“She shall be reminded, I promise you. Have no fear, Marl; the Treasury shall go to Godolphin. And there is one other matter I wish to take up with you. It’s our own young John. I believe you have been encouraging him.”
“Oh, come, Sarah, it’s natural enough the boy should want to follow his father’s profession.”
“In due course. At the moment he stays at Cambridge.”
“Well, that is agreed. But there is surely no need for you to continue to show the boy your displeasure. He has obeyed you. Is that not enough?”
“I do not expect my children to attempt to disobey me.”
“He is but a boy.”
“But he was ready to defy me!”
John laughed affectionately. She was overbearing and arrogant, but the magic of her presence never failed to enchant him. With her flashing blue eyes and the indignant colour in her cheeks, he thought her the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Even his daughters—beauties all—could not compete with their mother.
She should have her way, of course—even though he must lay a gentle restraining hand on her.
“Sarah, my love, do not let our son feel the force of your displeasure too long.”
“He will have to learn that I know what is best for him. But … there are important matters which need attention. I shall see Godolphin without delay and point out where his duty lies.”
Sarah came into the Queen’s bedchamber where Abigail was kneeling at Anne’s feet, bathing her swollen ankles.
“Hill has such gentle hands,” murmured Anne.
“Yes, yes,” said Sarah, signing to Abigail to get up, take her basin and be gone.
Abigail raised her eyes to the Queen who nodded her head slightly, at which Abigail dried and powdered the royal feet, while Sarah looked on impatiently. With lowered eyes, Abigail was asking herself: How can the Queen allow this? But she seems to enjoy her servitude to this woman.
Sarah waved a hand and Abigail, clasping the bowl in her hand, left the apartment.
As she went on, Abigail heard Anne murmur: “Such a good creature.”
“I have matters which must be discussed between us two. Hill can come back later and do what you wish.”
“Pray be seated, dear Mrs. Freeman.”
“Well,” said Sarah, “you will have noticed how those who have hitherto treated you with contempt have now miraculously become your friends. We must be very watchful of such; but you can trust me to be on the alert for them.”
“You are thinking of …”
“Your uncle, Rochester. Oh, he is now preening himself, I can tell you. Uncle to Her Majesty the Queen of England! Never mind if before he treated her with contempt. Never mind if he sided with that arch scoundrel, that Dutch Abortion! Never mind if he voted to reduce your income! Never mind if he never came near you when your sister and her miserable spouse picked their quarrels with you! Oh, never mind! Now he comes creeping back and would be My Lord Treasurer … if you please.”
“It is true that he was not always my friend, but I have heard that he is an able man, and as my uncle …”
“I know that Mrs. Morley would never forget her true friends. When I think of what a good friend Sidney Godolphin has been to you, when I think of the brilliance of that man! I said to Mr. Freeman: I know Her Majesty, my dearest Mrs. Morley, I know that she is not one to be led astray by the whining of curs who a short time ago were yapping at her heels.”
“It’s true of course, Mrs. Freeman.”
“Mrs. Morley agrees with me that Mr. Freeman is a genius … an absolute genius. She can safely leave the conduct of her armies to him. In the past he has had to suffer the envy of others less gifted. But that is over now. There is only one man with whom he could work and it is an essential fact that the Queen’s commander of the Armies and her Chief Minister must work together.”
“I do agree.”
“Then it can only be the Treasury for Godolphin and Master Rochester must understand that his Queen is not a fool to be duped by his pretty speeches. Godolphin at home; Marlborough abroad. Why, Mrs. Morley, you will indeed make England great … with their help.”
“I have always liked Sidney Godolphin.…”
“Then that little matter is settled. He shall be informed. Now I am going to tell you about the trouble I am having with my son. The boy has dared challenge my plans for his future. What do you think of that.”
“That is a little wicked of the young man, Mrs. Freeman.”
“He would join the Army without delay, if you please. He would leave Cambridge forthwith when I have decided he shall stay there.”
“He is eager to be a soldier … just like my boy. I can see him now, dear Mrs. Freeman, drilling his soldiers in the park. What a boy he was.…”
Let her rant on a little, thought Sarah. It would be a reward for giving the Treasury to Godolphin.
With Godolphin Lord Treasurer, and himself Commander of the Armed Forces, Marlborough saw that the future looked bright. He meant to wage war on the Continent; he was going to make his country the major power; but he needed absolute support at home. A great deal depended on the Queen—but Sarah could be relied upon to guide her. Even so there would be powerful enemies, for there were many ministers who were opposed to war. Both Whigs and Tories were oddly assorted within their own ranks. The Tory party was the Church party and the landowning classes; the Whigs were the moneyed section of the community, the commercial interest. Both parties had their encumbrances. The Tories the bigoted High Church dignitaries and the Jacobites; the Whigs, the Noncomformists and the Calvinists. But it was the Whigs who would support the war because war meant an expansion of commerce; while the Tories had no such means of enriching themselves and were impoverished by taxes. Yet in spite of his desire for war Marlborough was a Tory and there was dissension even in his close family circle, for Sarah herself was inclining more and more to Whiggery.
But when Marlborough persuaded his Allies to make the Pretender’s claim to the throne one of their reasons for continuing the conflict, the war assumed a greater popularity; and as the whole country was firmly behind the new Queen and determined that the Catholic Pretender should not come back, it was ready to go wholeheartedly into battle, and on a May morning Garter King of Arms appeared in the London streets and to the sound of trumpets declared to the people that England was at war.
This was triumph for Marlborough, and he immediately began making his preparations to leave for the Continent.
But he was not easy in his mind as to the situation at home. They had too many enemies, he had said to Sarah.
It was for this reason that he had sought to win Robert Harley to his side.
He had discussed this matter with Godolphin and they had both agreed that Harley was the third pillar needed to support the edifice they intended to set up.
“Your Francis is over-young,” said Marlborough, kindly, for he had quickly realized that Sarah’s complete lack of tact meant that he must use his own liberal supply to the full. “And he is therefore not in a position to be of much use … at the moment.” Francis, husband of Henrietta, was a good enough pawn. Member for Helston, he was a budding politician; but the situation demanded strong men. Marlborough’s mind rested fleetingly on his second son-in-law who had become the Earl of Sunderland on his father’s recent death. He was clever but rash and of an uncertain temper.
Godolphin was already thinking of Harley.
The three men met in Marlborough’s club and as soon as he had been invited Harley knew why. The situation interested him.