‘And what shall I do, Mr Fox?’

He rose and still holding the letter in his hand approached her.

‘Will you trust me, Mrs Robinson?’

She hesitated, and he laughed. ‘Again you show your wisdom. But in view of our growing er … friendship … I think you might trust me … a little. Not too much as yet. But remember that such is my position that I am one of the few people who could approach His Highness personally and believe me, Mrs Robinson, this is not a matter which should be handled with anything but the utmost tact.’

‘I am certain of it.’

‘Then allow me to take this one letter. For what is one among so many? If you will allow me to do as I think fit, I believe we shall together drive those braying dogs of creditors from your door.’

‘Oh, Mr Fox, if that could happen I could never be grateful enough.’

‘And I should be a very happy man to earn that gratitude.’

He took his leave of her; and she felt better than she had for some time.

Fox! she thought and shuddered. In a way he was so repulsive and yet not without attraction. And if he could only extricate her from this frightening situation she would indeed do anything to show her gratitude.


* * *

Sitting in the chair which took him to Buckingham House Fox read the letter again. By God, he thought, how could he have been such a fool!

He was not thinking so much of the Prince’s dilemma, nor of Mrs Robinson’s gratitude to come – although both these matters were in his mind – but the effect the publication of those letters would have on the Party. The Prince was to be the leader – in name only of course. It would be Fox’s party. But if these letters were published there would be a Grosvenor scandal all over again and it was clear that the Duke of Cumberland had lost much prestige through that affair. But he had not spoken in derogatory terms of the sovereign as this foolish young man had done. What would ministers think of a prince, a leader of a Party, who could be so indiscreet to a play actress who was his temporary mistress? Those letters would spoil the plans Fox had been making for that time when the Prince attained his majority and took his seat in the Lords. It was not the Prince’s morals which would destroy his prestige as a leader, but his indiscretion.

Putting the letter carefully into a pocket of his waistcoat Fox alighted from his chair and went to the Prince’s apartments where he was immediately received and with the utmost pleasure.

‘Apologies for disturbing Your Highness at such short notice.’

‘No need to apologize for giving me pleasure, Charles.’

‘I fear this visit will not give Your Highness much pleasure.’

‘Oh, Charles, what have you on your mind?’

‘Perdita Robinson.’

‘Oh, no. That’s all over.’

‘I fear not, sir. I wish to God it were. I have been to see her.’

‘You, Charles? Good God, don’t tell me you and she …’

‘Your Highness! How could such a lady step so quickly from a handsome Prince to a seedy politician.’

‘Well, if the politician were Charles James Fox …’

‘But the Prince was His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. However, allow me to get to business. She is in dire distress. Her creditors are bothering her.’

‘Charles, have you any idea of the size of my own debts?’

‘A rough idea, sir, and it appals me.’

The Prince laughed. ‘I fear I cannot give her money.’

‘She has a bond.’

The Prince turned pale.

‘Your Highness should not be distressed on that account. I have seen the bond and I think it is useless. It’s not to come into effect until you are of age and that’s two years off, in any case. I don’t think we need concern ourselves with the bond.’

The Prince’s relief was obvious. ‘Charles, how glad I am that she showed this to you.’

‘Yes, well I heard of it and thought I should see it without delay. But there is another matter which gives me cause for great disquiet.’

‘What is this?’

‘The letters you wrote to her.’

‘Letters … I wrote?’

‘Your Highness has a ready, fluent and eloquent pen. With such a gift it often seems a sin not to use it. I could have wished Your Highness less gifted in this direction.’

‘But these letters …’ The Prince wrinkled his brow, trying to remember.

‘I have one here,’ said Fox, and took it from his waistcoat pocket. He handed it to the Prince who read it, flushing.

‘It is not so much the tender and explanatory terms used as the references to His Majesty. I fear this would be judged a most damaging letter to the sovereign.’

The Prince flushed and was about to tear it in two.

‘Stop … please. I beg Your Highness’s pardon, but that would be unwise. Mrs Robinson would never part with the others … moreover she would realize even more than she does now their value.’

‘So she has been hoarding these letters … keeping them until she could use them. The cheat. The blackmailer!’

‘Your Highness … forgiveness again … but this will not solve our problems. We have on one side this frail lady who is – let us be fair – in a desperate position. I do not believe she would wish to sell those letters if this were not the case. I feel she would prefer to keep them tied up with ribbons to read to her grandchildren in the years to come and so recall those days of romance and passion. But she is in debt. She lives in terror of the debtors’ prison of which she has had a taste. Let us see Mrs Robinson as she is. It will help us. A blackmailer? Well, perhaps. But she is in a corner and she has to fight her way out.’

‘Well, Charles, you make a good advocate for the woman. I thought you were on my side.’

‘On your side in the past, now and for ever. But my plan is to settle this matter as speedily as possible. To have those letters where they belong – and that is consigned to the flames … before they have done irreparable damage.’

‘What damage could they do?’

‘They could hold you up to ridicule, they could place a strong weapon in the hands of your enemies; they could rob you of the popularity you now have and which is so important to you and our plans. Your Uncle Cumberland is an instance. He is not greatly loved by the people. They have heard passages from those letters he wrote to Lady Grosvenor and they will never forget them. Moreover, there is your father to face. He is after all the King. What have you said of him in those letters? You cannot even remember, but in this one you have been damaging enough. Even those with whom he is not popular recognize him as the King. This criticism of him, to a light woman … I know of course how deep your feelings towards Mrs Robinson were when you wrote those words and that you did not see her in this way, but that is how she will be looked upon … will be frowned on, not only by his friends but yours. Discretion is the first quality men look for in a leader and, my Prince, you are soon to be our leader. I know you understand.’

‘Yes,’ said the Prince heavily. ‘I understand that I have been a fool.’

‘Well, so are we all in our times. And Your Highness could turn this affair into valuable experience. But first we have to deal with this situation. We have to buy these letters from Mrs Robinson. We have to see that they and the bond are safe in our hands.’

‘Do you mean pay her twenty thousand pounds and buy the letters?’

‘I think she can be persuaded to hand over the bond; but the letters are what concern me. Any young man in love might give a woman a bond he finds it difficult to honour; but the letters are our concern.’

‘Charles, I know you are right. But I cannot raise the money. You know how short my father keeps me. It is easy enough to run up debts. People are only too glad to serve me. But I cannot raise this money.’

‘I have thought of this. There is only one thing to do.’

‘Yes, Charles, yes?’

‘You must go to the King, confess your folly and ask him to buy the letters.’

‘What! It’s the last thing I could do.’

‘Maybe, sir, but as I see it it’s the only thing you can do.’

‘I never will.’

Fox shook his head sadly and said: ‘Then, Your Highness, I must leave you to settle this matter your own way.’

‘Charles … how can I? You must help me.’

‘Everything I have is at Your Highness’s service. Unfortunately I have no money or it should be yours. I am in the same position as Your Highness. I can run up debts but raise no cash. I have nothing to offer you but my advice.’

‘Which is the best in the world, I know.’

‘It is disinterested, that much I can tell you. I have thought of this problem as though it were my own – and indeed it is my own, for apart from my affection and friendship for Your Highness my future plans are concerned in it. I dream of that day when Your Highness takes his place in the affairs of the nation and I want nothing to spoil that. But I can see only one way out. These letters must be bought back from Mrs Robinson and the only way this money can be raised is through the King. Your Uncle Cumberland was in a similar position. I pray this affair will not be so public. Nor need it be if we act with care and speed. But there is no time to lose. Let Mrs Robinson go to a lawyer … and she is desperate … and we are lost. We have to find that money quickly and settle this matter once and for all.’

‘Charles, you must help me.’

‘I am asking Your Highness to place this matter in my hands; but if I am to be your adviser you must perforce follow my advice.’

‘To go to my father …’

‘To confess the whole affair, your folly, the realization of what you have done, your growing responsibility to your position. The King is not an ogre.’