The Captive of Kensington Palace (27 page)

‘He says he hopes you will like it.’

‘Pray tell him, dear Aunt, that I love it, and every time I wear it, which shall be often, I shall think of him.’

‘That will be a great comfort to him.’

‘Dear, dear George. Oh, I do hope this German will be able to make him well again.’

‘He will,’ said Aunt Frederica with a return of her old fierceness. ‘Now look at the present from myself and your Uncle Ernest,’ she went on. It was a bracelet in turquoise to match George’s pin.

When she had exclaimed her pleasure she must leave the Duchess and turn to others to receive presents and give thanks. So many things, she thought. I must list them all and leave nothing out of my Journal, because Mamma is sure to have a list and will say I am ungrateful if I forget one.

All day long visitors called, and dinner was early that day so that there might be plenty of time to prepare for the ball at St James’s.

The Queen was smiling at the young people. Tonight she was going to forget her anxieties about William, who was in good spirits too, though rather annoyed that Sir John Conroy had come with the party from Kensington Palace.

‘Why does that fellow always have to be there?’ he demanded of Adelaide. ‘Behaves as though he’s Victoria’s stepfather.’

Adelaide did not say that that was what he assuredly felt himself to be because it would only disturb William. But she did wish the Duchess of Kent would have the sense to keep Sir John out of the King’s sight. But it was becoming clearer and clearer that the Duchess had no intention of placating the King.

But the sight of the excited Princess restored William’s good humour. She was wearing the diamond ear-rings which he had sent to Kensington Palace for her and which were his own special present as well as the brooch of turquoise and gold which Adelaide had given her.

She came into his closet next to the ballroom and embraced him.

‘It is so nice to see you Uncle
privately
like this. It means I can give you a really big hug.’

William’s eyes filled with tears. A charming girl. Adelaide had always said so and he could trust Adelaide to be right. The only thing wrong with Victoria was that mother of hers.

‘The ear-rings are quite
beautiful
.’

‘So you like them, eh? And that’s a nice brooch you’re wearing. Turquoise, is it?’ He was looking sly. He knew it was Aunt Adelaide’s gift.

‘Yes, Uncle. Is it not beautiful?’

‘Your Aunt Adelaide always knows what you young people like. Now it’s time we went into the ballroom. We have to open it together, you know.’

It was very pleasant going into the ballroom, hand in hand with the King; and even the Duchess was pleased. The Queen had taken the precaution of asking Victoria’s dancing mistress Madame Bourdin to the ball so that she could supervise the dancing.

As soon as they were in the ballroom the Queen came up with George Cambridge.

‘I think it would be an excellent idea if you two danced the first dance.’

George Cambridge said he thought so too and taking Victoria’s hand led her on to the floor. Flushed and happy Victoria was aware of Mamma’s eyes on her; the Duchess was none too pleased; she did not want the King and Queen to imagine that they could pair off Victoria with her cousin. However, Victoria did not care; she gave herself up to the pleasure of the dance which she enjoyed so much.

‘So here you are,’ said George, ‘at one of Aunt Adelaide’s parties at last. I’m so glad you came.’

‘But of course I came. It is
my
birthday. You must know that because you gave me that lovely lily-of-the-valley brooch. Do you realise I’m fourteen?’

‘I did, because we are almost the same age.’

‘We are getting so
old
,’ said Victoria gleefully. Then she added sadly: ‘The last time I saw you George Cumberland was there.’

‘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

T
here 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.’

‘Impertinence!’ said the Duchess.

‘But you will accept the invitation. It is, after all, in the nature of a royal command.’

‘I shall accept, but there shall be no nonsense. If he behaves indecorously I shall simply retire and take my party with me.’

‘A ball at St James’s!’ Victoria was excited. ‘You will love it,’ she told the cousins. ‘The Queen gives such
wonderful
balls. She thinks of
everything
to please her guests. She gave me such a beautiful ball for my birthday.’

The amiable cousins said they were greatly looking forward to meeting their Majesties.

It was a ceremonial occasion and the King and Queen seated on gilt chairs received their guests under a canopy. They kept Victoria with them and the King asked her how she was enjoying this visit of her German cousins.

Victoria declared that she was enjoying it immensely. Her cousins were so amusing and so friendly; she was going to miss them sadly when they went home.

‘You ought to come and see your Cousin George. He is very interesting and amiable too.’

‘I know; and I love to be with him.
And
with my cousin George Cumberland. I daresay he needs cheering up.’

‘I will arrange some parties for you,’ said Adelaide.

Victoria was longing to dance but it seemed she was expected to sit with the King and Queen and talk; and just as she believed she was going to dance, the Duchess of Kent swept up and told their Majesties that the Kensington party was about to leave.

‘Oh, Mamma …’ began Victoria, but a look from the Duchess silenced her.

The Queen was too bewildered to speak, because the ball which had been given in honour of the visitors, had scarcely begun.

‘The Princes are so fatigued,’ said the Duchess. They have been to a review in the park this afternoon.’

‘But they look …’ began the Queen.

‘Fatigued,’ said the Duchess promptly, and Victoria was startled that Mamma could so interrupt the Queen.

Fortunately the King, busy talking to one of his naval friends, had not heard this; and the Queen who hated any form of conflict was trying to hide how surprised she was. If the Duchess was going to make trouble, she wished to pass over it as quickly as possible. She could not allow the King to be upset on such an occasion. There was enough whispering about him as it was, and people had not yet forgotten that scene at the Royal Academy.

‘So,’ said the Duchess firmly, ‘we must leave without delay.’

‘I should like the Princes to come and stay for a few days at Windsor,’ said the Queen. ‘You must make up a little party from Kensington.’

‘I’m afraid we cannot do that,’ said the Duchess. ‘They have engagements.’

‘But they are not going to leave us just yet?’

‘They have engagements for the whole of their stay,’ said the Duchess almost rudely.

The Queen said nothing; and the Princes at the Duchess’s request came up to say good-bye to the King and Queen before they left.

The King’s looks were black as he remarked audibly he was always glad to see the back of that woman. Adelaide behaved as though it was perfectly normal for guests of honour to leave a ball almost as soon as it was started, and the Kensington party went to their carriages.

Victoria was silent as they drove along.

What a disappointment! She glanced at the Duchess who was seated in the carriage beside her, her hands clasped in her lap looking as though she was a General and had just won an important battle.