Sweet lass of Richmond Hill

Marine Pavilion

Lou is Weltje was a man of ideas and he had long been turning over in his mind a plan which he felt was a good one. On his trips to and from Brighton in the service of the Prince of Wales he had had time to survey the possibilities of that fishing village and he found them exciting.

Sea bathing he believed had come to stay. More and more of the fashionable world were spending long periods of the summer there. Old Smoker was a character; so was Martha Gunn; and stories of their salty conversation were repeated in the ballrooms of the great houses. Everyone must go to Brighton. The sea bathing was so beneficial to the health that it set one up for the winter; there was as much elegance in Brighton as in London because the Prince of Wales was there, and everyone knew that where the Prince of Wales was there was the ton, the high society, the only place where the fashionable could possibly exist.

So Herr Weltje began to make plans.

For three years the Prince had rented Grove House, but no one was going to say that Grove House was a worthy residence for the heir to the throne. Yet, reasoned Weltje, where else could the Prince stay? Quite obviously if there was no house in Brighton worthy of him, one must be provided.

No one could be unaware of Herr Weltje; he was as outstanding in his way as the Prince was in his. But whereas the Prince was remarkable for his good looks and his glittering elegance, Weltje stood out in his ugliness.

He had a face like a cod fish, sonic said, his short nose had an exaggerated tilt; his head was too big for his short fat body and he waddled like a duck.

To make up for his unprepossessing appearance Weltje had an alert mind. One did not rise from gingerbread peddler to majordomo in a royal household without intelligence; one was not known as the best cook in London without reason; one did not own a confectioner's shop in Piccadilly, which, it was true, was managed by one's wife, and a club which was patronized by the Prince and his friends if one was not a very clever business man.

The gingerbread seller was determined to make a fortune before he retired from business and then perhaps return to his native Hanover to spend it ... or perhaps by then he would be content merely to remain in England.

But now ... Brighton. Heir Weltje saw possibilities in old Kemp's Farm which stood on the west side of the Steyne. At this time few would give it a second glance, but that was all to the good. Its position was excellent; the name could be changed to Marine Pavilion; and with such a name and certain renovations it could be a more worthy dwelling for a Prince than Grove House.

Hen Weltje believed he had another winner. He would take a lease of the place, and when it was ready let it to his royal master.

When the Prince heard of the project he was delighted. Building was one of his passions and he threw himself wholeheartedly into turning Kemp's Farm into Marine Pavilion. They must have, he told Weltje, the best of architects and he would have Henry Holland brought down to Brighton. The house must be ready for occupation by Easter as he had no intention of taking Grove House again and as Carlton House was shut up he intended to come down to Brighton as soon as the weather was warm.

Work started immediately. The Prince would never suffer delay and in a few weeks there was not a sign of Kemp's Farm. In its place an elegant mansion began to take shape. It was dominated by a rotunda in its centre, with a shallow cupola. Ionic colonnades connected this with the two wings on either side; and a gallery, on which forbidding looking statues had been placed at intervals, surrounded the rotunda. The north wing, with the rotunda, had been added to what had been Kemp's Farm, and which formed the basis of the south wing, so that Holland had more than doubled the size of the place and had arranged that almost every window should have a view of the sea. He had made it a very pleasant residence with verandas and balconies; and the gardens before the Pavilion were delightful. The front lawns were surrounded by a low wall and some trellis so that it was easy for people to see over and watch the Prince and his guests enjoying the sunshine in the gardens.

It was a pleasant summer villa, the Prince decided; not ostentatious, but suited to his present mode of living. His passion for building made him dream of what alterations might one day be made to the Pavilion—but for the time being, with its two wings on either side of the rotunda, it must be adequate.

Maria, who had refused to live openly with him, took a little house very near Marine Pavilion—just a small villa, made charming by its green shutters, and it was particularly convenient because only a narrow strip of garden separated it from the Prince's house.

During that winter while Fox w r as urging loyal Whigs to support the Prince's request that his debts be considered a State matter and he be enabled to maintain an establishment suitable to his rank, he lived as simply as he could. Since living at Carlton House was too expensive he accepted the loan of several country houses. Lord North lent him his at Bushey and his uncle the Duke of Gloucester wrote from abroad that his mansion at Bagshot was at His Highness's service.

Maria was delighted with his economies and he delighted in pleasing Maria. Brighton took to her; she never gave herself airs, but at the same time had such a regal presence that she won immediate respect. All the well-known hostesses received her as though she were indeed the Princess of Wales. The Duchesses of Cumberland, Devonshire and Rutland, Ladies Clare, Clermont and Melbourne, were all at Brighton—they must be if they would be fashionable; there they entertained and unless they could induce the Prince and Mrs. Fitzherbert to head their guests they were most despondent. The Prince was seen going everywhere with Maria. Martha Gunn openly called her Mrs. Prince; and people took up the name. It was clear that they accepted Maria as the wife of the Prince of Wales, and the stories that a marriage had taken place between them as true.

The good people of Brighton would not have had it otherwise. The building of Marine Pavilion had brought prosperity to Brighton builders. Everyone was wanting villas put up— and grand ones too.

The people of Brighton cheered the Prince wherever he went. They did not forget what they owed to him—and of course to Mrs. Prince.

The popularity of the Prince was never so high as it was during that summer. His ex^eme affability and his free and easy manners won the hearts of the people of Brighton. He was sorry he had run up such debts, they said; and how had he? On setting up home for Mrs. Fitzherbert. A reasonable and romantic reason. What right had the King to be so hard on his son? They remembered that the Parliament had paid the King's debts before this. And why was that? How did he run up debts with his cheeseparing. They knew. It was because the Queen was spending money abroad on her needy family, that was what it was! And in the meantime the charming Prince of Wales—who it was admitted had lived extravagantly but understandably so—had to live in penury.

Penury was scarcely the word to describe the way of life at Marine Pavilion—but the Prince was undoubtedly economizing.

Under the influence of Maria, he drank less and that made him more affable still. He was interested in his servants; when a boy was dismissed for dishonesty the Prince found him weeping bitterly and asking the cause, and discovering it, said to the boy: "If I gave you another chance would you promise me never to steal again and be my good and faithful servant?" The boy swore it and the chance was given and ever after no one dared say a word against the Prince of Wales in his hearing. Thus he was popular with the townsfolk and particularly in his own household. It was said of him that no one was ever adored so wholeheartedly by his servants as he was. He could always be relied on to help anyone in financial difficulties. It was true that he had no notion of money but quite a proportion of his debts had been incurred through his generous help to those in distress.

Maria, knowing this, rejoiced in her prince and she declared more than once that economizing in Brighton was no real hardship. In fact she had never been so happy in her life.

The Duc d'Orleans, that lover of Grace Elliott and all things English, was naturally at Brighton. He was known to be out of sympathy with his cousin the King of France and the enemy of the Queen of that country; he loved the English way of life. He was always to the fore at any race meeting; he gambled extravagantly; and he declared himself to be one of the best friends of the Prince of Wales.

One day when he found himself alone with the Prince he broached the subject of the Prince's financial difficulties and told him that it grieved him very much to see such an elegant gentleman, such a natural leader of fashion, forced to submit himself to such a bourgeois state as economy.

The Prince laughed. "Oh, I am not so extravagant as I believed myself to be."

"I don't like it, cousin. In fact I feel ashamed to have so much and to see you with so little."

"Monsieur le Duc, you have a kind heart, I see."

"I should have a happy one if you would allow me to offer you a loan which would wipe out a good proportion of your debts."

The Prince thought how pleasant it would be to snap his fingers at his father and Mr. Pitt and avail himself of this offer.

He hesitated and Orleans was quick to see this.

"Come! What is a little money, between cousins?" I would not wish to inconvenience you in the least."

"Inconvenience! It would give me the greatest pleasure."

Sheridan came riding down to Brighton to call on Maria.

"Did you know that the Prince is about to accept a loan from the Duc d'Orleans?"

"Why, no!" cried Maria.

"I see that you realize the importance of this. He must be persuaded not to accept this. It's a political move on the part of Orleans."

"The Prince will be (ailing shortly. Wait here and see him with me."

When the Prince arrived he was pleased to see his dear friend Sherry and glad that he got on better with Maria than Fox did.

"Sherry is anxious about this money you arc proposing to borrow from the Duc d'Orleans," said Maria.

The Prince laughed. "Is it not an excellent idea to allow the Frenchman to help me out of my difficulties? Imagine my father's rage when lie knows that I have not to beg to him any more."

"Your Highness," said Sheridan, "this is a member of the French royal family. I have already heard of the money he is now raising in France. This would be taken to amount to a loan from France. Your Highness will see that it would be quite impossible for you to take it."

The Prince was startled and Maria, watching, thought he looked like a child who has had a promised toy suddenly snatched from him.

"Why?" he demanded.

"Because, sir, the Duc of Orleans is a political figure. He does not offer you this money entirely out of friendship. There is a great deal of unrest in France at this time and it would seem that there is trouble ahead. It may be that the Duc has plans ... plans which might involve this country. Your Highness is apt to forget, if I may be so bold as to say so, the importance of your position. I must tell Your Highness that both Fox and Portland consider it most unwise of you to accept this loan."

"So it is being discussed already?"

" In France, Your Highness, as well as in this country. I know now that with your sound good sense you will see the danger of putting yourself so deeply in debt to France through the Duc d'Orleans."

Maria said: "Sherry is right, I feel sure."

The Prince smiled and nodded. "Of course. I see it all. But..."

"Your Highness," said Sheridan hastily, "Charles has sent a message to you. Be patient for a little longer. He plans to bring your affairs up in Parliament very shortly. He is ready for the attack and he says the signs are good. There is victory ahead."

"I will write at once to Orleans and thank him for his generosity while I tell him that I shall be unable to take advantage of his goodness."

Sheridan sighed with relief.

The Prince was amenable. He would go to Chertsey without delay and tell Charles that Maria Fitzherbert was the best possible influence the Prince could have and that he, Charles, and she should lose this distrust they had for each other.