Courting Her Highness_ The Story of Queen Anne - Jean Plaidy [128]
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 these 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