‘Henry Holland is the architect we need,’ said the Prince, ‘and I’ll have that Frenchman Gaubert for the inside decorations. And of one thing I am certain: there shall be no delay.’
Nor was there. The Prince was kept informed of how the work progressed – and it did so at a great pace.
No expense was spared. Why should it be? This was for the Prince of Wales and Parliament had voted a sum of £39 000 to pay his debts.
The Prince was happy and excited.
He had visited his Uncle Cumberland who had a house by the sea and he found the place enchanting. Brighthelmstone – Brighton for short. He spent his time supervising the alterations to Carlton House, designing his clothes, dancing, drinking with men like Fox and Sheridan, making love with his mistresses, gambling, horse-racing, attending prize fights and driving down to Brighton. He had designed his own phaeton with which he always used three horses one before the other like a team – a postilion mounted on the first and himself driving the other two. It was the speediest vehicle on the road.
Artists, mercers, tailors, furriers, shoemakers, waited on him daily. He discussed with Gaubert the pillars of porphyry he would have erected in the hall; he chose yellow Chinese silk to line the walls of his drawing room; he even had a bathroom installed and this was to lead from his bedchamber.
All the alterations he planned could not be completed before his twenty-first birthday, but the house must be made ready for his occupation by that time. And this would be done.
He was contented. Even when it was decided he should receive only £62 000 a year instead of the hoped for £100 000, he was not unduly dismayed. He would go on making plans for Carlton House for a long time to come – but in the meantime he would live there. At last his dream had come true. He had his own establishment. He was independent. Now he would do as he liked. Not even the King should curb the Prince of Wales.
In November 1783 three months after his twenty-first birthday, the Prince took his seat in the House of Lords.
It seemed as though the whole of London had come out to see him ride through the streets on his way from Carlton House.
And it was well worth it. The Prince was a dazzling spectacle dressed in black velvet embroidered with gold and sprinkled with pink spangles; the heels of his shoes were the same pink as the spangles; and his hair was frizzed and curled.
The people cheered him wildly. They were greatly interested in the work going on at Carlton House. The Prince was extravagant, but this gave work to thousands and the builders and mercers, the tailors and hairdressers could not speak too highly of him. He was setting new fashions, and fashions were good for trade.
The Lords – in the traditional scarlet and ermine – were astounded by the unconventional but spectacular appearance of their Prince.
His maiden speech was greeted with loyal cheers. All forward looking men, he believed, had their eyes fixed on him.
He existed, he announced, by the love, the friendship and the benevolence of the people. He would never forsake their cause as long as he lived.
When he left the House of Lords he went to the Commons where his friend Fox was speaking in defence of the East India Bill, the object of which was to put the Company under the jurisdiction of directors who should be selected by the Government.
Fox – whose Bill this was – spoke passionately in its favour, but he had a strong opponent in young William Pitt, a boy of about twenty-four who had all the fire and shrewdness of his father, the Great Commoner. The Prince knew that young Pitt had to be watched for the King was taking him into favour – largely because he was an opponent of Fox’s.
When the Prince entered the Commons and took his place in the gallery all eyes were on him – and not only because of his black velvet and pink spangles; but because this was a gesture. He had come to hear Mr Fox, to applaud Mr Fox and to show parliament that he stood with Mr Fox against enemies even though the chief of these was the King.
Mr Fox looked ruefully about his lodgings at St James’s. He would have to sell every piece of furniture that was left if he was going to fight this election. He could no longer stave off his creditors; his gambling debts were enormous. If he were going to fight this Westminster election he must have the money to do so.
And there was no question of his fighting. He must fight.
This was one of the rare moments when he forced himself to think about money. Lucky Prince of Wales, he thought ruefully, with a parliament to take care of his debts.
But there was nothing he enjoyed like a fight – so he must call in the dealers and sell his home – and after that? He would trust to luck which had never really deserted him so far.
The coalition had fallen on his East India Bill which although it had passed through the Commons was thrown out of the Lords. Fox knew how this had happened. The King had written to Lord Temple telling him to make it known that he would consider as his enemy any man who voted for the Bill. Although not all the lords were intimidated by this threat, the Bill was defeated by a narrow margin; and this had brought down the Government. With what joy had the King commanded Fox and North to return their seals of office!
The King had then summoned young William Pitt and appointed him Prime Minister.
‘We have a schoolboy to rule us,’ was the comment, for Pitt was twenty-four years of age.
But he was the son of the great Pitt and had already shown signs of having inherited his father’s powers.
And then … Pitt demanded a dissolution of Parliament – and the result was this election which Fox could ill afford to fight.
While he sat wondering where he would go when he had sold up his home, his manservant announced a visitor.
He rose to greet Mrs Armistead.
She looked very elegant. There was no sign now of the lady’s maid.
‘My dear Lizzie,’ said Fox, taking her hand and kissing it.
‘I hope I have not called at an inconvenient time?’
‘It is in fact most convenient. Had you called a few days later that would have been another matter. Then I might not have had a chair to offer you.’
‘Ah, yes, this election. You have to fight it.’
He nodded. ‘And to provide the means I shall sell all my possessions.’
‘And then?’
‘I shall win.’
‘Of a certainty, but I was thinking of your home.’
Fox shrugged his shoulders.
‘You will need somewhere to live.’
‘I have friends.’
‘Devonshire House?’ she asked. ‘But your stay there would be temporary. You must have a home, Mr Fox. There is one waiting for you at Chertsey.’
He rose and took her by the shoulders. He was visibly moved, which was touching in a man such as he was.
She looked at him steadily. ‘I think,’ she said slowly, ‘that when I bought my home, when I accumulated my little fortune, I had something like this in mind. You are a brilliant man, Mr Fox, but a somewhat feckless one.’
He raised those bushy eyebrows which added to his unkempt appearance and said: ‘My dear dear Lizzie, are you sure that you are not at this moment being guilty of the one feckless action of a hitherto sensible career?’
‘I am quite sure, Mr Fox, because if you decide to come to Chertsey the purpose of my sensible career will have been achieved.’
He was silent for a moment and then he said: ‘I cannot understand why this good fortune should be mine, for even if I lost the Westminster election I should still be one of the most fortunate men on earth.’
‘But you will not lose, Mr Fox.’