‘Don’t look so wise, Susan. You know nothing about it. It is entirely in one’s own hands and it would be in mine. If I married him I would keep him as he is today.’

‘Sarah… think of it! Queen! A coronation! And Mr Pitt bowing to you and waiting on your judgments. And Mr Fox doing the same.’

‘Mr Fox would always remember that I am his sister-in-law. He loves me, I know, but he would never bow to my superior wisdom, I do assure you. He thinks I am a bundle of inconsequent frivolity. I heard him tell my sister Caroline so the other day.’

‘Sisters-in-laws may be that, but Queens would not be.’

‘Oh, you don’t know Henry. He has as high an opinion of himself as Mr Pitt has of himself… or my Lord Bute, of whom, I don’t mind telling you, my dear Susan, they are constantly talking. It’s my belief that they are more afraid of Lord Bute than anyone in this kingdom. I have seen a certain look in brother Henry’s eyes when they rest on me. I think he is weighing me up against Lord Bute. He feels that if I married the King I could then help to break his infatuation for that man – for infatuation it is. He is devoted to him.’ Sarah pouted. ‘I think he is almost as fond of him as he is of me.’

‘Sarah, be serious a moment. Are you in love with George?’

Sarah put her head on one side and appeared to consider. ‘Well, I fancy a crown would look rather well on my head.’

‘Don’t be silly. What about Newbattle? I thought you were in love with him.’

Sarah’s expression softened a little. ‘I was, Susan,’ she admitted.

‘It seems to me, Sarah, that you do fall in and out of love rather easily.’

‘That is wiser than falling in too deeply, don’t you think?’

‘It seemed hardly worth while taking him from Caroline Russell if you are just going to abandon him for the King.’

Sarah laughed. ‘Can you imagine Newbattle… deserted? He will soon find someone ready to give consolation.’

‘Caroline would not have him back.’

‘Caroline would not have been allowed to marry him in any case, I feel sure. Her people want the Duke of Marlborough for her.’

‘But she wanted Newbattle, Sarah… and you deliberately set out to attract him.’

‘Oh, stop preaching, Susan. I wanted him, too, and he is not a parcel of goods to be handed about. He makes his own decisions, you know.’

‘And what does he say now that he knows of the King’s intentions?’

‘If he knows of the King’s intentions he knows more than most of us, Susan. Because the rest of us are not sure.’

‘But he knows that the King is attracted by you.’

Sarah giggled. ‘Poor George does make that a little obvious does he not?’

‘He is rather charming,’ said Susan wistfully. ‘He is innocent and inexperienced.’

‘I like that in him,’ agreed Sarah. ‘When he talks to me he says the most idiotic things… and he keeps saying the same things over and over again.’

‘It is because he is bemused. It shows how deep his feelings go for you. I heard it said that at the Council meeting and in Parliament he spoke with great firmness.’

‘Ah!’ laughed Sarah delightedly. ‘So it is just in my presence. He’s very different from my lord Newbattle.’

‘I believe you have a strong fancy for that man.’

‘I won’t deny it.’

‘You are in love with him?’

‘Well, perhaps a little.’

‘Because of himself or because he left Lady Caroline Russell so easily when you beckoned? Which is it, Sarah?’

‘A little of both, perhaps.’

‘That is not good enough.’

‘Oh indeed, Madam Schoolmarm?’

‘You are old enough to be married, Sarah, and your family will do everything in their power to make you Queen of England.’

‘Queen of England. I like the sound of that.’

‘Better than you like George?’

‘Well, it is impossible to separate the two.’

‘So it is a matter of choosing between two titles: Queen of England or Marchioness of Lothian, for Newbattle will one day be the Marquis.’

‘The Queen sounds better, Susan. You must admit it.’

Sarah jumped up and rummaging in her jewel box brought out a golden bangle which she placed on her head. She sat in her chair, her arms folded, inclining her head regally until the bangle fell off and rolled across the floor.

‘You are absurd, Sarah,’ cried Susan. ‘I don’t think you realize how serious a matter this is.’

‘I do. It’s marriage, my dear Susan, a state into which our families insist we must all enter… if they can find suitable matches for us.’

‘Your family would never want you to accept Newbattle when there was a chance of George.’

‘My sister Caroline ran away and married Henry Fox. The family knew nothing about it until it was fait accompli.’

‘You would run away and marry John Newbattle?’

‘If I wished to. But I don’t think it would be necessary. His family would be delighted to have me. Don’t forget I have royal blood in my veins.’

‘Wrong side of the blanket,’ Susan reminded her.

‘Don’t be coarse, Susan.’

‘Certainly not. Only factual. The royal blood is there, but must be recognized for what it is.’

‘Well, suppose I decided on George?’

‘Then there might be some who do not consider you worthy.’

‘What nonsense!’

‘His Mamma, for instance. I heard that she wants a German Queen.’

‘George would decide surely, and Henry says the people would be on his side.’

‘And what about all those ambitious gentlemen around the King. They wouldn’t want to see the power of the Richmonds and Foxes increased through having a Queen in the family. They would much rather have a German woman whom the King didn’t love and who would take years to learn the language.’

‘Ah, but my dear Susan, it will not rest with them, but with George… and with me.’

‘You are very sure of yourself.’

Sarah retrieved the bangle from the floor and put it on her head.

‘Be careful, my lady, how you address the Queen.’

‘Yes, I see you fancy the title, but I can’t help feeling you have a hankering for Newbattle.’

‘Shall I say,’ said Sarah haughtily, ‘that I have not yet made up my mind.’


* * *

Meanwhile Lord Bute was laying the letter the King had written him before the Princess Augusta who grew scarlet with rage as she read it.

‘Lady Sarah Lennox! That silly little girl he has been eyeing. I thought he wanted to make her his mistress.’

‘That would have been well enough,’ agreed Bute. ‘It would have been good for him to have a mistress. Her family would not have been pleased, though.’

‘And why not? It’s a tradition in that family, is it not? Their great boast is that they are descended from royalty through a King’s mistress. Why should not Lady Sarah keep up the tradition?’

‘Brother-in-law Fox is as cunning as his name.’

‘I don’t doubt it. But this affair shall be stopped.’

‘I agree with you, my love. But we must go carefully.’

‘Do you think we should send for George and explain? Really, I do believe that his innocence is worse than depravity. First he gets himself involved with a nobody… a linen-draper’s daughter – or niece – and marries her. And now he falls in love… almost as unsuitably.’

‘Oh come, my love, this is a different affair from that other which praise be to God we have most happily settled. This is the sister of the Duke of Richmond and say what we may the royal blood is there. Of course, I am in complete agreement with you that we must stop this, but I do not feel that at this stage we should attempt to command George. We must not forget that these last weeks have taught him that he is the King. The attitude of men has changed towards him. He has become aware of his position. If he feels strongly about this girl he will not be commanded.’

‘But he must be made to see . . .’

‘It will be easier to persuade than command. I would be afraid of that last. One never knows when he is going to break away.’

‘Break away from us, John? You… his dearest friend and from me… his Mother?’

‘Don’t forget the affair of the Quakeress – conducted in the dark without our knowledge.’

‘I shall never forget that… the fear… the despair…’

‘All settled now, my love.’

She seized his arm suddenly and cried: ‘Oh, John, it is? It is?’

‘Yes, my love, it is,’ he replied firmly. ‘Now we have to think of George’s future. I should like to see him married suitably… and soon.’

‘Although a marriage could come between us and him.’

‘Not if we choose with care.’

‘A German Princess… docile, without friends… coming into a strange country. That is what we need. Not an English bride surrounded by scheming relations.’

‘Exactly, exactly. But I think we should find the bride without fail. George needs to be married and this I know of him, once he is, he will be a loyal faithful husband. If we marry him quickly I believe we shall have little to fear from the influence of scheming women. He is by nature innocent and idealistic. When he takes his marriage vows he will mean them. Our George is at heart a very respectable man. So let us marry him as soon as possible to the right woman. Then there will be an end of this affair of the Lennox girl.’

‘You think it is as simple as that, John dear?’

‘My dearest, it is simple because we are dealing with a very simple man.’

‘Shall we send for him and tell him we propose to look for a wife for him?’

‘I think not. That would drive him to declaring his affection for Sarah Lennox and his intention of marrying her. No. I have to answer this letter. I must do it with the utmost caution. I will write my answer now… we will do it together… and when we feel it is the right one we will despatch it to him. But I think we should act without delay, for promptness could be of vital importance in an affair like this.’