‘Glad to hear it, glad to hear it. Don’t forget you’ll be taking your place in the House of Lords in two years’ time.’
‘Two years,’ said the Prince ironically.
‘Seems far ahead. Not so. Not so. I know what it’s like at your age. I was young once myself, you know.’
Indeed, thought the Prince sarcastically. Your Majesty surprises me. But he merely smiled sycophantishly. There was no point in antagonizing the old man further at this stage. That would come when he did take his part in politics and ranged himself beside Fox against his father.
‘Well, well, this has all the appearance of a long contest that will end as it ought by the colonies returning to the mother country and I tell you this: I will never put my hand to any other conclusion of this business.’
No point in telling him that Mr Fox thought differently, that Mr Fox believed that there would never have been any conflict between the mother country and her colonies if it had not been for the stupidity of the King and certain of his ministers.
It was irksome indeed to be still under the jurisdiction of such a bumbling old fool. Two more years before he could hope for complete freedom! In the meantime he had to be content with a little more than he was allowed as a boy. His cage was opened now and then; he was allowed to fly out provided he made sure of returning.
The King, thought the Prince – and he believed this because Fox had told him it was so – was a monarch who believed he should have supreme power in the country. He treated his Prime Minister, Lord North, as the man who should carry out the royal orders. This, according to Fox, was the reason why the best men in the country – Fox implied men like himself – would not serve the King. That was why they must put up with the mistakes of a second-rate politician like North. The troubles of the country were largely due to this attitude of the King’s and it was one which no government worthy of its name would allow. A government headed by Fox would never allow itself to be dictated to. Pitt’s had been such a government and it was under Pitt that England had gained an Empire; it was during North’s ministry that England was losing one.
Oh wait, thought the Prince. Wait until I am of age. Wait till I take my place in the House of Lords. Wait till I show my hand. Then it will be Fox and the Prince. Men of intelligence at the head of affairs, not two old idiots like North and the King.
The King had now started on a lecture about the evils of gambling, drink and women. The Prince must remember his position. Never gamble. It meant heavy debts. (The Prince mildly wondered what he owed.) Drink ruined any man – physically and mentally. As for the company of light women that meant scandal; and that was something of which the royal family had to beware more than anything.
‘That play actress …’ said the King gruffly. ‘It’s over now, is it?’
The Prince could say truthfully that it was.
‘Good thing. Hope you realize now … those women can be dangerous. Grosvenor’s wife and your uncle Cumberland. Shouldn’t go there, you know. They’re not received and it looks bad.’
‘I don’t intend to go there so much in future.’
‘That’s good … that’s good.’
‘And that fellow Fox. He’s sharp. I don’t trust him. Hear you see something of him. And Sheridan. They say he’s a clever fellow. Can’t see it. Writes a few plays … just words … words … and married that good woman and treats her badly. These people are no good to you. Understand, eh, what?’
The Prince changed the subject. ‘Several people have invited me to their houses. I thought I would do a tour of the country. It might be interesting and the people like to see us in other parts of the country besides the south.’
He was thinking: It would be an excellent idea. He would get right away from Perdita in case she became importunate. She had dared come to Windsor to see him. Impertinence. But Perdita could be persistent and she was not going to be easily cast off. He remembered the protestations he had made of fidelity. Well, it was the usual lover’s talk. And how was he to have known that she would be so melancholy and write those dreadful poems about how she had suffered and all she had given up. It had become unendurable. No one could have endured it – few would as long as he had.
‘Oh,’ said the King, ‘where have these invitations come from, eh what?’
The Prince told him, enumerating some of the most well-known families in the country.
The King grunted. They would entertain him lavishly. There would be drinking and gambling and women. He did not think that this was the time for his son to go gallivanting all over the country. Not until he was a little more mature … and the King was a little more sure of what was going on in his mind. He seemed to have improved a little but he could not be sure.
‘When did they wish you to go, eh, what?’
‘Almost immediately. Before the summer is over. Travelling up to the north would present difficulties later.’
‘H’m. Have to think about this. After all, Prince of Wales has his duties. Have to be careful. Go to one, and another wouldn’t like it. Understand, eh, what?’
‘No,’ said the Prince. ‘I hope to visit frequently and if I don’t take in some this visit I’ll do another later. I think it is wrong for us to stay in the south all the time as though we hadn’t a country outside this area.’
‘Oh, you do, do you? Well, we’ll see. I’ll look into this and let you know my decision.’
The Prince’s face was pink. He could not keep on friendly terms with the old man for long. He was impossible. How much longer must he be treated like a child. He knew the answer to that. Two years. Not until he was twenty-one could he escape.
But the visit to Windsor had its compensations.
At the dinner which preceded the birthday ball he found himself seated next to the lovely Lady Augusta Campbell.
The banquet was held in St George’s Hall and to accommodate the eighty members of the nobility who were the guests of the royal family three long tables had been set up. At the head of one of these sat the King and Queen and at another the Prince of Wales.
Lady Augusta was young and charming and she talked gaily of the review in the Park which had taken place that afternoon as part of the birthday celebrations. The Prince talked to no one else and this was noticed – and not without some dismay by Lady Augusta’s mother, the Duchess of Argyll.
As soon as the banquet was over and the ball began the Prince danced with Lady Augusta and it was clear that he was reluctant to partner anyone else.
There were whispers and sly glances. He has finished with Perdita Robinson. Will Lady Augusta be the next? And what of Dally the Tall? Was she going to stand aside and see the prize snatched from her by this young inexperienced girl.
Lady Augusta was certainly a lovely creature. She lacked the art of beautifying herself which a woman like Perdita Robinson possessed; but beside the actress she would seem young and pure.
During the evening the Prince persuaded her to leave the ballroom and walk in the moonlit park, but when he attempted to kiss her she was a little reluctant.
‘Why?’ he demanded. ‘Don’t you know I have fallen in love with you?’
‘Oh yes,’ she answered. ‘I know that – or you have for me what passes for love. But where could it lead? My parents will never allow me to be your mistress and yours would never allow you to be my husband.’
‘Ah, my dearest angel, I am not so easily defeated.’
But she was firm, and although she was undoubtedly attracted by him she was not so much so that she would forget discretion.