The Prince sensed this and in spite of his quarrels with Maria, in spite of those moments when he told himself that all his troubles came through his association with her, he regarded her as the wife to whom he had made his vows and believed in his heart that however much they quarrelled she would always be there in the background waiting to comfort him when he, penitently, returned to her.
He was a little afraid of this quick-witted woman with the alluring body, with the beautiful intelligent eyes—this clever Lady Jersey. He believed that if she finally took possession of him she would never wish to let him go—and how was he going to explain that to Maria?
Lady Jersey had her own ideas. He would not have to explain, because this was going to be the end of Maria Fitzherbert—the end of that ridiculous marriage which was no marriage. Fat, complacent Maria could say goodbye to her Prince and go back to being the virtuous widow she had been before she met him.
The Prince avoided Lady Jersey, but she would not allow that. She contrived to be wherever he was; and she began to fascinate him so that he looked for her at every house he visited. In time hostesses knew that unless she was present he was bored and listless.
The whole of London was watching the effect the mercurial Frances was having upon the Prince of Wales.
There followed the inevitable result which the Prince had sought. Now, he had thought, it would be like every other affair. He would enjoy it for a while, grow tired of it, and with
satiety would conic repentance. He would go back to Maria; there would be reproaches and recriminations, then they would be reconciled and he would be the good and faithful husband until the next charmer came along.
But it was not quite like that. The more he made love with Frances, the more he wished to. It was a strange emotion which lie felt for her. By no means the romantic love he had felt for Maria ... nor even that which he had known with Perdita Robinson. This was different; this was an irresistible fascination which astonished him because he was not in love; and he was a romantic who had always looked for love.
This was different. It repelled and attracted, yet he could not resist it. When he was with Frances he was enslaved.
Maria knew of the relationship between the Prince and Lady Jersey.
Another of them! she thought. When it is over he will come back to me full of repentance. And I shall forgive him. Why does he behave in this way?
But what was the use? What could she do? Only wait for the attraction to pass as it had passed so many times before.
Lady Harcourt talked to the Queen.
The Queen felt at peace with Lady Harcourt who was one of her oldest friends. She had confided in her during the old days—the time before she had become an important figure at the Court. Lady Harcourt knew of the slights she had suffered when the King had kept her shut away from Court, and she had lived quietly at Kew, bearing children. So now if anyone could speak to the Queen of the intimate affairs of her family, that woman was Lady Harcourt.
'Well,' said Charlotte, 'what is the news of my son's latest amour?'
'It progresses, Your Majesty.'
'Mrs. Fitzherbert cannot be very pleased,' said the Queen with a smirk.
'Pleased, Your Majesty? She must be well nigh frantic/
So Frances Jersey has really replaced the woman?'
'He has not abandoned her ... yet.'
Trances should work harder,' said the Queen with a wry laugh.
Lady Harcourt was surprised. The Queen had changed so much recently that her friends scarcely recognized her. A short while ago she would have been deeply shocked by Fiances Jersey's behaviour; now it seemed to amuse her.
Trances must work harder,' she amended. 'It is long since I saw her.'
'She is a little disturbed as to what effect these rumours may have had on Your Majesty.'
'She thinks I am shocked by her conduct with my son?'
'She does think that, Your Majesty.'
'It might be exceedingly patriotic conduct. I do believe that Lady Jersey could be of great use to the country.'
Lady Harcourt was silent and the Queen went on: 'It is imperative that the Prince take a wife. I wonder the King does not insist. But he is a sick rr?.n ... a very sick man. Sometimes I fear ... But we were talking of the Prince. He must marry and I have the very bride for him. Until that ridiculous liaison with Maria Fitzherbert is broken he never will. It must be broken. You see that?'
'Yes, Your Majesty.'
'Once he has repudiated the woman ... left her ... well then everyone could be prepared for his marriage to a suitable wife.'
Lady Harcourt was silent and the Queen went on: 'You must speak to Lady Jersey,' she said. 'Tell her of my regard. Tell her that I wish her to turn the Prince's thoughts completely from that woman. Frances should be able to do it. She is a most fascinating creature. And when it is done ... and he is married to the wife of my choice ... Frances shall still hold her place. She will not lose by it.'
Lady Harcourt was astonished. That the Queen should be capable of such cynical deductions was amazing; and yet, she reasoned, for the good of the country, for the Prince's own good, he should marry. And what did the means matter as long as the end was achieved?
'I will see what can be done, Your Majesty,' she said.
The Test Case
The fates were against Maria.
While the Prince was at Carlton House brooding on his relationship with the fascinating Frances and at the same time longing for the comfort Maria alone could give, his brother Augustus, the Duke of Sussex, came to see him in a state ot great agitation.
The Prince was alarmed at the sight of his brother. Augustus had always been one of the weaker members of the family and as a child had suffered acutely from asthma, which the King had tried to cure through constant canings. Augustus had always aroused George's pity; and the camaraderie between the brothers had persisted through their lives, so that it was natural that when they were in trouble they should consult each other.
'Augustus,' cried the Prince of Wales, 'what on earth is the matter with you?'
Tm in trouble, George. Great trouble. I'm married.'
'Oh, God!' cried the Prince of Wales.
'Yes. I can't imagine what the King will say.'
'It's the Queen you have to placate now. You'd better tell me about it from the beginning.'
Augustus nodded. The Prince knew that he had been to Rome to escape the English winter. Staying there, were the
Countess of Dunmore and her family and Augusta was the eldest daughter.
'And Augusta is the lady you have married?'
Augustus nodded. 'Lady Augusta Murray. She is beautiful and witty, George.'
'Of course,' said George sympathetically.
'I asked her to marry me and at first she refused, but at last she gave in. We were married by a clergyman of the English church there ... a man named Gunn.'
'Whatever his name was is not going to help you, brother,' said the Prince sadly.
'We were married without witnesses and when we told Augusta's mother she talked about the Marriage Act and said we should keep it secret and we did ... and as Augusta was going to have a child when we came to England we were married again at St. George's in Hanover Square. George, what am I going to do?'
The Prince said: 'If I were King you would be in no difficulty whatsoever. But I'm not, Augustus; and I think there is only one thing you can do and that is go to the King and beg his leniency. After all, you're the fifth son. It's not like being myself or Fred or even William.'
'Is there nothing else I can do?'
'I cannot see what, Augustus. If I could help, I would, but you know how I am received there. I should go and see the King. Explain to him and for God's sake try to keep out of our mother's way. She's become a virago. If you try to persuade the King that he must accept this marriage, who knows, you might succeed.'