Courting Her Highness_ The Story of Queen Anne - Jean Plaidy [173]
“And it is ridiculous that you should continue plain Mr. Harley. I suggest the peerage. Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer.”
Harley kissed the Queen’s hands, tears of triumph in his eyes.
“Your Majesty is good to me.”
Abigail was in the ante-room as he went out. He smiled at her vaguely, scarcely seeing her.
The Earl of Oxford, Lord Treasurer, the most popular man in the country, no longer needed the services of Abigail Masham.
Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford, was closeted with the Queen. They were alone for he did not care to say what he had to in the presence of any other.
Abigail, delivered of a son after a long and arduous labour, was not in attendance, for Anne, delighted with the child, had been concerned for Abigail and had commanded that she rest from her duties until she had recovered.
Oxford was secretly excited although he wore an expression of consternation. There was one thing he wanted more than any other and that was to destroy Marlborough. The Duchess was dismissed but the Duke could not be thrust aside so easily. He was the leader of the armies still—the victorious armies; he was a power in Europe, and England still needed him. On the other hand, Marlborough was Oxford’s enemy in chief for it was through the services of Abigail Masham, whom Sarah regarded as her evil genius, that he had been helped to power. There was not room in English politics for Marlborough and Oxford and the latter was awaiting the opportunity to rid himself of his enemy. While there was war in Europe, England needed Marlborough; it was for this reason that Oxford was secretly delighted as he came to the Queen.
“Grave news, Your Majesty. The death of the Emperor Joseph is going to colour the entire situation which is of such importance to us.”
“Poor man! It is so terrible and unexpected. The smallpox is a scourge, my dear Lord Oxford. A positive scourge. I remember how it struck my poor sister.”
“Your Majesty is right; and now that Charles of Austria has become the new Emperor we have lost our candidate for the Spanish throne, for the union of the Empire and Spain is impossible. Your Majesty will realize the trouble such a state of affairs would create, for it would completely upset the balance of power.”
“You are right, of course. And the main reason for continuing this dreadful war was to prevent Louis’ grandson from keeping the throne of Spain and to set our candidate upon it.”
“Exactly.”
“What a menace Emperor Charles would be,” sighed Anne, “if in addition to Austria, Italy and the Netherlands he ruled Spain as well.”
“Louis XIV himself would not be more formidable and it is impossible to remove his grandson from the throne. Louis is an old man now. He has offered to meet all our demands except that of fighting against his own grandson. I have to remind Your Majesty that he has not been unreasonable.”
“My dear Lord Oxford, you do not have to remind me. Nothing would please me more than to end this dreadful war. I have wept bitterly when I have seen the list of casualties. Too many of my subjects are losing their lives in this struggle.”
“How fortunate we are to have a sovereign so humane … so reasonable.”
“My dear Lord Oxford. I am the fortunate one, to have such ministers.”
Oxford kissed her hand. He could see that he was going to get his way with the utmost ease.
“I think we might sound the French as to peace terms, Your Majesty. But in the beginning we should not allow too many to share this secret. My Lord Marlborough for one.… His great desire is to continue the war and win more glory. He is a brilliant soldier, Your Majesty. But we cannot allow him to buy his glory at the cost of so much English blood.”
“How I agree with you, my dear Lord,” sighed Anne fervently.
“Then we will work in secret for a while; and I think I can promise Your Majesty peace in a very short time.”
“Nothing could give me greater happiness than to see an end to this spilling of blood.”
Oxford bowed his head in assent. An end to the spilling of blood, he thought;