‘And what did he say? What did he do?’
‘He took it very calmly,’ replied Lady Caroline. ‘In fact his remark is being whispered round the Court.’
‘Oh?’ Sarah dimpled. ‘What was it?’
‘Simply that it would do no great harm, for your legs were ugly enough before.’
‘I don’t believe it.’
‘Now don’t excite yourself. It’s time you learned what sort of man he is. He cares nothing for you. He is amusing himself. He thinks it extremely amusing that you could be such a little fool as to throw away the chance of a lifetime… for nothing.’
Sarah’s lips began to quiver. How could he be so cruel, first not to bother to visit her, then not to care that she had broken her leg? And most heartless of all, to say such cruel things about her!
‘Don’t be so silly,’ said Lady Caroline. ‘You are coming back to London as soon as your leg is well enough for you to travel. Then perhaps you will show the King how honoured you are by his attentions.’
Talking it over with Susan, Sarah admitted that her sister was right.
George was the better man – and he was a King. It was characteristic of Sarah that now the decision had been made for her she should return all her enthusiasm towards it and behave as though what she wanted more than anything on Earth was to marry George.
During her convalescence she and Susan discussed at length the excitement of being a Queen.
And as soon as she was well enough to travel she returned to London.
It was May when she arrived. As soon as George knew she was back he became excited, and Bute mournfully told the Princess that he was as infatuated as ever.
Hearing that Lady Sarah was going to the play – her first engagement on returning to her brother-in-law’s house – George announced his intentions of going too and everyone noticed that he spent the time looking at Lady Sarah rather than at the performance on the stage. All attention was focused on them. It seemed certain that George had decided to marry her.
The following Sunday when she attended his Drawing Room as soon as he saw her he was at her side and he talked to her during the whole of the session. She was very different from the coquettish girl who had flouted him before she had gone to the country; she smiled and showed quite clearly how his attention delighted her. In such a mood Sarah was more charming than ever and people remarked that they made a very handsome couple. Soon, thought the Princess uneasily, the people in the streets would hear of this; they would cheer them when they went out, for nothing would please them more than for the King to marry a commoner – and an Englishwoman at that. They would much prefer such a match to a German one.
The Princess Dowager was frantic.
She sent for her eldest daughter Augusta and told her that she must try to prevent the King’s reaching Sarah Lennox at any function. Augusta, who was a rather short young woman, by no means handsome but possessing the family’s clear complexion, fair hair and blue eyes, was envious of the undoubted beauty of Sarah Lennox. She had no love for her mother, who had shown little interest in her – or indeed any of the family, all her attentions being concentrated on George – but Augusta liked to meddle in Court affairs and this gave her an excellent opportunity, so she decided to do what she could to foil the match George was trying to make with Sarah Lennox. Lady Bute, who had been coming to Court recently, for both her husband and the Princess agreed that she could not be shut out indefinitely, appeared to accept her husband’s relationship with the Princess with no pangs of jealousy. She was wise enough to realize what great advantages came to her and her children through his close relationship with the royal family, for it was not only the Princess who adored him but the King as well. Bute had in March become Secretary of State at the King’s express wish, and Lady Bute understood even more fully that she would be foolish to protest about anything that touched on her husband’s advancement at Court. Therefore she was a staunch ally of the Princess and her husband, and would certainly play her part in spoiling the Lennox girl’s hopes.
Lady Susan Stewart, the Princess’s bedchamber woman was told she must help too, and the three of them could make a circle about Lady Sarah and fend off the King that way, for George was too polite to ignore them if they stood in the way of his reaching the young lady.
This was small comfort, the Princess agreed; but at least it was something and the situation was so desperate that they could not afford to ignore any help.
New would soon arrive from Germany and then she trusted the King could be persuaded to do his duty.
On the 4th of June there was a ball to celebrate the King’s birthday and Sarah attended this. Her leg, however, not being completely well, prevented her from dancing, so she was obliged to sit out while the others danced. This gave the King some opportunity to speak to her and made it very difficult for the bodyguard to prevent his doing so.
Sarah was clearly enjoying the situation – sitting there looking more beautiful than anyone at the ball, conscious all the time of the King’s adoring glances which she returned, partly because she had made up her mind that she would be Queen of England, partly to foil the bodyguard whose purpose she knew too well.
When she thought of the casual treatment of Lord Newbattle she felt furious; and that alone, she told herself, would make her love George, who was so different. She sat dreaming of being the Queen and governing him as she was sure she could. He would be a good and faithful husband, always ready to please his wife. Very different from Lord Newbattle!
The King’s sister, Princess Augusta, had come to speak to her accompanied by Lady Bute and Lady Susan Stewart.
How maddening I They surrounded her and shut out the sight of the King.
How was she? How sad that she could not dance! And had she enjoyed her stay in the country… apart from the time when she had been incapacitated? That must have been most annoying, and painful too. Oh, she was very brave to come to the ball. Should she not have stayed in the country until she was quite… quite better. But perhaps she felt she must come. Life in the country was perhaps a little dull.
Oh, be silent, thought Lady Sarah, while she smiled at them and answered their silly questions. Do you think I don’t know what you are doing? You are trying to keep the King away from me and you won’t succeed.
Nor did they, for here was George unable to endure the separation any longer.
‘Augusta,’ he said to his sister, ‘I should like to see you dance the Betty Blue.’
Augusta looked startled, but the King did not seem to notice; he was smiling at Sarah.
‘It is a dance that you are acquainted with. I am very fond of it because it was taught to me by a lady.’
‘Was it, Your Majesty?’ She was smiling up at him bewitchingly, more for the benefit of the watching ladies – whom she was sure were grinding their teeth with rage – than for him.
‘Do you not know what lady?’ he asked.
‘No, Sire.’
‘Well, I will tell you. It was taught me by a very pretty lady who came from Ireland, a year last November.’
Sarah put her head on one side pretending to consider, which delighted the King.
‘I am talking to her now,’ prompted George. ‘She taught it to me at the ball on Twelfth Night.’
Sarah laughed, watching the sick looks on the faces of the three women. ‘In truth. Your Majesty, I did not remember until you reminded me.’
‘Perhaps you did not. But I have a very good memory for what relates to that lady. I had a pretty new country dance of my own, which should have been danced on the late King’s birthday… if he had lived. What do you think I named it?’