Queen in Waiting - Plaidy Jean - Страница 64

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"That's true enough. But they shall have no power."

"It will be necessary to take this before the Parliament," Bothmer suggested.

"Oh these English and their parliaments! " cried George.

"Of which Your Majesty is head," Bernstorff reminded him.

"We must act carefully," cautioned Robethon. "And one of us should remain behind to watch what is happening in Your Majesty's absence."

The King looked at his three friends; he saw the apprehension in their eyes for they were as homesick as he was and the longing to see Hanover again was great.

"It's true," he said.

Bernstorff he must have with him; Robethon was too useful a man to leave behind. As for Bothmer, he had been the ambassador at St. James's and was the diplomat who understood

the ways of the English far better than the others. There could be no doubt who should be the one to remain and act as spy on the Prince of Wales.

They all knew it.

Bothmer said: *'I should be the one to remain."

George nodded. That was all; but it was a recognition of a good servant. He was not a man to forget a friend any more than he would forgive an enemy—he could be as loyal as he was vindictive.

It was agreed then that Bothmer would remain.

"Your Majesty must insist on the dismissal of Argyll," said Bernstorff, for his ministers always respected the King's custom of not wasting time on a matter which had already been settled.

"It seems it is not so easy," replied George.

"There is a way," put in Robethon.

They were all looking at the clever one who worked in the shadows.

"Make a condition," said Robethon. "If the Prince does not please you in this matter of Argyll you recall your brother, the Duke of Osnabriick, to act as Regent."

George, taken aback, stared at his secretary and the other two caught their breath. They turned to the King to see his reception of the news.

"You think these English would allow that?"

"They will not have to. The Prince will give way to your wishes over Argyll."

"But to bring my brother here! " George was thinking of his youth when he, the eldest of a family of brothers was hated by them all because they were jealous of his inheritance. Bring Ernest Augustus to England I Let him act as Regent! He saw trouble there.

"You would never have to bring your brother here. Your Majesty. The very mention of his coming would so alarm the Prince that he would agree to do whatever you asked of him to prevent it. No, it is a threat merely. Let me see that it reaches his ears as a rumour—that is all. If it does not have the desired effect well then, we shall have to allow him to keep Argyll. But it is not good for Your Majesty to be flouted. We have

beaten off the Jacobites; we cannot allow the Prince to triumph over the King."

George grunted; then he slapped his thigh.

"All right," he said, "we'll try it. But I'd rather keep Argyll in the Prince's service than have Ernest Augustus here."

"If Your Majesty will leave this little matter to me, I will see that it reaches the Prince's ear ... unofficially."

The Prince stalked up and down his apartment, his eyes bulging with rage while Caroline did her best to calm him.

"And you think ve can be calm! This is an outrage. Bring my uncle to England! Vat vill the people think? That I ... the Prince ... am not capable enough to have the charge of this country?"

"He vill not bring your uncle here."

"But this is vat I hear. I hear they are vorking out their plans. He ... and his Germans! The English vill not haf it. They vill vant their Prince."

"Of course. This is a threat ... it is no more."

"But I tell you this: they are planning it. Bernstorff that man ... I do not trust. I tell you the English vill not have."

"Of course they vill not have. They vill say 'Ve vill haf the Prince. Ve love the Prince. He is von brave man.' They vill remember how you acted in the theatre."

George Augustus's face lightened at the memory. "No." he said, "the people vill not haf."

"But," went on Caroline, "the King may bring his brother here. Ve cannot say vat the King vill do."

George Augustus stamped. "I vill not haf it."

"In time," said Caroline, "ve haf our own court ... our own friends. It is not yet. So far ve cannot be sure. So it is better to..."

George Augustus was staring at her.

"I do not think Argyll is vorth ve should make such trouble for ourselves."

"You mean ... ve give vay! "

"It is sometimes better to ... at the beginning, as you tell me.

He had not told her but he was ready to believe he had and it was the way to make him accept the idea. Caroline saw clearly that they could bring great trouble on themselves by clinging to a principle. What mattered now was that the Prince should have power when his father was away. That would give them the opportunity they needed to build up a court, to seek friends and supporters. It would be George Augustus's rehearsal for that day when he was in fact King of England.

He was hesitating.

She went to him and slipped her arm through his. He liked these little displays of affection between them.

**You vill be von great ruler," she said, "People do not understand this until you have had this chance to show them. This vill give you the chance. Many are already on your side. They do not like the King. He does not like them and makes no pains to hide this. They do not like. But you will be their hero. You will show them how much better ruler you are. Then if the King tries to rule you ... he vill not be able to because the people vill be vith you ... and it is at the last the people who decide who shall be their Kings."

He looked at his wife, but he was not seeing her. He saw himself riding through the streets of London, acclaimed by the people. It was true he was more charming than his father. Who could be less? The people cheered him in the streets. He was almost English already and his father would never be.

"Your father must not bring your uncle here," said Caroline. *'Ven the King goes to Hanover you must be Regent."

"It's true," he said, "Nothing must stop that."

"Nothing," she agreed. "Not even Argyll."

"Then ..." he began.

"You must go to your father. You must say you vish to please him. This you must say."

"I hate to do it."

"This I know. But as you say it must be done. If you say to the King: 'I vill give up everything to please you and live in amity with you. I vill as you vish part with the Duke of Argyll, then he can haf no excuse. The Regency vill be yours. It is a small price to pay for the Regency"

He stood still scowling, his heavy jaw thrust out giving him the sullen look which made him resemble his father.

"It vill be goot," she said. "You vill be as King. Who knows he may be away ... months ... a year or more. Then you vill show this pipples how much better king you vill be. Your court vill you have. Nothing vill be the same after that ... even ven he comes back. If he ever does. He is a fool. He loves Hanover better than he love England. Let him have Hanover. Let us make England for us."

The Prince nodded slowly.

"Go to him I vill," he said. "I vill tell him that I vill dismiss Argyll because it is his vish."

*'Go now/' she said. "Vaste no time. If he sends for your uncle it vill be too late."

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