Plaidy, Jean - Royal Sisters - The Story of the Daughters of James II

William was home , and as Kensington Palace was not ready the meeting took place at Hampton Court.

She smiled at him, her face illumined with great joy.

The bells were ringing and the people were giving him a welcome. He was uncouth and Dutch with a hooked nose and crooked back, but he was a conqueror for all that. He took Mary’s hand and managed to smile at her. She had done well and her letters with their adulation and deep sincerity had been a comfort to him. He had molded her until she had almost become the wife he wanted; and he was well pleased.

“You see me in a very happy condition,” she told him. “You are home and well. The people know you for the leader you are and that makes me rejoice.”

He answered: “You have done well in my absence.”

His mouth twitched a little at the corners. She had shown herself capable of ruling. She would have increased her popularity. Were the people going to wish that she was the sole Sovereign? Would they say now that they could well dispense with him?

She said: “I shall now be rid of all the troublesome business I was so little fit for.”

“You showed yourself fit,” he told her.

“Perhaps I wished to please you and I always said to myself, ‘What would he do?’ ”

Again that half smile. He was well pleased.

She could not show him a completed Kensington Palace, but she could assure him that she was his devoted docile wife.

It was a happy homecoming.

MARLBOROUGH’S DEFEAT

t was impossible for Marlborough to advance his fortunes in England; and he had no intention of wasting time.

Life was too short, he explained to Sarah.

They took a few days from Court to be together with their family. Henrietta the eldest was now nine years old, and John, four, was the pride of them both. There was also another boy—little Charles. Sarah had great plans for her four daughters; but for her boys she wanted the whole world.

Exciting days. She wished that they could have been longer. Each one was filled to the last minute with the mingling joys of family life and dreaming dreams—practical dreams. Sarah was always practical.

“A successful campaign in Ireland,” Marlborough whispered to her, “and I’ll have the command of the Army.”

“Dutch William wants all the glory, don’t forget.”

“He has his kingdoms to rule.”

“He prefers to lead his armies. Why if he had had the sense to send you to the Boyne the Irish troubles would be all over now.”

Marlborough smiled at her affectionately.

She went on: “He’s spitting blood and I can’t believe he’s much longer for this world. As for Mary, she grows fatter every day and looks well. I would to God she would go back to Holland with him and leave the place free for Anne.”

“You always want to move too fast.”

“And you, my lord, are too slow.”

“They do say that the more haste often means less speed.”

“Nonsense. I continually move fast. I have Anne exactly as I want her. She cannot bear me out of her sight. As soon as Gloucester’s a little older I’m going to get John to Court. He shall be Gloucester’s companion as I was Anne’s. You can’t start too young.”

He laid his hand over hers. “As I said before, be careful.”

She threw him off impatiently. “John Churchill, I know what I am doing. I trust you do.”

They understood each other. They were close; she was dynamic, so it was natural that sometimes she bubbled over with the emotion of the moment; he believed in diplomacy; he had been born with a natural charm which it would have been a sin not to use. Sarah had no such charm; she was impatient of subterfuge. She believed in saying what she meant—although she would not tolerate others being so frank to her.

They were convinced that they would succeed.

But events did not work out quite as they had hoped.

The Cabinet did not wish Marlborough to go to Ireland, but William did; therefore the King persuaded the Cabinet of the wisdom of the move. But, thought William, who was Marlborough? He was a good soldier, but so far he had done little. But for the fact that he had a forceful wife—an obnoxious woman whom he, William, personally disliked intensely and would have preferred to banish from Court—who had bullied the Princess Anne into giving her rich gifts, where would he be? There was a great deal of noise around the Marlboroughs, but what had they done?

Still, William had an instinct where soldiers were concerned and he believed Marlborough to have talent. Moreover, he had come over to his side at the beginning of the revolution and such an action was worthy of a reward.

So Marlborough was allowed to go to Ireland—not with English soldiers trained by himself but with a company made up of Danes, Huguenots, and Dutchmen. This was the first disappointment for Marlborough. The second was that he was placed under the Duke of Württemberg instead of in supreme command. This was a terrible blow which made Sarah almost dance with fury. But Marlborough exercised his diplomacy, was ingratiating to Württemberg, who very shortly was ready enough to hand over the command to this able general.

The result was great victory, all due to Marlborough. He was fighting his brother-in-law the Duke of Tyrconnel, who was the second husband of Sarah’s sister Frances; and so successful was he that Tyrconnel was forced to escape to France. His place was taken by the Duke of Berwick who was the son of his sister Arabella. He won the towns of Cork and Kinsale; and then returned to England.

He was certain now—and so was Sarah—that having served so brilliantly William must reward him—perhaps make him a Duke, perhaps give him some high office at Court.

William received him graciously. He even congratulated him on his success.

“I never knew one who has seen such little service so fit for great commands,” he said.

A good compliment coming from William. But surely he did not think Marlborough could be rewarded by words .

As the weeks passed it seemed that he did.

“We shall not endure such treatment … indefinitely,” said Sarah ominously.

Since the Battle of the Boyne and Marlborough’s southern campaign, Ireland was no longer a major menace; but the French who were sheltering his enemies were a continual threat to peace and William decided that he must go to Holland and take his place as commander of the forces engaged there; and Marlborough, having proved his worth in Ireland, should go with him.

“This is another chance,” Marlborough told his wife.

“If this does not bear fruit,” she said, “we must then consider new plans.”

Marlborough was inclined to agree with her.

She told him that Prince George had almost been in tears over the King’s treatment of him . Anne had told her how upset he was and how unfair he thought his brother-in-law.

“He treats him like a lackey,” said Sarah. “Of course we all know he is no better than a lackey, but Caliban might show a little civility. After all, George does happen to be the husband of the Princess Anne. She says he is treated as though he were no better than a page of the backstairs.”