‘Her Royal Highness, the Princess of Wales, has told me of some trouble in which you and Sir John and Lady Douglas are involved. She does not understand what it is about. Perhaps you could explain.’
‘I can indeed,’ cried Sir Sydney. ‘And begging Your Royal Highness’s pardon, I am sure the Princess is in no doubt as to the cause of the trouble. Would you yourself, sir, not want an explanation if this had been sent to a lady of your acquaintance when that lady had a husband who was your greatest friend?’
The Duke of Kent stared at the piece of paper which Sir Sydney Smith had laid before him. It was an obscene drawing of Sir Sydney Smith and a woman (Lady Douglas, Sir Sydney explained) in a compromising position.
‘This is— disgusting!’ cried the Duke of Kent.
‘So think I, sir, and so thinks Lady Douglas. Why, it is enough to set Sir John and me at each other’s throats.’
‘And this— is the work of the Princess of Wales. It came, sir, with this letter which although unsigned, I am assured is in Her Highness’s handwriting.’
It did not occur to the Duke of Kent to doubt that the letter and drawing were the work of Caroline. Her eccentric behaviour was well known. The point was that however innocent she might be, it was not inconceivable that she might be guilty of the charges brought against her.
‘And what do you propose to do?’ asked the Duke of Kent.
‘This is an attack as Your Highness will see on my honour and that of Lady and Sir John Douglas. I do not think Sir John is a man who will lightly allow such an insult to pass.’
‘It is a shocking affair. You know the precarious state of the King’s health.
This would have a disastrous effect on him if it came to his ears. You will appreciate this, Sir Sydney, and I am sure that such a loyal subject as yourself would not wish to increase his difficulties.’
Sir Sydney agreed that he was indeed a loyal subject and if he could persuade Sir John to drop the matter, he himself would be prepared to do so. But of course the Princess of Wales must understand that there must be no more such attacks.
‘I can assure you of this,’ replied the Duke of Kent.
‘Then, sir, leave it to me to persuade Sir John. I am sure I can do it.’
The Duke grasped Sir Sydney’s hand. He believed he had settled, with the utmost tact, a matter which might have raised a big scandal in the family.
A few days later Sir Sydney called on him and told him that Sir John had promised that the matter should go no further.
The Duke of Kent wrote to the Princess to tell her that the unfortunate matter was at an end but she should have no more correspondence with the Douglases.
The fact was: that he had been disgusted by the drawing and had readily believed that it was the work of the Princess.
He shivered, pitied his brother for being married to such a wife, congratulated himself on having skilfully handled a delicate situation, and put the matter out of his mind.
Lady Douglas was incensed. Her little plot had failed. And it was due to Caroline’s having called in her brother-in-law. Who would have thought she would have had the sense!
And now Sydney, out of deference to a royal Duke, had made them all agree that the matter was at an end.
Was there to be no revenge then? Was she to be insulted by Caroline?
She would not accept that. But she would have to wait awhile. After all there was the affair of Willikin, which was far more serious than an anonymous letter and a disgustmg picture.
The Douglas Affair
For some months Lady Douglas waited impatiently, but her desire for revenge grew rather than diminished. She was a vindictive woman, and she had hoped for great benefits through her association with the Princess of Wales. They would never be hers now since the odious woman refused to receive her. But she was going to regret that It seemed the greatest fortune when Sir John was given a post in the household of Augustus, Duke of Sussex The Duke of Sussex, fourth brother of the Prince of Wales, had had rather startling adventures in matrimony himself when at the age of twenty he had married Augusta Murray without the consent of his father. His marriage had later been declared null and void since it contravened the Royal Marriage Act but the Duke had snapped his fingers at the law and set up house with the lady he and his brothers acknowledged as his wife.
Lady Douglas saw the opportunity she needed in this appointment and badgered her husband to tell the Duke that Willikin was the Princess’s own child.
‘But my dear,’ protested Sir John, ‘this could make the most violent upheaval.’
‘That’s what I want.’
‘You want it? But it would be trouble— terrible trouble.’
‘For them that deserve it.’
‘I think we should keep out of it. You know what happened about the letter.’
‘Oh yes, yes, His Majesty’s health is so precarious that he must not be disturbed. In the meantime that scandalous woman can foist her illegitimate offspring on the nation.’
‘But she is not foisting William Austin on anybody.’
‘William Austin! He’s no more Austin than I am. That’s her story. And how do you know that she won’t try to foist the little brat on the nation? Why, don’t you see, that boy could be our future king.’
‘Oh no, that’s going too far.’
‘I will decide what is going too far. It’s your duty, John Douglas, to see that what is going on reaches the right quarters.’
‘And what do you mean by the right quarters?’
‘Surely you know. The Prince of Wales should hear of this.’
‘You’re not suggesting that I go to the Prince of Wales?’
‘What I’m suggesting is that you tell his brother. That’s not so difficult, is it?
You are after all a member of his household. Tell him, and let him carry on from there.’
‘I don’t think you understand what a storm you could be raising.’
‘That’s exactly what I do understand. And I’m waiting for that storm. It’s our duty. Are you going to stand by and see a little bastard king of this realm? Are you going to see him snatch it from our dear Princess Charlotte?’
‘I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all.’
‘Oh, but you’re going to, John Douglas.’
A few days later Sir John came to his wife; he was pale and trembling.
‘I have spoken to him,’ he said.
‘Yes— yes, and what did he say?’
‘He said that he thought this matter should be brought to the notice of the Prince of Wales.’
Lady Douglas clasped her hands together in joy.
‘But he says we should prepare a document which he can show his brother— setting down all the facts. Put it, in writing.’
She nodded and he cried in dismay: ‘Don’t you realize what this means. It’s all very well to say these things but to put them into writing I don’t know what this could bring us to.’
‘Chicken heart,’ she mocked. ‘Leave it to me.’
How exciting it was, going back over those meetings, colouring them up, putting constructions on them which would add conviction to her story. For instance had not the Princess said ‘I am going to have a baby.’ Had she not shown inordinate interest in Lady Douglas’s own pregnancy?
It was easy to adjust a word here and there. It was dangerous when a Princess of Wales lived an immoral life because of the succession. Lady Douglas wrote that she had reminded the Princess of this and that Her Highness had replied that if she were caught she could put it on to the Prince of Wales because she had slept a few nights at Carlton House and he was often so drunk that he could not account for his actions. Then there was the story of Lady Douglas’s calling at Montague House and seeing the baby for the first time. There was Mrs, Fitzgerald’s hasty explanation that he was William Austin and that the Princess had adopted him Oh yes, she had a very plausible story to tell.