"No harm at all. Of course, it has been the custom for the Kings to marry royal persons."
"Sarah is royal. Her great-grandfather was Charles II!"
"Yes, but through a not very creditable union, shall we say. I mean the people look to their Kings to marry Princesses, usually from abroad."
"Germans!" said George. "I do not think the people are really very fond of the Germans."
"Still... a Princess."
"I see, my dearest friend, you have no real objections to offer. Then I do not see why I should not be formally betrothed to Lady Sarah. If I wish it and she wishes it..."
"Indeed not," said Bute quickly, noting the King"s firmness. He put his hand into his pocket and touched Newbattle"s note. He had been wondering whether to show it to the King and would have preferred not to. It would have been so much better to have been able to persuade him of the folly of this obsession. But he could see that the King was set on marrying the girl, and the King could be a very stubborn young man.
There was no help for it, then.
"Sire, I have to pa.s.s on to you something which may cause you some displeasure. I have been debating within myself whether to withhold it, but I realize that I could not be your true friend if I did so."
"What is this?" asked George, and as always on such occasions his thoughts turned to Hannah. Something had come to light. This thought was always at the back of his mind ready to spring forward at the least alarm.
"I feel, Sire, that you should be absolutely sure that this lady is worthy of you."
George was relieved. "I am absolutely sure. In fact it is really a question of whether I am worthy of her."
"The King of England worthy of a little..." Bute stopped himself in time. "If you can prove she is worthy, then I do not see why we should not fight all the opposition and it will be considerable to your union with her."
"I knew you would be on my side."
"Have I not always been?"
"Always," declared George fervently. "But what was making you anxious."
"Lady Sarah is in love with someone else."
George grew pale. "I... I can"t believe it."
"This note has been brought to me by someone who wishes to serve you."
"Note... note? What note?"
"Here. Read it. It is a love letter and you will see it is from Lord Newbattle to Lady Sarah."
George"s face was scarlet, his blue eyes more prominent than usual, his jaw slacker as he read.
"So... he asks her to meet him in Holland Park... tonight! What a scoundrel! What of her reputation?"
"He would have had encouragement to write such a note."
"She... she will not go."
"Is your Majesty sure of that?"
"Yes. I know she would not go."
"I am going to make a suggestion, Your Majesty. Perhaps it will be distasteful to you and if so, you must forgive me. You know full well that in the past every action of mine has been taken with your good in mind. That will always be so. That is why I come to you now with this letter and risk your displeasure."
"I could never never be displeased with such a true friend. But you are wrong about Lady Sarah."
"I am sure I am wrong."
"I am happy again, then."
"But I am concerned for Your Majesty"s welfare. There was that unfortunate affair of..."
"Yes," said George sobered, and even forgetting the perfections of Sarah temporarily.
"I would not wish to see Your Majesty similarly involved."
"Similarly. It is quite different."
"Quite different, Your Majesty, that is true. But if this young girl were not all you think her to be a marriage could be disastrous."
"But I know her to be..."
"Then you will bear with my suspicions and know that they are only the fears of one who loves you better than his own life. Your Majesty, if I were convinced that this girl truly loved you and was worthy to be your Queen I should be beside you. And you do not doubt, do you, that together we could not overcome all opposition."
"Of course we could."
"But I must be convinced myself. I am going to ask Your Majesty"s permission to do something of which you might not approve."
"What is that?"
"I am going to witness this meeting. I am going to see what happens for myself. And if I am convinced..."
"Yes?"
"That she is just an impulsive girl. If she goes to this rendezvous with a friend and tells this young man that she wants no more to do with him then I shall be with Your Majesty. I would say that although the Lady Sarah was a little indiscreet to make such an a.s.signation she is after all an innocent girl and since Your Majesty has such regard for her I would be ready to say that Your Majesty should go ahead with your plans."
"I am sure it will happen just as you say."
"But I shall be there to witness it. I must satisfy myself. I had thought that perhaps Your Majesty..."
George was silent, staring at Bute.
". . . perhaps Your Majesty would wish to accompany me?"
Lord Bute was delighted. He called at once on the Dowager Princess to give her the good news.
"I think all will be well," he informed her, and proceeded to tell her of his great good fortune in securing the note which Newbattle had written to Lady Sarah, giving details of the rendezvous in Holland Park.
"But you are a... genius!"
"I would not say that, my dear. But my entire life is given to you and the King, as you know. It is only natural that such devotion should bring results. And this was better than I hoped. I did not ask the King outright to accompany me but I guessed he would be unable to resist coming. And I was right."
"And you saw this meeting?"
"Yes. The lady was, however, accompanied by Lord George Lennox who, you may remember, is married to Newbattle"s sister. I was a little dashed when I saw this, for I believe that flighty young woman capable of real indiscretion. But . . . there was no doubt that she is on very affectionate terms with Newbattle and was certainly not repulsing his advances. I do believe that as far as I can see they were making some arrangements and what could those possibly be with Lord George present? Only this: Newbattle is going to ask his father"s consent to his marriage with Sarah Lennox. Well, the sooner we see that mischievous young woman safely settled into matrimony with master Newbattle, the happier I shall be."
"And George how was he affected by all this?"
"Very deeply. He is in a state of great melancholy and while I am pleased that he has seen the girl for what she is I am disturbed because it shows how deeply his affection for her goes."
"He is a very affectionate young man, I fear. He was really quite cut up over..."
Lord Bute placed his hands playfully over the Princess"s lips. "Don"t let us even mention her name."
"I often think..."
Lord Bute kissed the lips his finger had touched.
"Then you must not, my dearest. And our problem at this moment is the Lady Sarah Lennox. Tell me this: What news from abroad?"
"Colonel Graeme left as you suggested and is now at Mecklenburg-Strelitz. I have not yet had his report on the Princess Charlotte but I am sure when it comes we shall be pleased with it."
"That is good. Trust a Scotsman to get on with the job. Let us hope that his report will be good, for we have to act very promptly."
"But what he saw in the Park..."
"Our King is in love. I am sure if my Lady Sarah gave him a good account of what she was doing there he would be ready to believe all she told him. We must be prepared."
Augusta nodded.
"Colonel Graeme is well aware of the urgency of the situation."
Sarah could not believe her eyes. She read the letter several times. It was impossible. The Earl and Countess of Ancram could not give their consent to their son"s marriage with the Lady Sarah Lennox.
It was an insult. And worse still, her lover"s att.i.tude to the affair was despicable.
"In view of my parents" views we must perforce end this matter. It is with the deepest regret..."
"Regret!" cried Sarah. "What a coward he is! Why did I ever think I loved such a man?"
She threw herself on to her bed and wept bitterly. She was weeping on and off all through the morning and her sister, Lady Caroline, came to her room to see what was wrong with her.
"Good Heavens," cried Caroline. "What a sight you look! And you have to attend the King"s levee this afternoon."
"I shall not go."
"Don"t be a fool," retorted Caroline. "Of course you will go. The King expects you."
"I don"t want to see the King. I don"t want to see anyone."
Lady Caroline summoned the maids and told them that the Lady Sarah was suffering from a cold. She must attend a levee this afternoon and Lady Caroline suggested that her face should be bathed and pads of witch-hazel put over her eyes. She was to lie flat on her back for an hour in this state, by the end of which time she should look more like herself. Lady Caroline would choose what gown she was to wear.
"And you will stop being foolish this instant," she hissed.
Lady Sarah lay on her bed and thought about Newbattle"s letter and his so-called love for her which had been forgotten at the first sign of opposition. George was different, she told herself. But she did not want George.
I don"t want either of them! she murmured. And if I don"t want them, I won"t have them.
She was sullen when it was time to dress for the levee; but Lady Caroline declared that she was pa.s.sable. She was, in fact, so pretty that nothing seemed to hide that prettiness. So the party set out.
George was watching for her eagerly when she arrived and he was debating with himself whether or not he would speak to her. He had told himself that Lady Susan had probably forgotten to say anything to Sarah and that was why she had gone to meet Newbattle. She surely would not have gone if she knew what he had said.
Yes, he told himself, that is it. She was waiting for some declaration and despairing of ever getting it she went to meet Newbattle in the Park. After all, her brother was with her. There was nothing wrong... just a little immodest perhaps, but then Sarah was so young she would not realize that.
Once he had heard that she did not know what he had said to Susan he would say it to her himself, and what joy it would be to watch her pleasure!
He went to her.
"Have you seen your friend Lady Susan lately?" he asked.
"Yes."
That bewildered him. But then she had seen the girl, who had not told her. That was it.
"Has she told you what I said to her?"
"Yes."
He was astonished. Then why was she looking so miserable? This was something he had not considered.
"Did she tell you all?"
"Yes, all."
"And... do you approve?"
Sarah turned her head away. How could she say to the King: I don"t want you. I"m in love with Lord Newbattle who has decided to forget all about me because his parents tell him to.
George was astounded and mortified. There was nothing he could do but walk away.
Her family were furious. What had she done? She had ruined her chances.