The Three Crowns: The Story of William a - By Jean Plaidy Page 0,90
cottage in the country?”
“I remember, my love, but it was a dream which we knew could never be a reality.”
“Aurelia, you will remember me always. You will never forget your poor Clorine who loves you more than she can express. You must never forget that only your letters will assure me of your fidelity. You must write to me … every day … every day …”
They could only assure each other of their undying love. They met and made their vows; but they knew that there could not be many more meetings.
Lady Frances Villiers was dying and the Princess Anne had taken the smallpox.
Mary was in desperation. She had been fond of Lady Frances and to contemplate her death made her very sad; but the fact that Anne was in danger, terrified her. Her distasteful marriage no longer filled her mind; if Anne could be well again she would be ready to accept anything, she told herself.
She wanted to go to her sister, to nurse her herself, but she must not even see Anne—and this when there was so little time left to them!
William came into her apartments and told her that she was to prepare at once to leave St. James’s Palace for Whitehall.
“Although I cannot visit my sister yet I wish to be close to her,” she answered.
“Do you not understand anything?” he asked coldly.
“I certainly do not understand what you mean,” she retorted.
“There is smallpox in this place and it is possible that you may catch it.”
“I wish to remain near my sister,” she said stubbornly.
“It is obvious that you have no conception of what this means—I begin to think you have little conception of anything!”
“I know that the smallpox is deadly. It is killing Lady Frances.” The tears came to her eyes again, and William turned away impatiently muttering: “Tears. Tears. Can she offer me nothing but tears?”
“She was my guardian … she was like a mother to me. And now that my darling Anne …” Her voice broke.
William said impatiently, “Prepare at once to leave for Whitehall.”
“No,” she retorted firmly.
He gave her a look which contained more than contempt. It might have been hatred; then he left her.
That she should openly defy him was something he found very hard to forgive. If they had been in Holland, he assured himself, he would have enforced obedience; it was not so easy here where she was surrounded by her family and friends. So she stayed at St. James’s—the little fool. What if she succumbed to the smallpox? She might die—as he almost had, and would have, but for his dear friend Bentinck. She might be disfigured; how could she hope to please him then? With her pretty delicate complexion and almond-shaped eyes she had pleased him—before she had known he was to be her husband, then her reluctance to accept him, her actual repugnance had so wounded him where he was most vulnerable, that he intended to make her very sorry for her actions. If she were disfigured by smallpox, if she failed to bring him the crown of England—of what use was she?
Had he been a more passionate man he would have hated her; as it was he merely disliked her.
But because she had humiliated him, he was determined to humiliate her.
Everyone noticed that at the ball which Charles had insisted should be given in spite of the smallpox being in St. James’s Palace, Mary’s husband ignored her completely; he would not dance with her nor sit with her if he could avoid it; but when he had to do so he showed his indifference by not addressing a single remark to her.
His conduct was noted.
What a sullen clown the Prince of Orange is! was the general comment, and many felt sorry then for the Princess Mary.
The Princess Anne was in a state of high fever.
“I must stay in England until my sister is better,” declared Mary.
“We shall sail as arranged,” William told her.
She looked at him pleadingly, but he pretended not to see her. She had refused to leave St. James’s for Whitehall when it was known that he had commanded her to; and he had in fact gone to Whitehall and left her at St. James’s—and everyone had noted that the bride and groom already had separate lodgings. He had shrugged aside her recalcitrance. Let her wait till she was without her family to support her. Then she would see who was the master and she would be forced to obey him.