Courting Her Highness_ The Story of Queen Anne - Jean Plaidy [186]
If she could go back.… Would it be different? She was afraid of time. It would soon be time for the Council meeting.… Time …
She looked into the clock’s face and thought she saw another face looking at her, calling her, giving her a summons that she could not disobey because it was not in the power of any—Queen or commoner—to do so.
“Your Majesty.”
She turned. Mrs. Danvers was standing beside her, frightened.
“Danvers …”
“I wondered why Your Majesty was staring at the clock.”
“I saw …” she began; and Mrs. Danvers caught her as she would have fallen.
Mrs. Danvers called to the Queen’s women and together they carried her fainting body back to her bed.
“I saw Death in her face,” said Mrs. Danvers, her teeth chattering.
The Queen was dying. Outside the palace the people gathered waiting for news. This was more than the death of a Queen who had worked for the good of her subjects; this could be civil war; there was a choice of two Sovereigns; the German who could not speak a word of English and the Papist Pretender. People took sides, but half-heartedly. Who wanted the German? Who wanted the Papist? If James had been a good Churchman the country would have stood behind him. But his father had been driven away for his religion. Would it be the same trouble again?
Marlborough’s war was over and the people wanted no more wars. For this reason they were more inclined to accept the German.
In the palace the conflicts raged more fiercely.
Abigail had been in constant attendance. Her thoughts were confused; she had scarcely slept for several nights and was exhausted; yet she knew that the Queen was uneasy when she was not close.
The Queen was dying, and Abigail now realized how much she loved the Queen. Her friendship had been calculated it was true, but she had received such kindness from her Sovereign, she had found such joy in serving her—what would her life be without Anne?
The Council had decided against Bolingbroke as Oxford’s successor, and had chosen the Duke of Shrewsbury as Lord Treasurer.
Shrewsbury had declared that he would not accept office without the Queen’s consent and as a result he had been brought to her bedside. Those about her had believed that she would not recognize him, but she did, for when she was asked if she knew to whom she had given the staff of office she whispered: “To the Duke of Shrewsbury.”
More than that she took his hand and implored him to use his office for the good of her people.
Shrewsbury knelt at the bedside and assured her that he would do all in his power; and she seemed satisfied.
She closed her eyes, but shortly afterwards those about her bed heard her rambling about the past. She mentioned the warming pan, and there were tears on her cheeks.
“My brother …” she whispered. “My poor brother.”
Glances were exchanged. Was she going to demand that her brother be her successor? And what would the reaction be towards a dying woman?
Those who had supported the House of Hanover were afraid; but they need not have worried on that score for Anne was too far gone to remain coherent.
Abigail, almost numb with tiredness, stood close to the bed; they were very near the end, she knew, and when the Queen died she must take the letter from under her pillow. That would let everyone know what the Queen’s wishes were.
But in her heart she knew that there would be so many to oppose the Queen’s wishes and that there was little chance of James Stuart’s coming to England. He himself had refused to give up his religion and the English would not have a papist on the throne. Moreover she knew that he had no means of bringing an army with him to fight for his rights and the French were not in a position to supply him with what he would need.
Yet if the Queen’s dying wishes were known …
But who would care for a dead Queen?
“They are going to bleed the Queen,” whispered Mrs. Danvers in her ear.
“Yes, Lady Masham,” said Dr. Arbuthnot. “She is suffering from an excess of apoplexy.”
Abigail whispered: “Dr. Arbuthnot, what hope …”
But the doctor pretended not to hear her.