Royal Sisters: The Story of the Daughter Page 0,17
dearest,” he said, “how are you?”
“Very well, dear father,” Anne told him. “All goes well, they tell me, and I may expect a fine boy.”
“Do not set your hopes on that, my love. Be content with a daughter if a daughter it should be. You have so quickly conceived that I am sure you will have a large family.”
“It is what George and I want more than anything.”
He kissed her gently on the forehead. “It pleases me to see you so happy. Would I could feel as contented for Mary.” His face hardened. “I never wanted that marriage. I feel we have brought a viper into our close family circle.”
“Sarah calls him Caliban. I am sure he is a monster. I cannot understand how dear Mary tolerates him. I am sure I never would.”
“I fear he is subduing her, making her his creature … perhaps trying to turn her against us all. He’ll never do that. I know my Mary.” He smiled sentimentally at Anne. “I thank God for giving me my dearest daughters. So many children I have had and lost; but I always remind myself that I was allowed to keep two. My dearest Mary; my blessed Anne. We shall always love and cherish each other as long as we shall live.”
“Yes, dear father,” said Anne, wondering what there would be for dinner.
“And although I am parted from Mary, I know that she continues to love me dearly. It is a secret, daughter, but I do not wish to have secrets from you. Do not mention this to anyone. But if it were in my power to break that Dutch marriage I would do so. And I believe it might be in my power. There is just cause. Mary is childless and he … the Dutchman … spends his night with another woman.”
“Fitzharding’s sister, Elizabeth Villiers. It is a well-known scandal.”
“A well-known scandal—and my daughter the wife of such a monster! Unfortunately, my dear, your uncle will not have the marriage disturbed. But …”
Anne nodded sleepily. Her father very frequently spent his nights in the beds of his mistresses. Uncle Charles was not looking so well of late; but each night he took one of his mistresses to bed; and it was said that he would not accept his flagging vigor and resorted to artificial means to revive it. Fair enough, whispered his courtiers. Who would not do the like? But what effect was this having on the royal body; and how long could it be expected to stand the strain?
“Well,” said James, “that is not for us to discuss now. And my dear daughter is well and everything is progressing as it should. I can scarcely wait for the good news. I shall be near you, dearest, all the time; and if there is anything you want, all you need do is ask for it. You know your father is never happier than when he is pleasing you.”
All she need do was ask? It was true. He was the most indulgent of parents.
“Father,” she said, “there is one thing I would ask.”
His face lit up with pleasure, “My darling daughter, I promise if it is in my power …”
“It is not for me, Father, but I have a great friend who has not been as well treated as she should be. I believe you are very pleased with the services Colonel Churchill has rendered you?”
“He is a good man, and I believe a faithful friend to me.”
“You need good men and faithful friends, father. Do you think that sometimes we take the goodness of those close to us for granted?”
“It may be so.”
“My best friend and the kindest of my women is plain Mrs. while others who are less kind flaunt great titles. It is our duty, is it not, Father, to reward those who serve us?”
He nodded.
“Why, my blessed one, you are asking that the Churchills be honored in some way?”
“A title for the Colonel, so that Sarah may be Lady Churchill to these women of mine and not plain Mrs.”
James patted her hand. “That does not seem to me to be an insurmountable difficulty,” he said fondly.
Sarah embraced her John. Then she held him at arms’ length.
“Well, Baron Churchill?”
“Yes, my lady?”
“Have you a clever wife?”
“The cleverest in the world.”
“John, I only had to ask.”
“She thinks the world of you, as indeed she should.”
Sarah’s eyes were dreamy as she looked into the future. “I can see that she will do anything … just anything … I