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By Root 1507 0

of men and begs him to care for her baby daughter. He calls the child Fanny Thompson and gives her to a nurse. Ellen's surname is later discovered to be Thompson, and so the story is about Henry Thompson and Ellen Thompson—a piquant twist, as Nelson and Emma had taken almost identical pen names. Ellen's history of exploitation by aristocrats resembles Emma's—even the ages of her seducers match those of Fetherstonhaugh and Greville at the time. The nurse becomes troublesome and demands a huge bribe to relinquish little Fanny. Parsons's novel implies that the public knew a lot about Emma's life: her previous lovers, Horatia, the Thompson letters, and even the payoff to Mrs. Gibson.2

As soon as Nelson was buried, the begging letters began. His former friends and colleagues believed Emma was about to become vastly rich. Some wanted mementoes of the great man, but most desired money and favors. Even the King and Queen of Naples wondered if she might be able to press their cause with her influential friends. Greville wished for a piece of the French ship blown up at the Nile, L'Orient, which Nelson displayed in pride of place in his cabin, to decorate his church in Milford Haven. Only a few months after the funeral, Dr. William Beatty beseeched Emma to persuade the Prince of Wales to endorse his written account of the death of Nelson, which, he declared, would outsell any biography. Then, desiring a promotion for Mr. Magrath, an assistant surgeon on the Victory, he requested her to inform the prime minister of "the high opinion Lord Nelson entertained of his conduct and Professional acquirements."3

William Nelson rebuffed anyone seeking favor. He firmly informed one Captain J. Yule, "You are in the same situation with many other Gallant officers who served with my poor Brother, & who I have no doubt would have been promoted by him had it pleased God to have preserved —but I am truly grieved to say I have no interest whatever at the Admiralty & therefore have no power to be of the smallest service to you in furthering your wishes for employment." He explained he had been obliged to "give this answer to many other of my Brother's followers."4 Earl Nelson would not help, and Fanny declined, so everybody turned to Emma. Dr. Beatty wrote, "I shall not now, My dear Lady, enter into a long apology for this my recent intrusion."5 He never did thank her.

Emma spent 1806 keeping up the act. She was in demand: everyone wanted to dine with her or attend one of her parties. She continued to spend on the alterations to Merton, unfinished at Nelson's death. Nelson thought that the bequest of Merton would ensure his mistress's financial stability, but she would have been better off if he had left it to Earl Nelson. She was impoverishing herself trying to make it into a sentimental monument to him. Many goods that Nelson had ordered arrived and had to be paid for. The fine breakfast service that he had ordered from the Worcester porcelain factory while touring his adoring populace in 1802 was finally completed, and Emma had to pay for it and find space for it in her home. Other plates, pictures, ornaments, and jewels of him she bought new. Every salesman knew she was a soft touch, and they flocked to her, brandishing commemorative tat.

Emma attempted to pursue the subject of the codicil to Nelson's will. Everyone thought Prime Minister Pitt was "kindly intended towards Lady Hamilton."6 Although he had ignored her entreaty for a pension before Nelson's death and would probably do so again, she was optimistic, but her hopes were dashed when he died unexpectedly in late January and was succeeded by Lord Grenville, who was unsympathetic to her pleas. When kindly Abraham Goldsmid offered to assist her, she pushed him to pursue the claims of Nelson's sisters. In May, Lord Grenville sent the codicil to Nelson's will to William Haslewood, Nelson's solicitor, with a note saying that nothing could be done. Instead, the Boltons and the Matchams received £10,000 apiece, while William Nelson was awarded £100,000 to buy an estate to be called Trafalgar,