Frances squealed with pleasure and everyone applauded.

She turned to the King.

“Well,” he said, “what is it you ask?”

“That I be the first to ride in the calash,” said Frances guilelessly.

The King hesitated.

“Your Majesty promised,” lisped Frances.

“So did I,” said Charles. “Then…” he lifted his shoulders, “the matter is settled. You must be the first to ride in the calash.”


* * *

SO FRANCES STUART RODE in the calash; and the people came out to see her and they were amazed by her beauty. She really was a most enchanting-looking creature, and if it were not necessary to listen to her simpering inanities, I could understand why people marvelled at her.

Lady Castlemaine was furious. She went to the Cockpit and stayed there for several days. As for myself, I felt extremely hurt. I tried to think of Charles as he had sat at my bedside, and I said to myself: it was nothing. It was the emotion of the moment, the few pangs of a guilty conscience. How can he care for me if he humiliates me? Then I remembered the past when I had been so unhappy and I reminded myself that I must accept this if I wanted to stay near him and keep his regard.

There was an alert air in the court. Frances Stuart had made a request which had been granted, much to the chagrin of the Lady, and that must mean something. Frances was tired of playing the innocent game, some believed. She was going to take up her position of reigning mistress at the court. It was an opportunity she had at least realized she could not miss.

The Duke of Buckingham was constantly at Frances’s side. I was sure he had some scheme afoot.

I was tired of these amorous intrigues.

Once I found myself alone with Edward Montague and the compassionate look in his eyes made me feel that I wanted to talk to him. He was one of the few people I could trust.

“Your Majesty is grieving over this matter of the calash,” he said.

I replied: “I believe Miss Stuart became it well.”

Edward’s mouth turned down with disapproval.

“Your Majesty and the Duchess of York should have been the first to ride in it.”

“Oh…it was of no importance.”

“Only if Your Majesty found it so.”

“There was a great deal of talk throughout the court about the foolish matter.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Well, ’tis over and done. Do you think my English is improving, Mr. Montague?”

“Indeed it is, Madam. You have attained fluency.”

“You are flattering me. I am still hesitant. The King laughs at me.”

Again that look of disapproval.

“Methings he should applaud Your Majesty.”

“Oh, he does…he does. But as you know, the King laughs at many things.”

He nodded again. His eyes were eloquent. He was telling me that he knew of my unhappiness and he would do anything in his power for me.

It was very comforting.

I thought he might be regretting the return of the monarchy. He was very serious-minded, a religious man to whom the foibles of the King seemed very sinful.

I could not doubt his devotion to me. I only had to hint at the smallest service and it was performed with a deep enthusiasm.


* * *

THE POSITION AT COURT was still the same. Frances was as aloof as ever. I had a feeling that Buckingham was intriguing in some way. There was an air of secretive amusement about him.

I was right about this, and I learned so from an unexpected quarter; none other than Lady Castlemaine herself.

I was amazed one day when one of her servants arrived with a message for me. Her ladyship begged me to grant her an interview where we might talk alone, for she had something of importance to say to me.

I was filled with apprehension, and my inclination was to refuse to see her. What good had she ever done to me? I had alienated the King by showing my disapproval of her, and had lost his respect by feigning to accept her. I wanted nothing to do with the woman.

Why should she wish to see me? But I knew all the time that I would not refuse. That would be folly. I must know what this meant.

She came, more soberly dressed than usual, yet even so, I was struck by her beauty. It forced itself upon one. There was really no need for the elaborate patches, the feather and the jewels. She was magnificent just in herself.

She looked different, almost pious. That brazen determination to call attention to herself was gone.

“Your Majesty, it is so kind of you to receive me.” I could scarcely believe in this humility. There must be a reason.

It came.

“A somewhat dastardly plot has come to my ears. I keep in touch with what is going on around me. I have very good and faithful servants — and my Mrs. Sarah, who cooks for me, has a husband in Lord Sandwich’s household. Thus through Mrs. Sarah I heard what is going on there.”

“You must be very knowledgeable, Lady Castlemaine.”

“I am thankful on this occasion that I am.”

“Pray tell me.”

“Buckingham is hatching a plot. One can never trust Buckingham. He is a Villiers, as I am…of my family. That is why I understand him more than most people can. He is a most ambitious man.”

“I quickly became aware of that.”

“Of a certainty, Your Majesty would. You have taken his measure. I doubt not, Madam, we must stop this wicked plot.”

“I am waiting to hear what it is.”

“Your Majesty must forgive my broaching this matter, but we must be frank. You and I are not so foolish as to turn our eyes from what is blatantly true. We face the facts. It is the only way to deal with them. Your Majesty knows as well as I do that the King is enamored of that silly little Stuart girl.”

I bowed my head in assent.

“And she holds out against his wooing. I know Buckingham. He has become close to the girl. Oh, I do not mean that he is her lover. She remains aloof from all her admirers. That much I have proved. She is quite brainless and as simple as a child of six years. She has some notion that she must withhold that precious body of hers until someone comes along who will marry her and give her great titles.”

“There are many who would say that is the moral attitude to take.”

Lady Castlemaine drew a deep breath to suppress her impatience.

“Buckingham believes that he knows how to manipulate her. He can play that card game better than anyone else, which makes him something of a genius in silly Frances’s eyes. He has a plan that she shall become the King’s mistress and he shall rule through her…lead her to take the King the way he wants him to go. Thus power to Buckingham and Arlington, and Sandwich, who are in this vile plot.”

“How do they propose to bring it about?”

“That is what I have come to tell Your Majesty, for I think they can be foiled, and after all, much as we despise the silly Stuart, she is an innocent girl and the plot is monstrous.”

“Please go on.”

“The Duchess of Buckingham is giving a ball tomorrow night.”

“I know of that.”

“Poor Mary Fairfax! I do not doubt she wishes she had married a nice sober gentleman from Cromwell’s band. She thought she was doing so well to get Buckingham…and so did Fairfax! What does poor Mary think now? Wife of the Duke? It may have some compensation. Well, Mary is to give a ball. The King will be there…and so will Frances…and Buckingham, Arlington and Sandwich. They think this game of playing the vestal virgin has gone on too long. It is disturbing the King. He is morose and frustrated and that spoils the fun. So they plan to bring it to an end.”

“How?”

“This is what I have come to tell you. Frances will be present. She will call for the cards, of course. And then there will be the usual silly contest. She will sit there and play her game for hours, and while she is doing it, she will be plied with drink. Frances is not accustomed to that. She is by nature abstemious. The drinks will be especially strong — treated in some way — and when she is so absorbed in her game dear Frances will have more than is good for her. In such a mood she will be spirited away. They have a nice little apartment waiting for her and…there will be the King.”

I felt myself flushing with indignation.

I cried: “And the King…does he know of this?”

She lifted her hands. “I believe he knows nothing of it.”

I was relieved at that. “It’s a dastardly plot,” I said. “It is for Miss Stuart to decide what she will do, and to behave toward a young girl in this way is…scandalous.”

“Your Majesty is of the same opinion as myself. It must not be. We must save this poor girl from this…outrage.”

“I shall tell the King.”

She shook her head emphatically, and I wondered whether she was implying he would be ready to go along with the scheme…which he might well be.

“Then Frances Stuart…”

Again that shrug. “She would not be able to deal with it. They would swear their innocence…and then later try it again. No, we must foil this in a diplomatic way. Your Majesty can do it with the utmost ease.”

“How so?”

“You will go to the ball and decide to leave early. Your Majesty is tired and wishes to retire. You need your lady-in-waiting to return with you. You just command Frances to accompany you.”

“It seems simple.”

“It is,” said Lady Castlemaine, “and it is the way to foil this dastardly plot and preserve Miss Stuart’s virtue.”

“Thank you, Lady Castlemaine,” I said. “I will consider what you have told me.”

She smiled, bowed and left me. If I had not found the situation so distasteful, I could have been amused to see Lady Castlemaine in the role of defender of virtue.