Courting Her Highness_ The Story of Queen Anne - Jean Plaidy [155]
Knowing that he would come promptly in answer to the Queen’s command, Abigail was watching for the arrival of Harley.
For a few moments, before he was conducted to the Queen, they were alone together.
“I thought this was the time to send for you,” Abigail told him.
He surveyed her from under his curiously hodded eyes, and as she smelt the strong smell of spirits, she was, for a moment, dismayed. She prayed he would not allow his love for drink to impair his talents; but need she have worried? He had always been a heavy drinker; he had once told her that he needed the stimulus of wine and was at his most brilliant when he was as near intoxication as such a hardened drinker could get.
“Wise Abigail,” he murmured, taking her hand and kissing it. His eyes were tender, but she knew that his caresses meant nothing; and she was too wise a woman to go on sighing for the impossible.
“The death of Essex is important,” she went on. “Your man must have the Tower … not Marlborough’s.”
He nodded.
“And Marlborough has already decided on the Duke of Northumberland.”
“Marlborough must be disappointed. We want the Tower for Rivers.”
“So I thought. The outcome of this will be the pointer we need. If we win … then …”
“The ultimate victory cannot be far off. My dear Abigail, you are my most able general.”
“An election now and Godolphin and Marlborough will be out. And you in … The Queen’s first minister.”
Once more he kissed her hand. “I shall not forget … Abigail.”
“Essex leaves a Colonelcy vacant as well as his office at the Tower. I would like that for my brother.”
“I am sure Her Majesty will be only too delighted to grant your request.”
He left her and went to the Queen’s apartment.
Sarah was furious.
“Jack Hill … a colonel in your Army. Good God, Marl, now they have gone too far.”
“They’re going to defeat us over this matter of the Tower, but I’ll be damned if I’ll give Abigail Hill’s brother a regiment.”
“You should resign rather.”
John looked sadly at Sarah. She would never understand the importance of tact. He was determined that Jack Hill should not have the regiment, but the matter would have to be settled with diplomacy.
When Godolphin presented himself to Anne and she expressed her wishes that John Hill should become a colonel he assured her of the impossibility of this.
“My lord Marlborough will explain to Your Majesty why this cannot be.”
“I see nothing but frustration,” cried Anne. “It seems that you, sir, work continually against me.”
Godolphin with tears in his eyes protested, but the fact that she could not grant Abigail one of the few requests she had made, hurt Anne. A colonelcy in the army! It seemed such a small thing to ask—and it was so natural that Abigail should want it for her brother. Yet she, the Queen, was not allowed to make it.
Godolphin left in despair.
Marlborough called on the Queen, who regarded him coolly.
“Your Majesty,” he said, “my enemies have distorted my action and I fear I have been greatly misrepresented in your eyes.”
Anne bowed her head and stared at her fan.
“I want to have a chance to clear myself of the calumnies of my enemies.”
“Pray proceed,” said the Queen.
“There is a charge against me that I made an attempt to become a military dictator of this country. That is false.”
The Queen did not answer. Had he not come to her himself and asked for the Captain-Generalcy for life? What else did that mean? Oh, she was weary of these Marlboroughs!
She put her fan to her mouth. It was a gesture implying that she wished to hear no more on that subject. In her opinion he had attempted what he denied and by great good fortune—and the services of good men like Mr. Harley—he had been prevented.
Marlborough turned the subject to the proposed colonelcy for John Hill.
How much he wished to please Her Majesty she herself knew. The fact was that there were old soldiers in his Army who had served