Am I? wondered Charlotte. What will life be like with my new husband in England? "I shall play the harpsichord to them," she announced. "Perhaps it will comfort them. If I leave the door of my saloon open they will be able to hear it as they lie on their bunks.”
Charlotte played and found pleasure in playing; but the poor ladies were unaware of anything but their own misery. The wind dropped suddenly and the storm was over; sun dappled the grey waters turning them to green and opalesque. One by one the ladies rose from their bunks. The change in them was miraculous. Schwellenburg became her old domineering self, Haggerdorn her faithful second; and the two English ladies put on their poised elegance as though it were a gown and were soon as beautiful as ever.
As these two dressed themselves and the horror of the last days faded and as the Duchess of Ancaster said she felt like a human being again, they discussed together the advisability of warning the Queen of the King's attachment to Sarah Lennox. The Duchess of Ancaster thought it unwise; the Marchioness of Lome was not so sure.
"She is so plain ... That mouth of hers makes her look like a crocodile.”
"Poor creature. George is going to be so disappointed. I'll swear they've told him she's a beauty.”
"Queens are always credited with more beauty than they actually possess. George should know that and discount half of what he has heard.”
"George is so unworldly. It would never occur to him to doubt.”
"And what of the little Lennox?”
"What of her?”
"You know the King bitterly regrets not marrying her.”
"Oh, that is over and George is such a good young man. They say he won't give Sarah a thought once he is married to Charlotte.”
"Do you believe that?" asked the Duchess scornfully.
"No," answered the Marchioness.
"But I believe that it is better for Charlotte to discover this for herself. Though we could at least try to make her a little more attractive.”
"A difficult task," retorted the Duchess.
"Still ... a little improvement might be possible. I shall try.”
"Grim Schwellenburg will be most displeased.”
"Let her. She doesn't know the competition Charlotte will have to face in Sarah Lennox.”
"Sarah's a pretty little thing, but she's not exactly a beauty.”
"She has something more than beauty. Charm. And she's young.”
"So is Charlotte.”
"More's the pity. She would have a better chance of winning George from Sarah if she were a little older, a little more experienced. I think her appearance could be improved a little ... though that mouth would spoil anything. But I think we ought to try.”
Albert was dressing Charlotte's hair. The two English women looked on rather sadly and the Duchess of Ancaster suggested that Her Majesty might like to try an English style.
Charlotte answered promptly, "No, I should not.”
"A little toupee ... beautifully curled ... would make a great deal of difference to Your Majesty's appearance," added the Marchioness. Charlotte studied the hair of the two ladies and remarked coolly that she believed the style in which Albert dressed her hair was as becoming as theirs.
The ladies were silent. Perhaps she was right in thinking no hairstyle could add beauty to such a plain face.
"If the King wishes me to wear a periwig I will do so," added Charlotte. "But until he asks it I shall remain as I am.”
"The King likes to see ladies dressed in a feminine English style.”
"As you are dressed?" asked Charlotte.
"That is so, Your Majesty.”
Charlotte studied them, her head on one side. "I do not think it is the style of dress that is becoming. I understand you are two of the most beautiful women of the King's Court, but it is not your dress which makes you so. No, I shall dress as I have always dressed, and shall not try to ape you, my ladies.”
The two women exchanged glances. They had done what they could. The King was going to find his bride vastly different from lovely Sarah Lennox.
"The King," Charlotte was saying, 'may dress as he likes and I shall dress as I please.”
"Your Majesty will doubtless make your decisions when you have seen Court fashions.”
"Doubtless, but I have no intention of changing my ways unless the King expressly wishes it.”
She was gaining confidence. It was wonderful what the sea trip had done for her. To have seen these elegant women in the throes of seasickness while she herself sat playing the harpsichord for their comfort had done a great deal for her. The girl, who had dared to write to Frederick the Great was not going to be persuaded into wearing fashions which she was not at all sure would suit her.
Moreover, if she were dressed as they were the comparison would be even more unkind; and if she could not be a beauty, at least she would stand out by the strangeness of her costume.
"Tell me what you know of the King," she said, to show them that the subject of dress was not to be mentioned again.
The King had changed since his accession, they told her. He had always been serious, but now he was more so. He was often closeted for hours in the company of Lord Bute and his mother who acted as his chief adviser much to the disgust of Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox.
What were his amusements?
He danced a little. He was not exactly a good dancer, but he was a very skilful one; he played cards a little, but not for high stakes. He was going to reform the Court, everyone said; because in the days of his grandfather this had been at times scandalous.
"His Majesty rises early and therefore likes to retire early.”
"Oh," cried Charlotte, "I do not relish going to bed with the chickens. And I have no intention of doing so.”
The ladies were further surprised. It seemed that Charlotte was growing more and more confident as they came closer to the shores of England.
Lord Anson who was in command of the expedition told Lord Harcourt that he had decided to put in at Harwich instead of going to Greenwich as had been planned. The storms had driven them so far off course that it would be more convenient to go to Harwich. Moreover, he feared they might run into a French man-o'-war if they travelled farther south and Lord Harcourt could guess what that would mean.
Lord Harcourt expressed his misgivings that there would be no welcome awaiting the Queen at Harwich, as there most certainly would be at Greenwich where she was expected.
"Better an unwelcomed bride than a prisoner of the French," was Anson's sage reply, and Lord Harcourt agreed with him.
Thus Charlotte first stepped ashore at Harwich. It was three o'clock in the afternoon on 7 September and a fortnight since they had sailed away from Cuxhaven. Everyone except Charlotte was relieved to set foot on dry land and as soon as it was realized that the Queen was in Harwich the Mayor summoned his aldermen to give her a welcome. This had to be brief, for Lord Harcourt explained to the Mayor that they must leave Harwich without delay as they were expected in London immediately. So two hours later they had reached Colchester where at the house of a certain Mr. Enew they stopped to drink tea, which Lord Harcourt reminded the Queen she would find refreshing. She did, and she was particularly delighted to receive a box of eringo root which was one of the products of the town. Tasting this she found it to be a delicious sweetmeat and Lord Harcourt explained to her that the sweets were made from the roots of the eringo which was a kind of sea holly, and it was the custom of the inhabitants of Colchester to give boxes of this sweetmeat to members of the royal family who honoured their town by visiting it.
They left Colchester for Witham, where they were to spend the night at the mansion of Lord Abercorn; but alas Lord Abercorn was away in London, being unaware that he was to receive such an honoured guest. However those members of his family who were at home proceeded to show their loyalty to the Crown by arranging as impressive an occasion as they could manage at such short notice and members of the nobility from the surrounding country having heard of Charlotte's arrival came hurrying to be presented to her.