‘H’m,’ said the General. ‘A spy.’
‘You can be sure of that. I will tell you what I will do. I will tell the King what has happened and he will get to the root of the matter. In a few days time he will know whether this Quentin has in fact been looking at horses or not. And if not, I think the Princess of Wales should be warned. Do you not agree?’
The General replied that he agreed wholeheartedly.
A few days later the Count came to see the General.
‘Mr. Quentin has not been looking at horses. In fact what he has been doing is asking a great many questions about the Princess of Wales— and talking to members of her household.’
‘I shall go to Her Highness immediately and report on this.’
‘There is no need. The King has taken a great liking to her. And he is annoyed that the Prince Regent should send spies into Naples without his knowledge. He will deal with this.’
The King kissed Caroline’s hand; she gave him her large warm smile.
He said: ‘My dear lady, I have asked you to come to see me because I have something very serious to tell you. I trust you will forgive what may seem like impertinence on my part but I am concerned for you.’
‘Your dear good Majesty! I shall never forget how much at home you have made me feel in your kingdom.’
But I will not have you persecuted while you are here.’
‘Persecuted! Nothing could be farther from the truth. I have been fêted, honoured—’
‘And spied on, my dear lady. Now this is what I have to tell you. A Mr.
Quentin has been sent here by the Prince Regent to report on your actions. I thought you should be warned.’
‘Ha!’ laughed Caroline. I trust he carries back a good tale.’
‘I shall not allow him to remain if you do not wish him to. He shall be escorted to the frontiers and told not to enter Naples again.’
‘Oh, don’t do that. Poor fellow, he would be so put out and doubtless be in trouble with his master.’
‘My dear Princess, do you realize that this fellow is spying on you, that he will carry reports back to England— very likely false ones of your conduct here?’
‘Oh, let him!’
The King was astonished.
‘I wish you to know that if any spies come here and you want them to be banished, it shall be done.’
‘Let them stay. Let them take back their tales. Your Majesty is good to consider me so. But I shall not worry about these spies. So, dear Majesty, do not concern yourself with them.’
The King lifted his shoulders. It was for her to say, he reminded her.
‘The dear King,’ Caroline told Willikin, ‘he is so concerned for me. What a comfort after the way I have been treated in England. I should like to stay in Naples for the rest of my life!’
‘You’d be too restless, Mamma. You will be off on your travels again soon.’
Caroline laughed. ‘You are right, my dear Willikin.’
It was true that she did not stay much longer in Naples; and the reason was a dramatic one.
Napoleon had escaped from Elba and Caroline deemed it wise to leave without delay and in twenty-four hours was on board the Clorinde sailing for Genoa.
Genoa, into which she had a triumphant entry, all spangles and feathers, was excited to receive her and the people came out into the streets to look at the strange English Princess.
Pergami had arranged everything with his usual efficiency. ‘What should we do without the dear man?’ she demanded of Willikin who agreed with her that Pergami looked after them very well. Caroline was becoming more and more used to familiar with her attractive major-domo and treat such a gentleman, such a treasure, as a servant.
Often he sat down to a meal with her alone. ‘Just the two of us,’ she would say. And this delighted her, because he was so amusing and, as she confided to her servants, she enjoyed a tête-à-tête meal with Peragami more than a State banquet where there was too much noise and chatter and people had to shout until they wert hoarse to make themselves heard.
Lady Charlotte Campbell arrived in Genoa with six of her children, which was a great delight.
How were the little darlings? And how did they like travelling? And were they pleased to see the Princess again?
They were and so was their mother though a little shocked at the Princess’s manners which had grown even more free and easy since she left England.
And who, Lady Charlotte asked some of the members of the staff, was this man Bergami or Pergami whatever he called himself?
There was a little giggling and little shrugging of shoulders.
‘A great favourite with the Princess, Lady Charlotte. He is in constant attention. He’s the chamberlain but he’s more like her faithful companion.’
Lady Charlotte groaned. What indiscretions! There was talk of her eldest daughter’s having a post in the Princess’s household. Lady Charlotte was not sure that she wished for this.
Caroline, however, was unaware of the gossip. She was delighted to have Lady Charlotte with her and she would arrange for a house in the town for the children and their governess. As for Lady Charlotte, she would take up her old duties.
Then came sad news. At the battle of Quatre Bras‚ Caroline’s brother, the young Duke of Brunswick, had been killed.
Caroline shut herself up in her apartments and wept for her brother.
But very soon there was shouting in the streets and everyone was rejoicing.
Wellington and Blucher had met Napoleon at Waterloo and annihilated the French Army.
Peace at last— and this time a lasting peace because Napoleon could never rise again.
‘Now,’ said Caroline, ‘I can continue my journeyings in peace.’
There was startling news however from England. Samuel Whitbread who had been her fervent supporter had died by his own hand.
Caroline could not believe this to be true. He had always been such a vital man, a firm upholder of righteous causes. He had believed, it was said, that his public career was at an end, and this had depressed him. It seemed so pointless; he was rich, having retained a big share in the brewery; he was not old, being in the neighbourhood of fifty, and yet he had shut himself into his bedroom in his town house at thirty-five Dover Street and cut his throat.
Remembering the violent death of Spencer Perceval, Caroline said: ‘I seem to bring had luck to those who help me.’
Why was it that people did not wish to stay with her? Captain Hesse, her equerry, who was said to be the illegitimate son of the Duke of York, had come to her when the news of Napoleon’s escape was known and told her that he must rejoin his regiment. She fancied this was a good excuse. Gell and Craven had come to her as she was about to embark at Naples and told her that they must leave her unless she returned to England.
She had told them that she had no intention of doing that and laughed at them because they believed that rather than lose them she would do so.
But when she was alone she was depressed. Was no one faithful? Few, it seemed; but one who was, was her dear Bartolomeo Pergami. What would she have done without him?
The travels continued to Mantua and Ferraar, Bologna, Venice and Rome.
At each of the places Caroline passed through she behaved with a growing abandon. She dressed extravagantly and was heavily rouged and daubed with white lead; she rode through the streets in her fantastic feathered hats, the abundant curls of her many wigs flowing freely, she was a startling figure. But her conduct was more strange than her appearance. She was over-familiar; she walked the streets ostensibly incognito— picked up children, squatted on the pavements beside them, embraced them and gave them money; she cooked a meal now and then which she sat down and enjoyed with Pergami; she allowed him to come in and out of her bedroom at will, received him when she was in her bath, and took a great pleasure in shocking those about her in every way she could conceive.