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

“William should be more careful,” agreed Marlborough. “He hasn’t too many friends. He should be more diplomatic.”

“As you are, my love?”

“It worked with Württemberg.”

“It would never work with William, my dear. He has not your handsome countenance, your soft voice, and your charm of manner. William could never be anything but what he is—however much he tried. Hooky Nose is a Dutch abortion and I cannot see how Elizabeth Villiers endures him for the silly creature gets little for her pains.”

“And George?” asked Marlborough, for she had raised her voice and he was always afraid that her vituperations against William would be overheard.

“He does not want to go to Flanders with William, to be treated like a page of the backstairs. He wants to go to sea and he is going to ask William’s leave to do so.”

“He won’t grant it.”

“So much the better,” snapped Sarah. “Then there will be a big fat quarrel between our sisters. Now, my lord, do not look alarmed. What if anyone did overhear me.”

“They might tell Anne how you speak of them all.”

“Pah!” cried Sarah. “They are a fine family, the lot of them.” She laughed aloud and began to quote one of the Jacobite couplets.

There’s Mary the daughter, there’s Willy the cheater ,

There’s Geordie the drinker, and Annie the eater .

“Now don’t fret my lord. Why if anyone carried tales of me to Annie the Eater I’d have it all explained away in a minute and have her falling on her knees to ask my pardon for having suspected me.”

“It’s never wise,” he warned her, “to be too sure.”

But she only laughed at him, and told him that he kept his boldness for battles. He should be more like his loving wife. Bold and adventurous every minute of her life.

William, on the point of leaving for Holland, came to the Queen’s apartment for a private word with her.

“George has a notion that he wants to go to sea,” he said. He gave a snort which was meant to be an expression of derision. “George!” he said. “We should soon be having another court-martial like that of Torrington.”

“Oh, William, what are you going to tell him?”

“I refuse to discuss the matter with him. You must prevent his going.”

“You mean, William, that I must forbid George to go to sea?”

“I should try to arrange it more diplomatically, if I were you.”

“But if he wishes to go?”

“I have said he is not to go.”

“Then I …”

“You will use methods of persuasion. If they fail, of course you will have to forbid him.”

“It is going to be very difficult.”

“You are the Queen,” said William. “In my absence you take sole command.”

“William, if you could explain to him.”

William did not answer. It was an indelicate task, he agreed; and therefore one more suited to a woman’s skill.

There was one thing he must insist on: George was not to go to sea.

The expedition had left for Holland and Mary was once more sole ruler.

An idea had come to her that if Anne would persuade George that she wanted him to be with her, for she was as usual pregnant, he would abandon the idea of going to sea. As it was he was going ahead with preparations, for when he had said good-bye to William he had mentioned the matter. William had not answered but had merely said good-bye and George had taken that for consent. Unfortunately she was not on good terms with Anne so she could not approach her; then she thought of Sarah and summoned her.

Sarah was astonished for she knew that the Queen disliked her and had even tried to break up her friendship with Anne. She was therefore very excited when the message came.

The Queen was affable.

“Pray be seated, Lady Marlborough. I want you to help me.”

“If it is in my power, I will,” said Sarah with a trace of arrogance. “I want you to ask the Princess to prevent the Prince from going to sea.”

Sarah opened her eyes very wide. “Am I to tell her that Your Majesty does not wish him to go?”

“I do not want you to mention me, but to persuade the Princess to keep her husband at home.”

“Not mention to the Princess why I make the suggestion?”

“That is what I ask.”

This was power! thought Sarah. The Queen was actually asking her to persuade Anne to do this. Indeed she was recognized even by her greatest enemies as an influence at Court.

“Your Majesty,” she said haughtily, “I will ask the Princess to persuade her husband to stay at home.”

“Thank you,” said Mary, hardly able to hide her dislike.

“But,” went on Sarah, her voice rising triumphantly, “I could not hide from her the fact that you had asked this of me.”

“You mean you refuse to do what I ask?”

“Your Majesty, I am in the service of the Princess Anne. I could not reconcile my honor to doing this—unless I could tell her that I did so on Your Majesty’s orders.”

The Queen rose to indicate the audience was over.

“You may leave, Lady Marlborough.”

Sarah swept a curtsey. “Thank you, Your Majesty. You understand that …”

But the Queen had turned away.

To be in the company of that woman was an alarming experience! There was venom in her flashing eyes. Would to God there was some means of dismissing Sarah Churchill from the court! thought Mary. What a fool I was to betray myself to her. What is she plotting? What does she say to Anne when they sit together? Anne is her slave, her creature. Cannot Anne see how the woman uses her? She is capable of anything. What does she want? To see Anne on the throne? That is it, so that she can be the Queen in truth. She will say “Do this” and “Do that” and my silly sister will do it.

What a state of affairs! There is a serpent at our Court who is watching and waiting to destroy us. What will she do now? Of course she is planning to take the crown from William and from me … as we took it from my father.

Was it true that when such a wrongful act was committed, others planned to imitate it?

There was nothing to be done now but to summon Nottingham. He was to carry the news to George. He must tell him that there would be no sea campaign for him because it was against the orders of the King and Queen.

Sarah went straight to Anne.

“The impudence! Oh, my dear Mrs. Morley and poor, poor, Mr. Morley!”

“Dear Mrs. Freeman tell me what has happened.”

Sarah told.

“Oh, the wickedness, the slyness of it! ‘Lady Marlborough, I wish you to persuade the Princess to persuade her husband … and not a word that you do so because I have asked you.’ What do you think of it!”

“They exclude us from everything. Poor George, he did so want to go to sea.”

“So he will not be allowed to. Caliban wants all the credit.”

“And to think that the Queen should try to make you work against me.”

“That would always be in vain.”

“I know it. I know it.”