"News of what?" demanded Christina. "The war ...”
"No, no, no! Of you... and your duke.”
"What news should there be?”
"That Mamma and our brother have given their consent to your marriage.”
"Not yet, but...”
"They will," said Charlotte.
"They must. Christina, when you are an English duchess will you invite me to visit you in England?”
"You may be sure I shall.”
"I wonder what it's like there. I wonder if all the stories we hear of it are true.”
"Some are." Christina was knowledgeable through conversations with her lover. "The new King is very young, only twenty or so. And the people' have long been waiting for the old one to die.
They believe everything will be different now he is gone. It will be a change for the better for the King is a very good young man... modest and virtuous. Unusual qualities for a king.”
Charlotte shuddered, thinking of that other king whom she could not get out of her mind.
"I have heard manners are free and easy at the English Court," said Ida.
"Oh, the English!" laughed Christina.
"They are not so ... disciplined as we are. If they disapprove of the royal family they don't hesitate to say so.”
"That is good," said Charlotte with vehemence. "I... I believe that people should speak their minds.”
"But to kings!”
"Yes, to kings.”
Christina went on: "Oh, yes, there are lampoons and songs always being circulated. The people get together in the coffee and chocolate houses. They are all over the town, these houses ... and people go there to drink coffee and chocolate and stronger things and talk ...and talk...”
Madame de Grabow came into the room.
She said: "I have just come from the Grand Duchess. I have orders to prepare us to leave for Pyrmont to take the waters.”
Christina looked a little downcast, guessing this would mean a temporary separation from her duke... Charlotte, watching her, thought wistfully: I wonder if I shall ever have a lover. I wonder if I shall ever marry.
"Come," said the efficient Madame de Grabow, 'there is much to do. The Grand Duchess is anxious to leave without delay.”
It was pleasant at Pyrmont. The Grand Duchess took her daughters to the pump rooms and it was certain that they benefited by the change. They lived simply, staying at a nearby country house and partaking in the life of the place like any noble family on holiday.
Christina was a little sad, regretting the parting from her lover who had stayed in Mecklenburg, for he had no excuse for following them there; but she confided to Charlotte that she was very hopeful that soon after their return the betrothal would be announced.
In the rooms where they mingled with other visitors after taking the waters a Colonel Graeme was presented to them. He was a charming Scotsman who was, the Grand Duchess was informed, a great friend of Lord Bute who in his turn was a close friend of the King and the Princess Dowager of England.
Colonel Graeme was very courteous and made a point of speaking to Charlotte. In fact he seemed very interested in Charlotte who was surprised that her mother allowed him to spend so much time with her.
"It can scarcely be that he has fallen in love with you," cried Christina.
That made Charlotte laugh. "You think of nothing but love. No. He is just a nice old gentleman who likes to talk.”
And how he talked! It was all about England. He seemed determined to make her see St. James's and Kensington, Hampton and Kew; but chiefly he talked of the young King.
"He is not only extremely handsome," he told Charlotte, 'but good. I can tell you that there was great rejoicing when he came to the throne. We looked forward to a time of prosperity, for the King cares, as few have before him, for the good of his people.”
"He sounds a very worthy king," Charlotte agreed. "Is he ... warlike?”
Colonel Graeme looked at her oddly and she flushed. She said quickly: "I hate war. You will see what it has done to our country. But kings seem to take to it mightily. I was wondering whether the King of England enjoys going to war.”
"Indeed he does not," replied Colonel Graeme. "The King of England is opposed to war. He hates suffering of any sort. He wants to see his subjects happily at peace. When his father, the Prince of Wales, died, he was deeply affected. He scarcely touched food for days and we feared for his health. He loved his father; but when two gardeners fell off a ladder in the gardens at Kew he was upset for days.”
"He sounds a very virtuous king.”
"I believe Your Highness would think him the best king in the world.”
"If he loves peace, I should. But His Majesty of England will care little for my opinion.”
"I believe His Majesty would be deeply gratified by Your Highness's good opinion.”
Colonel Graeme was indeed a courtier, thought Charlotte. She was not sorry for Christina's sake when they returned to Mecklenburg. It was pleasant to be back, for the summer was now with them and they could spend a great deal of time in the gardens.
They must not think the sun was an excuse for idleness, said Madame de Grabow; they must not sit about, their hands in their laps, merely because the sun was shining. Such a sybarite existence was to be deplored. They could read in the sunshine, study their Latin verbs, answer Madame de Grabow's questions on history or geography; they could set up a table and make maps of the world; and there was always the needle. When their garments were all repaired they could take up their embroidery or lace; but not before.
Christina was a little anxious. "I cannot understand why there must be all this delay.”
"Does the Duke know why?" asked Charlotte.
"He is as puzzled as I. Why, before we went to Pyrmont it was as good as settled. Now it is: "Wait... You must be patient." We have been patient long enough.”
Poor Christina. She had lost the look which love had put upon her, for the anxiety took the sparkle from her eyes. It can't go wrong, thought Charlotte. It must not go wrong. And why should it?
Madame de Grabow had ordered them to set up the table and their sewing was laid on it in little bundles. Not much today, Charlotte was thinking. She would soon be working on her embroidery.
It was very pleasant stitching in the sunshine; she had almost forgotten that letter she had written to the King of Prussia, and when she did think of it she assured herself that it had never reached him. Had she not been a little naive to imagine it would? She pictured the scene; the messenger arriving and the letters being taken from him by one of the King's secretary. And what was this one? A letter from the Princess Charlotte Sophia of Mecklenburg-Strelitz! Who was she? A girl of sixteen. She pictured the secretary opening the letter, casting his eye over it and, laughing, tearing it up and throwing it in the waste-paper basket or holding it in the flame of a candle. She had been foolish to worry.
"You're thoughtful," whispered Ida.
"I can guess what you're thinking. You're wondering when there will be a suitor for you.”
Charlotte did not answer for a moment; she carefully threaded a pale blue strand of silk; she loved working with beautiful colours. "Oh come, Ida," she said, when her needle was threaded and she was plying it again, 'do you really think a husband will ever be found for me?
"He may find you.”
"You are too romantic. I believe you read romances.”
"Well, they're more interesting than your Greek and Latin.”
"How can you tell since you don't know Greek and Latin? At least they teach me to be realistic, whereas your romances teach you to dream impossible dreams.”
"Why impossible? Why shouldn't you have a husband? Many people do...particularly princesses.”
Charlotte looked across the table where Christina's head was bent over her sewing. She desperately hoped that everything would work out well for Christina.