Bute! They hated him. It was unsafe for him to venture in the streets. "Jackboot!" they shouted after his carriage; and he could never be sure whether he was going to be attacked by the mob.
Bute had been working towards this position of power over many years, but now it was his he was beginning to wonder if it had been worth while. He loved power; but he was fond of the King and truly wished to bring good to the country; and although he was aware of being overshadowed by the greatness of Pitt, he deeply regretted his departure. Perhaps this was not really what he had worked for after all. What he had desired was to be in control, yes, but with Pitt beside him or a little behind him to advise out of his great wisdom. If Pitt had been prepared to take second place ... But Pitt was a man of great pride and dignity: He would have everything his way or he would have nothing.
Bute still had the affection of the King and the Princess, and they both still regarded him with admiration as well as affection, which gave him great encouragement, and his speeches in Parliament were often so eloquent that many revised their opinion of him. Lacking the genius of men like Pitt and Fox, he was none the less something more than a man who had come to power because he had had the good fortune to attract the right mistress.
Newcastle was an encumbrance and he felt he would be well rid of him. George did not like the man either, so he did hot have to prepare the King to dislike him. Bute felt that if he could rid the Government of Newcastle he could perhaps make some headway. The opportunity came over the subsidy which England had been paying to Frederick of Prussia so that he might prosecute the war in Europe. Bute was against continuing with this, whereas Newcastle was of the opposite opinion.
Newcastle threatened to resign and went to the King who had been prepared by Bute.
"I fear Your Majesty," said Newcastle, 'that I disagree with Lord Bute over this matter of aid to Prussia. The time may have come when I should retire into private life.”
"Then, my lord, I must fill your place as best I can," retorted the King.
Newcastle was taken aback; after all the years he had served he House of Hanover he had expected some protestation; but even he was quick enough to see that the King was welcoming his resignation and had no intention of persuading him to rescind it.
Thus Newcastle resigned and Lord Bute held that position for which he had long schemed and plotted. He had become First Lord of the Treasury and was elected a Knight of the Garter. The Princess Dowager wept tears of joy to see him in his regalia; the king embraced him and told him that this was one of the happiest days of his life. Only Bute was a little uneasy, realizing how weighty affairs of state can be.
However, he appointed Sir Francis Dashwood Chancellor of the Exchequer and George Grenville Secretary of State for the Northern Department the post just evacuated by himself. Lord Henley remained Lord Chancellor; the Duke of Bedford was Lord Privy Seal, Lord Granville Lord President of the Council, and the Earl of Egremont Secretary of State for the Southern Department.
With such a strong cabinet he felt his confidence rising. He told the King and the Princess Dowager that his first aim would be to bring about a lasting and honourable peace.
The Queen was now heavily pregnant and her child was expected to be born in the following August. Buckingham House was ready for habitation in June and she and the King decided that they would move in and enjoy it during the summer months. Furniture and pictures were brought from Hampton and St. James's to help furnish it, and when it was ready Charlotte was delighted, particularly when people called it the Queen's House. There was a housewarming party to which the Court was invited and George, with his usual meticulous attention to detail, made the plans.
There would be a concert, of course; both King and Queen were determined on that, and, as it was brilliant summer, it would be an al-fresco occasion. The King selected a certain Mr. Kuffe, who was a German, to take charge of the arrangements. Besides the concert there was to be a ball and the gardens would be illuminated.
Crowds waited outside to see the guests arrive and they were delighted by the sight of the King and his pregnant Queen on the balcony, for this pregnancy had won back the popularity which the King had lost at the time of Pitt's resignation. Now he was their young king again. He could be said to be handsome though his fair skin was now often marred by pimples; but his very blue eyes were not as prominent as his grandfather's and his jaw was only sullen in repose. If he would rid himself of the odious Bute and take back their idol Pitt, they would have nothing with which to complain.
But settling into Buckingham House was a joyous occasion and the crowds had come to cheer and applaud. It was a delightful ball, Charlotte decided; and she wished that they could have more balls. She confided this to George in the privacy of their apartments when the successful festivities had come to an end. He shook his head.
"It would not be good for you in your condition.”
"But George, I shall not be in this condition after August," she reminded him.
"It may well be," he said, 'that you soon will be again.”
She considered this a little dolefully, for she had been feeling the heat rather too much and she had suffered certain discomforts. It would all be worth while once the child was born, but the idea of starting again almost immediately was a little subduing. However, she did not protest. After all, she would not be content with one child only.
Charlotte was feeling wan and exhausted. The Princess Dowager called on her and expressed her concern. "You should be in the country," she said. "There is nothing like country air when you are carrying.”
"But I love this house.”
"You should go to the country," insisted Augusta.
It was not only the Queen's health which made her feel this would be advisable. Charlotte was beginning to speak a little English and was taking too much interest in what was going on around her. She had expressed a view on Mr. Pitt and what was more distressing was that she had commented to one of her women, so Miss Pascal had reported, that she believed the King to be especially interested in the Quaker religion and she herself would like to know something of it so that she could discuss it with His Majesty if the subject should arise.
Quite clearly she was beginning to learn too much of what was going on around her. She and Lord Bute had brought Charlotte to England to bear the King's children, not to meddle and probe. So the Queen should go to Richmond and live in retirement there.
Princess Augusta directed her cold smile on her daughter-in-law.
"Richmond! That is the answer. I shall know no peace until you are there. I shall instruct your ladies that they are not to bother you with too much chatter.”
"I enjoy my conversation with them. It enables me to improve my English.”
"All in good time. Don't forget you are carrying the heir to the throne.”
"It may not be a boy.”
"Of course it will be a boy," insisted Augusta, as though, thought Charlotte, it will be my fault if it is not her own firstborn was a girl in any case.
"And if this one is not a boy the next one will be.”
Oh dear, thought Charlotte, how they do talk about the next before this one has appeared.
"I shall prepare a schedule for you, my dear. You will wish for a little exercise and when the King is with you at Richmond you will take that together. I doubt not the King will be with you whenever he can spare the time from state duties. You will have your reading, your English lessons, your sewing. But I do not think your ladies should tire you too much at this stage. I shall give instructions that they shall spend only half an hour a week in conversation with you.”