William seemed a little sobered now, and the Queen said to him: "Now, William, you had better tell me exactly what all this is about."
It was amazing what the effect of a little regal authority had on William; he had grown considerably calmer.
"I have come to ask you to speak to the King about my engagement," he said.
"Pray sit down and tell me what this is all about."
William meekly obeyed.
"Now," said the Queen, "what was it that so induced you to forget your duty as to leave Portsmouth, and your manners as to burst in upon me and make such a scene before your sisters and their governesses?"
"This is a very serious matter."
"It is indeed. Desertion is punishable in the Navy by ... I know not what. But I am certain that it will be severe. But let me hear what this engagement is."
"Mamma, I am in love."
"My dear William, have you not yet learned that love and marriage do not always go together in the lives of princes?"
"Are you suggesting that I should indulge in an immoral relationship with Sarah?"
"Indeed, I am not. I am suggesting that you should never have been so foolish ... and so wicked ... as to become involved with her."
"Sarah is the most beautiful of girls. She is completely suited to the rank of Princess."
"But she is not, I imagine, of such a rank?"
"Of course she is not."
"Then pray tell me who she is."
"She is Sarah Martin—daughter of the Commissioner of Portsmouth in whose house I lodge."
"I see. And you imagine yourself to be in love with her."
"There is no imagination about it. I am."
"And you propose to marry her. You must know, William, that without your father's consent and that of the Parliament such a marriage would not be legal."
"George does not seem to think so."
"George! You are referring to the Prince of Wales, I suppose. Let me tell you that this Royal Marriage Act applies to you all ... George included, even though he may be the Prince of Wales."
"Mamma, we may be princes but we are still men."
The Queen looked with exasperation at her son who hurried on: "If you do not approve of my marriage to Sarah I am ready to abandon everything to be with her. I shall be happy enough as Lieutenant Guelph. In fact that is what I am known as in the Navy. I prefer it. I would rather be a commoner and free than a prince and a prisoner."
"No one is suggesting that you should be a prisoner, William. Only that you should observe the laws of your country as we all have to do."
"All men—except the members of our family—may marry as they please. That is the greatest freedom of all. Mamma, I will marry Sarah. I must make Papa see. Where is he now? Perhaps I could go to him and explain ..."
"My dear William, His Majesty is greatly worried by your brother's conduct. I pray you do not add to his anxieties."
"And what of George? I suppose he will have his way. I suppose he will find some way out of his ... his ... cage."
"I will not listen to such foolish talk. Your brother will marry as you will, which is as the King wishes."
"Oh, I can see that it is important to George. His son would be the King. But surely it cannot be so important for me. There is Frederick to come before me. Mamma, will you speak to the King?"
The Queen was silent. She imagined the King's reaction to this news. She pictured his coming in now and finding his son in Windsor when he should be in Portsmouth. The shock would be terrible; and she was afraid of these shocks. Heaven knew what the Prince of Wales was doing. They must expect shocks from that direction. But that William, their third son, should suddenly present them with his problem was quite unexpected.
It would never do for the King to find his son here. It would be much better if she could break the news gently.
"I will speak to your father, William," she said.
"Oh, Mamma." He took her hand and kissed it. How affectionate they are, she thought, when they want something.
"You will plead with him? You will tell him how important this is to me? Tell him that he need not be ashamed of welcoming Sarah into the family circle. She is good ... and beautiful, and would be an asset to any family."
"I am sure she would," said the Queen. "I will speak to your lather on condition that you return immediately to Portsmouth."
The Prince stared at her in dismay.
"I will see that you hear the King's decision there. But if you stay here I can do nothing. For one thing His Majesty will be so enraged when he sees that you have deserted your post that lie will not listen to you. Go back as quickly and quietly as you can to Portsmouth and I will take the first opportunity of speaking to your father."
He took her hands and looked earnestly in her face.
"You will speak for me."
"Yes, my son, I will speak for you."
He kissed her hands fervently.
She thought: If only George would ask me to do something for him. But George was different from William. He went his way without needing any help from his mother. He was after all Prince of Wales.
"Thank you, Mamma. I will return to Portsmouth at once ... and you will speak to the King."
"At the first opportunity," the Queen promised.
The King came in from hunting the stag in Windsor Forest, looking tired; but then he almost always did nowadays. The Queen thought: He takes too much exercise. He forces himself to, because he thinks it is good for his health and will reduce his weight. But he was growing fatter in spite of all his efforts; his face was a deeper shade of red and there was a tinge of purple in it, but perhaps that was due to those white eyebrows. His eyes seemed to bulge more than they used to.
I watch him too critically, she thought. I am too anxious.
She asked him if she could have a word alone with him. He looked surprised. "Eh, what?"
"At Your Majesty's convenience." She did not wish to make it sound too important. She had no wish to worry him in advance.
In due course they were alone and she said to him: "A disturbing thing happened today. William came here."
"William." The white brows shot up; the blue eyes bulged; the colour in the too colourful face deepened. "William! Left Portsmouth! Eh? What for? What did he do that for? Why did he leave Portsmouth, eh, what?"
Oh dear. The rapid speech, the repetitions. Always a bad sign.
"He has one of these notions which young people get. He's fallen in love with the Commissioner's daughter and wants to marry her."
"Marry her. Is he mad, eh?"
The Queen shivered. She hated that word.
She said quickly: "He is young. Your Majesty knows what young men are. I think some action will have to be taken and Your Majesty will know what."
"Action, eh, I should think so. What is this? How far has it gone? What is the girl? Commissioner's daughter? He lodges in the Commissioner's house. So that's it! Well, it will have to be stopped, of course. Young fool. Will have to stop being a ... a young fool. And he came here. How dare he? Desertion, that's what it was. Does he think because he's my son he can flout the rules of the Navy? We'll have to teach that young puppy a lesson or two."
The Queen thought of the "lessons' which had been taught the boys when they were younger. This had been the application of the cane—often by the King himself. He had declared to the Queen, "Only way ... only way you can train young puppies." And she had hated to hear the screams of the boys and had been a little frightened by the fury and resentment she had seen in their eyes towards their father ... and this applied particularly to the Prince of Wales. Of course William could not be allowed to marry this Sarah Martin, but she was sorry for William—and she hoped the King would not be too severe.
"He is in love with this Sarah ..." began the Queen.