by Jean Plaidy
Abigail was silent.
“Oh dear,” went on the Queen. “There seems to be nothing but quarrels. Make me some tea. I feel I need a little sustenance.”
Abigail made the tea and planned at the same time as to how she could get the news to Harley that Marlborough and Godolphin were attempting to oust him from his post.
When she returned with the tea she sat on the stool at the Queen’s feet.
“That’s better,” said Anne. “Just the right amount of sugar. Of course I told the Duke that I could not do without Mr. Harley. I have come to depend upon him. I shall summon a meeting of Council; then they will have to attend. Perhaps then they will put their complaints of Mr. Harley to his face.”
“But Your Majesty will not ask him to resign?”
“Certainly I shall not,” said the Queen.
Abigail made her way to Albemarle Street; she was let in without question and taken up to Harley’s private study.
He took both her hands and kissed her on the forehead; it was the chaste greeting he often bestowed upon her.
“Marlborough has been to see the Queen.”
He nodded. “I know he is determined to ruin me.”
“He hasn’t a chance. The Queen is firmly behind you.”
“A position, my dear coz, in which you have helped to place her.”
“She won’t allow you to resign.”
“I am wondering if it mightn’t be a necessity.”
“A necessity!” Abigail was aghast.
“My dear cousin, you are so concerned?”
“But everything we have worked for …”
“Will not be lost. Depend upon it, in the long run we will drive Marlborough and his virago of a Duchess out of office. But the time is not yet.”
“Something has happened?”
He nodded.
“Something bad … for us?”
He nodded again.
She, who was habitually so calm, stamped her foot in sudden anger.
“They have been clever, our enemies,” he said. “Perhaps we underestimated them. We have been congratulating ourselves on the follies of Sarah, but her friends are strong and ingenious.”
“Tell me,” she said impatiently.
“They have arrested a clerk in my office.”
“What has this to do with us?”
“A great deal. A communication he sent to Chamillart was opened in Holland.”
“Who is Chamillart?”
“The French Secretary of State.”
“Good God!” cried Abigail.
“You may well exclaim. He will be tried for High Treason.”
“And you?”
“You can guess what our enemies are saying, can you not?”
“That you are guilty of … treason?”
“Well, they couldn’t have hoped for better luck, could they?”
“But you …”
“I knew nothing of it, but the clerk was in my office. It is information which passes through my hands which has been discovered on its way to the enemy. You can imagine that Sarah is choking with laughter over this. It may not be only my office that I may have to give up, but my head.”
Abigail was pale.
“It won’t come to this.”
“Powerful people are doing all they know to make it.”
“We will defeat them.”
“How fierce you are, cousin!”
“But, this must not be. Everything we have worked for …”
He came close to her and smiled his enigmatic smile which never failed to excite her.
“You are not disturbed,” she asked. “You seem as though you do not care.”
“But you do, cousin,” he said smiling. “Odd, is it not … that you should be more concerned than I?”
Marlborough and Godolphin had absented themselves from the Council meeting, and although Harley attempted to open it he was not allowed to do so for the Duke of Somerset pointed out that there could not be such a meeting if both the Lord Treasurer and the Commander in Chief were absent. The Queen was angry, for she had meant to show Marlborough and Godolphin that she could do very well without them.
It was an anxious day for Abigail when it was proved that William Gregg, the clerk in Harley’s employ, had attempted to sell information to France and that he had received a hundred guineas for his pains.
The Whig writers were busy inflaming the people against Harley. Harley was the traitor, they said; he was hiding behind Gregg; and the Marlborough Junta waited eagerly for Gregg to betray his master.
In the green closet Abigail brought Harley to the Queen.
“My dear friend,” cried Anne, with tears in her eyes, “I know full well what your enemies are trying to do to you. I’ll not allow it. You know that I trust you.”
“Your Majesty’s kindness overwhelms me,” Harley told her. “If I possess that, I care for naught else.”
“Such trouble!” sighed the Queen. “And at such a time!”
She glanced towards the Prince who was propped up in his chair and it was clear that his breathing was more painful than usual.
“Masham has been with me all night,” said the Queen. “We have had to be in constant attention upon my poor angel. He does not hear what we say. I fear he is very bad indeed. And all this trouble …”
“Madam,” said Harley, “I shall offer my resignation. I believe that is the way at this time to save you trouble.”
“Mr. Harley, I could not accept it.”
“Madam, you need to give your attention to His Highness. This is not the time to be plagued by the squabbles of your ministers.”
“I don’t know what I should do without you, my dear friend.”
“I do not suggest that Your Majesty should do without my advice. It is yours when you wish it. I live but to serve you, Madam. My cousin, your Majesty’s most faithful servant, will bring me to you as before. You shall discuss your desires with me and if you think my opinion of value I shall continue to give it. Madam, it will make no difference. I shall sever myself from your Government but I shall continue to serve you with all my power.”
“You mean that you will come as before? You will advise me … and at the same time put a stop to this dreadful squabbling.”
“I shall leave you Marlborough and Godolphin, Madam. And you will not lose my services … for as long as you need them.”
“I think we had better call Masham. Masham, my dear, I think you should call the Prince’s doctors.”
George was a little better the next day and Anne summoned Marlborough to tell him that Harley had resigned.
The Marlborough faction was delighted, but the Duke was the first to wonder whether the victory had been so complete. Harley’s friends, St. John, Sir Simon Harcourt and Sir Thomas Mansell resigned with him and their places were taken by Whigs.
The topic of the moment was the resignation of Harley and the Gregg affair, and Harley was warned not to be seen in the streets for fear he should be attacked. Sarah congratulated herself that this little rebellion would soon be over; and the presumptuous little chambermaid and her master, as she called Harley, banished; Harley to oblivion—the hell of all ambitious politicians—and Abigail back to her broom.
The Queen was deeply distressed, but all other emotions were swamped by her growing anxieties for her husband. There was no disguising the fact that he was nearing the end.
She and Abigail suffered constantly disturbed nights. Anne was sleeping very lightly and as soon as she heard the Prince begin to fight for his breath she would call to Abigail and together they would hold him up while Samuel ran for one of the doctors. Arbuthnot said that the Prince continued to live only because of the devoted attention of the Queen and Mrs. Masham.
Often when the Prince was fighting his grim battles for life the eyes of the two women would meet and Anne’s would convey her gratitude and love, Abigail’s her undying devotion.
Both knew that only death could sever a friendship like theirs and that t
hese nocturnal duties put a closer bond between them than Sarah with all her bombastic beauty ever could.
Abigail was young and the interrupted nights did not seem to affect her, but the Queen looked very tired and the ophthalmic disease which had troubled her since she was a child grew worse.
And in addition there was this terrible Gregg affair which was so exciting the people.
One night, sipping the brandy Abigail had brought while she sat up in bed with George, at last breathing more easily and sleeping beside her, Anne said: “It is terrible to witness such suffering, Masham, particularly in a loved one … I have been thinking of that poor man Gregg.”
“Mr. Harley had nothing to do with it, Your Majesty,” said Abigail speaking more fiercely than usual.
“I know. I know, and poor man, he may be guilty and doubtless he was very poor and did this terrible thing for that reason. But now he is in prison and they say he is ill unto death.”
“If he died, Madam, it would save the executioner his trouble.”
“It is so,” sighed the Queen. “He is a traitor and I, as the Queen, must sentence him to death. It grieves me, Masham.”
“But the man is evil. He has worked against Your Majesty. He has worked against Mr. Harley … and delivered him to his enemies.”
“But he is lying in a wretched prison, hungry and ill. And he knows the executioner is waiting for him. He is one of my subjects and I told you once how I felt as a mother to all my subjects … even to those who would harm me. I shall send Arbuthnot to him tomorrow—and with him some comfort from the kitchens.”
“The goodness of Your Majesty never ceases to amaze me,” said Abigail; and she was thinking that when the Marlboroughs knew that the Queen had sent comforts to Gregg, they would believe that Anne was firmly on the side of Harley against them … which would be to the good.
When Arbuthnot visited the prisoner, Gregg, Harley’s enemies set up a howl of protest. Godolphin came to the Queen who told him in her most regal manner that it was her custom in every case when a man was under sentence of death to see that his last days on Earth were made as comfortable as possible. It was true that there had been no noise and shouting about other cases, but it was a fact that she never allowed any such prisoner to go without these attentions.
This had to be accepted; and when William Gregg was executed he gave a letter to a fellow clerk in which he exonerated his master, Robert Harley, from all complicity in treason.
The victory seemed less complete. Marlborough was well aware that nothing was achieved without sacrifice. They had rid the Ministry of Harley, but Godolphin, whose official work he had shared, found himself at a loss without him. Godolphin realized more than ever how old he was growing, how feeble he was becoming, and that his health was beginning to fail. Marlborough was the only man whom he could really trust and Marlborough was a soldier rather than a politician.
The people were becoming uneasy for they did not care to see the supreme power of the Whigs. The Whigs were the warmongers, they said. And what benefits, they asked, did Marlborough’s war bring to them … apart from the glory of victory?
Meanwhile Harley was preparing to wait. He was now the hope of the Tories; and his dear cousin Abigail Masham saw that he was conducted very frequently into the Queen’s intimate circle.
Now that Harley was out of office Sarah’s great desire was to have Abigail banished. The thought of Abigail obsessed her; she could not rid her mind of that whey-faced creature as she called her; she gave up great energy into thinking up new names for her; and all the time she was reviling Abigail she was asking herself how she could have been such a fool as to allow the woman to rise to her present position.
There was one thing Sarah could not bear to be—that was made a fool of—and everywhere people were discussing her fall and the rise of Abigail Masham.
She harangued the Duke, Godolphin, Sunderland and members of the Ministry outside her family. Were they going to allow this chambermaid to hold her position with the Queen? she demanded; and an attempt was even made to bring a case against Abigail, but it failed. The Members of the Government could not but see that they were being rather ridiculous in devoting their time to the activities of a chambermaid.
Moreover, Anne could be regal, and when she had made up her mind, adamant. She had let them banish Harley, but that was only because he himself had convinced her that it would be better for him to go … temporarily. Never would she give up Abigail. How could she do without her when George was as ill as he was. Abigail was not only her personal attendant; she was the Prince’s nurse. Dr. Arbuthnot had said that there could not have been a better in the kingdom. She was her mistress’s companion, confidante and comforter in this terrible time.
But though the attack against Abigail might be called off by Sarah’s friends in the Ministry, Sarah herself would continue to fight.
She still held her posts with the Queen, and as she declared that while that chamberwoman was with the Queen she could not be, she went to the Queen to tell her so.
Anne received her with a show of affection which deceived Sarah although the Duke had often warned his wife that she underestimated the Queen, who had an extraordinary gift for concealing her feelings, and as she had a great dislike for unpleasant scenes went to great lengths to avoid them. Sarah, however, had never had time to study the idiosyncrasies of others; she saw everyone else in her own image—smaller, pale copies of herself; so even after all these years with Anne, she failed to detect the change in the Queen’s manner towards her.
“It would seem,” she said grimly, “that Mrs. Morley is pleased to see me.”
“Mrs. Freeman has been told many times that I am always pleased to see her.”
“Mrs. Morley might see more of Mrs. Freeman if these rooms were not contaminated by the presence of a certain chambermaid.”
“Contaminated?” answered Anne. “I was not aware of it.”
“Masham is here night and day.”
“Such a good nurse! Dr. Arbuthnot says he has never seen a better. I do not know what we should do without Masham. I was saying so to George only this morning. I am very anxious about him.”
“You are looking exhausted. You should allow me to arrange for nurses to be in constant attendance.”
“I am sure if Mrs. Freeman were in my position she would never allow anyone else to nurse Mr. Freeman. No. Mr. Morley would be most unhappy if I were not present. He has said so. In the midst of one of his fearful attacks he sees me and a smile comes over his dear face, and he says: ‘My Anna … my angel … you are there.’ It is most affecting.”
“Don’t weep. It’ll make your eyes worse.”
“Sometimes I think I am suffering for past sins.”
Oh dear, thought Sarah, now we shall have to go through that unless I’m careful.
“Nonsense, Mrs. Morley. You have led a good life. The past is done with.”
“I often think of that brother of mine over the water.”
“The King of France does not flaunt his acceptance of the King of England so much since Mr. Freeman gave him something else to think about.”
“Dear Mr. Freeman! What should we do without him?”
“Well, you could so easily lose his services, and came near to it … not so long ago.”
“Oh, these squabbles!”
“Squabbles, Mrs. Morley? You call the concern of your ministers for the country’s good, squabbles? In fact, Mrs. Morley, the Court has changed so much and Mrs. Morley herself has changed so much that I am wondering whether my presence is needed here any longer.”
“But of course I shall always need you here.”
“Surely Masham is sufficient for Your Majesty?”
“Masham does very well, but I should be sad to lose my dearest Mrs. Freeman.”
“But for the presence of Masham, Mrs. Freeman would be in constant attendance on Mrs. Morley.”
The Queen said: “Dr. Arbuthnot was saying Masham is the best nurse in the kingdom.�
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So that was the answer, thought Sarah. Very well. She chooses Masham.
“I have daughters all married into the most noble families. I would take it as a favour if they might share between them the posts Mrs. Morley was once so happy to bestow on me.”
The Queen was silent and Sarah went on, “You would have three to serve you where you once had one and I would see that you had nothing of which to complain.”
The Queen still said nothing and Sarah asked harshly: “Well, what has Mrs. Morley to say? Do not tell Mrs. Freeman that you regret parting with her. You have shown so clearly that you prefer Masham.”
“I cannot agree to this suggestion,” said the Queen.
“Mrs. Morley does not think that my children would serve her well?”
“I am sure that being Mrs. Freeman’s children they would perform their duties most excellently. But it is inconceivable that Mrs. Freeman and Mrs. Morley should be parted while they live.”
Sarah was exultant. Here was a return to the old standing. The Queen was merely temporarily piqued. All right. Sarah would soon be back.
“Mrs. Morley is gracious to her poor Freeman. Now as to Mrs. Masham …”
“Dr. Arbuthnot says she is the best nurse in the kingdom.”
So there was nothing to be done in that quarter while the Prince lived; but Sarah was not going to let Anne think that she merely had to beckon Sarah Churchill and she would come hurrying back.
Sarah settled down to make arrangements about the town house she intended to have. She had had her eyes on it for some time when it had been occupied by Catherine of Braganza. It was on the south side of Pall Mall and King Charles II had planted an acorn in its gardens, and this acorn came from the oak tree which had hidden him at Boscobel.
Sarah planned to build in place of that old house a much grander one which should be her family’s town residence; she had decided it should be called Marlborough House.
Now she reminded Anne of an old promise to give her this house; and Anne, happy to turn the conversation away from Mrs. Masham and the replacement of Sarah by her daughters, agreed that the site should be Sarah’s.
Sarah emerged triumphant from that interview; and thoughout the Court it was said that not only had Godolphin and Marlborough scored over Harley, but Sarah would soon be putting Mrs. Masham in her place.