She was sullen when it was time to dress for the levee; but Lady Caroline declared that she was passable. She was, in fact, so pretty that nothing seemed to hide that prettiness. So the party set out.
George was watching for her eagerly when she arrived and he was debating with himself whether or not he would speak to her. He had told himself that Lady Susan had probably forgotten to say anything to Sarah and that was why she had gone to meet Newbattle. She surely would not have gone if she knew what he had said.
Yes, he told himself, that is it. She was waiting for some declaration and despairing of ever getting it she went to meet Newbattle in the Park. After all, her brother was with her. There was nothing wrong… just a little immodest perhaps, but then Sarah was so young she would not realize that.
Once he had heard that she did not know what he had said to Susan he would say it to her himself, and what joy it would be to watch her pleasure!
He went to her.
‘Have you seen your friend Lady Susan lately?’ he asked.
‘Yes.’
That bewildered him. But then she had seen the girl, who had not told her. That was it.
‘Has she told you what I said to her?’
‘Yes.’
He was astonished. Then why was she looking so miserable? This was something he had not considered.
‘Did she tell you all?’
‘Yes, all.’
‘And… do you approve?’
Sarah turned her head away. How could she say to the King: I don’t want you. I’m in love with Lord Newbattle who has decided to forget all about me because his parents tell him to.
George was astounded and mortified. There was nothing he could do but walk away.
Her family were furious. What had she done? She had ruined her chances.
‘I don’t care. I don’t care. I am tired of them… both.’
‘Oh, so this is pique on account of Newbattle, is it?’
‘What if it is?’
‘Oh, Sarah, you fool, you fool. You have thrown away the greatest chance that ever came to a woman.’
‘And a good thing, too.’
‘Everyone could see that the King was most hurt. I doubt he will ever want to speak to you again.’
‘Then I’m glad.’
‘You silly creature.’
‘I don’t want to stay here to see… Lord Newbattle. I want to go away for a while.’
‘It’s a pity you didn’t leave with Susan and stay in Ilchester for a while.’
‘Yes, a great pity. I wish I had.’
‘Well, I think it would be a good idea if you left town for a while. Go to Goodwood and stay there until you are in a better mood. Don’t stay too long, for if you do the King may have forgotten you.’
The next day Lady Sarah left for Goodwood.
On the road to Goodwood, Sarah’s carriage was overtaken by another and when she saw who was in it she cried out in delight, for it was Lord Newbattle.
He left his carriage and came into hers.
‘So you are off to Goodwood,’ he said.
‘How did you know, and it is no affair of yours.’
‘I learn everything about you and it is my affair. I always make it my business to find out where you are.’
‘Have you Papa’s permission to do so?’
‘You didn’t think that letter was important, did you?’
‘What else should I think of it?’
‘I wrote it because they stood over me and expected me to. I didn’t mean it, of course.’
‘You didn’t mean it!’
‘Of course not. What a simpleton you are, Sarah. Of course I didn’t. We’ll be married, and when the deed is done we’ll tell them and they’ll have to accept it. That’s the way it’s done. You ask your sister and Mr Fox.’
Sarah was laughing.
‘Still,’ she pouted. ‘You should not have written such a letter. I cried over it, and then I was very sullen with the King.’
‘Serve him right,’ said Newbattle. ‘That’s what I like to hear. I shall be a constant visitor to Goodwood.’
He left her, and the carriages, one behind the other, rattled on to Goodwood – which was only two days ride from London.
Sarah was looking forward to a very pleasant time. She had made up her mind. Lord Newbattle was the man she really loved. It must be so because he only had to appear to make her happy; besides it was because she was so angry with Lord Newbattle that she had snubbed the King.
When the Foxes and Richmonds heard that Newbattle was visiting Sarah at Goodwood they were incensed and they decided that she should not stay there. Lord Ilchester suggested that she should go to his estate at Bruton in Somerset and as his daughter Susan was already there, Sarah agreed.
When she told him she was going, Newbattle was annoyed.
‘That is too far for me to come and see you. You must refuse to go.’
‘Too far. So I am not worth such a journey?’
Newbattle yawned. Lady Sarah was certainly capricious and it had been quite enough to ride out to Goodwood. He was certainly not going all the way to Somerset to see her. There were many other young ladies who found him fascinating; and although Sarah was the prettiest of them – and admired by the King – he was inclined to think she took him for granted. In fact, although Sarah was attractive he wished her to realize that he was equally so, and he was certainly not going to Somerset to see her.
Sarah retorted: ‘Very well, stay away.’ But in her heart she did not believe he would, for had he not written that letter cancelling their betrothal and then told her he had not meant it. No, with such an attractive young man as Newbattle, who was so very much aware of his charms, it was necessary to show him that he could not hope to hold her affections unless he made an effort to do so.
She was determined to go to Somerset.
Lady Susan was there and that was fun. Each day Sarah waited for Lord Newbattle to arrive, but he did not come; and she began to think that he had meant what he said.
Then one day when she and Susan were riding, Sarah fell from her horse and broke her leg. She had to be carried back to Bruton and there the leg was set and news sent to London of what had happened.
When the King heard he was stricken with grief.
‘I must go and see her,’ he declared; but Lord Bute pointed out to him that he could not possibly travel so far. He must remember that he was a King and Kings could not travel without an entourage. It would take a long time to get ready and everyone would know where he was going and why. It was simply impossible. He must realize that.
George, growing more and more sensible of his position, did realize the truth of this.
‘But,’ he said, ‘I shall write to her. She must know that I am thinking of her at such a time.’
Bute was disturbed.
‘He does not appear to have recovered from this infatuation,’ he told the Princess Augusta. ‘She so rudely snubbed him and yet he is deeply concerned because the tiresome creature has broken a leg.’
‘Perhaps we shall soon be having some good news from Colonel Graeme.’
‘I fervently hope so.’
Mr Fox and Lady Caroline travelled down to Somerset accompanied by their son, Charles James, and the Duke and Duchess of Richmond.
Sarah was very amused to see them. She had, in fact, been a good patient and as long as Susan was there to talk to her she did not appear to mind being incapacitated.
‘You see,’ she said to Susan, ‘what an important person I have become.’
Every day she waited in vain for a visit from Newbattle, and Lady Caroline told her rather maliciously that Lord Newbattle had been informed of the accident.