Jean Plaidy - Victoria in the Wings

‘Nonsense,’ said the Baroness. ‘Who would want to come after you on the stairs?’

But they could not deceive her. The Baroness was frightened … even as her mother was.

And after that there was a new edict.

Victoria was not to go up and down the stairs alone. Someone must go with her. The Baroness Lehzen, if possible, or the Duchess’s own lady-in-waiting, Baroness Späth.

‘Not to go up and down stairs without someone to hold my hand!’ cried Victoria.

‘That,’ replied the Duchess coldly, ‘is exactly what I said.’

‘So now I know,’ Victoria told her dolls, ‘that they are afraid someone is going to kill me and the reason is the same one that brought death to the little Princes in the Tower.’

She could not really believe it would happen because it was impossible to imagine a world without Victoria.

The Duke of Cumberland was thinking a great deal about his niece. William was not so important. William would provide his own evidence he was sure; and in any case his brother was six years older than he was and suffered from gout and asthma, and these in addition to his mental aberrations made the Duke of Cumberland feel confident that he could not long stand in the way.

It was different with Victoria, the precious child who was hardly allowed to put one foot before another without someone to stand on guard.

It had been a mistake to try to make her out to be delicate. Madame Kent had soon put an end to that by parading the healthy little brat for all to see. He knew from friends in the Kent household that the child was never in her bedroom alone and that now a rule had been made that she was not even to walk up and down stairs on her own.

It was clear that she must be removed from Kensington Palace and the eagle eyes of her mother and that other watchdog, Lehzen.

He was determined to get her away from her guardians and he saw a way of doing it.

The rumours about the Duchess and the Controller of her household, Sir John Conroy, must persist; but it might be that he would not succeed in persuading the King through them, though they could serve to convince others.

With the King he had another method.

When they were together he talked often of the Princess Victoria.

‘I have seen that the child made a deep impression on you, George.’

‘I found her amusing.’

‘You should see more of her.’

‘Yes, I should like that.’ But would he? What would a mass of corrupting flesh look like in the clear sighted searching eyes of youth?

‘I think it is not good that she should be brought up in the way she is. A household of women … German women. There is her mother who can scarcely speak English and Victoria speaks German to her. And then there are the Lehzen and Spath creatures. All German. I believe she speaks English sometimes, but I have heard many people murmuring about that household. There seems to be a barrier between you and the child.’

‘There is no barrier.’

‘How often do you see her? She should be here at Windsor. She should be your close companion. Why, you hardly know the child.’

The King was thoughtful.

‘I believe,’ said the Duke of Cumberland, a nerve twitching in his cheek, ‘that you are considering having Victoria brought to Windsor.’

The Duchess of Kent was in a panic.

She sent for Sir John Conroy. ‘What shall I do? The King has made no commands yet, but I have heard that he intends to. He wants Victoria to go to Windsor.’

‘You must resist at all costs.’

‘I know. I know. But what if he should command? And at Windsor is … Cumberland.’

‘The child must not go. You must have a breach with the King rather. I would not answer for her life if she left Kensington. Here we can protect her, but she must not leave us. The Princes who were murdered in the Tower were taken from their mother. It must not happen to Victoria.’

‘It shall not. I’ll take her out of the country rather.’

The Duchess of Clarence called. She embraced the Duchess of Kent fearfully.

‘You have heard the rumours,’ said the Duchess of Kent.

Adelaide nodded. ‘She must not go. You must not let her out of your sight.’

‘I have determined not to. Anything … anything … rather than allow it. I am so terrified.’

Adelaide said: ‘When William comes to the throne she will be safe. He will be King and I know he will protect you. But … now … it is Cumberland they say who rules, for the King is so ill he hardly knows what is going on about him. I know him for one of the kindest of men. I am sure he would be horrified if he knew what was in our minds.’

‘It is as though an evil familiar has taken possession of him.’

‘It is exactly so. I do not know the source of Cumberland’s power over him, but it exists and while he lives we shall have to fear Cumberland.’

‘My dear Adelaide,’ said the Duchess, ‘I live in terror. What if the King should send for her?’

‘I think it is a matter for the Prime Minister. I will approach him and see what can be done. I will tell him that you will never give up Victoria and I am certain that the people would be on your side.’

‘You will speak to the Prime Minister?’

‘I do not like him. He treated William very brusquely over the Lord High Admiral affair but I believe him to be an honest man and that he will do what he believes to be right.’

‘Oh, Adelaide, you are a great comfort to me. I know why Victoria loves you so dearly.’

Adelaide had shed her meekness. One of her children was threatened and she was going to save the child.

The most angry and frustrated man in England was the Duke of Cumberland.

The Duke of Wellington had called on the King that day and had a meeting with him alone. Had Cumberland known that the Duke intended to call he would have made sure that he did not see the King; but Wellington had called unexpectedly and it was not until after the interview had taken place that Cumberland learned what had happened.

The King had invested his brother with the office of Gold Stick which meant that he had great authority at Windsor and no one was allowed to write to the King unless their communications passed first through his hands.

‘I have the authority of His Majesty,’ he announced; and indeed it seemed that Cumberland was in all but name the King.

Wellington had known this. It was his reason for coming unannounced.

Cumberland lost no time in discovering what had been the purpose of Wellington’s call.

‘It was just the matter of Victoria’s leaving Kensington,’ said the King.

Just the matter! It happened to be one of the most important matters in the world to Cumberland.

‘The Duchesses of Kent and Clarence have heard that we had a mind to bring her here. They are very much against her leaving her mother.’

Cumberland laughed shortly. ‘Of course they are. They are a couple of foolish women.’

‘I do not think they are foolish. In fact I believe Adelaide to be a most intelligent woman. She was very insistent. She said that it would break Victoria’s heart to leave her mother. They are devoted.’

‘She does not realize that the child must be brought up to be the Queen … which she may well one day be.’

‘I do not wish her to be unhappy.’

‘She would be completely happy here.’

‘ Here , Ernest? What are you thinking of? In the Lodge? In the Castle? In the Cottage? It is no place for a child.’

‘By God, George, this is no ordinary child. It is the Queen.’

‘That is what people forget of royal children. They are destined to be human beings as well as kings and queens. I remember our upbringing. I think it was responsible for my wildness as a young man. No. The child is happy. She shall stay where she is.’