Queen in Waiting: (Georgian Series) Read online

  ‘It seems certain that you will.’

  ‘I’ve heard disturbing rumours. Anne is unpredictable. She’s so sentimental and suffers from her conscience, I was told. She thinks that if she puts her half-brother on the throne her sins will be forgiven.’

  ‘He’s a Catholic. The English will never have him.’

  ‘There will be some who are ready to call him James III.’

  ‘Only the Catholics. And the English have already clearly shown that they’ll have none of them. What would have been the point in turning James II from the throne if they were going to put his son there?’

  ‘Perhaps it wasn’t so much the people who made him into an exile as William of Orange. I remember him. He was half Stuart but you would never have known it. He had none of the grace nor the charm. I wish you could have known my mother. She was Stuart… all Stuart. Orange was a man who knew what he wanted and wouldn’t rest until he’d got it. He wanted the three crowns – England, Scotland and Ireland.’

  ‘And he won them. But the English would not have accepted him if they hadn’t wanted him. They’ll never have a Catholic. I think you will be Queen of England soon.’

  Young Fritzchen was listening intently, but Caroline knew he did not understand what they were saying. He liked to watch their lips moving. The little girls took their cue from Fritzchen and were silent too.

  ‘Have you been telling Great Grandmamma how you enjoyed the sugar cake she sent you, Fritzchen?’ asked his mother.

  Fritzchen nodded happily and hopefully.

  ‘If you are good and learn your lessons you may have some more,’ Sophia promised him. Then she turned to Caroline. ‘There is an interesting woman from England whom I want you to meet. Henrietta Howard. You’ll know that the Norfolk Howards are one of England’s premier families. She’s married a third son and is a charming creature – pretty and intelligent. Come to my apartments and meet her. I thought you might have a place for her in your household.’

  Caroline promised; and that was how Henrietta achieved her goal; she had not expected to get so far in such a short time. It was a great honour to become one of the dames du palais in the household of Princess Caroline.

  Caroline liked Henrietta Howard and as a result Henrietta was often in attendance. An excellent conversationalist, she was able to hide a certain lack of knowledge and could talk with apparent ease on many subjects. She was even at ease in the company of Leibniz who was writing a history of the Princes of Brunswick which had been commissioned by the Elector.

  Henrietta had good reason to believe that she had shown great foresight in selling her hair.

  To the Princess Caroline’s apartments came George Augustus, the devoted husband, always interested in his wife’s affairs. Henrietta noticed immediately how the Princess made certain that proper deference was paid to him and she realized that if she were to retain her place with the Princess, she must not displease the Prince. With that skill at which she was an expert, she conveyed her awe of the little man in such a way that he was immediately aware of it. He was delighted that this charming English woman should notice him.

  At this time the biggest court scandal was that created by the Countess von Platen and a young Englishman named James Craggs, and because of the antagonism between the courts of the Elector and his son it was discussed with gleeful malice in the presence of George Augustus.

  Since the Countess, the youngest and most beautiful of his father’s three mistresses, was deceiving him, this was considered highly amusing; and as the young man concerned was newly arrived from England, Henrietta was able to tell a story about him which had not been heard before.

  Thus she entertained the company.

  ‘He’s a Whig,’ she explained, ‘and he’s ambitious like his father. He has come to Hanover because he knows the Queen cannot last for ever and he wants to find favour here.’

  ‘So he thinks to find favour with my father by seducing his mistress!’ cried George Augustus.

  ‘Why, Your Highness, I do not believe he seduced her; it was she who seduced him.’

  This was the sort of remark which seemed witty and highly entertaining to George Augustus. He looked afresh at the handsome young woman. She was so different from the Hanover beauties who all somehow contrived to look the same. It was the fashion at the moment to dye the hair black; so everywhere one looked one saw black hair; scarlet cheeks were considered fashionable with the new black hair, so everyone had scarlet cheeks. But Henrietta was different. Her thick lustrous hair fell to her shoulders in a fashion all her own. If others tried to copy it they could not do so for they lacked Henrietta’s shining locks, which were the colour of honey and glistened so delightfully in the sunlight. George Augustus was charmed by her appearance.

  ‘Well,’ said George Augustus, ‘this Craggs looks like a man of experience.’

  ‘To be sure he is. He has come far… through experience.’

  George Augustus laughed. ‘Perhaps, Madam, you knew him in England?’

  ‘I have no acquaintance with him. Your Highness, but I knew of him. A connection of mine, the Duchess of Norfolk, employed his father. He was very good in the capacity in which she engaged him.’

  ‘And what capacity was that?’ asked George Augustus, prepared to be amused.

  ‘The Duchess was on terms of great friendship with the King. That was James II, Your Highnesses.’

  ‘I believe,’ said Caroline, “that many ladies were on terms of friendship with that King.’

  ‘He and his brother, King Charles… were very friendly people.’

  Oh, she was amusing, thought George Augustus. She was witty. He looked at Caroline who seemed entertained too.

  ‘This young Craggs’s father was butler to the Duchess. He was very discreet in helping her in her negotiations with the King. Such servants are very necessary, as Your Highness knows, where such delicate operations are concerned.’

  ‘I know it well,’ replied George Augustus, fearful that she might have heard of his devotion to his wife and despise him for it. He was secretly more interested in Caroline than any other woman, but he had been wondering whether to be a faithful husband might not be a slur on his manhood. He was years younger than his father who had three mistresses. George Augustus would not like it to be thought that he was not exceedingly virile.

  ‘He proved himself to be such a good intriguer that when the Duchess no longer required his services in that direction she recommended him to the Duke of Marlborough who found him very useful for a different kind of intrigue. He amassed a fortune and entered Parliament, being a very ambitious man. I should say his son is also ambitious!’

  ‘He’s a good-looking man,’ commented George Augustus.

  ‘Your Highness means he is good-looking in his way. Tall, strong… oh yes he is that, but he has the looks of a porter to me.’ She smiled admiringly at George Augustus. “One sees that there is no breeding there.’

  ‘Of course… of course,’ said George Augustus. ‘Well, I wish the Countess well of him.’

  ‘She is bringing him to the notice of the Elector,’ Caroline pointed out. ‘I hear that he has been promised a good post if the Elector goes to England.’

  Henrietta lifted her hands prettily as though to say that, versed as she was in the ways of St James’s, the manners of Hanover were a mystery to her.

  George Augustus watched her thoughtfully.

  When he left his wife’s apartments he did not stop thinking of Caroline’s new dame du palais.

  She was amusing and witty; but at the same time modest. A very unusual combination; and she was beautiful.

  He had been moderately content with life lately. He had a good wife of whom he was becoming fonder every year; they had a growing family – a boy, two girls and another child on the way; and they had years before them. He had distinguished himself on the battlefield. People could no longer laugh at him behind his back because he was below average height. He had proved himself to be a man.

 
He thought of his father; he thought often of his father and was always soured in doing so. George Lewis’s great strength was that he would never care what people thought of him; George Augustus cared deeply. So George Lewis could have three mistresses as well as casual affairs and not care if one or all of the women were unfaithful to him; he wouldn’t have cared if he gave up all his mistresses, which he would if he wanted to. George Lewis kept mistresses purely for the physical pleasure he received from them. What impression he was making had no effect at all. For instance he did not care that Platen was deceiving him with this Craggs fellow; he didn’t care that Kielmansegge had been in and out of every bed in the court; the promiscuity of Platen and Kielmansegge meant no more to him than Schulemburg’s fidelity.

  But George Augustus never did anything without wondering what effect it was having on the spectators.

  And now it occurred to him that they might be laughing at him because at the moment he had no mistress. He was not eager to have one. He liked Caroline; he liked family life; he was fond of the children, and Caroline was, and he assured himself always would be, the best woman in the world. But a man should have a mistress. If he did not his virility would be doubted.

  ‘Why is he such a devoted husband?’ people would ask. ‘Poor George Augustus, one woman is enough for him.’

  ‘One is not enough!’ he said vehemently.

  He had made up his mind. The pretty Englishwoman was amusing and she would not be domineering. His father was anxious that he should not become too popular with the English; it was for that reason that he had shown his geniality with every English visitor at the court.

  An English mistress. That would irritate his father and prove his own manhood.

  He began to court Henrietta Howard; and as she had come to Hanover for advancement, what better opportunity could she have than friendship with one who could in time be a King of England. The courtship progressed with the utmost speed and satisfaction; and in a short time Henrietta Howard became the mistress of George Augustus.

  When Caroline heard of her husband’s infidelity she was angry. She had befriended this English woman, had given her a place in her household, had done everything she could to help her and this was her reward.

  She restrained herself from speaking to George Augustus but when she was alone with Sophia expressed her annoyance when Sophia gave her the opportunity by remarking that she looked out of humour.

  ‘I have every reason to be,’ retorted Caroline. ‘That English woman Howard has become George Augustus’s mistress.’

  Sophia nodded, but she did not look disgusted.

  ‘You seem to think this is a matter for rejoicing.’

  ‘It should improve his English,’ Sophia reminded her.

  Caroline looked at her in astonishment. ‘Is that all you have to say?’

  ‘It is enough. If he is to be a King of England he must speak English. That is where his father is such a fool. He refuses to make an effort. I should be delighted to hear that he had added an Englishwoman to his seraglio. Still, George Augustus who speaks adequately already – although with the most atrocious accent – should very shortly improve.’

  Caroline did not speak and Sophia went on: ‘There is nothing like being in close contact with foreigners for learning their language. You my dear, should engage an Englishwoman to converse with you, for your accent is as bad as that of George Augustus.’

  ‘I really believe you are pleased that he has taken up with this Howard woman.’

  ‘My dear, do you still let these unimportant matters distress you? George Augustus admires you; I’ll swear he loves you – as far as he is able to love anyone other than himself – more than anyone else. Do not irritate him. Accept this woman, show no rancour, and you will still continue to have all that you need. Why, I believe you will rule your husband more than I was ever able to rule mine, providing of course you do not allow your annoyance over these little irritations to show. You know George Augustus. You are ten times more clever. Don’t forget it. Now what you must do is find someone to teach you English, so that he does not outstrip you.’

  Caroline was silent. Her mother-in-law was right, of course. So the Princess’s response to her husband’s infidelity was to engage a young woman who had been to England and spoke the language to converse with her daily.

  And while George Augustus dallied with his new mistress learning English in the pleasantest way, Caroline struggled with conversations between Fräulein Brandshagen and herself, and learned to speak the language – but, alas, with a deplorable accent which was exactly like Fräulein Brandshagen’s, for in spite of that long stay in England, the Fräulein had not been able to lose her German accent.

  In due course her child was born – another daughter. They called her Caroline and George Augustus showed in a hundred ways that he was very satisfied with his wife.

  As she lay in bed, her newly born child in her cradle nearby, Fritzchen, Anne and Amelia at her bedside, come to look with interest at the new addition to the family and with awe at their mother who had provided it, she knew that she should be reasonably content.

  The future looked bright. She had caught Sophia’s enthusiasm for the crown of England; for it could be hers, if she was wise.

  She must never antagonize George Augustus. She must always remember the terrible example of Sophia Dorothea, the prisoner of Ahlden. George Augustus might, in certain circumstances, be as vindictive as his father. And one thing which could make him so would be if his manhood or self-importance was doubted.

  How right she had been to listen to Sophia. Let him have his Englishwoman; while she, Caroline, threw him a mistress as one threw a dog a bone, she would remain the woman he most admired in the world, the one he really loved. Love? There was of course only one person whom George Augustus could love and that was George Augustus. As long as she remembered that and never did anything to disturb his image of himself, she had a good chance of ruling him, and in due course, England. The first she must do in secret, of course, and he must be the last to suspect it; but there would be little secret about the second; and when she thought of being crowned Queen of England she knew that she differed in this one way from Sophia Charlotte. The pomps and ceremonies of royalty would mean a great deal to her.

  Therefore what was a little discretion now to win such glory?

  So she appeared to be contented with her nursery, to look up to her husband, and take it as a wifely duty to accept his infidelities.

  The end of a life and the beginning of a reign

  SOPHIA WAS GROWING anxious. She had noticed lately that the arrivals from England had decreased in the last months and this was a bad sign. Fewer people were leaving the sinking ship – ship and there was no doubt that Anne was sinking… fast. She could not live much longer; and she was growing more and more sentimental about her half-brother, talking of him continually, remembering the wrong she had helped her sister Mary and her brother-in-law William do to her father. Her great love was the Church – the English reformed Church – and this was the hope of Hanover. Yet news was brought that James had declared he would maintain the church of England. What if the dying woman, to expiate her conscience, believed this? Would the people prefer to keep the Stuarts than to bring in the Guelphs of Hanover?

  Sophia could not rest. She pondered the matter night and day, talked of nothing else, and Caroline was her chief confidant. The more Caroline learned of England, the more she longed to be there. She had grown to accept Sophia’s valuation and was as certain as she was that Hanover was like a little country town compared with a great kingdom. She and Sophia had fought to bring a little culture to Hanover but what uphill work it was! She had an idea from the visitors from that country, how different it would be in England. Marlborough had been dismissed from all his offices and he and his Duchess were in exile now. They were waiting, it was said, for the Queen to die; but there had been unpleasant rumours about Marlborough, always a clever man where his own interests were concerned
, except when he married Sarah – the one occasion when he was prompted by his heart and not his head. And look where that had led him! If Sarah had not quarrelled with the Queen – and how easy it should have been not to – he would have been in his old place now. But Marlborough, it was said, was in secret correspondence with James, ready to jump with whichever side was going to be victorious. One should be wary of such men.

  The Treaty of Utrecht had been signed and received with joy in England by the people who were heartily sick of war; but the fact that there was peace meant that the ties between Hanover and England were slackened.

  There were rumours that Bolingbroke and Ormonde were rising in favour – and both these men were suspected of supporting the Jacobites – while Oxford was falling into disfavour; he had offended Lady Masham; he had appeared drunk before the Queen; and it was said that he would soon be obliged to relinquish his office. Anne was ready to be advised and the nearer to death she came, the more ready was she to sway towards the return of her brother.

  It was intolerable. Sophia saw the dream of a lifetime remaining a dream. For once James was proclaimed James III of England, she would never be the Queen. George Lewis was not sufficiently attracted by the crown of England to fight for it. Oaf that he was, he had no desire for a better way of life. He was satisfied with Hanover.

  She was becoming ill with anxiety; she slept little; she could concentrate on nothing but the English succession. She would walk in the gardens of Herrenhausen with Caroline and Leibniz – the two in whom more than any others she could confide her true feelings – and discuss the possibility of Anne’s secretly sending for her half-brother and leaving the crown to him. All he would have to do was promise to maintain the Church of England – and how easy it was to give such promises!

  ‘You’ll be ill if you go on in this way,’ said Caroline.

  ‘My dear, you do not seem to understand what this means. If James becomes King of England, we shall never be anything but Electors of Hanover. You will never be Queen of England. Don’t you understand?’