Queen Anne by Helen Edmunson

Author:Helen Edmunson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nick Hern Books

Scene Eleven

The Queen’s apartments, St James’s. Two weeks later. ANNE is sitting in a chair while ABIGAIL finishes dressing her – fastening jewels around her neck and a net of pearls into her hair.

ABIGAIL. There’s the bells in the cathedral ringing out.

ANNE. Yes.

ABIGAIL. And even now the crowds are cheering in the streets. They all await you, ma’am.

ANNE. How good, how kind the people are. I used to fear them terribly. Now I feel such care for them. Perhaps it is the suffering I’ve known, but I feel I would protect them from the harshest trials of life.

ABIGAIL. They love you very much, Your Majesty.

ANNE. Oh, there’s such an aching in my bones.

ABIGAIL. Shall I send for Dr Radcliffe? It might not be too late.

ANNE. No, no. But were this not such a joyous day, I’d gladly spend it in my bed.

ABIGAIL. The bandages are quite secure – I’ve tied them extra tight.

ANNE. Thank you, dear. We wouldn’t want them falling down. Now that would be a sight to see.

They smile. Enter SARAH. She stares at them.

Sarah. Sarah. Dearest.

SARAH. Good morning, ma’am.

ANNE. Here – let me embrace you.

Still beautiful. A little thinner, certainly, but…

SARAH (of ANNE’s necklace). Why do you wear that? I sent express instructions for what you are to wear today. I said the rubies.

ANNE. Oh. They didn’t look so well as we had hoped. But if you wish to see them…

SARAH. Yes, I do.

ANNE (to ABIGAIL). Please fetch them, dear.

Exit ABIGAIL. SARAH watches her go.

Thank you for coming back to me. And on this day of days. How right it is that you should take my arm, and we should kneel together and give praise for Marlborough’s splendid victory.

SARAH. I would not have missed it for the world. Though I hear we also offer thanks for some incidental skirmish won at sea. It rather makes a mockery, I fear, of Marlborough’s feat at Blenheim.

ANNE. Not at all. We simply thought it would be right to offer thanks for all the efforts of our fine, courageous men. What the Duke of Marlborough has achieved is unsurpassed.

SARAH. History will judge it so.

ANNE. Please sit with me.

I want to give him an estate. In Oxfordshire, I thought. I know you love the country there. And we will build a home for you – a mansion fit for heroes.

SARAH. Thank you. But we do not have the wherewithal to honour such a life. It’s hard enough that he is made a Duke.

ANNE. Then… let us put that right, and soon. I’ll see he’s paid a pension every year – a fitting sum. And I will raise your salary.

Enter ABIGAIL with the rubies.

Now then. Let’s have another look at these.

ABIGAIL begins to change the necklaces, one for the other.

SARAH. I need to speak to you about the Bill against Occasional Conformity.

ANNE. Oh, yes? But surely not at once?

SARAH. You helped it through the Commons, I believe. I hope you will not help it through the Lords.

ANNE. But I intend to. Even George will vote for it and he a Lutheran.

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