“You are right of course. How I wish it were possible for you to bring Mr. Harley up to me by way of the back stairs so that I could discuss this matter with him.”
Abigail agreed on the wisdom of this. But how bring Mr. Harley to Hampton without attracting attention?
“If we send someone with a message to him—someone who is so humble that his departure would not be noticed …” began Abigail.
“But it must be someone whom we could trust,” replied the Queen.
“Your Majesty is surrounded by servants who long to serve you.”
“We must select carefully, my dear,” replied Anne.
They chose one of the gardeners. He was astounded when Abigail approached him as he worked in the gardens and gave him a letter which she said the Queen wished him to take with all speed to Mr. Harley in Albemarle Street. The man expressed his willingness to serve the Queen; and even the lowest servant knew that Mrs. Masham came direct from the Queen—in fact they were saying in the household and in the streets that Mrs. Masham was closer to the Queen than the mighty Duchess of Marlborough had ever been.
Knowing that he would come promptly in answer to the Queen’s command, Abigail was watching for the arrival of Harley.
For a few moments, before he was conducted to the Queen, they were alone together.
“I thought this was the time to send for you,” Abigail told him.
He surveyed her from under his curiously hodded eyes, and as she smelt the strong smell of spirits, she was, for a moment, dismayed. She prayed he would not allow his love for drink to impair his talents; but need she have worried? He had always been a heavy drinker; he had once told her that he needed the stimulus of wine and was at his most brilliant when he was as near intoxication as such a hardened drinker could get.
“Wise Abigail,” he murmured, taking her hand and kissing it. His eyes were tender, but she knew that his caresses meant nothing; and she was too wise a woman to go on sighing for the impossible.
“The death of Essex is important,” she went on. “Your man must have the Tower … not Marlborough’s.”
He nodded.
“And Marlborough has already decided on the Duke of Northumberland.”
“Marlborough must be disappointed. We want the Tower for Rivers.”
“So I thought. The outcome of this will be the pointer we need. If we win … then …”
“The ultimate victory cannot be far off. My dear Abigail, you are my most able general.”
“An election now and Godolphin and Marlborough will be out. And you in … The Queen’s first minister.”
Once more he kissed her hand. “I shall not forget … Abigail.”
“Essex leaves a Colonelcy vacant as well as his office at the Tower. I would like that for my brother.”
“I am sure Her Majesty will be only too delighted to grant your request.”
He left her and went to the Queen’s apartment.
Sarah was furious.
“Jack Hill … a colonel in your Army. Good God, Marl, now they have gone too far.”
“They’re going to defeat us over this matter of the Tower, but I’ll be damned if I’ll give Abigail Hill’s brother a regiment.”
“You should resign rather.”
John looked sadly at Sarah. She would never understand the importance of tact. He was determined that Jack Hill should not have the regiment, but the matter would have to be settled with diplomacy.
When Godolphin presented himself to Anne and she expressed her wishes that John Hill should become a colonel he assured her of the impossibility of this.
“My lord Marlborough will explain to Your Majesty why this cannot be.”
“I see nothing but frustration,” cried Anne. “It seems that you, sir, work continually against me.”
Godolphin with tears in his eyes protested, but the fact that she could not grant Abigail one of the few requests she had made, hurt Anne. A colonelcy in the army! It seemed such a small thing to ask—and it was so natural that Abigail should want it for her brother. Yet she, the Queen, was not allowed to make it.
Godolphin left in despair.
Marlborough called on the Queen, who regarded him coolly.
“Your Majesty,” he said, “my enemies have distorted my action and I fear I have been greatly misrepresented in your eyes.”
Anne bowed her head and stared at her fan.
“I want to have a chance to clear myself of the calumnies of my enemies.”
“Pray proceed,” said the Queen.
“There is a charge against me that I made an attempt to become a military dictator of this country. That is false.”
The Queen did not answer. Had he not come to her himself and asked for the Captain-Generalcy for life? What else did that mean? Oh, she was weary of these Marlboroughs!
She put her fan to her mouth. It was a gesture implying that she wished to hear no more on that subject. In her opinion he had attempted what he denied and by great good fortune—and the services of good men like Mr. Harley—he had been prevented.
Marlborough turned the subject to the proposed colonelcy for John Hill.
How much he wished to please Her Majesty she herself knew. The fact was that there were old soldiers in his Army who had served through many battles—deserving men. It was a commander’s chief duty to keep his men happy. If favours were bestowed on men because of their charming relatives this was bad for the Army.
“Madam,” he said, “we have won many great victories but we are not yet at peace. I cannot endanger the future of this country by making discord in the ranks. This would most certainly happen if a high command were given to an inexperienced soldier when veterans were overlooked.”
“So you will not give this colonelcy to Hill?”
“Madam, I would resign my post rather than do so.”
He bowed himself from her presence.
She was not a fool. At least on this point he spoke good sense. She would not give up, of course; but it seemed as though Abigail’s brother might have to wait until he was a little more experienced before he received promotion.
Abigail was disconsolate because she had failed to give the colonelcy to her brother; but she believed that this was a small matter compared with the great victory which was just in reach.
She was certain that very soon the Godolphin–Churchill Ministry would be defeated and Robert Harley’s set up in its place.
The Duke of Marlborough was preparing to leave for Flanders for the spring campaign and came once more to the Queen before he left.
Anne was gracious to him, for she had always had a fondness for him, and even when she felt him to be most dangerously arrogant he was always charming.
“I have come to speak to Your Majesty on behalf of the Duchess?” said Marlborough, and immediately noticed the stubborn set of the Queen’s lips. “She wishes to remain in the country a great deal and asks that her posts may be bestowed on her daughters.”
Anne was relieved. “This should be so,” she said, and her relief was obvious. Anything, she was implying, to be rid of Sarah.
The Duke took his leave and Sarah arrived to thank the Queen for bestowing honours on her family.
Anne listened, in silence, and when Sarah asked if there had been some misunderstanding, she replied, “There has been none. But I wish never to be troubled more on this subject.”
Sarah opened her mouth in protest. But Anne repeated that she did not wish to be troubled more on the subject.
Sarah knew that she was defeated.
For once she had nothing to say.
Marl was going away once more; and now everything depended on the outcome of the trial of Dr. Sacheverel.
Abigail was alarmed. She realized now that she was in the forefront of the battle for power. At last her importance had been recognized. Not only was it known that she had ousted Sarah Churchill from her place in the Queen’s affections, but she had allied herself with Robert Harley, making it possible for him to have many an intimate interview with the Queen, so that now there was consternation in the Whig Ministry—for the Queen had the power to dismiss Parliament—and it was realized that the trouble could be traced to one who had seemed to be nothing more than a humble chambermaid.