Courting Her Highness_ The Story of Queen Anne - Jean Plaidy [17]
The Duke of Gloucester was now nine years old and it was necessary to establish him in a household of his own. Anne would readily agree to Marlborough’s being appointed her son’s Governor, so this seemed the obvious solution.
William sent for Marlborough and when the Earl had kissed his hand he said: “The Princess Anne would welcome your appointment to the household of the Duke of Gloucester and I myself believe that none could do the job better.”
William was indeed in a gracious mood for he went on: “Teach him to be what you are and my nephew will never want accomplishments.”
Perhaps there was an ambiguity in the remark; but John Churchill was not going to question it. He assured the King that he would accept the post with pleasure and would perform it to the best of his abilities.
When John told Sarah of the good news, she was delighted.
“This is the end of our misfortunes,” she declared. “Even the Dutchman sees that we cannot be ignored for ever.”
And it seemed that she was right, for following on John’s appointment to the governorship William sent for him once more and told him that he should be restored to his old rank in the Army; nor was that all; he was to rejoin the Privy Council.
Sarah was delighted. “Now,” she said, “with you back at Court and Henrietta soon to marry Francis Godolphin we really can begin to get to work.”
The Princess Anne reclining on her couch, to rest her swollen legs, listened with pleasure to Sarah’s account of Marlborough’s restored glory.
“Nothing could delight me more, dear Mrs. Freeman,” she said. “Pray pass the dish.”
Sarah held the sweetmeats before her royal mistress.
“I do declare that these are not so sweet as those we had yesterday. Do taste, Mrs. Freeman, and tell me if I am wrong.”
Sarah nibbled impatiently. “They taste the same to me, Mrs. Morley. I was thinking of the Duke of Gloucester.”
Anne’s attention was immediately turned from the sweetmeats for her son was the delight of her heart and she would rather talk of him than of anything else on earth, even food.
“What of my boy, dear Mrs. Freeman?”
“He is now growing up. Nine years old. But to tell the truth, Mrs. Morley, I should think him much older.”
“I do believe there is not a brighter boy in the kingdom. Such intelligence and with it the kindest heart. Do you know, dear Mrs. Freeman, yesterday at my toilet he used an oath which I did not much like and I asked him sharply where he had learned it. It was from one of his attendants I am certain. That tutor of his—Pratt … or perhaps Lewis Jenkins. He knew that I was angry with whoever had taught him such a word and he thought a while … but only a little while, for, Mrs. Freeman, he is so quick. Then he said: ‘I invented it myself.’ You see, because he thought to save someone from trouble. Was there ever such a boy?”
Sarah said: “He spends too much time with that tutor and Lewis Jenkins. He should be with boys nearer his own age, nearer his own rank.”
“I have often thought of that, Mrs. Freeman; but he loves his soldiers and I am not sure where he has recruited them from. If any boy wants to join his army and is what he calls a good soldier then he accepts him. You cannot tell my boy what he ought to do.” Anne smiled fondly. “He always has his answer and such a one to confound you.”
To confound you, thought Sarah, and your stupid old husband, for both of you are a pair of doting fools where that boy is concerned; but if he were my boy I should have something to say!
“He reminds me so much of my young John,” said Sarah.
Anne smiled, ready for a cosy chat about their boys.
“My John would like to be a soldier. He talks constantly of the Army.”
“Then they are a pair!”
“I often think they ought to be together.”
“My dear Mrs. Freeman, what could be more delightful?”
“And as His Highness now has a household of his own, I was wondering whether my boy might have a place in it. Master of Horse or some such post.”
“But it is an excellent idea. Of course we must arrange it. There is nothing I should like better.”
“My John is