As he made his way to her side he was shocked by her appearance.
She’s a sick woman, he thought. Why does she not admit it? Doesn’t little George see. Of course not! When did he ever see what he didn’t want to?
‘Madam,’ he said, as he kissed her hand, ‘I have come to pay my respects and to tell you I shall shortly be leaving for Houghton.’
‘My poor Sir Robert, you are in need of a holiday.’ She swayed a little.
‘Madam ... you are not well.’
‘I was blooded twice recently. It takes a little time to recover.’
She is going to faint, he thought.
He caught Lord Hervey’s eye and he knew that Hervey understood. ‘Your Majesty should be resting,’ said Walpole. ‘Perhaps Lord Hervey would ask His Majesty if he would retire so that the Queen can go to her bed and rest a while.’
The Queen was about to protest, but Hervey did not wait. He went to the King and surprisingly George must, too, have been aware of his wife’s wan looks for he made no protests, but for once ignoring sacred time he retired to his apartments, leaving the Queen free to do the same.
In the Queen’s closet, Sir Robert paced up and down, talking gravely.
‘Madam,’ he said, ‘your life is of such consequence to your husband, your children, and to your country that to neglect it is the greatest immorality you can be capable of.’
‘Sir Robert, my dear friend, you flatter me.’
‘It is no flattery, Madam. I would be frank. This country is in your hands. The King’s fondness for you and the regard he has for your judgment are the only reins by which it is possible to restrain the natural violences of his temper or to guide him to where we wish him to go. We know that he does not care for the company of men, but cares greatly for that of women.’
‘You think he may have a mistress who will seek to influence him?’
‘That is possible. She might govern him. But I was thinking that if you do not take care of your health you may not be with us and he might marry again. What then? What if the Prince were inflamed against his father more than he is already? Oh, I see a thousand dangers which would come to this realm if you were not in the position you now hold.’
The Queen smiled sadly. ‘Your partiality to me, Sir Robert, makes you see many more advantages in having me, and apprehend many greater dangers from losing me, than are indeed the effects of the one or would be the consequences of the other.’
‘But you agree there are dangers?’
‘The King would marry again if I died, I am sure. Indeed I have advised him to do so. As for his government, he has such an opinion of your abilities that were I removed everything would go on as it does now. You have saved us from many errors, and this very year have forced us into safety whether we would or no, against our opinion and against our inclination. I own this. The King sees it; and you have gained his favour by your obstinate but wise contradiction, more than any minister could have done by the most servile compliance.’
Sir Robert kissed her hand for he believed it was noble of her to confess her fault; but it was what he would have expected of a woman of her intelligence.
‘I need you, Madam,’ he said. ‘I believe that without your help I should not be able to persuade the King into any measure he did not like. So, therefore, I beg of you take care of your health. I think I will not go to Houghton.’
‘But why not, my dear Sir Robert! You need to guard your health even as I do.’
‘I am so concerned for you.’
‘But this is nonsense. Go you shall. I order you.’
‘Then if you will allow Lord Hervey to send me accounts of your health ...’
‘I shall command him to do so.’
‘In that case, Madam. I take my leave.’
When he had gone, Caroline lay on her bed, and there were tears in her eyes when she reflected on the friendship of her dear gros homme.
When Walpole left the Queen, he went straight to Hervey’s lodgings to tell him of the interview and how he wished him to keep a watch on the Queen’s health.
This Hervey said he would do; and he added his fears to Walpole’s.
Then Walpole as was his custom proceeded to tell Hervey all that had been said.
Hervey suddenly clapped his hand to his mouth and said: ‘A fearful thought has struck me. The King may have heard every word you said! ‘
Walpole grew pale. ‘This will be the end for us both! ‘ he declared.
‘I may be wrong,’ said Hervey. ‘But I must tell you that I went to look for the Princess Caroline shortly after you joined the Queen. You know she always leaves her mother when you arrive to talk of state affairs.’
Walpole nodded.
‘One of her pages told me that she had left her mother when you went in and joined her father who was with the Princesses Amelia, Mary, and Louisa. He went through into the Queen’s bedroom with them; and you know that is the room next to the Queen’s closet in which you were talking to the Queen.’
‘He could have heard every word! ‘
‘If he listened.’
‘Certainly he would listen. I remember once how he deliberately hid himself in a closet and left the door open so that he could hear what passed between myself and the Queen.’
‘Then ...’
‘I can only repeat. This will be the end for us both.’
‘He will have been forced to see himself as you and the Queen see him—not the all-important king from whom all wisdom flows. This is disaster.’
‘You must find out if it is true. Can you?’
‘I am sure I can.’
‘Then for God’s sake do and let me know before I leave for Norfolk. If he has heard what we said then I may as well stay there. As for the Queen ...’
‘Leave it to me. I will discover.’
So a very discomfited Walpole left; and it was not a bad thing, reflected Lord Hervey, for all men to see how easily, when they are at the height of power, they can fall to ruin.
Walpole would be feeling now as he had when he had thought Anne Vane was going to die in his bed.
He was almost certain that the King had not overheard, for he had a shrewd idea where he would have gone after he had a few words with his daughters.
Still it was good to know that the great Walpole regarded him as such an invaluable friend; it was very gratifying to have him waiting eagerly for the note which would reach him early next morning.
He went to the page to whom he had spoken before and asked where the King had gone when the Princess Caroline had joined him and her sisters.
The page smiled.
‘He went to the nurseries, my lord.’
‘I’ll swear he spent a long time discussing his children’s education with Lady Deloraine,’ said Hervey lightly.
At which the page gave a veiled snigger.
Scandal quickly went the rounds, thought Hervey.
He then went direct to Walpole’s house in Chelsea because it was always so much more pleasant to deliver welcome news in person and Walpole would remember how his good friend did not wait until the morning.
He was greeted eagerly.
‘All is well! ‘ cried Hervey. ‘He was not in the Queen’s closet, and instead of hearing your truths he was talking love and devotion with his daughters’ governess.’
They laughed together, like old friends. The bond between them was stronger than ever.
And when Hervey was next with the Queen she spoke to him of her anxieties over Walpole.
‘He seemed to me so anxious. He is worried about his position, I believe. These last elections shook him. I feel that some of the spirit has gone out of him.’
Lord Hervey loved to enlighten people, particularly those in positions of power such as the Queen or Walpole, so he whispered confidentially that Walpole’s troubles were more personal than political.