As her position warranted she took her place near the throne, by which Charlotte was standing, as one by one the peers and peeresses came to do homage to her. She felt suddenly alone because she could not speak English and once again she was determined to learn as quickly as she could. The Marchioness was announcing the names of the people as they approached the Queen; they then knelt and kissed her hand and swore allegiance.
"Lord Westmorland," said the Marchioness; and that nobleman came forward, peering from side to side for he was, the Marchioness whispered to her, almost blind.
Charlotte smiled at him kindly but he did not see her, and, to the outward consternation and secret amusement of all, he knelt and took the hand of Sarah Lennox who was standing close to the Queen.
"No ... no ..." hissed the Marchioness, while Sarah sprang back as though she had been bitten.
The Queen held out her hand and Lord Westmorland kissed it. Charlotte did not see the old man; she was aware only of the hush which had fallen on the assembly.
Charlotte had her first clash with her mother-in-law a few days later. She was preparing to take Communion and her ladies had put out all her new jewels, since this was an occasion when they believed she would wear them. The Princess Augusta, the elder of George's sisters, had come to her apartment to see her and so was present when Charlotte announced that she did not believe it was seemly to take Communion in a tiara and stomacher of diamonds.
"Why not?" Augusta asked in her peremptory way. Charlotte resented the Princess's attitude towards her, but as they were both speaking in French a language foreign to them both she could never be sure whether she had interpreted correctly.
"It does not seem to me to show proper respect.”
Augusta laughed; she had a harsh unpleasant laugh. She was resentful that George who was younger than she was should have married before her; and she had always thought it unfair that she, the first born, should have been a girl. This attitude did not endear her to Charlotte, though she was secretly amused that George had got a little Crocodile (it was a term which was being applied to Charlotte on account of that ungainly mouth of hers which everyone admitted did call the obnoxious creatures to mind) when he had set his heart on flighty Sarah Lennox.
Augusta had done all she could to foil that romance and she had often succeeded in discomfiting Madame Sarah; all the same this did not endear her to Charlotte, who was not only younger than herself, but above her in position, being Queen of England. And come from some wretched little state which no one had heard of before the suggested marriage, thought Augusta.
"We feel it would show a lack of respect to appear without them.”
"I do not believe the disciples wore jewels at the Last Supper.”
Impudent little crocodile, thought Augusta. So she would argue! "They had none. That's why.”
"I do not think jewels in keeping with the occasion," said Charlotte with a touch of that authority which she had displayed to her attendants on her way to London.
"And I shall continue in the way I have been brought up to believe is the right one.”
Augusta flushed angrily and asked leave to depart. This was given with alacrity, and once out of the apartment Augusta made haste to her mother's apartment.
"Charlotte is a most arrogant creature," she declared.
"She despises our customs and tells me she will keep to those in which she was brought up and which are so much better than ours.”
The Princess Dowager was alert. They would have to keep their eyes on Charlotte. The whole reason for marrying her to George was that they, she and Lord Bute, might keep their control of him.
"What is this?" she demanded.
Her daughter told her version of what had happened, and the Princess Dowager decided that something should be done. She went to the Queen's apartment just as Charlotte, simply clad without her jewels, was about to leave for Communion.
"But you are not going to Communion like that!" cried the outraged Princess Dowager.
"I am," answered Charlotte. Oh, yes, thought her mother-in-law, she is arrogant.
"No, my dear. We would consider that a direct insult to God.”
"I am sure He would not.”
So she was flippant, blasphemous. A very firm hand was needed. "My dear daughter, now you are here you will want to learn our customs. You will not want to offend people by behaving as you do in your brother's little dukedom.”
Charlotte flushed. "I cannot see what difference...”
"You will learn, my dear.”
The Queen replied: "I shall first of all learn the language.”
The Princess Dowager stood like a redoubtable old general blocking her way. The Queen was not going to pass. She saw Elizabeth Chudleigh and told her rapidly in English to bring Lord Bute to her without delay.
Elizabeth, smiling secretly, hurried off. Meanwhile Charlotte, flustered, uncertain, never having considered that she would have to face such a situation, was undecided how to act.
"Let us sit down," said the Princess.
"Where is your tiara? Pray fetch it," she said to one of the maids. It was brought and she put it gently on Charlotte's head.
"How becoming. Why it makes you pretty." The eyes which regarded Charlotte were as cold as a snake's. "I cannot think why you do not wish to wear the King's gift on every occasion.”
"It is charming," said Charlotte. "I have never possessed such jewels; but I do not consider them suitable to be worn at Communion.”
Lord Bute had arrived. He looked deeply concerned; he kissed the Queen's hand and that of the Princess Dowager. The latter's eyes softened at the sight of him; hard as she was where everyone else was concerned, she was soft for this man. Even now that they had been lovers for years her affection was apparent whenever she looked at him; it was in the inflection of her voice when she spoke to him.
"Lord Bute, the Queen wishes you to set her right on this little matter of custom. Lord Bute, my dear, things as the King thinks. They have never had a disagreement. He will tell you what should be done and you may believe him. Her Majesty wishes to go to Communion without her jewels. I have told her that she should wear them ... that it would be considered most unseemly if she did not. She would offend people here if they thought she was not paying due respect to God and religion. That is so, my lord, is it not?”
"It is assuredly so," said Lord Bute.
"I do not find if so," persisted Charlotte stubbornly. She was almost in tears, and angry with herself that she should be so over such a silly matter.
"I have told Her Majesty that she will learn our ways," said the Princess.
"She must not be despondent if she does not grasp them all at once.”
"I am sure Her Majesty will know our customs as well as we do ourselves... in a very short time.”
"In the meantime...”
"In the meantime," interrupted the Princess Dowager, 'you wish us to advise you. Rest assured, my dear daughter, that we shall be most happy to do so and save you from the embarrassment which would otherwise result.”
Charlotte continued to look stubborn. It did not improve her looks.
What a plain creature she is! thought Bute. I wonder George doesn't rebel. Serve her right if he makes Sarah Lennox his mistress. Not that that sly old Fox will allow that. A pox on these silly squabbles, but Augusta was right of course to take this stand. The girl must not have her head turned by hearing herself referred to constantly as the Queen of England.
"I will have a word with His Majesty," he told her benignly.
"I am sure when you hear his ruling you will be convinced.”
There was one thing Charlotte had been taught in her home and that was that she must obey her husband, and if the King said she must wear her jewels to Communion, then she must. She was distressed more because of the folly of the situation than anything else, and perhaps because in her heart she guessed that this was an indication. Her powerful mother-in-law and Lord Bute expected her to do as she was told. She looked at them defiantly. She would not go to Communion bejewelled or otherwise until she had heard what the King had to say.