o b464705202491194

by Cheyenne

  ‘I have a surprise for you,’ she cried excitedly. ‘Turn your back or shut your

  eyes. No— turn your back. I want you to have a really big surprise.’

  Lady Douglas did so and when Caroline gave her permission to turn, saw the

  child lying on the sofa.

  ‘Your Highness!’ cried Lady Douglas.

  ‘Ha. I told you I was going to have a baby, did I not?’

  ‘You did, Your Highness, but—’

  Mrs. Fitzgerald who had remained in the room said quickly: ‘Her Highness

  adopted the child. He is the son of a Sophia Austin, the wife of a dock labourer.

  You should have seen him when he arrived.’

  Caroline had snatched up the child and was kissing him frantically, ‘He has

  changed has he not, Fitz? Is he not now the most beautiful baby in England?’

  ‘He should be, Madam, with all the care you give him.’

  ‘So Your Highness is looking after him yourself?’ asked Lady Douglas.

  ‘Of course, my dear. Why else should I want a baby? To give to others to care

  for! You shall see how I look after him. think it is his feeding time, is it not, Fitz?

  I shall feed him myself. Only the best for my darling Willikin. Send in all I shall need and I shall show my dear friend Lady Douglas how I care for my child.’

  Lady Douglas watched incredulously while the Princess superintended the

  feeding of the child and herself changed his napkin.

  It’s a nightmare! thought Lady Douglas and all the time she watched Willikin to see if there was some resemblance to Sir Sydney. But, she thought, a little

  mollified, it could be Manley or even Lawrence.

  What a fool she is! And she, the Princess of Wales! Is it possible that she

  can’t see what trouble she might be making for herself? Lady Douglas felt very excited. What a scandal this could be. She felt suddenly powerful, which was a

  very comforting feeling, suspecting as she did that her lover had found

  satisfaction with another woman.

  But it could only be because she is Princess of Wales, Lady Douglas soothed

  herself. If I knew it were true, I’d make her wish she’d never set eyes on him.

  ————————

  Not long after the arrival of Willikin, Lady, Douglas came to tell the Princess

  that she and Sir John would be going away, perhaps for some years. They were

  going to Devonshire in the company of Sir Sydney Smith, both the men being

  called away to duty.

  The Princess took an affectionate farewell of her friend and a rather tearful

  one of her little godchild; but there was Willikin to comfort her.

  No sooner had the Douglases left than Mrs. Fitzgerald told the Princess that

  she wished to speak to her on a rather delicate matter.

  It had come to Mrs. Fitzgerald’s ears that Lady Douglas had spoken very

  disrespectfully of the Princess in the hearing of her servants, some of whom had

  reported this to the servants at Montague House.

  ‘And what was this?’ asked Caroline.

  ‘She spoke slightingly of Your Highness’s morals and said that William

  Austin was in fact your own child.’

  ‘My little Willikin! How I wish he were! But he is, you know, my dear. He is

  my own.’

  ‘But, Your Highness, Lady Douglas hinted that he was the result of an

  adulterous intrigue and that you had actually given birth to him in secret.’

  The Princess was silent. ‘I think they would call that treason,’ she said.

  ‘They would indeed, Your Highness. That is why I think you should know

  that Lady Douglas was a false friend.’

  ‘She must have been if she spread tales like that.’

  ‘She did, Madam, I assure you. Heaven knows what could result if she talked

  too freely in some circles.’

  The Princess was thoughtful. Then she brightened. ‘Well, she has gone, my

  dear.’

  ‘She may come back. If she does—’

  The Princess waved her hand. ‘If she does— well then I shall not receive her.

  My dear, dear Fitz, you are so concerned for me. Have no fear. She is far away

  and if she ever comes back, I shall simply not receive her. Now— go and bring

  Willikin to me if he is awake, but don’t disturb the little pet if he is not.’

  Mrs. Fitzgerald went away to do as she was bid.

  How feckless she was! She did not seem to have any idea of the trouble her

  conduct could arouse.

  Willikin was awake and screaming to be picked up. Willikin indeed! thought Mrs. Fitzgerald. The cause of all the trouble.

  The Anonymous and Obscene

  CAROLINE settled down to enjoy life with Willikin and dismissed the

  Douglases from her mind. She rarely gave a thought to what was happening in the

  world outside Montague House— and great events were in progress.

  Napoleon was astride Europe. Even Hanover, that stronghold of the Guelphs,

  was in his hands. Most alarming of all he was at Boulogne casting covetous eyes

  on England, and the threat of invasion was in the air.

  The Prince of Wales was fretting against inactivity. He had settled down to

  harmony with Maria and was now looking for further adventure. He was very

  unpopular with the people and that wounded him deeply for he desperately

  wanted their approval and he felt he could win this by becoming a hero in this

  battle against that great bogey man known throughout the land as Boney; and he

  longed to take a part in the war.

  He told Maria that he was going to insist on doing so. ‘Why should I, a man

  of my age— be told that I must not be allowed to fight for my country? Did you

  ever hear such rubbish?’

  Maria replied that as the heir to the throne it was reasonable for the King to

  refuse to allow him to risk his life.

  ‘You would make a coward of me, my dear love. I shall write to him all the

  same.’

  He sat down at once. He was always happy with a pen in his hand. Watching

  him Maria remembered those long impassioned letters he used to write to her—

  some of them thirty-two pages in length.

  ‘Listen to this, Maria:

  In this contest the lowest and humblest of Your Majesty’s servants have been called upon. It would therefore little become me, who am the First, to remain a tame, idle and useless spectator.

  ‘Very fine,’ said Maria. ‘But it will not move His Majesty one bit.’

  ‘By God, I’m not allowing the people to think me a coward.’

  There was excitement in the air. The country was united as it could only be at

  such a time of danger. Just across the Channel Napoleon had gathered together a

  large fleet of gun boats. He thundered threats from the soil of France. The British were defeated, he cried. It was only a matter of weeks. Who did they think they

  were to dare stand out against Napoleon? Hadn’t they heard of his victories

  throughout Europe?

  The answer came back: Yes, who does he think we are?

  And there was the nation suddenly in arms. Farmers and fishermen, merchants

  and their apprentices— everyone who could carry a gun or a scythe if no gun was

  available.

  ‘Come on, Master Boney,’ they cried. ‘We can’t wait to welcome you.’

  ————————

  The King was growing more and more afraid. The twilight times when his

  mind became so clouded that he was not sure where he was, and whether or not

  he was a young man again, were becoming
more frequent. Sometimes he would

  doze off and wake up to find himself talking of he knew not what, and when he

  tried to stop himself the voice still went on and sometimes he was not sure that it was his.

  Trouble, he thought. It’s all trouble— always has been, always will be.

  He had been very upset recently over the plot organized by a certain Colonel

  Despard.

  What had possessed the man? he kept asking. Eh, what? Despard was a good

  soldier. At his trial Lord Nelson himself had come forward and testified to his

  valour and loyalty.

  What had happened to make Colonel Despard plot to assassinate his King?

  ‘Why?’ he cried. ‘What have I ever done but my duty, eh, what?’

  It was a mad plot— to shoot the King and take possession of the two Houses

  of Parliament. Why? Eh, what?

  And he had been discovered and executed with his fellow Conspirators at the

  top of Southwark jail and there he had made his last speech in which he had

  declared that he believed in the end liberty and justice would triumph over

  despotism and delusion.

  What had he meant, eh, what?

  Despotism and delusion! Hadn’t he, George III, always tried to be an honest

  man? And had he not always had the, good of his people at heart?

  All this trouble: George and Caroline not living together. Bickering over the

  Princess Charlotte. A fine way for a child to be brought up! What did she know of the trouble between her parents? A great deal— she was a knowing young mix.

  And it was all wrong. Napoleon planning invasion. Voices in his head.

  What next? he asked himself.

  And there was that young fool the Prince of Wales wanting to go and fight.

  He took up his pen. The answer was no— no, no. Couldn’t he understand that,

  eh, what?

  ‘I had flattered myself to have heard no further on the subject,’ he wrote

  angrily.

  Then he buried his face in his hands and asked: ‘What next, eh, what?’

  ————————

  The Prince was furious.

  ‘He thinks I’m a child,’ he raged. ‘By God, I’ll make him repent that.’

  ‘Remember,’ said Maria, ‘he is a very sick man.’

  ‘That may be. But he’s representing me to the people as a coward. Am I going

  to stand aside and see that happen?’

  ‘My dearest, there is nothing else you can do.’

  ‘My dear love, I have thought of something. The obvious way to let the

  people know the truth.’

  Maria had risen alarmed.

  ‘Oh, yes,’ he said triumphantly. ‘I am going to publish our correspondence.

  That will let the world know that I am not the one who is holding back.’

  ————————

  Lord Nelson had made an attack on the fleet which Napoleon had

  accumulated for the invasion of England and this changed the Corsican’s ideas of

  easy conquest. The whole of England knew that though he might conquer Europe,

  Napoleon was no match for Lord Nelson.

  Invasion fears died a little; but the country was still in danger and its militant mood persisted even though the situation was easier, and the King still had his

  troubles.

  When he saw the correspondence between himself and the Prince published in

  the Morning Chronicle he was overcome with rage and grief.

  Once more, an open quarrel in the royal family! He raged and stormed and

  talked perpetually and incoherently of his eldest son’s treachery to him.

  As Prime Minister Addington remarked to Pitt, this was enough to turn the

  King’s brain again. They would have to be, watchful.

  Caroline, happy at Montague House looking after Willikin who was fast

  growing objectionably spoilt, was not very pleased to hear that the Douglases

  were back in Blackheath.

  Lady Douglas lost no time in calling at Montague House and was somewhat

  taken aback when she was informed that the Princess of Wales was not at home.

  This might have been so, but the next day she received the same answer and

  as she knew that this time the Princess was in residence she realized that she was being turned away.

  She was furious. She raged to Sir John: Did the Princess think she could treat

  her in this way? She would find she was mistaken.

  ‘I know too much,’ said Lady Douglas ominously.

  She called at Montague House again to receive the same answer..

  ‘Oh, dear,’ sighed Caroline when she heard. ‘I shall have to tell her that I

  don’t wish to see her.’ She called to one of her women. ‘Vernon, dear, I want you to write a letter to Lady Douglas and tell her not to call again.’

  When Lady Douglas’s reply was brought to her Caroline turned her head

  away. ‘Send it back to her,’ she said. ‘I don’t want to read it. I want nothing more to do with that woman. She’s dangerous.’

  When this letter was returned to her, Lady Douglas was furious.

  ‘Does she think she can treat me like this? She will see that she is not dealing

  with some humble servant. She is a vulgar woman for all that she is Princess of

  Wales. I’ll not endure this.’

  ‘Be careful,’ warned Sir John. ‘Remember this is royalty.’ But when had she

  ever taken his advice? She had only scorn for him.

  She sat down to write to Mrs. Fitzgerald, a letter which held veiled threats.

  The Princess of Wales had confided in her about a matter of great importance not

  only to herself but the country. She had respected the Princess’s confidence but if Her Royal Highness were going to treat her so churlishly, why should she behave

  with such meticulous honour towards Her Highness? She had written to Mrs.

  Fitzgerald because the Princess refused to read a letter addressed to herself.

  Perhaps Mrs. Fitzgerald would acquaint Her Highness with the contents of this

  letter.

  Mrs. Fitzgerald was very perturbed,. She went at once to Caroline.

  ‘My precious pet! He is my child, my dear. That’s how he is to me. But what

  this creature is suggesting is that I gave birth to him. Is that it? And that I

  confided this to her? What a liar she is.’

  ‘Yes, Your Highness, but perhaps a convincing one.’

  ‘A convincing one. What do you mean, my dear? How could she convince

  anyone of such a falsehood!’

  How indeed? thought Mrs. Fitzgerald sadly, when the Princess of Wales was

  so familiar in her attitude to the men who visited the house, when she had been

  seen kissing Sir Sydney Smith in a game and had shut herself in a room

  with

  Sir Thomas Lawrence to be painted and was always so delighted Captain Manley

  and so affectionate in her manner towards him

  Heaven help us, thought Mrs. Fitzgerald, if that woman really tried to make mischief would it be so difficult?

  ‘Tear up the letter, Fitz dear, and think no more about it. She’ll stop making a

  nuisance of herself when she realizes that I am determined not to see her.’

  ————————

  But Lady Douglas was not a woman to be lightly put aside. She had made a

  plan of revenge and she lost no time in putting this into action.

  Caroline received another letter and this one she read. It was very short and

  extremely mystifying. Lady Douglas wrote that she had received the anonymous

  letter Caroline had sent her together with the drawing.

  ‘What is the woman
talking about?’ demanded Caroline. ‘What letter? What

  drawing?’

  Neither Mrs. Fitzgerald nor Mrs. Vernon could throw any light on the matter

  but they were deeply disturbed.

  Another letter followed which was signed by Sir John and Lady Douglas and

  Sir Sydney Smith. They asked for an audience with the Princess because they felt

  that in the peculiar circumstances they must have an explanation.

  ‘What are they talking about?’ demanded Caroline.

  ‘I don’t know, Your Highness,’ said Mrs. Fitzgerald, ‘but I find it very

  disturbing and I think that you should get advice on how to act.’

  ‘You know what she is saying, Your Highness. It is that Willikin is indeed

  your child.’

  ————————

  Advice? thought Caroline. Yes, she did need it. This matter was too important

  to be ignored. And what was Sir Sydney Smith doing in it? She had thought he

  was her friend.

  She could go to the King. No, he was too ill and he would be so shocked at

  the prospect of any scandal, moreover he had been too much worried already by

  his children, she did not want to add to those anxieties.

  The Princes— apart from her husband— had always been friendly towards

  her; perhaps she could ask one of them.

  Her choice fell on Edward, Duke of Kent, who was the most sober of all the

  Princes; he was good-natured and kind-hearted. She would ask him to come to see

  her and help her throw some light on this affair.

  As soon as he received her invitation, he came to Montague House and

  listened carefully to all she had to tell him. She explained how she had met Lady Douglas and had become friendly with her but how she had heard that Lady

  Douglas had gossiped most scandalously, after which she had refused to see her.

  Then had come letters and finally one referring to an anonymous letter and

  another requesting an interview with the Douglases and Sir Sydney Smith.

  Caroline had no idea what Lady Douglas was attempting to do and why Sir

  Sydney Smith should be involved.

  The Duke of Kent looked grave.

  ‘The matter must be examined,’ he said. ‘I don’t know these Douglases but I

  have met Sir Sydney Smith. I will see him and hear what he has to say.’

  The Princess thanked him and remarked to Mrs. Fitzgerald after he had gone:

  ‘My kind brother-in-law will soon get to the bottom of this affair, and that will be an end of it.’