Courting Her Highness_ The Story of Queen Anne - Jean Plaidy [119]
Such lovers they were—and it was impossible to be in the house and not know it. Love like that was enduring and rare. When one became aware of it, one dreamed of sharing such an emotion, one longed for it.
Sarah had been singularly blessed. She had extraordinary beauty and vitality and the devotion of the man she adored. She might have been the luckiest woman in the world if she had allowed herself to be, for all the most precious gifts in life had been bestowed upon her. But she didn’t deserve them.
If only I had had her good fortune! mused Abigail; and she saw herself in a great mansion, and Harley riding into the courtyard, his face alight with love for Abigail as she had seen John Churchill’s for Sarah.
The bell was ringing.
“Wake up, Sam, they want us. It’s the Prince’s asthma again.”
He groaned, but she was already out of bed. “Don’t be foolish, Sam,” she said. “Rejoice rather. They can’t do without us, you know … and ask yourself this: What would we be without them?”
“Hill,” said the Queen, “you are looking a little tired.”
“Your Majesty is so kind.…”
“With Danvers spending so much time in her bed there is a great deal for you to do.”
She is relenting! thought Abigail. She is going to please the Duchess by taking Mrs. Vain after all. Let that happen and Sarah would have scored another victory. It must not be.
“Mrs. Danvers has a daughter who is seeking a place,” said Abigail. “Poor Mrs. Danvers, I believe she worries a great deal now that she is ill. She would be very happy if you could take the girl into your household.”
“My poor Danvers! Tell her to come to me when she is a little recovered and I will speak to her.”
“And Your Majesty in the goodness of your heart will ease her mind by offering her girl a bedchamber post?”
“It was you who brought it to my notice yet I fancy Danvers has not always been kind to you.”
“I had so much to learn when I first entered Your Majesty’s service.”
Anne’s white fingers caressed the sandy locks for Abigail was seated on the stool at her feet where she liked her to be.
“You are such a good creature, Hill … Masham I mean. Do you know I fancy I shall never grow accustomed to calling you Masham. I was saying so to the Prince last night in bed.”
It was impossible to keep secret the fact that Masham and Abigail Hill shared those apartments adjoining the royal ones. They slept in the same bed. This could mean only one thing, for the Queen and the Prince must be aware of this which, if the pair were unmarried, Anne would never have countenanced.
Mrs. Danvers, feeling better and still clinging to the belief that the Duchess was her true patron asked the Duchess to call upon her once more; and this time Sarah did not hesitate. Since the last interview she had decided to have a word with Abigail when they met, but to her amazement she found that she never met Abigail. It was not until she received this invitation from Mrs. Danvers that it occurred to her that Abigail might have deliberately avoided her.
“Well?” she demanded of Mrs. Danvers.
“There are rumours about Mrs. Hill, Your Grace … Mrs. Hill and Masham.”
“What rumours?”
“That they are married.”
“Nonsense. Hill would not marry without informing me.”
“It is said that they share an apartment close to the Queen’s, Your Grace … to be handy should they be needed for the Prince in the night.”
“I never heard such nonsense. Hill and Masham would not share an apartment unless they were married, and if they were I should know. If Hill was so deceitful as to keep the matter from me, the Queen would tell me and if they have an apartment next to hers and are together on night duty Her Majesty would be in the secret. I never heard such stuff and nonsense.”
“I merely thought Your Grace would not wish me to keep such a persistent rumour from you.”
“I’m not blaming you for telling me, Danvers, but for believing such rubbish.