England's Mistress_ The Infamous Life of Emma Hamilton - Kate Williams [121]
Nelson had prepared the wardroom for the king, the crown prince, John Acton, a few key male courtiers, and Sir William, and the admiral's quarters for the women, girls, and younger boys, but there were few home comforts and not enough linen to go around. Emma had presciently brought practical items, and she had sheets, blankets, pillows, crockery, and food to spare. She did her best to make the royal family comfortable.
Rain fell hard, the sea churned, and the captains battled to keep their vessels upright. The passengers became hysterical with seasickness not long after they embarked. Terrified that the mob might come out in boats and attack and rob them, everybody was desperate to leave Naples, but the weather was too stormy to sail. After being buffeted about for a day and a night, they eventually set out in tossing seas that ripped at the masts. Sailors were expected to work—and fight—under worse conditions, but the Vanguard carried plumped-up royals unused to discomfort. Convinced they were about to capsize, Maria Carolina cried, Ferdinand raged, and the courtiers spent the journey "frightened & on their knees praying." Sir William huddled alone with a loaded pistol in each hand, declaring that he would not "die with the guggle guggle guggle of salt water" in his throat. The king's confessor fell out of his bunk and broke his arm, and the Duchess of Castelcicala cut her head on Nelson's sideboard. As Emma despaired to Greville, the "few women Her Majesty brought on board were incapable of helping her," and there was only "poor I to attend & keep up the spirits of the Queen, the princess Royall, 3 young princesses, a baby six weeks old & 2 young princes Leopold & Albert, the last 6 years old, my favourite." Emma gave them beds, helped to arrange for food, and became their full-time servant, tending to the useless courtiers and soothing the fractious Maria Carolina. Nelson claimed later that she did not enter a bed the whole time she was aboard and "became their slave." Mrs. Cadogan assisted her with the nursing and was so gentle and efficient that, according to Emma, the king hailed her as an angel.
Emma only slept for a couple of hours at a time, after nights of waiting up to receive the treasures at the palazzo. Refusing to let the experience of being sick defeat them or to droop under the atmosphere of panic, mother and daughter tried to comfort peevish courtiers who had never known hardship, and struggled to keep some kind of order in the rolling ship. Emma tried to snatch every moment she could for her "favourite," little Prince Albert. Maria Carolina had been eight months pregnant with him when Marie-Antoinette had been executed. When he was born, she had been lost in a cloud of grief and despair and so Emma, newly the queen's confidante, spent hours petting him, playing with him, and trying to make up for his mother's inability to pay him much attention. Her heart was deeply touched by his weak health. As a young child, he had been frequently confined to bed. Emma had visited him regularly, and the two became firm friends. She had high hopes that the move to Sicily might improve his health, but almost as soon as he boarded ship, he fell sick. As they set sail, he retreated into sickness and misery, vomiting hopelessly even though he could hardly eat. Soon unable to drink, he was so dehydrated that he fell into convulsions. All she and the queen could do was hope that they would reach land soon. Amongst all the grown men and women claiming that they were terribly ill and could not go on, Prince Albert was actually in danger of death.
When Christmas Day dawned, Sicily was nearly in sight. Perhaps affected by the new spirit of optimism in the boat, the little prince managed to eat some breakfast. But he quickly fell ill again as the boat smashed over the waves. Emma nursed him all day, but in the evening he fell into hopeless convulsions and died in her arms. Maria Carolina