"My news is too sombre, Mrs. Morley. For these last months I have thought of nothing but my loss."

"My poor, poor Mrs. Freeman. There is no one who can understand that like your unfortunate Morley."

"But," said Sarah fiercely, "we have to grow away from our grief. It is selfish to mourn for ever."

Anne flinched a little. It was most exciting to have the dazzling and beautiful Sarah with her, but just a little uncomfortable.

"I came to you because I have to talk to you about this disgraceful matter. Four Tory peers! It is a scandal. If you are going to create four Tory peers you must at any rate create one Whig peer. I shall insist on that."

"My dear Mrs. Freeman, this is a matter for our ministers."

"This is a matter for us," corrected Sarah.

She began to pace the apartment while she expounded the follies of the Bill. It was iniquitous. It was intolerant. Anne repeated placidly: "It is a matter for our ministers."

"Ministers!" stormed Sarah. "What concern have they for anything but their own advancement? We need to keep a firm grip on ministers. You will remember how difficult it was to get the Prince's grant through. That was ministers for you."

"I do remember and I shall be eternally grateful to you and Mr. Freeman for working so hard on the Prince's behalf."

"You will also remember that that grant was pa.s.sed with a majority of one vote and that had not Mr. Freeman and I worked day and night it could never have come to pa.s.s and Mr. Morley would be some hundred thousand pounds a year the poorer."

"We shall never, never forget the pains you and Mr. Freeman took, and I do a.s.sure you that both Mr. Morley and I can never express our grat.i.tude. I remember my dear George was so ill at the time. Dear Mrs. Freeman, his asthma gives me the greatest cause for anxiety. I was nursing him at the time. Do you remember? I really believed I was going to lose him. I thought that fate was going to strike yet another blow at your poor unfortunate Morley."

"That was when your ministers needed a little prodding and they got it. Now here is another occasion."

"But, dear Mrs. Freeman, I declare you have become a Whig. I do not share your affection for those gentlemen-and I can tell you that it is a great sorrow not to be able to share everything with my dear Mrs. Freeman."

"Let us get back to this matter of the peers."

"Dear Mrs. Freeman, it really is a matter for our ministers."

Sarah thought: I shall scream at her if she says that again. There she sits, the old parrot, not listening, not paying attention once she has found her parrot phrase, "It is a matter for our ministers." We shall see, Mrs. Morley, we shall see.

"I suppose G.o.dolphin is partly responsible for this," said Sarah.

Anne did not answer and Sarah thought: And I have allowed his son to marry my daughter! I have brought him into our circle and this is how he repays me!

"He is our minister," Anne reminded her.

Anything, thought Sarah, rather than send the fat creature off on to that minister refrain.

"I will speak to him," said Sarah.

"One cannot be held responsible for one's relatives," Anne reminded her. "I know how grieved you were when Sunderland voted against the Prince's Bill. I believe he was one of its greatest opponents. And my poor George suffering so with his asthma ... fighting for his breath, and Sunderland working up feelings about him in the Lords. I remember thinking at the time: And this Sunderland is my dear Mrs. Freeman's son-in-law. I shall never like that man again ... but it does not make me any less fond of my dearest Mrs. Freeman. Nothing could change my affection for her."

"I shall speak to G.o.dolphin; I shall write to Mr. Freeman. If these Tory peers are going to take their places in the Lords then there must be at least one new Whig peer."

"It is really a matter for the ministers."

Infuriating old fool! thought Sarah. It is time I was back.

She had bullied G.o.dolphin who could never stand up to her; she had written to Marlborough. They both advised caution. But when had Sarah ever been cautious? She was beginning to realize that she had been foolish to shut herself away from affairs. Marl was a genius, but he was not so perceptive as she was, and G.o.dolphin was too timid. Neither of them-Tories that they were-had grasped the fact that they needed the support of the Whigs if they were going to carry on the war because the Whigs represented the commerce and finance of the country.

Sarah was fiercely on the side of those who wanted to throw out the Occasional Conformity Bill and although Anne supported it she was determined to bring the Queen to her way of thinking.

In this she would have Prince George on her side for he, when he had been appointed Lord High Admiral of England, had been obliged to take the Sacrament according to the rites of the Church of England and afterwards continued to worship at the Lutheran Chapel which he had attended all his life. It was therefore absurd for George to have voted for the Bill; nor would he have done so had not Anne insisted that he did.

The old fool, thought Sarah. Too good-natured so say no, too anxious to please his dear angel, and too fat and lazy to discuss the matter with her.

Anne had to see Sarah's point of view and Sarah was going to bring all her powers of persuasion to making her.

But first she intended to have her Whig peer and she had selected a certain John Hervey for the honour.

The Queen bleated that it was a matter for the ministers until Sarah's fury could no longer be controlled.

"Unless Mr. Hervey is elevated to the peerage I shall leave Court and never set foot in it again!"

The Queen was distressed; G.o.dolphin was shocked; Marlborough, deeply engaged in military operations, was horrified.

Thre was only one outcome. John Hervey became Lord Hervey and Sarah bowed her head in acknowledgment of victory.

Sarah was delighted when the Bill went through the Lords and emerged with an amendment which the House of Commons must surely reject.

She felt elated by her victory-for small though it was, it proved her to be a power.

It is time I came back, she told herself.

Sarah sent for Abigail Hill.

"You have done well while I have been away," she said. "That flibbertigibbit sister of yours will have to mend her ways though."

"I trust Alice has done nothing go displease your Grace."

"Displease me," cried Sarah. "I should quickly box her ears if she did. I should remind her that I took her from a broom-as I told you-and made her laundress in the household of his Grace of Gloucester. And now she had her pension and her place here-all due to me. I find her idle and scarcely worth her salt. She gossips too much."

"I will tell her of Your Grace's displeasure."

"And that brother of yours."

"Jack!"

"Jack indeed. He has been importuning the Duke for a place in the Army, if you please."

"Oh, it is too much," said Abigail, lowering her eyes and folding her hands together.

Sarah watched her with gratification. Abigail Hill had not disappointed her, although she had carried no tales. Perhaps Danvers and the rest took care what they said in front of the girl, knowing her relationship to the Marlboroughs and realizing of course that she would lose no time in reporting all she heard. There was no doubt about it-she was a good influence in the Queen's apartment.

"Never mind, never mind. Although it would have been better if the boy had come to me. The Duke has much with which to occupy himself."

"As has your Grace."

"That's true enough. I only have to turn my back and we have bodice-makers given grand t.i.tles. We'll be hearing that grooms are being turned into n.o.ble Dukes next. And then, if you please, we have to show our piety by touching for the King's Evil. Medieval, I call it. You should have told me what was going on."

Abigail looked contrite. "Your Grace, I knew that you were in mourning...."

"It's of no account. Well, now I am here and I shall see that all goes smoothly and as it should. I believe the Queen has been pleased with you. You have looked to her comfort without intruding. That's being a good servant. I am going to reward you."

"Your Grace is so good."

"My youngest daughter is with me. I did not care to leave her at St. Albans now that her sister is married and her brother ... gone. So I have brought her with me. I want you to keep an eye on her. It means that you will accompany us perhaps to the opera or to the play. You will watch my daughter and make sure no harm befalls her."

"And the Queen ..." Abigail was terrified for the moment. Did this mean that she was going to be taken from Anne's service? She could not have endured that. She pictured herself going to the Queen, throwing herself on her knees and demanding to be kept.

But Sarah went on impatiently: "Certainly not. The Queen would not wish to lose you. You have proved yourself a good chambermaid. This will be in the nature of a little treat for your good services."

A treat! A duenna for the hot-tempered Mary who was too like her mother for comfort. She hoped that Anne would soon ask for her to resume her duties.

Anne said fretfully: "And where is Hill?"

"Your Majesty," said Mrs. Danvers, "the d.u.c.h.ess said she was taking her to the opera."

"The opera! Hill! But how very strange."

"Yes, Your Majesty. It is strange that the d.u.c.h.ess should take the chambermaid to the opera."

"Danvers, I should like you to bathe my feet. They are very swollen today. Oh dear, how I should love to go to the opera, but frankly, Danvers, I do not care to be carried there ... and that is how it would have to be. I do believe my gout has been worse these last days. Hill had such soothing hands."

Mrs. Danvers brought the bowl and bathed the royal feet.

There was not the magic in her hands that was in Hill's. She closed her eyes. How tiring it had been this afternoon. Dinner at three of the clock had made George as sleepy as usual; and he had slept away that pleasant hour or two which she usually so enjoyed in her beloved green closet. It was Hill's duty to sit at the tea table and pour the tea-she had rather pretty white hands. Her only beauty, poor Hill! Anne looked at her own. We have that in common, she thought. Poor Hill! So thin and plain. But such pretty hands and such a touch on the harpsichord, and her imitations were really amusing. They made George laugh. How she enjoyed seeing him amused-although not too much, for it could bring on the asthma. Hill had never done that. She was so discreet. If she saw it coming on-and she would be watchful-she would stop.

Such pleasant afternoons! And that nice page, Samuel Masham, usually accompanied the Prince. He looked a little glum this afternoon. In fact they were all glum-except the Prince, who was quickly asleep.

"We missed Abigail Hill," said Anne to herself, with a little jolt of surprise. "All of us. Even George. I am sure he didn't sleep quite so comfortably."

And now Sarah had swooped on Abigail Hill and carried her off to the opera. Suppose Sarah should discover the charm of Abigail Hill. Suppose she carried her off to St. Albans. Then she would never want to lose her. Anne's face grew long. She pictured them together-handsome flamboyant Sarah and quite indispensable Abigail Hill.

Her feet felt limp and only half dry.

"Danvers ..." she began. But what was the use? It was only Abigail who could bring comfort to her poor aching feet.

Abigail ... and Sarah! Together. And she confined to her couch or her chair with her dropsy and her gout. How she would enjoy being at the opera, listening to Sarah's wit and with Hill close by to see to her wants.

Danvers was awaiting her command.

"Bring me writing materials. I want to write to the d.u.c.h.ess of Marlborough."

While Danvers was obeying her she thought of Sarah who had been absent from her for several days and had not written. Sarah was always remiss in her correspondence; Anne had constantly to be reminding her to write. And now of course she would have less time than usual, since she had discovered the virtues of Abigail Hill.

"Dear Mrs. Freeman hates writing so much I fear, though she should stay away two or three days, she would hardly let me hear from her, and therefore for my own sake I must write her a line or two. I fancy now you are in Town you will be tempted to see the Opera, which I should not wonder at, for I should be so too if I were able to stir, but when that will be G.o.d knows, for I am still so lame I cannot go without limping. I hope Mrs. Freeman has no thoughts of going to the Opera with Mrs. Hill and will have a care of engaging herself too much in her company, for if you give way to that it is a thing which will insensibly grow upon you. Therefore give me leave once more to beg for your sake, as well as poor Mrs. Morley's, that you would have as little to do with that enchantress as 'tis possible, and pray pardon me for saying it.

Your poor unfortunate Morley."

She sent for Danvers to seal the letter and see that it was delivered. And afterwards when she sat dozing in her chair she thought: That was a strange letter I wrote to Mrs. Freeman. I wonder why I wrote it. Yet there is truth in it, little Abigail Hill is an enchantress of sorts. One does not notice her when she is there, but when she is away, how one misses her!

"Danvers."

"Your Majesty."

"When Hill returns please tell her that she is taking too much leave of absence."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"And send her to me ... as soon as she comes."

The d.u.c.h.ess of Marlborough was with her daughter Mary when the Queen's letter was delivered to her. Mary sat sullenly watching her mother while she opened the letter.

The young girl's blue eyes were fretful, her mouth-so like Sarah's-was petulant. She was longing to return to St. Albans. He would be waiting for her. She would slip out in the evening and they would plan the future. Perhaps they would have to elope for it was certain that Mamma would never allow one of her daughters to marry a simple country gentleman. And that was all he was, even though he was the most handsome, most perfect man in the world. Wasn't it enough that Henrietta's husband was Lord Rialton and would be the Earl of G.o.dolphin when his father died? Anne was Lady Sunderland and Elizabeth, Lady Bridgewater. Grand marriages for all three. They had married where their mother wished them to; so why shouldn't Mary the youngest choose for herself?

She was so young yet; and dared say nothing, for she knew well enough how fierce Mamma could be when she did not want something-and she would certainly not want this marriage.

"But it is going to be," said Mary to herself; and in her face was all her mother's determination.

Watching Sarah reading the letter Mary thought: I shall hate her for ever and ever if she stops our marriage.

"H'm!" said the d.u.c.h.ess. "Sometimes I think that woman grows madder every day."

Mary knew to whom she referred when she spoke in that slighting way. Mamma loved to speak contemptuously of the Queen, who had done so much for her. Perhaps, thought Mary, she will send me back to St. Albans with Abigail Hill in charge. That would be wonderful. One could do exactly what one liked with Abigail Hill. One could bully and browbeat her into accepting just anything.

"Is it from the Queen?" asked Mary.

"It is. She is a jealous old fool. She cannot bear that I should be with anyone but herself. What next!"

"Mamma, do you propose to send Abigail Hill to St. Albans with me?"

"No I do not. She is too useful at Court. The Queen would not like that at all."

"She would not wish to lose Abigail then?"

Sarah let out a spurt of laughter. "Abigail! She cares nothing for her. She's a good chambermaid ... nothing more. The Queen likes her there because she does what is expected of her without obtruding. But she is so jealous of my noticing anyone ... just anyone ... that she thinks of a plain little chambermaid as an enchantress. Think of that! Abigail Hill."

"I was only thinking, Mamma, that you might have wanted her to be in charge of me. It would take me off your hands if Abigail and I went back to St. Albans."

The d.u.c.h.ess's glittering eyes were fixed on her daughter.

"Both you and Abigail stay precisely where you are," she said coolly.

Mary quailed. How much does she know? she wondered.