The Queen and Lord M

Chapter IX THE BEDCHAMBER AFFAIR

The Palace feud had intensified, and the happiness the Queen had experienced during the ‘pleasantest summer’ had completely disappeared. The Duchess was becoming more and more tiresome and seemed to do everything possible to make life difficult. She kept Lady Flora constantly in her company, was over-solicitous for her health as though to draw attention to her own compassion compared with her daughter’s heartlessness. The Flora Hastings scandal was still discussed and of course by this time it was obvious that she would not be pregnant and was really ill.

Victoria was touchy, irritable, snapping at dear Daisy and sometimes being imperious even with Lord Melbourne. Of course his extreme tact and rather cynical jocularity overcame these moods and he would laugh at her in a funny respectful way, bow with exaggerated formality and call her Majesty, so that she would have to laugh and feel better for a while.

She raged against the Tories and their horrid paper, the Morning Post, which had blown up the silly Palace intrigue to a mighty scandal; she referred to Flora Hastings as that ‘nasty creature’; she worried about putting on weight, her lack of inches and her health. She was getting really melancholy and that, she once told Lord Melbourne, was how it probably started with her grandfather.

Lord Melbourne said it was not in the least like her grandfather. He had had a rash and had been unable to stop talking. Lord Melbourne thought where she did show a lack of balance was in comparing herself with him. Yet look how angry she had been when she had been likened to Queen Charlotte and the Duke of Gloucester!

That made her laugh.

‘Dear Lord M!’ she cried. ‘What should I do without you? Whenever I feel melancholy I remember that you will be coming in to see me and that makes me feel much better.’

Lord Melbourne looked a little thoughtful and wondered whether he ought to tell her about the uncertain position of the Government. Was it better to do so and prepare her or let the inevitable burst upon her? It would certainly do nothing to relieve her present gloomy feelings; on the other hand he did not wish it to come as a surprise.

Better perhaps to prepare her gradually.

‘Colonies can try us sorely,’ he said. ‘There are troubles looming in Jamaica now.’

‘I am sure my Government with you at its head will be able to handle them successfully.’

‘Oh, I have the utmost confidence in Lord Palmerston. There are, however, so many questions to be settled. There is controversy over the apprentices there. The prisons are overcrowded. Some of the planters are far from humane and they clap their workers into prison for the slightest offence which results of course in this dreadful overcrowding. We brought in a Bill to improve all this but the Colonial Assembly were hostile to it. “Trouble! Trouble! Boil and Bubble.” If it isn’t Canada it’s Jamaica. Who would have Colonies?’

‘Having them we must look after them.’

‘Quite so,’ said Lord Melbourne. ‘We are going to bring in a Bill to suspend the Jamaican Constitution temporarily but Sir Robert Peel and his merry men are not going to agree with us on this point.’

‘How tiresome they are!’

He looked at her more closely. She had not grasped the implication. He had been trying to tell her for some time that the Whig Parliament was on the brink of disaster. One could not govern in the present circumstances. The strength of the Tories was increasing; that of the Whigs diminishing; and Sir Robert Peel was poised at the ready to leap into Lord Melbourne’s shoes.

No, she was too sad for him to drive home the point now, but he had sown the seeds. She would go away and think about the Jamaican situation and the powerful Sir Robert Peel who could – and most probably would – in a very short time be here with her talking to her of the country’s affairs in the place of Lord Melbourne.

He allowed the conversation to slip back to the Flora Hastings affair which, unpleasant as it was, would he knew be more tolerable to the Queen.

‘When the press takes up a royal scandal we can be sure it will be with us for a long time.’

‘That wretched Morning Post!’

‘You should not take it to heart. The Tories are always looking for a chance to attack us and they are trying to make me the scapegoat of this affair.’

‘I shall never allow that.’

‘This is one of the matters in which Your Imperious Majesty has no say, alas. This affair is making as much noise as the troubles of George IV and his wife.’

‘She was tried … for adultery. That must have been very shocking.’

‘Yes, but the people like a heroine. They could hardly make one of her and your royal Uncle was scarcely cast for the role of hero at that time. It was very different when he was a young man. Then he was a real Prince Charming. When I was a boy I remember the talk of him. He was in and out of scrapes but the people adored him. He was good-looking and gallant and even when Mary Robinson threatened to publish his love letters they were still on his side against his virtuous and let us confess it rather dull father.’

‘Poor Grandfather! And it seems so unfair that people should be loved and admired because of their good looks. Grandfather tried so hard to be good; and Uncle George didn’t care – yet they were on his side.’

‘The people love romance. When you marry, you will see how they adore you.’

She avoided his eyes. Marriage was a matter she did not wish to discuss with him. Uncle Leopold was constantly hinting at it and mentioning the virtues of her cousin Albert, and she had thought Albert most attractive when she had met him on his brief visit to England before her accession; but now she felt differently. A husband would interfere and she wanted no interference.

Lord Melbourne was aware of her feelings, but marriage like the results of a division on the Jamaican Bill was something which would have to be discussed sooner or later.

She was depressed at the moment so he would try to cheer her.

‘I love hearing your accounts of my family,’ she said. ‘How wonderful to think that you lived through so much and saw it at first hand.’

‘I am not so sure. It betrays the fact that I am a somewhat aged gentleman.’

‘Some people are ageless. Dear Lord M, you are one of them.’

‘Your Majesty is in a complimentary mood today.’

‘You are cheering me considerably … as you always do. Tell me about your family.’

‘Ah,’ he said, ‘they are not illustrious like yours.’

She giggled. ‘I fear some of mine have been far from illustrious. In fact they have been wicked and scandalous.’

‘Not really more so than the less exalted,’ he assured her. ‘They have had power some of them, unlimited power, and how do any of us know how we would act with such a weapon in our hands? Now mine is a very much more sober history. Most of it is wrapped in obscurity.’

‘Tell me what you know.’

‘Well, it was like this: a fellow called Peniston Lamb was born in Southwell in the year 1670. He was poor but he managed to go to London and study law. He went into business and made a fortune.’

‘That was clever of him considering he was born poor.’

‘Very clever. When he died he left his fortune to two nephews.’

‘Did he have no sons?’

‘No sons, only two nephews. One of these, Matthew, was my grandfather. He married a Miss Coke of Melbourne, a little spot not far from Derby. He knew how to multiply the money left to him and made a large fortune. He was knighted and when he died my father, who was Peniston after the founder of our fortunes, inherited his father’s money and the title. My father became very friendly with Lord Bute, who was a great friend of your grandfather’s mother, the Princess Augusta.’

Victoria nodded. ‘I believe there was some scandal.’

‘She and Lord Bute were great friends, particularly after the death of Augusta’s husband, Frederick, Prince of Wales.’

‘It reminds me of Mamma and Sir John Conroy.’

‘It was rather similar. Lord Bute advised the Princess and your grandfather was then Prince of Wales, his father Frederick having died and George II (his grandfather) still being alive. Lord Bute was a man of great influence and remained so until George, having become King, threw him off. But what I wanted to tell you was that my father had some connection with Lord Bute, and Lord North (the Prime Minister who lost us the American Colonies, with the help of your grandfather of course) made my father a Baron and that was how he became Viscount Melbourne. Then the Prince Regent (your Uncle George) made him a peer of England. There you have the Melbourne history and you see that it is not nearly as exciting as your own.’

‘It is far less shocking.’

‘Oh, that is because it is obscure.’

‘There are too many quarrels in our family.’

‘The Hanoverians were noted for their family quarrels. George II quarrelled violently with George I; Frederick, Prince of Wales, who died before his father and so missed the crown, quarrelled with George II; and George III lost his father so he couldn’t quarrel with him, but his son George IV made up for it by quarrelling with his father and having the most gigantic public quarrel with his wife which ended in the famous trial.’

‘And now there is Mamma and myself. We’are carrying on the family tradition. Mamma is behaving very badly. Oh dear, it is all so depressing.’

And here they were back at the Queen’s growing dissatisfaction with her life.

‘If Mamma could be induced to leave the Palace then I think everything would be well.’

‘The plain fact is that she cannot leave while you are unmarried, and there is only one way out of it. Since you find her so difficult to live with and cannot live without her, you see the alternative.’

‘Marriage.’

‘Exactly so,’ said Lord Melbourne.

‘I do not find the subject a very pleasant one.’

‘Quite a number of subjects are so, I fear, but often when one gives them an airing and looks at them from various angles one grows accustomed to them and familiarity breeds not always contempt as they say, but acceptance.’

‘I am very young as yet.’

‘You are the Queen.’

‘And therefore should not be obliged to do what I do not wish.’

‘Providing it is outside the interest of the State, of course.’

‘And this …’

‘Is a State matter. But let us look at it from another angle. You are unhappy in your ménage. You are an unmarried girl. You must have some sort of chaperone and who is reckoned to be better for that kind of post than a girl’s own mother? You would like to escape from that particular chaperone. How could you do this? By marriage. You have noticed that owing to this unfortunate affair …’

‘That nasty creature!’

‘Exactly, but the people see her as a wronged heroine and they love wronged heroines. Your role has shifted a little. How could we restore it? There is nothing to appeal to the people like romantic love.’

‘Could you so describe a State marriage?’

‘State marriages are always so described.’

‘But that is invariably quite false.’

‘But we are discussing how such marriages are described, not what they are. A young queen, a husband whom she loves … a royal wedding! These are the things which would drive that “nasty creature’s” martyrdom from their minds and it would rid you of your unwanted custodian.’

The Queen was thoughtful. ‘I see that you think it is my duty.’

‘Well, it is bound to come sooner or later.’

‘You know that Uncle Leopold is pressing for me to marry my cousin Albert. They are planning to send him over in the autumn.’

‘And your mother? What does she feel about this?’

‘I think she would welcome it too.’

‘I daresay,’ said Lord Melbourne significantly, ‘she would welcome her own nephew. They might become very friendly. Do you think cousins are very good things?’

‘Well, they might think the same in many ways …’

‘The Coburgs are not very popular abroad.’

‘Everyone speaks highly of Albert. When I saw him I thought him … admirable.’

‘And yet you do not seem very eager to see him again.’

‘So much has happened since we last met him. Then I was very young.’

‘And Coburgs …’ Lord Melbourne made a wry face and shook his head. ‘The Duchess is a Coburg.’

‘Oh, the men are different.’

‘Perhaps the English are not very fond of foreigners.’

‘You mean the people would like me to marry an Englishman … that would mean a commoner.’

‘Which might not be satisfactory,’ Lord Melbourne agreed.

‘Is it necessary for me to marry just yet? There is plenty of time. I like to have my own way as you know.’

‘I have gathered that,’ said Lord Melbourne, and they both laughed.

‘You know my temper.’

‘I know it well.’

‘It would not be good if a husband roused it, would it?’

‘It is not good when anyone rouses it.’

‘But really do you not think that we could wait for a year or two?’

‘Well, you have just said that you like your own way and I will say that if the Queen decides that she will wait three or four years then she will wait. But in the meantime perhaps it would be advisable for her to give consideration to the matter. It will take her mind from other things.’

She nodded smiling. He was thinking: Yes, from other things, from the possible defeat of Your Majesty’s Government from which it would inevitably follow that these encounters which mean so much to us both may well soon be at an end.

Lord Melbourne was very uneasy. It seemed almost certain that in a few weeks he would cease to be the Prime Minister. He was thinking of the Queen. For the last two years they had seen each other every day. He knew she regarded him as a necessary part of her life, but, highly experienced in the ways of the world as he was, he understood their relationship far better than she did. Dear child, he thought, how innocent she is!

He knew that he had taken the place in her affections of Leopold. Was it due to the fact that she had never known her father that the father figure was glorified in her mind as the ideal to which she must give loyalty unlimited, and enduring affection. Had Edward Duke of Kent lived, it seemed possible that there might have been little differences between him and his imperious daughter, just as they had arisen between her and her mother; but he had died when she was a baby; therefore she had always felt the need for a father. She was a Hanoverian, and therefore overflowing with sentiment.

She loved him and he loved her. But this was a love affair with a difference. When she had shown her jealousy of Lady Holland and the Duchess of Sutherland he had been a little alarmed. When she had asked him pointedly whether he thought this or that woman beautiful he recognised the signals. He knew exactly to what they pointed. Had I been forty years younger – her own age – it would have been different, he thought. What arrant nonsense! Had he been forty years younger the situation would never have occurred. It was only as Her Majesty’s Prime Minister that he had been admitted to her confidence and how could he have been in that position at the age of twenty? Pitt the younger was twenty-four. He was no Pitt and he was sure Victoria would have disliked that earnest young man. Pitt, who at seven had known he wanted to ‘speak in the House of Commons like Papa’, would never have taken time off from politics to study human nature which was exactly what William Lamb had done.

Oh yes indeed, their relationship was an extraordinary one which few people but himself would understand. He loved the Queen; he was moved by her. The tears which she so often noticed in his eyes were genuine enough. She was so young, so innocent, so unformed, and it had been his task to form her. Thus he had felt about Caroline … and what disaster that had brought her to. When he had found himself vis à-vis with the Queen he had seemed to grasp at a second chance, to mould a young female creature, to guide her, to introduce her to queen-ship with a similar mocking tolerance and tenderness to that with which he had tried – and failed – to make Caroline into a happy woman. If to love a woman meant that she was the centre of his life then undoubtedly he loved Victoria. Without her life would be blank, dull, meaningless. It was significant that now he did not so much care that his Government was going to be defeated but that he was going to lose his intimacy with the Queen.

And she, in her open innocent way, loved him too. She would be content to spend the days with him; she asked no other companion. When she had first met that cousin of hers, she had been enchanted by him, he had heard, for Albert was a pretty boy. Now she did not wish to discuss marriage or even think of marriage. Marriage was distasteful to her. Why? Because it would interfere with her friendship with Lord Melbourne.

‘It could not go on, William,’ said Melbourne sadly to himself. ‘It had to come to an end.’

Not yet though. Perhaps in three or four years’ time, when she married.

No doubt it would be better to tell her by letter. Yes, he felt that would be safer. He would break the news gently.

On that dismal April day, for any day must be dismal when news of this nature must be broken, he took up his pen and wrote:‘Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to Your Majesty and begs to inform Your Majesty that the result of the Cabinet has been a decision to stand by the Bill as we have introduced it and not to accede to Sir Robert Peel’s proposal. The Bill is for suspending the functions of the Legislative Assembly of Jamaica and governing this island for five years by a Governor and Council. If Sir Robert Peel should persist in his proposal, and a majority of the House of Commons should concur with him, it would be such a mark of want of confidence as it will be impossible for Your Majesty’s Government to submit to.’

When the Queen read the letter her temper flared up. It was those tiresome Tories again, led by that perfectly horrid man, Sir Robert Peel. Lord Melbourne and Lord Palmerston knew best what was good for Jamaica and if the Colonial Assembly had trouble in managing the affairs of the country, of course they needed a Governor and Council. It was just a plot to overthrow Lord Melbourne.

She discussed it with Baroness Lehzen.

‘How very stupid they are!’ she stormed. ‘Of course they must do as Lord Palmerston says. Lord Melbourne thinks it is the only way.’

‘Let us hope that Lord Melbourne gets his majority in the House because that is what he must have.’

‘But of course he will.’

‘I would say he seemed a little uncertain,’ said Lehzen, for she, too, was fully aware what the cessation of Lord Melbourne’s visits would mean to her darling.

‘I would never accept Sir Robert Peel and his Tories. I detest that man in any case.’

How gloomy it seemed in the Palace. Who would have believed everything could have changed so quickly? She wished that Flora Hastings would go away. It was really rather unkind of her to remain to be a reproach to them all.

Lady Flora looked like a ghost. She was so pale and the flesh seemed to be falling away from her bones; the ugly protuberance was obvious though, just the same as it had been when they had suspected her of being pregnant.

Victoria ignored her as much as possible, but occasionally she sent a message to her asking how she was. The Duchess continued to cosset her; there were still letters in the press. As Lehzen said to the Queen: Someone was determined to keep the affair alive and she suspected Conroy.

Lady Tavistock and Lady Portman told the Queen that Flora Hastings gave them the shivers. She was like a ghost walking about the Palace.

‘She should really go home to her family to be nursed,’ snapped the. Queen. ‘That would be the best thing possible.’

‘The Duchess has said that she will see that Flora is well looked after.’

She wants to keep her here, thought Victoria, as a reproach to me.

She found Lady Tavistock, pale and trembling, and asked what ailed her.

‘It is that woman, Your Majesty.’

‘Oh, that nasty creature, you mean?’

‘I had a dream about her … that she was dead and came back to haunt me.’

‘You should put her out of your mind,’ said the Queen sharply. ‘After all, you only did your duty. There should never have been this fuss. There was an enquiry; our suspicions proved false and that should have been the end of the matter.’

‘I have always been blamed,’ said Lady Tavistock.

Lady Tavistock was inclined to see herself as a martyr, as the Queen had once remarked to Lord Melbourne.

‘Nonsense!’ said Victoria irritably.

Lady Tavistock dared not pursue the matter with Her Majesty but went away to tell the Baroness how she and Lady Portman had asked Flora to shake hands with them and say she forgave them. But Lady Flora would not. She just looked through them with that ghostly air and walked quietly away. ‘I can’t forget it,’ said Lady Tavistock.

Lehzen did not mention this to the Queen. Poor darling, she had enough trouble coming to her as it was.

It came in the form of a letter from Lord Melbourne who could not bring himself to call and tell her.‘Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to Your Majesty and has to acquaint Your Majesty that the division upon the Jamaica Bill which took place about two this morning, was two hundred and ninety-nine against the measure and three hundred and four in favour of it …’

That, thought Victoria, is a majority. Only five it is true, but a majority. So all is well. They have won. Her relief was so great that she had to read what followed twice before she could grasp its implication.

The words danced before her eyes:‘Lord Melbourne cannot conceal from Your Majesty … leave Your Majesty’s confidential servants no alternative but to resign their offices into Your Majesty’s hands. They cannot give up the Bill either with honesty or satisfaction to their own consciences and in the face of such opposition they cannot persevere in it with any hope of success. Lord Melbourne is certain that Your Majesty will not deem him too presuming if he expresses the fear that this decision will be both painful and embarrassing to Your Majesty …’

Painful and embarrassing! He was going to resign. There would be another Prime Minister. He would cease to call on her. She would rarely see him – only perhaps at social functions. Oh, no, she would not accept his resignation. No one … no one could take Lord Melbourne’s place.

Lehzen came in to find her staring before her.

‘My precious angel, what is it?’ cried the Baroness.

Victoria threw herself wildly into the Baroness’s arms. ‘They are going to resign. I cannot bear it, Daisy. He will not come here again. It is all over.’

The Baroness led her to a chair and made her sit down.

‘Perhaps it will not be so. Perhaps they can come through this. After all they have not been defeated.’

‘He says …’ began Victoria and gave the letter to Lehzen. Lehzen read it as she read most of the Queen’s correspondence.

‘Oh my love,’ said Lehzen, ‘this is terrible!’

They wept together. ‘I cannot imagine it without him,’ said Victoria.

‘You will find the new men easy to get along with. You will find someone as willing to advise you.’

The Queen stamped her foot angrily. ‘I will find no one,’ she cried. ‘Do you think anyone could take his place?’

Her anger was more bearable than her grief.

Lehzen said: ‘He was the Prime Minister …’

‘Was! He still is the Prime Minister. He shall remain Prime Minister. I shall refuse to accept his resignation.’

Lehzen looked hopeful and the Queen went on. ‘Am I the Queen or not? If I say I won’t have these horrid Tories, I won’t. Lord Melbourne is my Prime Minister now and nothing is going to change it.’

Lehzen shook her head sadly. ‘It is no use,’ she said. ‘You know the Constitution.’

‘But they haven’t been beaten, Lehzen. They won by five votes.’

‘You read here what Lord Melbourne says. He is summoning a Cabinet meeting this morning and he tells you what the Cabinet’s decision will be.’

‘I must beg them not to. Let them give up their Bill.’

‘Even the Queen cannot interfere with State affairs like that. You know that, my darling. You are overwrought.’

‘Oh, Lehzen … darling Daisy … I am going to lose him.’

Lehzen tried to soothe her. She must lie down. She must rest. She must remember she was the Queen. Malicious people would be watching. There was gossip enough. ‘Oh, please, please my darling, control your feelings. Remember you are the Queen.’

‘Daisy … what should I do without you!’

‘You have me until I die, my dearest.’

‘But if I lose him, Daisy, I don’t want to live.’

‘What sort of talk is this? Is this how a Queen talks?’

‘But he … is going to leave me, and I cannot endure that Daisy.’

‘Of course he is not going to leave you. He is still here. He will be the Leader of the Opposition, I suppose. He will not be far off. You will see him now and then. You speak as though he were going to die.’

That cheered her a little. ‘Yes, I shall see him now and then. We shall be at dinners together. I shall invite him to my box at the opera.’

‘There you see,’ said Lehzen.

‘But it won’t be the same, will it? He won’t be able to come here and we shan’t have our chats … alone. He will have to move out of the Palace. All our fun will be over. Oh, Daisy, you have no idea … no one has … how amusing he is. He makes everything so lighthearted and he is so good and kind and there is no one like him.’

‘He will come and see you.’

‘No, that horrid Peel man won’t allow it. He will come instead and I won’t have him.’

‘Once again,’ said Lehzen, ‘I beg of you to remember that you are the Queen.’

‘He would say the same, Daisy. He always reminds me that queens have to do all sorts of things that are distasteful to them.’

‘Yes, if he were here now he would say what I am saying.’

‘Oh, yes, dear Daisy, it’s true.’

‘And you would want him to be proud of you. People will be calling to see you soon. You must remember that you are the Queen. Have you forgotten how wonderful you were when Conyngham and the Archbishop came to tell you you were the Queen. Everyone said how calm … how dignified … how queenly.’

‘But that was something I wanted to hear … something I had been waiting for. Now I am going to lose my dear Prime Minister.’

‘Let me bathe your eyes. I have a wonderful lotion. No one must see, must they? There would be gossip … scandal …’

Victoria stared at the Baroness. Scandal! It was the first time she had thought that her relationship with Lord Melbourne might be considered scandalous.

She said brokenly, ‘He is the best and kindest of men. I was fortunate beyond everything that he should be my Prime Minister.’

‘And still is as far as we know.’

‘For how long, Daisy, for how long?’

‘Let’s cross our bridges when we come to them,’ said Lehzen just as she used to when they were in the nursery together before Victoria was a Queen.

‘Lord Melbourne has called,’ said Lehzen.

The Queen clasped her hands together. She was trembling.

‘He is waiting,’ added Lehzen gently.

Victoria covered her face with her hands.

‘Try and control yourself, dearest. You want to see him. Remember you are the Queen, and this is not goodbye to him.’

She nodded and went to him.

She held out both hands to him. He kissed them. When she raised her face to his she saw the tears in his eyes.

‘It … has happened?’ she asked fearfully.

Lord Melbourne nodded. ‘Lord John will be coming to see you. He will tell you that at our Cabinet meeting it was agreed that the Government should resign.’

‘I shall lose you,’ she said.

‘I shall be close.’

‘You will not forsake me, then?’

‘You cannot believe that I would ever do such a thing.’

‘I am a little comforted, but most unhappy.’

‘Your Majesty does me too much honour.’

‘But you know my feelings.’

‘Yes, I know them. And I believe you know mine.’

‘You could be here just the same?’

‘Your Majesty’s new Prime Minister would not allow the Queen to be in constant conference with the Opposition.’

‘Those Tories!’

He smiled. Like Lehzen he preferred to see the flash of temper rather than the sorrow.

‘You must try to get on with Sir Robert Peel.’

‘I never shall. I hate the man: He is quite loathsome to me.’

‘He’s all right. Stiff and formal. But you’ll get to know him.’

‘I shall refuse to.’

‘You will remember your duty, I know.’

‘Why do you have to have this miserable Bill?’

‘Well, you see, something had to be done for Jamaica. We believe we are right. They believe they are. That’s politics.’

‘But us … our … friendship. That was not politics?’

‘I have been honoured as I never thought to be. I shall remember the esteem you have had for me as long as I live.’

‘Esteem!’ she cried. ‘You are usually so good with words. That is not the right one, you know. Oh, dear Lord M, I will not let you go. I will not.’

He took her hand and patted it gently as he might a child’s. ‘I have explained to you what constitutional government is,’ he said. ‘A party that cannot rule must resign. This has been coming for a long time. Now we are going to show the world how a queen behaves. I know you will do that … admirably, and when I see you working with your new Government as you have with mine I shall say: There is indeed a queen. And I shall be so proud. I shall be arrogant and I shall deceive myself into thinking that I am in part responsible for my great little Queen.’

‘Oh, my dear, dearest Lord M!’

‘Oh come,’ he said, ‘it’s not the end. We shall meet … often.’

‘Yes, we shall. I shall insist.’

‘And of course we shall have to obey the Queen for her temper can be a little choleric and one has to be a brave man to risk arousing that.’

‘You were always very brave in that respect.’

‘I knew how kind and good a heart she has despite the flashing eye and frowning brows, and I always trusted to luck that I should not be dismissed from my Sovereign’s presence.’

‘That Peel gentleman will not find my heart so kind, I do assure you.’

‘I would not wish you to be as kind to him as you have been to me. That would be asking too much of me. But remember he’s not such a bad fellow and he is only doing his duty. I can assure Your Majesty that he is highly thought of in some quarters.’

‘Not in the Palace, and he never will be. Oh, you are teasing me, you are trying to make me forget how unhappy I am.’

‘I must leave you now,’ he said, ‘but if I have your permission to come back again this evening, I will by then have worked out a plan of action for you. Have I that permission?’

‘I shall be waiting for you this evening.’

He bowed and smiled at her.

‘All will be well,’ he said.

She shook her head not trusting herself to speak.

‘I knew it would happen,’ said Lord Melbourne, ‘some day.’

Then he was gone and she was alone … desolate.

At three o’clock that afternoon there was another visitor. It was little John Russell for whom she had always had a special affection, partly because he was a supporter of Lord Melbourne, partly because she liked him for himself and partly because like her he was well below average in height.

She held out her hand to him with the tears streaming down her cheeks.

‘Your Majesty!’ cried Lord John.

‘Oh, dear Lord John, this is terrible.’

‘I cannot tell Your Majesty how it grieves me to inform you that your Cabinet must resign. I want to thank Your Majesty for all your kindness to me in my recent bereavement.’

‘How are the darling children?’ she asked.

‘They are well but missing their mother,’ said Lord John, which made her weep afresh.

‘What a sad, sad world!’ she sighed. Poor Lord John had lost his wife and she was about to lose her dear Prime Minister.

Lord John did not remain long. He had done his duty in giving her this unwelcome news and he was unhappy to be the bringer of such tidings. Lord Melbourne would be calling on her again that day, he added to cheer her up; and even he was surprised to see what an effect this had on her.

Another chance to see him! To try to persuade him to forget this wretched Bill. Were not the people of Buckingham Palace more important to him than those of Jamaica?

In the afternoon Lord Melbourne was back at the Palace. He had recovered most of his normal nonchalance, as though he had had a tussle with himself and come to the conclusion that he must not let his feelings get the better of him.

He kissed her hand; and she clung to his for a few moments fiercely as though she would not let him go.

‘I have come to see Your Majesty,’ he said, ‘because I have been aware for some time that this was inevitable and I had already considered the advice I should give you when the day arrived.’

‘Then,’ she demanded, ‘why did you allow this Jamaican business to happen?’

He raised those bushy but beautifully marked eyebrows and gave her that half-amused half-exasperated look which had so often enchanted her. ‘Your Majesty forgets that our Ministry was never strong. Our majority was small and the Lords have never favoured us. Lord Brougham has constantly waited his opportunity to finish us off. It has been almost impossible to get any legislation through the House. Everywhere we have turned we have been baulked. This is a situation which cannot, for the good of the country, be allowed to continue. But for Your Majesty’s kindness to me and my ministers I doubt we should have lasted as long as we did. So you see, we have been fortunate. Now I must tell you what I think you should do.’

‘I do not want to see Sir Robert Peel,’ said the Queen firmly.

‘Your Majesty is not being fair to this man.’

‘He is the man who has opposed you. It is because of him that you have to go.’

‘He opposes me naturally because he is in Opposition so that is a perfectly logical thing for him to do. And my departure is by no means due to him. You must not blame him because he is a Tory.’

‘I would prefer to see all people Whigs as we are.’

He looked at her sadly. Had all his teaching been in vain? Here was the child of the nursery. Then he was filled with tenderness. She is too young for such a burden, he thought.

‘If you do not wish to send for Peel you can send for the Duke of Wellington. Tell the Duke, if Your Majesty feels this is so, that you were entirely satisfied with your late Government and that you part from them with reluctance.’

‘Oh, dear Lord M, have you any doubt of that?’

‘No, indeed I have not. Tell the Duke that as the head of the party which has been responsible for removing your late Government from office you turn to him to advise you as to the manner of replacing it and continuing with the country’s business. Now if the Duke should decide not to do this Your Majesty will have no alternative but to call in Sir Robert Peel.’

‘I can’t bear to hear his name.’

‘And first,’ went on Lord Melbourne, ‘you must overcome this aversion which in fact has no foundation in logic. For Your Majesty has scarcely seen the man.’

‘Oh, I have seen him, but he did not have the grace to present himself to me.’

‘Then he was a fool … but in that respect only. I do assure Your Majesty that he is far from foolish in the House of Commons. He is formal; he is self-conscious and it is for this reason that he did not present himself to Your Majesty. But he is an extremely able statesman and if the Duke refuses you must – for there is nothing else you can do – ask him to form a Government. But you should insist that the Duke of Wellington is part of that Government.’

‘Are you sure there is nothing else I can do?’

He smiled at her tenderly, ‘Ah, I can see that now you are accepting this unpleasant state of affairs.’

‘I shall never accept it in my heart.’

‘But you will remember you are the Queen. This is how it is with Sovereigns. There are times when we all have to act in a manner which causes us great sorrow; but this is particularly so with Sovereigns.’

‘You will dine at the Palace tonight?’

‘Your Majesty must excuse me, for I do not think that would be advisable.’

‘You are still my Prime Minister until I have a new one.’

‘Our actions are noted, commented on, exaggerated you know. I do assure you that it would be very unwise for me to dine at the Palace tonight. I have already accepted an invitation to dine at Lady Holland’s. I think I should be there.’

She nodded. ‘I shall see you again … soon?’

‘As Your Majesty commands,’ he said.

Then he left her; and she went to her room to weep quietly.

Lehzen came to her and there was some comfort in talking to her.

‘It will not seem so bad tomorrow,’ said Lehzen.

‘It will never be the same,’ she answered. ‘All, all my happiness has gone! That happy peaceful life is destroyed. Lord Melbourne is no longer my minister.’

She stayed in her room. ‘Which will be noted,’ Lehzen reminded her.

‘I don’t care,’ cried the Queen; and indeed she was in no state to appear.

Lehzen imagined the sly comments that were no doubt being exchanged in the Duchess’s household; Conroy would be jeering, the Duchess gloating. But certainly the Queen could not appear with swollen eyes and silent grief, unable to eat.

In her own room Lehzen tried to tempt her with food but she could not touch it, but as the evening wore on she grew a little calmer.

‘Lord Melbourne expects me to be calm,’ she told Lehzen. ‘He says I must behave as if this is merely a change of Government which it is obvious I would rather not have taken place, but I must show that I am ready to work with these people.’

‘And Lord Melbourne is right. You used to say he always was.’

She sat brooding until midnight; then she went to bed and to Lehzen’s relief slept soundly.

As soon as she awoke next morning she wrote to Lord Melbourne.‘The Queen thinks Lord Melbourne may possibly wish to know how she is this morning; the Queen is somewhat calmer; she was in a wretched state till nine last night when she tried to occupy herself and to think less gloomily of this dreadful change and she succeeded in calming herself till she went to bed at twelve and she slept well; but on waking this morning all – all that had happened in one short eventful day came forcibly to mind and brought back her grief; the Queen, however, feels better now; but she couldn’t touch a morsel of food last night nor can she this morning. The Queen trusts Lord Melbourne slept well and is well this morning; and that he will come precisely at eleven o’clock …’

She was sitting brooding in her room waiting for eleven to come when the Duke of Wellington was announced.

‘It is not a bad dream,’ she mourned. ‘It really has begun.’

The great Duke was seventy and seemed quite ancient to the young Queen. The idea of his taking the place of her beloved Lord Melbourne was grotesque – yet just a little better than horrid Peel’s doing so.

‘Your Majesty!’ said the Duke bowing.

‘Pray be seated,’ replied the Queen. ‘Now I suppose you know why I have sent for you?’

‘I have no idea,’ replied the Duke.

A fine future leader of Government, she thought, who doesn’t know what is going on!

‘Lord Melbourne’s Ministry, in which I had the greatest confidence, has resigned.’

‘I am grieved to hear it.’

‘As your party has been instrumental in removing them,’ said the Queen with a flash of temper, ‘I am obliged to look to you to form a new Government.’

‘Your Majesty, I have no power whatsoever in the House of Commons. I can only advise you to send for the leader of the Opposition there – Sir Robert Peel.’

The Queen’s lips tightened and the Duke went on: ‘Your Majesty will find him a man of honour.’

The Queen ignored this and said that she hoped the Duke would have a place in the Cabinet.

‘Your Majesty, I am seventy years of age. My prime is long past. I am so deaf that it is difficult for me to take part in any discussion.’

‘I have more confidence in you than in any other member of your Party. You understand the …’ her voice faltered … ‘the great friendship I feel for Lord Melbourne.’

‘I do understand that,’ replied the Duke, ‘and I have the utmost respect for Lord Melbourne. I believe that he can continue to be of use to Your Majesty.’

‘And now I suppose I have no alternative but to send for this Sir Robert Peel.’

The Duke assured her this was so.

When she saw Lord Melbourne at eleven she was less stubborn, he was glad to see. Her good sense was prevailing. She had been made extremely unhappy by what had happened but she saw that she would have to accept it.

‘I am proud of you,’ said Lord Melbourne with tears in his eyes.

Sir Robert was feeling very uneasy as he drove to the Palace in answer to the Queen’s summons. He was fifty-one years of age, a power in the House of Commons and a natural reformer; but he was well aware of the great success Lord Melbourne had had with the Queen – it had been the talk of the Court and the country and was even creeping into the press – and he knew that he lacked those suave social graces which Melbourne possessed. Moreover he was conscious that the Queen did not like him.

She could convey her disapproval by a glance and a cold nod and these had come his way on the rare occasions when he had been in royal company.

He had talked the matter over with his wife Julia that morning. With her he shared his innermost thoughts; she understood him as no one else did, and therefore was well acquainted with the idealist who existed beneath the cold façade.

‘I am inevitably being called to be asked to form a Government,’ he had told her.

‘Well, you will do exactly that,’ Julia had replied with a smile.

‘We shall be in a minority and the Queen will be against us.’

‘The Queen, Robert, is just a child.’

‘A child of some importance,’ he had replied with a smile. ‘And Melbourne is her god.’

‘Which shows what a child she is. But queen or child when one Government falls she must accept another.’

‘I fear it will be a rather trying interview.’

Julia had laughed. ‘Oh, come now, you are not going to be frightened of a chit of a girl.’

‘If we were strong. If we were an elected Government with a big majority it would have been another matter.’

‘Is this the great politician speaking – the man who revised the laws of offences against persons, and laws against forgers, who created the police force? Oh, come, Sir Robert Peel.’

‘Everyone doesn’t see me as you do, Julia.’

‘Because you won’t allow them to. You are going to see the Queen and you know that she will have to accept you. And if she is going to be annoyed with you because you have replaced Melbourne, well then she does not understand the Constitution which she is supposed to rule; and if she is wise she will very shortly learn that you are a greater statesman than Melbourne could ever be.’

‘Melbourne knows how to charm her.’

‘His job was to govern England not to charm the Queen.’

‘He managed to do both it seems.’

‘He certainly did not do both successfully for here he is forced to resign. What did Melbourne ever do but let things run along just as they were? You know very well he hates all change. That’s no way to govern. And if the Queen likes him, the people don’t. He’s made himself very unpopular over this Flora Hastings affair.’

Sir Robert was thinking of this as he drove along. It was true that Melbourne was not the most successful of Prime Ministers and Peel was convinced that he himself would make a better one. Julia was right. What did it matter if Melbourne could make more of a show in a drawing-room? It was statesmanship the country needed – and the Queen would learn that.

He was too sensitive, and for that reason he presented this cold façade to the world. He was painfully aware of his social inadequacies, but it was true as Julia had said that he was a good politician. He had the welfare of the people at heart which was more than could be said for some, including the sybaritic Lord Melbourne. He had put on court dress which he hoped would please the Queen, and in any case the etiquette of the occasion demanded it, and as his carriage drew up he noticed that little groups of people stood about near the Palace watching for callers.

He heard his own name mentioned amid a buzz of excitement. ‘That’s Sir Robert Peel.’ They knew why he had come.

They were not, of course, concerned about the Jamaican Bill. They were agog with excitement because the Queen’s name was being linked with that of Lord Melbourne and if Lord Melbourne was no longer Prime Minister the Queen could not – without causing a great deal of comment – see him so frequently as she had hitherto.

He was shown into the yellow closet where the Queen was waiting for him. She had refused to see anyone in the blue closet. That was sacrosanct because it was there that so many of her meetings with Lord Melbourne had taken place.

‘Sir Robert Peel.’

He bowed – so awkwardly, she noticed.

‘At Your Majesty’s service.’

He was tall, and his rather plentiful hair was untidy. Such a fidgety man, thought Victoria angrily.

‘You know, of course, Sir Robert Peel, why I have sent for you?’

He bowed his head in acquiescence.

‘I am grieved … beyond words,’ said Victoria coldly. ‘I am filled with the greatest regret to be obliged to part with Lord Melbourne’s ministry. Lord Melbourne served me well from the time of my accession.’

She looked critically at Sir Robert as though implying that he could not fail to displease her. She was the Queen, as she knew so well how to be and although when he had left his home he had agreed with his wife that she was only a child, he was overawed by her regality in the yellow closet.

He murmured that it would be the earnest endeavour of Her Majesty’s new Government to serve her with all the power at its command.

The tilt of her slightly open lips suggested that she had no great confidence in his Party, and that she had in fact no great confidence in Sir Robert Peel, and she was wishing with all her heart that he had had the good sense not to oppose her dear Lord Melbourne.

‘We believed in our late Government,’ she said. ‘We approved all that they did.’

It was very difficult to talk to such an imperious Sovereign who had made up her mind so definitely, but Sir Robert must get down to the purpose of his visit.

‘I hope, Sir Robert,’ she said sternly, ‘that you are not going to insist on the dissolution of Parliament.’

‘Your Majesty will know that in the circumstances this seems a reasonable course of action.’

‘We should not wish that and I ask you to give me your assurance that you will not do so.’

Sir Robert was looking down at his feet and pointing his toe down on the carpet with his heels raised. He fidgeted. For all the world, thought Victoria maliciously, like some dancing master.

‘Your Majesty will understand that it is impossible for me to give you such an assurance.’

‘Impossible! Why impossible?’

‘It will be a matter for the Cabinet to decide.’

‘But if we do not wish it?’

Sir Robert continued to prance, as she called it. Lord Melbourne had told her that if they went to the country the Whigs would suffer a great defeat. At least, thought Victoria, they are not defeated yet; and she was going to resist this Sir Robert Peel with all her might.

‘I am afraid, Ma’am, I can give you no undertaking on this point.’

She was longing for the interview to end and when Sir Robert suggested that he form a list of likely Cabinet ministers and submit it for her approval, she seized the opportunity to bid him to do this and return later with it.

He took his awkward leave and she gave an exaggerated sigh of relief.

She went at once to Lehzen. ‘The dancing master has gone,’ she said. ‘What an unattractive creature! I still hope and pray that he will never be my Prime Minister.’

‘But the interview went off well, I hope?’ said Lehzen.

‘It went off,’ retorted Victoria with a burst of laughter.

‘At least he has made you laugh.’

‘With anger and horror to think that he should dare attempt to take Lord Melbourne’s place.’

‘It won’t be very easy for Sir Robert holding office without a majority.’

Victoria was almost gleeful. ‘That will show him! Oh, how dare he! I don’t like his manner. How different … how dreadfully different to the frank, open and most kind and warm manner of dear Lord Melbourne!’

After Peel had left Victoria did what she always did in moments of stress. She wrote to Lord Melbourne. Her facile pen flew over the paper; she was as effusive and impulsive in correspondence as her uncle King George IV. She told Melbourne how different Sir Robert Peel was from himself, how she disliked him, despised him and deeply resented his daring to take over from her dear Lord M.

Melbourne replied cautiously and tactfully. He begged her to try to overcome her dislike of Sir Robert, who was a very skilful politician. Her conduct, he wrote, was very proper and judicious but he must also admit that Sir Robert and Wellington appeared to have conducted themselves with propriety and sincerity. As for the dissolution of Parliament, he advised Her Majesty to reserve her opinion on that and not to give a promise to dissolve. At the same time she could scarcely say that she would not. He begged her not to judge Sir Robert by his manners. She must understand that he might in his consultations with her seem to harbour an animosity towards Lord Melbourne. This was not the case. When Sir Robert discussed Lord Melbourne – if he did – he spoke of him as the Leader of the Party to which he was in opposition. There was nothing personal. Sir Robert was cautious and very reserved. Few people really knew him but of one thing Lord Melbourne was sure – he was neither deceitful nor dishonest, and many people who appeared to be sincere were most definitely not so.

‘Dear Lord Melbourne!’ said the Queen on the verge of tears. ‘He is so gracious to his enemies. But nothing even he can say would make me like Sir Robert Peel.’

She wrote at once to thank him and tell him that as soon as Sir Robert had returned with his suggestions for his new Cabinet she would write and tell him who had been selected.

Sir Robert Peel was ushered into the yellow closet.

Victoria regarded him imperiously and bowing he told her he had come in accordance with her command to prepare a list of his Cabinet. He now presented this to her.

She took it from him and scanned it. She noted with relief that the Duke of Wellington’s name was mentioned as Secretary for Foreign Affairs. The Lord Chancellor was to be Lord Lyndhurst who had never been a friend of hers because he had supported the Duchess over the Regency Bill before her succession. Sir James Graham was the Home Secretary. A man I never liked, she had once told Lehzen, because he looks almost exactly like Sir John Conroy.

But of course, she thought, how could I possibly like any people who are trying to replace my Government.

She handed the list back to Sir Robert with a disdainful air and was delighted to see how embarrassed he was.

‘Your Majesty approves the list?’

She nodded faintly.

Sir Robert looked relieved and ceased to point his toe at the carpet for a moment.

‘Then I must broach the subject of Your Majesty’s household.’

‘My household?’ she cried.

‘The ladies, Ma’am.’

‘You mean my personal household … my bedchamber ladies?’

‘Precisely, Ma’am. The ladies of your household were chosen by Lord Melbourne and they all belong to Whig families. Your Majesty will see that it is impossible to continue with such a household.’

‘I see no such thing,’ said the Queen, her temper rising.

Sir Robert stood his ground firmly.

‘Your Majesty’s Government would require you to show your confidence in them, and a change of household would be necessary.’

‘Am I to understand, Sir Robert Peel, that you look to ladies for support in the House of Commons?’

Sir Robert looked as though she had struck him, and she immediately went into the attack.

‘I will not give up any of my ladies,’ she declared. ‘Please understand this. I have never imagined such a thing.’

‘Does Your Majesty intend to retain all?’ he asked in a shocked whisper.

‘All,’ retorted the Queen imperiously.

‘Your … Your Majesty means the Mistress of the Robes and the Mistress of the Bedchamber?’

‘All,’ repeated the Queen.

‘But they are the wives of the opponents of Your Majesty’s new Government.’

‘I cannot see that this is important and I never talk politics with my ladies. Some of them, in fact, are related to prominent Tories. This procedure has not been asked for before. It was never asked of Queen Adelaide.’

‘Your Majesty is a Queen Regnant. This makes a difference.’

‘I would never consent, and has it occurred to you, Sir Robert Peel, that in this hint that I should allow my ladies to interfere in politics there is an implication that I would intrigue against my own Government? That seems to me a gross insult and I cannot understand how anyone could suggest such a thing.’

Sir Robert Peel, amazed at the vehemence, seemed temporarily unable to stem the flood of royal indignation.

‘This is a matter which I feel I should convey to my colleagues,’ he said. ‘Would Your Majesty grant me leave to retire that I may consult the Duke of Wellington?’

‘With pleasure,’ said the Queen emphatically.

When he had gone she immediately sat down to write to Lord Melbourne:‘The Queen writes one line to prepare Lord Melbourne for what may happen in a very few hours. Sir Robert Peel has behaved very ill and has insisted on my giving up my ladies to which I replied that I never would consent, and I never saw a man so frightened. He said he must go to the Duke of Wellington and consult him … This is infamous …I was calm but very decided and I think you would have been pleased to see my composure and great firmness; the Queen of England will not submit to trickery. Keep yourself in readiness …’

‘Lehzen,’ she cried, ‘what do you think that … that dancing master is trying to do now?’

She hastily gave Lehzen an account of what had happened. Lehzen’s face turned pale.

‘You know what they are trying to do. They are trying to take me away from you.’

‘Oh, no, Lehzen! That can’t be. You are not one of the Ladies. You have no official post. How wise we were not to give you a label! You are just my dearest friend.’

‘They have been constantly talking of foreign influence.’

The Queen’s eyes were flashing with the light of battle.

‘If this is true I am doubly determined.’

The Duke of Wellington arrived. The Queen received him graciously. After all, she had told Lord Melbourne, she much preferred him to Sir Robert Peel.

‘I trust,’ she said in a kindly voice, ‘that you will accept the post which Sir Robert Peel is offering you.’

The Duke said he would do so.

‘You do not feel it would be too much for you?’

‘Your Majesty is good to be concerned but I feel perfectly capable. I hear that there has been some difference between Your Majesty and Sir Robert.’

‘Oh, he started it.’

‘Sir Robert has explained to me what took place. The opinions of your ladies is not important. It is the principle of the matter.’

‘It seems to me that Sir Robert is so weak that even the ladies must be of his opinions.’

‘Your Majesty will discover that this is not the case.’

‘And Sir Robert must discover that I will not give up my ladies. I find the suggestion that I discuss politics with them quite offensive.’

‘I am certain that you would not do this, but the public might think that you did. To have a Tory Government and a Whig household could cause a great deal of dissension.’

The Duke could do nothing; he retired from her presence and consulted with Sir Robert who was waiting in the Palace for the result of the interview.

Sir Robert then returned to the Queen and told her that he would have to consult his Party and asked for a few hours’ grace in which to do this.

Meanwhile Lord Melbourne had received her letters and, knowing his imperious, obstinate and shrewd Sovereign, and also understanding what the effect of this obstinacy would have on Sir Robert, decided that action was needed.

He must call together his Cabinet immediately for a discussion, for naturally he could not act without them.

It seemed to him very possible that he and his Party might well be back in power, for unless Sir Robert could bring the Queen to his way of thinking he would be unable to form a Government.

They were scattered but by great effort he managed to assemble the greater proportion of them.

The position was invidious, said some. Of what advantage would it be to resume office when they had such a small majority? What would happen if they went to the country? Let Peel take over and see what he could do with a minority.

Melbourne read them the Queen’s letters and the company was moved by them.

‘How,’ it was demanded, ‘could they abandon such a queen and a woman?’

As a result of that meeting, Lord Melbourne was writing to the Queen:‘The Cabinet … after much discussion, advises Your Majesty to return the following answer to Sir Robert Peel:“The Queen having considered the proposals made her yesterday by Sir Robert Peel to remove the Ladies of her Bedchamber cannot consent to adopt a course which she conceives to be contrary to usage and which is repugnant to her feelings.”’

When Victoria received that letter she was triumphant. Lord Melbourne and his Government were behind her. She was sure she had routed Sir Robert Peel.

She was right. Sir Robert believed that unless there were some changes in the Queen’s household he must decline her offer to form a Government.

‘We have won,’ cried the elated Queen and seizing the Baroness began dancing round the room.

The Baroness cried: ‘Is this the way for a Queen to behave! Is this the same one who was being so very much the Queen in the yellow closet with Sir Robert Peel a few hours ago?’

‘One and the same,’ cried the Queen. ‘You see our dancing master is a coward. I knew he was afraid of me from the start. Now I shall write to dear Lord Melbourne and command him to wait on me at once.’

Lehzen was astonished at the cleverness of her darling and said so.

‘It is the way you brought me up, dearest Daisy,’ said the Queen.

At two o’clock Lord Melbourne arrived.

‘Victory!’ cried Victoria.

Lord Melbourne smiled admiringly.

‘You always said I was stubborn. You said I was choleric. You know you did. Well, those qualities have served me well.’

‘I salute them,’ said Lord Melbourne; and she burst out laughing. Oh how good it was to laugh with pleasure again.

‘Now I will show you our dancing master’s letter. He regrets that in the circumstances he has to reject my offer to form a Government. He knows full well with what reluctance that offer was made.’

‘Yes,’ said Lord Melbourne, ‘you made that very clear.’

Lord Melbourne took Sir Robert’s letter and read it. He paused and looked at the Queen with some consternation.

‘He says here that you refuse to make some alterations in the Bedchamber.’

‘Yes, of course he does.’

‘But you said that he was insisting on your changing them all.’

Victoria looked testy. ‘All or some, what is the difference?’

‘It could be a great deal.’

‘Oh, don’t let us quibble about such a small thing.’

‘I’m afraid I must consult the Cabinet on this. They might not agree to support this since Sir Robert says some. It is in fact a very different matter from all.’

‘It is exactly the same,’ said the Queen petulantly.

‘Nevertheless,’ said Lord Melbourne, ‘I must consult my colleagues.’

‘How tiresome,’ cried the Queen, but she was uneasy.

‘Peel has met you half way,’ said Melbourne. ‘He is clever. Don’t underestimate him. This could beat us.’

The Queen answered fiercely: ‘I will never yield. And I will never apply to Peel again.’

Lord Melbourne looked dubious and said he would tell his colleagues how she felt.

With that skilful oratory, never fiery but witty, sentimental and nonchalant, of which he was master – Melbourne persuaded his Cabinet.

The Queen was adamant. If Her Majesty could see no difference in ‘some’ and ‘all’, he suggested they should look at the matter from the same angle. The Queen felt she had been insulted by the suggestions that she would intrigue with the ladies against her Government. It was intolerable. He appealed to them. Could they desert such a gallant young Queen?

They decided they could not and Melbourne was able to tell her that his Cabinet were with him. Peel’s refusal could be accepted.

‘Then everything is as before this ridiculous affair occurred!’ cried the Queen.

But of course it was not. For the country knew what had taken place. Nothing would ever be the same again. In the eyes of the people the dear little duck of a Queen had proved to be a forceful young woman, who had been arrogant and offensive to one of the senior Statesmen, Sir Robert Peel; and had defied that doughty old warrior, the Duke of Wellington. And she was not yet twenty. And why? Was it for the sake of the country? Certainly not. It was so that her relationship with Lord Melbourne might not be changed.

And what was the relationship?

The speculation which had been trivial before the Bedchamber affair flared up. Everywhere people were talking of the Queen and Lord Melbourne.

During the controversy over the Ladies of the Bedchamber the Tsarevitch Alexander, Hereditary Grand Duke of Russia, had arrived in England and the very night following the day when Victoria had routed Peel there was to be a ball at Buckingham Palace in honour of the Grand Duke.

Victoria, who loved balls more than any other form of entertainment, had lamented the fact that that wretched Peel was going to spoil this one entirely for her. But now that she was in such a mood of elation she prepared herself to enjoy it as she had never before enjoyed a ball. It will be a victory ball, she told Lehzen.

The Grand Duke was tall and very handsome, his manners charming, and he managed to convey very obviously that he thought the diminutive Queen delightful.

What a joy to dance with him and while she basked in the admiring glances of this royal personage to reflect that all was well, nothing was changed.

Lord Melbourne was present, looking a little tired she noticed with anxiety; but when she was dancing she was able to forget everything else but the pleasure that exercise gave her. How very fortunate that everything had been settled today so that she could throw herself wholeheartedly into this pleasure!

It was a quarter to three when the ball ended, and she recorded this with pleasure, for she loved to stay up late. It was because when she had been that poor little prisoner of Kensington Palace Mamma had always had such a stern eye on her and she was rarely allowed to do anything she wanted to.

She went off into a happy sleep as soon as her head was on her pillow but the first thing next morning she wrote to Lord Melbourne:‘The Queen is very anxious to hear that Lord Melbourne has not suffered from the ball last night, as it was very hot at first … The Queen danced the first and last dance with the Grand Duke, made him sit near her and tried to be very civil to him, and I think we are great friends already and get on very well. I like him exceedingly.’

There! She was doing her duty as Queen and she would continue to do so – as long as they did not try to wrest dear Lord M from her and attempt to replace him with that odious Sir Robert Peel.