‘He’s going blind they say.’
‘But he will recover. He is going to Germany to a doctor there.’
They were silent for a second or so but it was too happy an occasion for sadness and Madame Bourdin was watching them to make sure that they danced the steps correctly.
‘Soon,’ said Victoria, ‘it will not be a children’s ball but a grown-up one.’
‘I shall claim the first dance at your first grown-up ball.’
Victoria laughed. What fun it was to have a young and handsome cousin like George Cambridge. Poor George Cumberland was sadly afflicted, but there were other cousins in Germany. Mamma had spoken of them occasionally.
The dance was at an end and she must not dance all the time with the same partner. The Queen brought to her those young gentlemen who had been selected for the honour of dancing with her and so the time passed until it was time for supper and the Queen took her to the King who led her to the supper room. There she sat between the King and the Queen and everyone drank her health and wished her long life and happiness which was very affecting.
Then she went back to the ballroom to dance once more; it was such a happy ball she wished it would never come to an end. She noted gleefully that it was midnight and still she was dancing.
But a few minutes later the ball was over and she was in the carriage driving back to Kensington. The Duchess sat beside her and Victoria closed her eyes and pretended to be sleepy because she was afraid that Mamma would talk disparagingly about the King and Queen and so spoil it all. She did not want to hear anything against anyone on that night. It was all so perfect and she wanted it to remain so.
The next day she wrote an account of it in her Journal which she finished with the words: ‘I was very much amused.
Chapter XII
THE COUSINS FROM WÜRTTEMBERG
There was a great deal of excitement in Kensington Palace that June because two of Victoria’s cousins, Alexander and Ernest, the Princes of Württemberg, who were the sons of the Duchess’s sister, were to visit England.
‘Of course,’ said the Duchess to Sir John, ‘there will be speculation at St James’s.’
‘Naturally, and with good reason,’ he replied.
‘I should certainly want Victoria to marry someone from my side of the family.’
‘Most certainly,’ agreed Sir John.
‘And these dear boys are charming. It will be interesting to watch Victoria’s reactions.’
‘She is inclined to react favourably to some members of her opposite sex.’
‘I certainly do not like her fondness for George Cambridge.’
‘And you can be sure Their Majesties are delighted by it.’
‘They will be shown,’ said the Duchess haughtily.
She sent for Victoria to prime her about the visiting cousins.
‘You will want to be very hospitable to your cousins,’ she said. ‘And I am sure you will be on your best behaviour.’
Victoria was silent. Did Mamma think she was a child, who did not know how to behave with visiting relatives?
‘I have planned some excursions for your cousins. They will naturally want to see as much of England as they can … and of us.’
‘Why yes, Mamma, I suppose that is why they are coming.’
‘They are coming, my dear, because I have invited them.’
‘But of course, Mamma.’
The Duchess was becoming more and more uneasy about Victoria. Fortunately four more years must elapse before she was of age.
The day of arrival was a Sunday and Victoria was overcome with impatience to see the cousins. She chatted to Lehzen about them. They were quite old … that was older than the Georges. They would be different, too, for the Georges were being brought up to be very English and the Württemberg cousins would be very German. It was most exciting to have male cousins. There were two others whom Mamma mentioned now and then – the sons of her brother, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha – Ernest and Albert. She hoped to meet them too one day.
‘You will,’ said Lehzen.
‘Oh, I do hope so. But in the meantime we have these dear cousins from Württemberg.’
The day went on much as usual. She found it hard to concentrate on prayers, which was such a pity, for the Rev. Mr Pittman – who substituted for the poor Dean whose little daughter had died of scarlet fever so that the poor man was too overcome to take prayers – gave an excellent sermon, his text being ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’ She had trained herself to remember such details, for Mamma expected to see them all recorded in her Journal, which, she admitted to herself, was very good training for her.
At three o’clock in the afternoon the cousins arrived, and from the moment she saw them she was enchanted with them. They were so tall and handsome and vied with each other to charm their little cousin. The Duchess was delighted with them, too, and she took them into her drawing-room and asked all sorts of questions about the family, which Victoria found most interesting. Later they went for a drive in the park and were back at the Palace in time for dinner.
Victoria confided to Lehzen that night that she was fond of them already.
‘I am very pleased to hear it,’ said Lehzen. ‘And I am sure they are ready to be as fond of you … very fond.’
It was so pleasant to be admired.
‘They are extremely tall,’ said Victoria with a laugh. ‘And Alexander is very handsome.’
‘So you prefer Alexander?’
‘Well, Ernest has a very kind expression; but I think they are both extremely amiable.’
Lehzen looked more pleased than ever and Victoria added that she thought she was going to be very much amused.
‘So,’ said William to Adelaide, ‘that woman has brought her relations over. Those two young men! You know what this is for, eh?’
‘I suppose she feels she wants to look around for a husband. Victoria is fourteen now. She may well be married in four years’ time.’
‘She’ll have to have my consent,’ said the King grimly. ‘And Victoria is to have George.’
The Queen sighed. ‘I hope so. But I daresay if Victoria wanted someone else you would not be the one to withhold your consent.’
‘That’s what that woman knows, Adelaide. She wants to lead the child not where she wants to go but what suits my lady Duchess best, and I won’t have it. I want the child to be happy, as you know. But that woman would force her into a marriage whether she wished it or not.’
‘Perhaps you would like to have a look at these young men.’
‘I should.’
‘Then I will give a ball for them and we will invite the entire Kensington party.’
‘You do that, Adelaide; and I shall let that woman know that she is not going to bring one of her miserable nephews over here to be the consort of the Queen of England.’
When the Duchess received the invitation to St James’s she was furious.
‘You know what this means,’ she cried to Sir John. ‘They want to look them over. I should not be surprised if that old buffoon isn’t planning some discourtesy to my nephews.’
‘He suspects, of course, that you have asked them here as possible suitors for Victoria.’
‘Then he suspects rightly.’
‘You will have to go carefully. Remember that his consent would have to be given. There is that Royal Marriage Bill to consider.’
‘Marriage for Victoria is some years away.’
‘That’s true. But he and the Queen want her to take young Cambridge. That’s why they want to see Victoria and the Prince together.’