Back in the Palace the Queen lay on her bed to rest her legs.
Charlotte Clayton put cold compresses on them; she said she had heard of this from Lady Masham who used to do it for Queen Anne.
If it weren’t for these swollen legs I should feel very well,’ said the Queen almost defiantly.
Charlotte deliberately lowered her eyes to show she understood.
‘Of course, Your Majesty.’
Caroline sighed and at the moment Anne Vane came in to perform some duty and the Queen remembered the unpleasant task which lay before her.
‘Oh ... I have something to say to Miss Vane.’
‘Miss Vane,’ called Charlotte, a little officiously, ‘Her Majesty wishes to speak to you.’
Anne Vane came forward and curtsied. Oh yes, thought the Queen, she is clearly pregnant.
The Queen waited, expecting Charlotte to retire as would have been natural in the circumstances, but Charlotte busied herself at one of the cupboards and made no attempt to leave.
Caroline hesitated and then decided that it could not matter if Charlotte remained, for soon everyone would know that Anne Vane had been dismissed.
‘I think,’ said the Queen coolly, ‘that you may have something to tell me.’
‘I ... Your Majesty?’
She was feigning innocence, but she knew very well what the Queen was hinting.
‘It would have been better if you had told me yourself,’ said the Queen. ‘When do you expect your confinement?’
Anne gave a little gasp, but she was not really frightened. This was no ordinary indiscretion. She had the honour of being mistress to the Prince of Wales.
‘Oh ... Madam!’
Charlotte Clayton was frankly listening now, her lips pursed in disgust.
‘It is no use attempting to disguise the truth,’ said the Queen. ‘I cannot allow you to remain at Court. I asked you when your child is expected to be born.’
‘There are ... another three months, Your Majesty.’ ‘Well, it is time you were going.’
‘His Highness ...’
‘You may make your preparations immediately.’ ‘Madam, if His ...’
‘Pray go at once to your apartment and prepare to leave. You must return to your home without delay.’ The Queen turned to Charlotte. She might as well make use of her since she was here. ‘Mrs Clayton will see that you obey my orders without delay.’
‘Madam ...’ began Anne Vane.
But Charlotte had taken the girl by the arm and was leading her very forcibly from the apartment.
Anne ordered the carriage to go to La Trappe at Hammersmith.
There she was welcomed by Mrs Behan to whom she told the story of her dismissal.
‘Wait till George comes,’ advised Mrs Behan. ‘He will know what to do.’
He did. He went himself to the Prince of Wales to tell him what had happened and as a result Frederick came riding to La Trappe.
Anne threw herself weeping into his arms. She had been ignobly turned out of the Court. They were all against him and so against her for they knew how she adored him.
Frederick, who was growing more and more resentful as he grew more and more in debt, agreed with her that the way she had been treated was a slight on him. But they must think what they were going to do.
‘I can’t go home,’ cried Anne. ‘What can I do. And I can’t stay here. Oh, my Prince, what have we done.’
Frederick consoled her. He was delighted that they were going to have a child. She must not have any fears. He would look after her.
‘But where can I go?’ she asked.
Dodington suggested that the Prince might like to set her up in a house of her own. No one could prevent that; and there she could live in peace and comfort with her child.
‘That’s the answer! ‘ said Frederick; and Anne agreed with him.
‘I know of a house in Soho Square which would be ideal,’ Mrs Behan told them. ‘Anne can stay here until she is settled in, and she and I will go and look at it tomorrow.’
The Prince was very grateful to his kind friends; and the next day Anne Vane and Mrs Behan went to see the house which enchanted them both.
The Prince liked it too. It was expensive, but he never worried about money until the bills were presented to him; and who was going to worry about supplying the needs of the Prince of Wales?
The house was fitted out with the finest furniture and plate until it was almost as grande as La Trappe.
Frederick was delighted and promised Anne £1,600 a year. So the entire matter was settled to the satisfaction of Anne and the Prince, for Dodington allowed him to win £5,000 from him at the gaming table to pay for the initial costs.
This was most convenient and everyone concerned was delighted; except Lord Hervey, who realized that Anne Vane’s position was slightly more secure than it had been before.
Anne Vane began to give herself airs. She was now the acknowledged mistress of the Prince of Wales; she went about proudly proclaiming her condition and making no attempt to hide it.
It was useless for Hervey to make wry jokes about the mystery surrounding her condition. We all know what, he commented, but only Miss Vane can tell us who.
Anne resented this deeply, for secretly she had admired him more than any of her lovers and she had worked against him by bringing Dodington to Frederick’s notice because she had been wounded at his desertion.
She was at great pains however to hide her feelings for Hervey and show her affection to the Prince whom she must, at all costs, keep her devoted lover.
And when, at a reception in the Prince’s apartments, Hervey happened to be present and they came face to face, he bowed ironically with a mischievous look in his eyes. Dearly she would have liked to stop and talk to him, but instead she affected not to see him and by sweeping past him with the air of a very great lady she managed to humiliate him.
Hervey was a man who could not bear humiliation. It called forth all the spite and malice in him.
He went to Stephen to tell him about his fury.
‘If that silly little slut thinks she can snub me she is mistaken.’
‘She is not worth a thought from you.’
‘I was aware of the titters.’
‘People like to titter.’
‘Particularly when they see others ridiculed.’
‘Oh come, my dear, it could not have been as bad as that.’
‘I shall not allow it, and I know how to frighten her.’ ‘Leave her alone, John, my dear. No good can come of wasting time on such a silly creature.’
‘If foolish Fred knew that that child she so proudly carries could have been fathered by at least three of us he might not be so eager to accept it as his.’
‘Leave well alone, dear John.’
Hervey smiled at his friend, but he was not going to leave well alone.
No one should insult him with impunity.
He wrote a letter addressed to Anne Vane which he asked a friend to deliver to her apartments.
The young man was a little reluctant, knowing of the discord between Hervey and the Prince’s mistress, and told Hervey that he had no wish to be caught up in a quarrel between them.
‘Nonsense,’ said Hervey. ‘We are not really bad friends. That was a bit of play-acting for the sake of the Prince. He’s a jealous young man, you know. I have heard of ‘an excellent midwife and I want her to know of this. My dear fellow, you’ll earn her gratitude if you take this note along to her.’