Courting Her Highness_ The Story of Queen Anne - Jean Plaidy [153]
People were now beginning to realize her importance. When Alice and Jack came to see the baby she could sense the difference in their attitude towards her. They were in awe of her. As for Samuel, he was frankly proud.
They stood round the child’s cradle. Alice—getting even fatter—gurgled her pleasure; Jack was seated, for he had been wounded at the siege of Mons; and Samuel was beside Abigail, his hand on her shoulder.
“Such a little darling!” cooed Alice. “I’ll swear your mamma is planning a grand marriage for you.”
“What, already!” cried Samuel.
Abigail smiled at him. He was sentimental and the thought of losing a daughter so newly acquired even in marriage at some distant date appalled him.
“Oh come, Alice, there’s time enough for that,” said Abigail.
“But she’ll have a grand future I wouldn’t mind swearing,” insisted Alice. She stood up and looked at her sister admiringly. “You’ll see to that. And the Queen won’t deny you anything. I heard that said only yesterday.”
“It’s not wise to be too sure of anything,” said Abigail sagely.
“And Abigail is the wisest woman in the world,” added Samuel.
Alice wanted to know whether Mrs. Abrahal washed the baby’s linen and what the Queen had said about the new tooth; the two men talked together of battles. They moved to a table, sat down, and picking up any small objects they could lay their hands on they used them to indicate their forces, and like a couple of generals fought out Malplaquet.
Watching them, Abigail said: “Do you remember the day Lady Marlborough called and how alarmed we all were. The first time we saw her …?”
Alice nodded and her plump complacent expression was clouded. This life of plenty and excitement was far removed from those days.
“She brought us here,” said Alice. “It’s something I try to remind myself of now and then.”
“That she might use us,” retorted Abigail. “Do you remember how she constantly reminded us of what she did for us?”
“And still does.”
“She does not remind me.”
“Oh, you, Abigail, you have become more important than she is. Abigail, I have heard it said …”
“Yes?”
“That you rule the Queen just as Sarah Churchill once did.”
“She listens to me.”
“Oh, Abby … Though it doesn’t seem right to call you that now. My own sister. You, Abigail Hill, to be the friend of the Queen!”
“And others …” murmured Abigail, thinking of Robert Harley. Her eyes went to Samuel—the general at the table. That was all he was capable of. He would never be a Marlborough … never a Harley. If she and Harley … But that was a dream long ago abandoned. She must use what she had at her disposal and not reach out for the impossible as Sarah had done.
Alice was smiling at her with something like adoration. She would not forget that the present respect she enjoyed in the royal household was due to her sister.
Abigail savoured that adoration. Alice had sent her thoughts back to the past and she saw now a poorly furnished bedroom where she and Alice had tried on the cast-off dresses of the Churchill girls; she saw herself and her sister studying their reflections—Alice plump and gay, Abigail pale and thin. Then Alice had pitied Abigail, the plain one.
It was a different story now. She had shown them that a pale, plain face was no deterrent. She had an adoring husband; Alice had none; she had the Queen’s love; and the admiration of a brilliant statesman.
She felt all powerful and she said on impulse, “I must see what I can do for Jack. As soon as a Colonelcy falls vacant I shall speak to the Queen on his behalf.”
“Oh … Abby!”
“Not a word yet. We’ll wait, and it’ll be a surprise for him.”
“What of Sam?”
“His turn will come,” answered Abigail serenely.
Those were trying weeks for the Queen. She wanted to be rid of her Government but could see no means of constitutionally doing so. It cheered her to know that her people were firmly behind her, but this in itself would not rid her of men whom she so heartily wished to dismiss.