Royal Sisters: The Story of the Daughter Page 0,40
heard that the Prince of Orange is soon to embark and that Shrewsbury, Wiltshire, and Sidney are with him. It is disturbing news.”
“The King your father needs advice and he would listen to you.”
“I never speak to the King on state matters,” replied Anne.
“If you showed concern for your father now it would give him great pleasure to know that you were anxious on his account.”
“But I have told you it is not my place to discuss business.”
“Does your Highness realize the danger the King is in?”
“It is not for me to say.”
Clarendon flushed. “As the King’s daughter does Your Highness not consider it is your place to help him?”
“I have never discussed such things with the King,” Anne reiterated coolly. She lifted the watch—which was as large as a clock and which hung at her side. “Why I do declare,” she went on, “it is time to prepare for worship and I must not be late for that.”
Lord Clarendon saw that he was dismissed. He could see, too, that Anne would not help her father; in fact he was not at all sure that she was not secretly pleased that the King’s difficulties were becoming more acute.
Then, thought Clarendon, the rumors I have heard about the treachery in the Cockpit are true.
Clarendon discussed that interview with his brother Laurence.
“The terrible part of it all was that she did not seem to care!” he complained.
“But, brother, have you not heard that many of the evil rumors about the Prince’s birth actually started at the Cockpit?”
“I cannot believe it.”
“Our niece may not possess a brilliant mind but she has a flaming ambition.”
“You think that she wants him … deposed. Oh, I can’t believe that any daughter would be so ungrateful; and he has been good to her.”
“He wears a crown, brother. She covets a crown.”
“But it will not come to her.”
“After Mary it will.”
“I won’t believe it. I won’t. I shall call on her again. I shall try to make her see that she must help her father, because he seems incapable of helping himself.”
“It is what King Charles always feared.”
“But who would have believed it would ever have come to this! He should be rallying the country. He should reform his ways.”
“He has released the bishops.”
“It is not enough. He must let the people know that he will not attempt to foist Catholicism on them. He must gather his faithful friends and prepare for battle. Anne could persuade him I am sure. He would listen to her. You know how he dotes on her since Mary has been under the thumb of Orange. I shall go to her.”
He did; and found her with Sarah, Lady Fitzharding, and others of her ladies.
She received him somewhat insolently and would not dismiss her women, who were dressing her. She smiled at him rather maliciously in the mirror and he thought that she took courage from these women about her. “I know what you have come to speak of, my lord,” she said. “This baby whose entrance into the world … or should I say the Queen’s bed … is causing such a stir.”
“They are saying warming-pans are very commodious these days.” That was Sarah Churchill. An odious woman and an evil influence on the Princess, thought Clarendon.
“Yet it does not need a great deal of space to carry hot coals,” added Lady Fitzharding.
Spy! thought Clarendon. Sister of the woman whom everyone knew was the mistress of Orange. What a strange pair these sisters were! There was Mary, heiress to the throne of England, meekly adoring a husband who treated her harshly; and, Anne her sister, surrounding herself with women for whom she seemed to have more regard than for her own father!
“I do not think, my lord,” retorted Anne, “that you are aware of what the people are saying. It was most unhelpful that those who should have been present at the birth were not there.”
“All those who wished to attend were invited to do so, Your Highness.”
“I was saying that it was unfortunate it should happen when those who should have been present were prevented from being there … and I know that before the birth at Her Majesty’s toilet she would go into her private closet and put on her chemise … so that those whose duty it was to look on her belly were unable to do so.”
The women were tittering; Sarah Churchill laughed out loud.
It was a scene from which Lord Clarendon felt he must escape at once.