He tried to divert the conversation from Queen Charlotte but the Duchess was obsessed by her and insisted on continuing. All Malmesbury could do was reiterate: ‘I am sure Her Majesty will do what she considers her duty towards her daughter-in-law.’

Conversations with the Duke were more helpful.

‘I am a little anxious about my daughter’s future,’ said the Duke. I have tried to impress upon her the importance of the position which will be hers. I have tried to make her aware of her responsibilities.’

‘The Princess will realize this when she arrives in England,’ replied Malmesbury.

‘I have talked a great deal to my daughter, constantly impressing on her that she is not going to England merely to dance at banquets and enjoy life. She will have great responsibilities. Perhaps Your Excellency could make her acquainted with what she should expect at the Court of England. I am sure that you can do so better than anyone.’

Malmesbury bowed and said he would do everything in his power.

He found conversations with Madame de Hertzfeldt the most illuminating.

Here was a sensible woman who understood Caroline; and he had quickly realized that the Princess had more respect for this woman than for her own mother, although she was made uneasy by the ménage à trois. If Madame de Hertzfeldt had been the Princess’s mother, reasoned Malmesbury, his task might have been easier and the Princess might have been more ready to become Princess of Wales than she was now.

‘She is by no means unintelligent,’ Madame de Hertzfeldt told him, ‘though not exactly clever. She is good-hearted— very good hearted; but she has a quick temper and is completely without tact.’

Malmesbury looked grim and the lady, hurried on: ‘But she would respond to kindness. She wants affection— she needs it. She is very fond of children. In fact her love of them mounts to a passion. I believe that if she can have children, she will be happy and the union will be a success.’

‘Madame,’ replied Malmesbury, ‘I can speak frankly to you. What I fear is the first impression. You have heard rumours of our Prince and your knowledge of the world will have given you some indication of what sort of man he is. He is a leader of fashion. He has been called the First Gentleman of Europe. I can say to you that I fear he may find the Princess somewhat lacking in that— er— charm— and shall I say mystery— which he expects in a woman.’

‘I understand perfectly Your Excellency’s meaning and I fear with you. I am fond of Caroline. But the situation here—’ She spread her hands and Malmesbury nodded sympathetically. ‘We have tried to do what we thought best for her— the three of us. But in the circumstances it has not been easy. The children of the marriage are all— unusual.’

Malmesbury nodded sympathetically.

‘I think one would have to be a little strict with Caroline. She has been allowed a great deal of freedom, perhaps too much. And she is of course no longer a young girl So that it is difficult to impose it now. I think she needs a great deal of advice and it will have to be given frankly.’

‘You, Madame?’

She shook her head. ‘No. It is not easy— in my position.’

‘Her father perhaps?’

‘She is very fond of him, admires him greatly but she is afraid of him. She hides this but it is there. She feels he is a little severe. It is because he has tried to impose some discipline which has been lacking in other directions.’

‘Not her mother!’ cried Malmesbury in alarm, visualizing the blundering effects that lady’s garrulous advice might have.

Madame de Hertzfeldt smiled reassuringly.

‘No, most certainly not the Duchess. I speak with complete frankness. Your Excellency understands because I consider this matter of vital importance. The Princess has no respect whatsoever for her mother. In fact I have seen a faraway look come into her eyes when her mother speaks to her and I know she does not listen to half that is said. There is only one person at this Court who can help the Princess. And that is you, Your Excellency.’

Malmesbury was taken aback. ‘Madame, I have had instructions from my royal master that my sole duty is to make these arrangements.’

She nodded rather sadly. ‘Your duty to your King, Excellency. But what of your duty to this poor blundering girl? You see her as she is. You know the man who will be her husband. Will you not put out a restraining hand to stop her plunging headlong to disaster?’

‘Madame, you put the case very strongly.’

‘Am I wrong then, Excellency? You know the Prince of Wales. I can only judge by hearsay.’

He was silent for a few moments; then he said: ‘It would exceed the duties laid down to me by my King but—’

Her face was illuminated by a smile and he thought: She is a beautiful woman. And a wise one. What a sad fate for our poor Princess that this woman was not her mother. ‘I will do what I can,’ he said, ‘to prepare the Princess for what she will find at the English Court.’

In her apartments Caroline was talking to Mademoiselle Rosenzweig who listened attentively. She was a clever woman who spoke English fluently and it was for this reason that the Duke had selected her to serve the Princess in the role of secretary and that it had been planned that she should accompany Caroline to England.

‘He is such a charming man,’ Caroline told her secretary. ‘If he were just a little younger, I could almost wish he were the Prince of Wales. He is so kind.

And do you ‘know I think he- likes me quite a lot. Sometimes he looks at me almost sadly. Why do you think that is? Is it because he is wishing he were the Prince of Wales? Wouldn’t that be odd? Suppose the ambassador were to fall in love with me.’

Caroline seated herself on her bed and rocked herself to and fro in her merriment.

Mademoiselle Rosenzweig remembered the instructions she had received from Madame de Hertzfeldt to curb as much as possible the Princess’s frivolity, and said: ‘Scarcely odd, Your Highness, but a little inconvenient to the gentleman perhaps. I am sure your father would not think, it seemly to speak of such a supposition, even if it were true.’

‘Dear prim Rosenzweig! But you are right to be prim.’ She laughed aloud.

Then she was sober. ‘I shall try to be more serious, dear Madam Secretary. I really shall. And if I am a good wife I shall be rewarded by— children. I want lots of them. Ten would be a pleasant number, do you not think so? Wicked old Queen Charlotte had fifteen I discovered the other day. Two of them died. But thirteen, that is quite a quiverful, is it not?’

‘Perhaps it is also unseemly to discuss this matter,’ suggested Mademoiselle Rosenzweig.

‘How fortunate that you are here to remind me, my dear. But I must not call you my dear. It is too familiar. I have to remember all the time that I am to be the Princess of. Wales. I shall start practising now. So don’t expect any more familiarity. Oh, I am so glad you are coming with me. It won’t be quite so strange, if I have some of my own people around me. And dear Lord Malmesbury will be there. Do you know, my dear— I must not, must I? But you are my dear you know— so I shall say it when we are alone— I am looking forward in a way to leaving Brunswick.’

‘It is time you married.’

‘Time indeed. I am no longer a child, am I? I have had mach charming letters from the Prince of Wales. He writes— beautifully— in German and in French and I expect in English— if I could understand it. Such rounded phrases. I am filled with admiration. I am marrying a very clever man, dear Rosenzweig.’

‘The Prince of Wales is noted for his erudition.’

‘It is a pity I have not more.’

‘Your Highness will acquire it.’

‘You are beginning to talk like my dearest Malmesbury. I hear my uncle the King is a good kind man. I love him already. Yet— I am afraid Rosenzweig— very much afraid.’

The gay mood had passed and Caroline’s expression reflected her melancholy. ‘I esteem and respect the Prince of Wales, but I cannot love him with ardour yet, can I?’

‘You will not be expected to. That will grow.’

‘Dear, dear Malmesbury, for you sound just like him!’

She stood up and drawing herself to her full height clasped her hands together and tried to draw her features into an expression resembling Lord Malmesbury’s.

She said in a voice which was a fair imitation of his: Your Highness cannot be expected to feel passion as yet, but that will come. That will come. And you will in due course— but in due course, Your Highness, have your ten children. ‘Ah, but I should not poke fun at his dear lordship, should I, for I love that man. I do really. Ah, if he were but my Prince of Wales— But he is a little old, and perhaps he would not be able to give me those children— not all ten of them.’

‘Your Highness!’

‘Yes, yes. I will try. You see, Rosenzweig, while I am not averse to my marriage, I think I am indifferent to it. I shall try to be happy, but my joy will not be enthusiastic. I once loved a man. Did you ever hear of Major von Töbingen?

But they took him away from me. How happy we might have been! But they sent him away. He was there— and then he was gone. He was not good enough, they said. He was only a Major, and I am a princess. Princesses must marry princes— more’s the pity. Oh God help me, Rosenzweig, it is my Major whom I want.’

Mademoiselle Rosenzweig was alarmed; she feared the Princess was going to have one of those hysterical fits of which she had heard.

‘Your Highness, I beg of you, do not say such things. If it were to come to the ears of my Lord Malmesbury he might feel it his duty to report it to the King of England.’