Lady Albemarle said soothingly: ‘Mamma, I know what I should do if I were you.’
‘What is that?’
‘Resign before you get your marching orders.’
Lady de Clifford clasped her hands together and raised her eyes to the ceiling; her turban had slipped slightly to one side of her head; she said in a trembling voice: ‘Oh, the peace of being free! And yet … and yet. I have been with her so long. She is like my own child … and in spite of everything she is so lovable.’
‘Mamma,’ went on Lady Albemarle sternly, ‘offer your resignation … now. Don’t wait.’
Lady de Clifford watched Charlotte tenderly. How would she feel when the Princess was no longer in her charge? What an emptiness there would be! Dear, dear Charlotte, so wayward and yet so lovable!
‘My dear Princess Charlotte,’ she began timidly, ‘I hope and trust that you have not been seeing too much of Captain Hesse.’
‘It is always good to hope, they say,’ retorted Charlotte, ‘and greatly comforting to trust.’
Oh dear, she was in one of her perverse moods, thought Lady de Clifford, but went on: ‘Because it is not seemly that a princess in your position should be talked about.’
‘Who is talking about me?’
‘There are always those to talk about a princess.’
‘But who, who, who? You implied that someone was talking about me. I want to know who it is.’
‘I meant that people will talk.’
‘You hinted that they were talking. So it is merely guesswork on your part. Pray remember that I do not wish to be told what I must and must not do.’
‘As your governess …’
‘Governess,’ cried the Princess, ‘I am too old for governesses. Whoever heard of a g … girl … a woman of seventeen … or nearly … with a governess!’
‘It is not unusual. People in your position …’
‘I am thinking of myself, my lady, and I say that I am too old to be told do this and do that by some g … governess.’
‘You mean that you no longer desire me to remain in your service?’
‘I mean that I am too old to have a governess.’
‘So you want me to go?’
‘I did not say that. I said I am too old for governesses, and moreover, I will not have one.’
‘But Your Highness can only be referring to me. I am afraid you no longer have any confidence in me. I am afraid that you …’
There was a high colour in the Princess’s cheeks.
‘Lady de Clifford,’ she said haughtily, ‘you are too much afraid.’
And with that she walked out of the room.
It is the end, thought Lady de Clifford. I have no alternative now but to resign.
When Charlotte paid her weekly visit to her mother at the latter’s newly acquired residence Connaught House, which was not far from Kensington Palace, Caroline was eager to know what was going on at Warwick House. She had heard rumours, she said, and they concerned Madam de Clifford.
‘Oh, yes,’ declared Charlotte, ‘she is acting very strangely. She is more absentminded than ever and almost put snuff into the teapot.’
This made Caroline shriek with laughter and as usual Charlotte joined in. Her mother made her feel witty and clever which was exactly the opposite effect her father had on her. It was certainly rather pleasant.
‘She goes about muttering to herself and shaking her head. Do you know, Mamma, I think she is going to resign. She has hinted it. Perhaps she has already spoken to my father … or to the Queen or the Old Girls.’
‘And de old Begum I don’t doubt is looking round for someone to take her place.’
‘I think I am old enough to have done with governesses,’ said Charlotte. ‘In fact I told Lady de Clifford so. She seemed to take it as a slight on her but it wasn’t. It isn’t just one governess I don’t want – it’s any governess.’
‘And quite right too, my angel. You’re no longer a baby. Though they would like to keep you one for ever, I don’t doubt. They’ll keep you in the nursery for as long as they can. And why? Because the people like you too much, that’s why. It was the same with me. When I first came here the people used to cheer me. They were silent when he rode by, but you should have heard the cheers for me, and they hate him more every day. You should see the latest crop of papers. I’ve saved them for you …’
‘I don’t think I’ll look at them … now, Mamma.’ Mercer’s stern face rose before her. Just a quick look perhaps, she pleaded with that reproachful image. After all as the future Queen of England I should know what’s going on. But most important was to stand firm and refuse to have another governess. There was no point in de Clifford’s going if she was to be replaced. She might have someone worse. At least she could keep her ladyship in order. She said quickly: ‘I’m afraid they are already choosing Lady de Clifford’s successor.’
‘My darling, you must stand firm. You must say No, no, no! No more governesses. You must say: I’m seventeen years old. Why, most girls are married at that age. Governesses! Poof! You should be enjoying life not listening to governesses.’
‘I know, Mamma, but when they get on to me … it’s not always easy.’
Caroline’s eyes narrowed and she burst into sudden wild laughter.
‘Well, my pet, so I thought, so I have asked two very clever gentlemen to call on me today. They will come … by accident of course … at the precise time that you are visiting me. And no one is responsible for that if it is an accident. And poor old de Clifford dozing away in her armchair is not going to know that you have seen them until the interview is over.’
‘What gentlemen are these, Mamma?’ asked Charlotte thinking of that occasion when her mother had shut her into the bedroom with Captain Hesse and all the occasions when he had called ‘by accident’ during her visits.
Caroline lifted her finger archly. ‘Oh, very serious gentlemen. You will see.’ She ran to the window and looked out. ‘We shall hear their carriages at any moment. They are my friends, my love; and I tell them that no one is my friend unless they are my daughter’s friends as well.’
‘Mamma, please tell me who these gentlemen are so that I shall know something of them before they arrive.’
Caroline drew her daughter’s arm through hers arid they sat down on a couch together.
‘First there is old Brougham,’ she said. ‘A politician and a lawyer. He is going to fight for me. He is going to see that I get my rights and he is a very clever man. He’s reckoned to be the best barrister of the day. He’s defending Leigh Hunt and I hope he gets him off. I hope it indeed. Have you seen what he said about your dear Papa?’
‘N … no,’ said Charlotte.
‘Ah, you must read it. I have it here. I’d like to frame it. The Morning Post printed a poem about your respected Papa calling him an Adonis and glory of his people and goodness knows what. Then Leigh Hunt writes this … Here. I’ll read it for you. “This Adonis in loveliness is a corpulent man of fifty.” I’ll swear he liked that. If ever you want to annoy your father call him fat. He hates the word. He thinks if no one uses it it just is not. So he’ll love this. Corpulent man of fifty. And him behaving like a young man of twenty-one! “This delightful, blissful, wise, honourable, virtuous, true and immortal Prince is a violator of his word, a libertine over head and ears in disgrace, despiser of domestic ties, the companion of gamblers and demireps, a man who has just closed half a century without one single claim on the gratitude of his country or the respect of posterity.” There’s your Papa for you.’
‘They actually wrote that about the P … Prince Regent!’
‘They did, my pet, and are being prosecuted for libel and my Brougham is going to get them off.’