Courting Her Highness_ The Story of Queen Anne - Jean Plaidy [160]
“But the Government is in danger of falling. If you could regain your old friendship with the Queen we could recover all that we have lost.”
“It seems ridiculous to have been pushed aside for that chamberwoman.” Sarah’s eyes were glinting. “She shall see me. She shall. I shall explain to her and she will have to take notice.”
Marlborough laid a restraining hand on his wife’s arm. “My love, be careful. You can do it … if you will. But you must curb your tongue.”
Sarah’s lips were firmly set, but Marlborough’s misgivings were great.
“Your Majesty is disturbed?” asked Abigail.
“A request for an audience from the Duchess of Marlborough.”
“And Your Majesty will grant it?”
“The woman holds all her appointments still and that gives her easy access to my apartments. I would be rid of her. Do you know, Masham, I never want to see her again. Does that surprise you when you consider the greatness of the friendship we once had for each other?”
“What surprises me, Madam, is Your Majesty’s great patience with the Duchess.”
“My patience is fast running out. I do not wish to see her, Masham. She wearies me with her continual ranting.”
“Could Your Majesty write and tell her to put what she has to say in writing?”
“An excellent idea, Masham. I will do that.”
When she received the Queen’s letter Sarah was furious. She immediately wrote that what she had to say could not be put into writing. Anne replied by giving her an appointment for the next day, but when the hour approached Anne called Abigail to her and told her that the thought of seeing Sarah gave her a headache and made her feet throb.
Abigail bathed the feet and afterwards massaged them while the Queen planned the letter she would write to tell Sarah that she preferred what she had to say to be written.
But Sarah was not easily diverted. Again she replied that it was not possible to write what she had to say and again she demanded a private interview.
“Shall I never throw her off?” Anne asked piteously. Then she had the idea of leaving for Kensington and wrote to Sarah telling her that she would be away for some days and if Sarah would care to put what she had to say in writing she, Anne, would consider it while she was away.
But there was no escape. Sarah’s reply came back promptly:
“I am glad Your Majesty is going to Kensington to make use of the fresh air and take care of your health. I will follow you there and wait every day until it is convenient for you to see me, as what I have to say is of such a nature as to require no answer.”
Sarah arrived at Kensington Palace while the Queen was reading her note. She went straight to the royal apartments and told the Queen’s page to announce her.
Anne, sitting at her writing desk, Sarah’s letter before her, realized that she could no longer postpone the interview and gave permission for Sarah to enter.
When Sarah came into the room Anne remained at her desk, her pen in her hand.
She looked up as Sarah entered and said: “I have just read your letter. I was going to write to you.”
As soon as she was in her presence, so many memories came rushing back to Sarah that she forgot the change in their relationship and replied to the Queen with all the old imperiousness: “About what were you going to write, Madam?”
“I was going to write to you,” replied Anne, setting her lips into a line which should have warned Sarah.
“There was something in my letter, Madam, that you wished to answer?”
“There is nothing you have to say that you could not write,” insisted Anne.
Sarah was exasperated. The Queen was in what Sarah called the parrot mood. She would go on repeating her set phrases and it would be impossible to reason with her.
“I did not know that Your Majesty was ever so hard as to refuse to hear a person speak. Even the meanest have a right to be heard.”
“I tell people to put what they have to say in writing when I have a mind to.”
“I have nothing to say on the subject which is so upsetting to you, Madam. Mrs. Masham is not concerned in what I would say, but I cannot