“Get up, Jemmy,” he said.
“Your Majesty will grant me this one small request?”
“You underestimate it, Jemmy. ’Tis no small one.”
“Father, I swear you will be proud of me. I will lead your armies to victory.”
“You know the temper of our enemies. You have seen what fighters these Dutchmen are.”
“I know them, Father. They are an enemy worthy of the conquering.”
“Jemmy, a commander of a great army must have more care for his men than for himself.”
“I know it, and so would I have.”
“He must be ready to face all that he asks his men to face.”
“So would I face death to win my country’s battles …”
“And glory for yourself.”
Monmouth hesitated for a while and then said grudgingly: “Yes, Sir, and glory for myself.”
Charles laughed. “I see new honesty in you, Jemmy, and it pleases me.”
“And this I ask you …?”
“I’ll think of it, Jemmy. I’ll think of it …”
“Father, do not put me off with promises such as those you give to others. I am your son.”
“There are times when I think it had been better if you had been the son of another of your mother’s lovers.”
“Nay!” cried Monmouth. “I would rather be dead than own another father.”
“You love my crown too much, Jemmy.”
“’Tis yourself, Sir.”
“And I had just complimented you on your honesty! Nay, do not look hurt. ’Tis natural to be dazzled by a crown. Do I not know it? I was dazzled all through the years of exile.”
“Father, you are turning me from my point. My uncle of York has the Navy. It is only right that I, your son, should have the Army.”
“Your uncle is the legitimate son of a King, Jemmy. There is a difference. Moreover he is many years older than you; he is possessed of great experience. He has proved himself to be a great sailor.”
“I will prove myself to be a great soldier.”
Charles was silent for a while. He had never seen Jemmy so fervently eager. It was a good sign; he at least was asking for some means of proving himself to be worthy of a crown. Previously he had thought mainly of possessing it.
“There is nothing I would like better,” said Charles, “than to see you at the head of the Army.”
“Then you will …?”
“I will do all that is possible.”
Monmouth had to accept that but he was not satisfied. He was fully aware of his father’s easy promises.
But Charles had decided that he would do something. He discussed the matter with Louise and she agreed with him that the young Duke should be given some duties. Moreover if he were sent with the Army there was the possibility of his disgracing himself or even being killed. It seemed to Louise an excellent way of getting the troublesome young man out of the kingdom for a while.
Charles sent for Arlington.
“Let the Duke of Monmouth have the care of the Army,” he said, “though not the command of it. Make him a Commander—in name only. Then we shall see how he shapes as a soldier.”
Arlington was very willing. He was eager not to be on bad terms with one so close to the King as the Duke was; he could see that Monmouth could save him a great deal of trouble without taking any of his power and profit from him.
So when the expeditionary force left England, Monmouth was with it.
And Charles, with fatherly devotion, waited to see how the young man would acquit himself.
The war continued. It was popular in spite of the fact that press-gangs roamed the streets and, invading the taverns and any place where men might be gathered together, carried off protesting recruits. There came news of the successes achieved by Louis with the aid of Monmouth. Charles was proud to hear that Jemmy was proving himself to be both brave and daring in battle, harrying the enemy with the same abandon with which he had attacked innocent citizens of London.
Several of the Court gallants, considering the victories of Monmouth, planned to take a band of volunteers abroad to join the Duke. Buckingham, restless, always eager to be at that spot where he could enjoy most limelight, begged the King to be allowed to go as Commander-in-Chief.
Charles talked of this with Louise, as he talked of most things.
Louise smiled; she had visions of the Duke, returning to London a conqueror. It seemed as if that other Duke, Monmouth, might do this. Two Protestant Dukes to ride through the streets as conquering heroes! It would not do. Moreover she had a score of long standing to settle with Buckingham.
“Nay,” she said. “Send not my lord Buckingham. He is as a weather-vane. He turns this way and that, according to the winds that blow. Has it occurred to you, Charles, that the noble Duke is the most unreliable man in your kingdom?”
“Oh, George is a good fellow at heart. Wild he may be at times, and there has been trouble between us, but I have never doubted that George is my friend. We grew up together, shared the same nursery. I have a fondness for George, as I have for brother James.”
“He has not Your Majesty’s good heart. And forget not, he is a Protestant.”
Charles laughed. “As are most of my subjects, and as I am … as yet.”
“As yet,” agreed Louise. “But you will not remain so.”
The King was alert. He knew Louise spent occasional hours in the company of the French ambassador and he did not doubt that instructions for Louise would be continually arriving from Louis.
“I shall declare my conversion in my own time,” said Charles. “That time is not yet.”
“Nay, but mayhap after the war has been satisfactorily concluded….”
“Who shall say when that will be! These Dutch are stubborn fellows. And we were talking of George’s desires to lead the volunteers …”
“I long for Your Majesty to be a true Catholic in thought and deed.”
“You share the desires of my dear brother Louis, which is mayhap not surprising since you are a subject of his.”
Louise lowered her eyes and said quickly: “When one loves there is a wish for the loved one to share all things. This applies in particular to something so precious as Faith.”
“Faith is one of the most difficult possessions for an honest man to acquire,” said the King lightly. “Shall I give George his wish? Shall we turn him into a gallant soldier?”
This was characteristic. Stop this talk of my promise to declare myself a Catholic and you shall have your wish regarding Buckingham. Louise smiled gently.
“If my lord Buckingham left England, Lady Shrewsbury would miss him sorely,” she said. “Is it kind to her ladyship to inflict such hardship upon her?”
The King laughed. She had given a witty turn to the discussion and that appealed to him.
He sent for Buckingham.
“You are not to lead the volunteers, George,” said Charles, “for we could not bear to break Anna’s heart. Therefore we will not deprive her of your company.”
Buckingham’s face was purple with suppressed anger. Louise was delighted to see him thwarted. It mattered not to her that he did not realize she was the one who had prevented his attaining his desires. Louise enjoyed working in the dark. Her aim was to destroy the man who had slighted her, not merely to enjoy the transient pleasure of snapping her fingers in his face.
There came news of the battle of Southwold Bay which, while it proved indecisive, cost much in men’s lives. Now the press-gangs were more rapacious, and mothers and wives were terrified when any able-bodied young man ventured into the streets. What was this war? it was asked. The English, sternly Protestant, were fighting Protestant Holland at the side of Catholic France. They were suffering great losses. For what reason? To spread the Catholic Faith across Europe. The King’s brother, commanding the Navy, was almost certainly a Catholic. The King’s favorite mistress was a Catholic. The King himself was so easygoing that he would adopt any faith if he were asked to do so prettily enough.