Courting Her Highness_ The Story of Queen Anne - Jean Plaidy [147]
“Nothing goes as we could wish!” cried John; and he looked sadly at his wife, for none believed more than he did that if Sarah had retained her friendship with the Queen everything they desired would have come to them. But he never criticized her; all he would do was warn her gently. Sarah was far from gentle. She railed against Abigail Hill, for she was certain that all their troubles came from her.
“They have no gratitude,” she cried. “The nation, the Queen … nor Abigail Hill. You have won resounding victories for England; I have spent hours with the stupid woman when I would have preferred to be shut in a dungeon; I brought that whey-faced slut from a broom to a palace … and where is the gratitude, I ask you. Those who have most reason to love us turn against us.”
It was soothing to go down to Woodstock and look at the progress of Blenheim; but even that was slow and not to Sarah’s taste and she and John Vanbrugh had by now conceived a great dislike of each other.
Disgruntled and angry they returned to London. The Duke realized he had made a mistake in underestimating the Queen, and believing she would grant his request without consulting her ministers. Who would have thought that she would have called in Cowper before the commission was a fait accompli?
He was getting old; he was tired; and in spite of his brilliant victories he had not achieved what he set out to do.
The Duke of Argyle called on the Queen.
“Madam,” he said, “the Duke of Marlborough is a danger to the peace of England. It is believed by some that he might attempt to seize that which has been denied him.”
“I do not believe that the Duke of Marlborough would ever turn traitor to his own country,” protested Anne.
“It is as well to be prepared, Your Majesty.”
“That is true,” agreed Anne.
“Your Majesty need have no fear. You have but to give me the alarm and I would seize Marlborough—even at the head of his troops, and bring him to you dead or alive.”
Oh dear! sighed Anne. How alarming. War was bad enough abroad, but civil war was something she could not bear to contemplate.
She thanked the Duke of Argyle and told him she would remember his promise although she trusted it would never be necessary for her to make use of the services he so kindly offered her.
Abigail found her deeply disturbed and she confided in her as she had come to in all things.
Abigail was sure that Mr. Harley would have a better plan than the Duke of Argyle who, she suggested, could be as ambitious as the Duke of Marlborough; and where would the virtue be in replacing one ambitious man for another?
Mr. Harley was brought to the green closet. He had a plan, he would bring together a secret council of men who would protect the Queen and in due course hope to be her Government, for it was possible that the Whigs would be defeated at the next election.
He agreed that at all costs the Duke of Marlborough must be watched and given no more power than he already had—which was far too much.
If the Queen would trust him he would in turn devote his life to serving her beloved Church and the Tory party.
How fortunate, Anne agreed with Abigail, that Mr. Harley was at hand.
WINE FOR A LAUNDRESS
bigail lay in her bed awaiting the birth of her child. She felt aloof from all that intrigue which for so long had formed part of her life. It had been so for the last weeks as the time for her confinement grew nearer and nearer. A child of her own—hers and Samuel’s.
The pains had started and she had heard the women whispering in the chamber. They feared it would be a long labour, for she was small, thin, not built for child-bearing, so they said.
But she felt strong and capable of anything; and she was astonished by the softness of her feelings.
The Queen had been gracious; she knew that Anne was anxiously waiting for news. They had been pleasant, those last cosy weeks, seated at the Queen’s feet, leaning against her, talking of the Queen’s “boy,” laughing and crying together. Never had they been so close—friends, not sovereign and subject.
“You must