Courting Her Highness_ The Story of Queen Anne - Jean Plaidy [169]
No, she did not want to think of the past; she would not read Sarah’s letter.
“Madam,” said the Duke, “if you will retain the Duchess until such a time as you will have no need of my services, this will save her much pain. I hope that the war will be over within the next year and then we could both retire together.”
“I cannot change my resolution,” said Anne firmly.
“The Duchess deeply regrets any uneasiness she caused Your Majesty and longs for a chance to revive that love you once had for her. She has sworn that if you will give her another chance she will serve you in all humility and endeavour to make up for any pain she may have caused you.”
Anne was silent.
“I beg you read the letter,” he implored.
She did so, but when she had finished it, she was silent.
“Your Majesty is moved to some tenderness I see. I know that you will wish to put an end to the anguish which the Duchess now suffers.”
“I cannot change my resolution,” repeated Anne.
The Duke sighed, exerting all his charm in his endeavours to move her, but she only said: “The keys must be returned to me within three days.”
“Within three days, Your Majesty. I pray you give the Duchess ten days that the affair may be settled more discreetly.”
“No,” said the Queen, “there has been too much delay. The keys must be returned to me within two days.”
“Two days … but Your Majesty said three.”
“Two days,” repeated Anne firmly. “I cannot alter my resolution.”
There was nothing to be done but return to Sarah to tell her of his failure.
Marlborough faced his wife.
“Well?” she demanded, although his expression betrayed how the interview had gone and there was no need to ask.
“No use,” he said.
“She read my letter?”
“Yes, and remained adamant.”
“You should have talked to her.”
“I did.”
“Crawling at her feet, I doubt not.”
“Behaving in a manner best calculated to soften her, and at least I induced her to read the letter which she refused to do at first.”
“You allow her to treat you like a servant!”
“We are her servants.”
“Bah! That fat fool! If I could get back I would show her that I will not take such treatment from her.”
“That is precisely what you have done and why we are in this position now.”
“So I am to blame?”
“Can you suggest who else?”
“Yes, that disagreeable woman … with her filthy little dogs, her doting chambermaid, cards, her chocolates and her drivelling conversation. I cannot tell you what I endured from her. I was nearly driven mad by her inanities. And now … look at the way I am treated!”
“Sarah, for God’s sake be calm. You have to give up the keys.”
Her eyes narrowed. “If you had talked to her.…”
“She could not be talked to. Her mind was made up. She kept repeating that she could not change her resolution.”
“The old parrot!”
“Sarah. Accept this. You have to give up the keys. She refuses to discuss any further business with me until those keys are in her hands. Unless you give them back I will have no position either.”
Sarah tore the keys from her waist, where she always wore them. Two golden keys, symbols of those coveted posts: Groom of the Stole and Mistress of the Privy Purse. She had held those offices for a long time and now they were lost.
She could have burst into tears.
To relieve her feelings she threw the keys at her husband and they struck his head before falling to the floor.
He picked them up quickly before Sarah could change her mind; and he lost no time in delivering them to the Queen.
Anne looked at the two golden keys—the symbol of release. Never would she allow herself to become the slave of another as she had with