Courting Her Highness_ The Story of Queen Anne - Jean Plaidy [28]
Gloucester gravely acknowledged their acclaim, which was more than the King did; and all eyes were on the little figure in the dazzling uniform with the blue garter ribbon across his tunic. It was obvious that they would be very willing to accept him as Prince of Wales when the time came; and that would be on the death of William.
The crowd was breaking up and Abigail found that Samuel Masham was at her side. Alice and John had joined some of their friends from the royal household and were chatting and laughing together.
“You look grave,” said Samuel.
“I was thinking how ill the King looks.”
“He has been dying for many years,” Samuel told her.
“I can’t believe he will for many more.”
“There is a mighty spirit behind those sick looks.”
“Yes, but surely even that cannot keep him alive much longer.”
“You are satisfied with your post?” he asked.
“I am very fortunate to have it. Did you know that my cousin is Lady Marlborough?”
He nodded and smiled.
“Well, she decided to place us all … and she did.”
“She would always do everything she set out to.”
“It was very necessary to place us. I discovered this a few days ago. Someone had heard that her relations were in want, and she did not care that people should know that, hence we all have been provided for. One brother in the Custom House—another in the Prince’s household, Alice in that of the Duke of Gloucester and myself now with the Princess.”
“You have the most interesting post of them all.”
“I believe you are right.”
“We shall surely meet now and then; for the Prince and his wife live very amicably together and I am often taking messages to and from their apartments.”
“I hope we shall,” said Abigail; and she was surprised that she meant it.
Samuel Masham was not handsome, not gallant; but he was rather like she was herself.… Quiet, unassuming, eager to please, grateful for his place, determined to hold it through his own modesty rather than effrontery, and a little bewildered that such an important post could have fallen into his humble hands.
He was interested in her and asked her questions about herself; she told him frankly of her father’s bankruptcy and the desperate state of the family until Cousin Sarah came to rescue them.
“It was too late for my parents,” she said; her voice was quiet and he looked for a trace of bitterness and found none. He decided then that Abigail Hill was an extraordinary woman. One would never be entirely sure what she was thinking and she would be completely discreet.
She told him of those months at St. Albans, and although she did not say how humiliating they had been, he understood. Her lips were firmly set and he believed she would make a stand against going back to them.
She did not ask him questions but he told her something of his childhood.
“When you are the youngest of eight sons you cannot hope for very bright prospects,” he told her. “I think I was very lucky to get a post at Court at all.”
“How was it arranged?”
“My father is distantly related to the Princess Anne, because Margaret the Countess Salisbury is our kinswoman. That is why I was given the opportunity. It was pleasant to get away from home.”
“You were unhappy there?”
“Scarcely that. My mother died when I was very young and my father married again. Lady Damaris Masham is very clever. She writes on theology. We are all very proud of her, but it was difficult to live up to her. Then when she had a child of her own, naturally she devoted most of her attention to him.”
“I see,” said Abigail. “So here we are … both arrived at the same place but through very different routes.”
They had been walking sedately through the Park towards the Palace where Abigail must join the Princess’s household and Samuel that of Prince George.
But before they took leave of each other they had promised they would meet again.
Abigail found herself alone with the Princess Anne and it was rarely that this happened. She was setting the dish of sweetmeats by her couch when she noticed that the silk coverlet had slipped