Indiscretions of the Queen by Jean Plaidy

Author:Jean Plaidy [Plaidy, Jean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance
ISBN: 9780449217795
Publisher: Fawcett
Published: 1969-12-31T13:00:00+00:00

‘And so,’ he told Frances, ‘I had no alternative but to accept.’

‘So you are not allowed to choose the members of your own household?’

‘You are a member of the Princess’s household.’

‘But surely you, as the Prince of Wales, could insist—’

‘Madam,’ said the Prince coldly, ‘I am not the King; and it is on his orders

that you are to leave.’

She was too angry to see the warning lights in his eyes.

She would not forget this insult, she declared. She would make that creature

sorry for this. She had carried tales of her to the King and this was the result.

She was indeed angry. Now she would be of no use to the Queen, and the

Queen would quickly withdraw her favour from one who could not serve her.

This was going to make a great deal of difference to Lady Jersey’s power and

power Was money of which she was very fond. She had had a good picking from

the Prince but there were all sorts of perquisites which came the way of a lady

who was on good terms not only with the Prince but with the Queen who, since

the King had become feeble-minded, had the power to bestow ill sorts of honours.

Yes, Lady Jersey was very angry.

She left the Prince in no doubt of her ill temper, but she did not care. She

believed she had the power to subdue him when she wished to, and it was

Caroline against whom she vented her anger. That gauche ridiculous creature.

Lady Jersey burst out laughing remembering her in the hideous white satin she

had had made for her first meeting with the Prince. Stupid creature, did she think she could get the better of Lady Jersey?

She got into her coach and as it passed down St. James’s, she was recognized

by passersby. One called her a lewd name. The people nowadays were becoming

more and more insolent. Examples should be made of them. She sat back against

the upholstery pretending not to see those grinning faces which looked in at her.

Mud splashed against the window. Someone threw a stone.

It was too bad. She was most displeased.

In the privacy of her own house she sat down to write to the Princess of

Wales, telling her that she had that day obtained permission from the Prince of

Wales to resign her position of Lady of the Bedchamber. She considered that she

had suffered persecution and injustice in Her Royal Highness’s service but she

had the satisfaction of knowing; that through her silence and forbearance she had given proof of her loyalty to His Highness the Prince of Wales and to the royal

family; as for gratitude and attachment to the Prince, that would only cease with her life. She was, with all possible respect, Her Royal Highness’s humble servant.

When she read the letter Caroline shrieked with laughter.

‘At last I am rid of her,’ she cried. ‘First I rid myself of him and then of her.

This is triumph. Now I can live in peace as long as my darling Charlotte is left to me.’

Caroline was happier than she had been since she had come to England.

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