heard against me. I know you will agree that I should have a chance of clearing myself.”

“In your note you said you required no answer,” said Anne. “I will give you none.”

Sarah was furious. “Do not think to thrust me aside in this way. Do not think that I will stand aside for a chambermaid. You shall hear me.”

“I will leave the room,” said the Queen, rising painfully from her chair.

Sarah strode to the door and stood against it, her arms outspread, her eyes flashing.

“You will stay here until you have heard what I have to say.”

Anne’s meekness dropped from her; she drew herself to her full height and looked in cold amazement at the Duchess.

“I think Your Grace forgets she is in the presence of the Queen.”

The coldness in Anne’s face alarmed Sarah. She knew in that moment that she had failed. The horror of the situation impressed itself upon her. Everything for which she had worked was slipping away from her. And not only had she lost what she ardently desired, she had failed Marl.

Angry tears came to her eyes and in a moment she was sobbing as she never had before. It was a display of frustration and anger; the acknowledgment of defeat; she turned away and opening the door stumbled into the gallery, where she sat down and gave way to her grief.

Anne looked at the door; she could feel nothing but relief. Sarah Churchill had gone too far, but perhaps even she at last understood that their friendship was at an end.

She went to her chair and sat down thoughtfully. She would dissolve the Whig Ministry. There would be a Tory Government which would please her, for she was a Tory at heart. Mr. Harley would be at the head of her new Government and there would be no further attempts to rob her of dearest Masham.

A scratching at the door. She sighed. There was Sarah again, her face blotched with weeping, but her eyes unusually meek.

She has learned her lesson, thought Anne. She knows that I never want to see her again.

“Well, Lady Marlborough?” said Anne haughtily.

“Madam, my posts demand that I am at times in attendance on Your Majesty.”

Anne inclined her head. Yes, she thought, but we must find a means to put an end to that.

“And,” went on Sarah, “I hope that Your Majesty will have no objection to seeing me on state occasions.”

Anne inclined her head. No, she would not object to seeing Sarah on state occasions. What she would not tolerate was giving her another private interview.

“You may come to the Castle,” said the Queen coolly. “That will not disturb me.”

Sarah bowed and the Queen turned away signifying dismissal; but Sarah had never learned to control her feelings and she could not do so now. Her rage took possession of her once more, suppressing common sense.

“This is cruel,” she cried. “All our friendship forgotten for the sake of a woman whom I myself took from a broom. Everything I have done for you is thrust aside as though it had never been, and I am treated to scorn and indignity. Through the court they are whispering about me and talking of your ingratitude to me. Mrs. Morley, have you forgotten the old days?” As the Queen was silent, Sarah went on: “You will be sorry for this. You will suffer for your inhumanity.”

“That,” answered Anne, “will be my affair. Your Grace is dismissed.”

Sarah gazed in astonishment at the regal figure so different from Mrs. Morley of the past.

“I can only believe,” went on Anne, as Sarah did not move, “that Your Grace is hard of hearing. You are dismissed.”

There was nothing Sarah could do but turn away.

Anne had made up her mind that it was the last time she would ever grant Sarah Churchill a private audience.

The Queen could be stubborn, but Sarah went away planning the next stage of the campaign.

It took her some time to accept the fact that she would never be permitted to speak to the Queen again.