‘I realise that,’ said Albert.
‘A Regent should be appointed and as you know it is always necessary to prepare these matters in advance of the improbability.’
‘Whom would you suggest as Regent?’
‘I feel, and I am sure that the Queen would agree with me, that the best man for the post would be the Queen’s husband.’
‘I can only trust that such an eventuality will never arise.’
‘Amen,’ said Lord Melbourne.
Lord Melbourne wrote to the Queen that he was anxious about Her Majesty and was pleased to learn that she was well on the morning following that unfortunate incident.
‘It is impossible not to shudder at the thought of it,’ wrote Lord Melbourne.
Viscount Palmerston wrote congratulating the Queen on her escape and begged to be allowed to express the horror with which he had heard of the diabolical attempt.
Uncle Leopold’s letter said that he could not find words strong enough to express his horror at what had happened and his happiness and delight to hear of her escape from a danger which was very great indeed.
When Lord Melbourne arrived he kissed both her hands and the tears started to his eyes.
‘It was terrible … terrible …’ he said.
‘But I escaped and all is well.’
For which I can never be sufficiently grateful.’
‘And what of the man who tried to kill me?’
‘They have captured him. He is a barman named Edward Oxford. He is mad and will spend the rest of his days in a lunatic asylum.’
‘Poor man! How dreadful for him. But I am glad he was not in his right mind when he tried to kill me.’
‘He will have no opportunity to make more attempts.’
‘Dear Lord Melbourne,’ said the Queen, ‘I believe you are more shaken by this affair than I am.’
Lord Melbourne said he thought that was very likely.
Chapter VIII
THE PRINCESS ROYAL
The Baroness was disturbed. It was becoming increasingly clear that the Prince was establishing himself more firmly in the household and the closer he came to the Queen, must inevitably, as the Baroness saw it, drive a wedge between herself and Her Majesty.
Victoria was as devoted and loyal as ever; Louise Lehzen held her sway by a mixture of complete devotion, overwhelming affection and a touch of the old governess authority which she had used to good effect when Victoria was a child. With the arrival of Lord Melbourne in the Queen’s life, Lehzen’s position had not been affected. She was still in command of the household. A husband, however, was a different proposition and the antagonism between her and Albert grew every day.
She was terrified that one day he would ask for her dismissal. Victoria would never agree to that and for all her femininity and her demonstrations of affection, Lehzen knew better than anyone that behind this was a will of iron. She had to keep her hold on Victoria’s affections and this she could have done until the end of her life, but since Albert had come and shown so clearly that he was her enemy she was beginning to feel afraid. The fact that Lord Melbourne had now become his ally added to her perturbation.
It had been very different when the Prime Minister had treated the Prince as of not much account, merely brought to the country to be a handsome husband for Her Majesty and of course to provide the heir. But if Lord Melbourne was going to treat him seriously and he was to have more say in affairs – and that meant affairs of the household as well as those of state – then the Baroness Lehzen could see trouble.
‘For,’ she told herself, as she sat disconsolately chewing her caraway seeds, ‘we were against each other from the first.’
They understood each other too well. Two Germans living in a foreign land; in their way they were recognizable types. Albert’s precise discipline, his love of order, his seriousness, his lack of humour, were characteristics which the Baroness had seen so many times in her fellow countrymen. Her determination to keep what she had, her unswerving devotion, that sublimation of herself to an ideal – Albert would understand this.
The trouble was that each felt that their only way to succeed was to be rid of the other.
At first the Baroness had been delighted to see Albert relegated to blotting the Queen’s signature; she was the one who was in the Queen’s confidence; she had now and then read state papers and given her opinion; and the dear sweet Queen had listened as attentively as she used to in the old days when Lehzen told her stories as she did her hair.
But between them, Anson the secretary, Baron Stockmar and Lord Melbourne were changing that.
And now to make him Regent was the last straw.
Victoria noticed her preoccupation.
‘Dearest Daisy, what is the matter?’ she asked. ‘You really are rather absent-minded, you know.’
‘Well, I may as well say it. You notice everything. I always did declare that it was impossible to hide anything from you. I feel put out.’
‘But why?’
‘It is this Regency. The idea! I just can’t bear to think of it.’
‘Oh, that,’ said the Queen, it’s just a precaution, you know, in case …’
Lehzen turned away. ‘How could they think of such a thing.’
Victoria put her arms about Lehzen and hugged her. ‘You dear stupid old Lehzen,’ she said, ‘it doesn’t mean I’m going to die because they have arranged for a Regency.’
‘I don’t like it.’
‘Oh, dearest Daisy, nor do I. When I think of what lies before me … and poor dear Lady John Russell …’
‘My dearest love, I shall be at hand. I fear I may be rather brusque with some people if they try to keep me from you.’
‘You need have no fear of being kept from me. I should never allow that.’
‘I feel happier now.’
‘Silly Daisy! You should never have thought of such a thing.’
‘I can’t help it. I don’t like this idea of a Regency.’
‘It’s not so much the baby as the fact that that man shot at me. It could happen again and if it did … well there would be no sovereign, so a Regent would be necessary for a time.’
‘I can’t bear to think of it. If I could get my hands on that fellow who tried to hurt you …’
‘He was mad, Daisy. Lord Melbourne says he will be sent to an asylum.’
‘It terrifies me. I want to be at hand always to make sure.’
‘And so you shall. But don’t be alarmed, Daisy. Remember I have always been in some sort of danger. Do you remember how terrified you all used to be that my Uncle Cumberland was going to try to do away with me?’
‘And not without reason.’
‘Oh, Uncle Cumberland is a very wicked man. I’ve no doubt of that. And even now he’s the King of Hanover he probably still dreams of taking the crown of England. He must be gnashing his teeth now that he knows that I’m going to have a baby. Oh, Lehzen, do you think that he … I mean do you think that this man Oxford was paid by my uncle …’
‘He was a madman,’ said Lehzen.
‘Of course. Uncle Cumberland wouldn’t dare. I wonder why uncles are always cast as villains. I suppose it was since the Princes were murdered in the Tower and their uncle Richard III was suspected of the deed.’
‘Uncles are sometimes in a position to benefit from the death of their nephews and nieces. Like Richard III and the King of Hanover. But you are going to be safe. I shall see to that.’
‘When I was little I had a vague notion that I was in danger, and it was easy to see why. I was never allowed to be in a room alone and someone always had to accompany me even down the stairs.’