The Prince and the Quakeress - Plaidy Jean (книги полностью бесплатно TXT) 📗

‘We will find a way,’ he said. ‘Hannah we will find a way of pleasing...God.’

She looked at him tenderly and shook her head. ‘Perhaps I should go away. Perhaps I should return to my people...repentant and contrite.’

‘Return to Isaac Axford?’

‘Oh...no...never, never...’

‘That is what they would call repenting. To live with him, to bear his children...’

‘To stand up in the Steeple House, to confess my sin. That I could do...but return to him...never.’

George said: ‘I shall he King of this country. When I am. I shall know what to do. You must think of nothing but the child. It would be bad for it if you fretted. Remember that And leave it to me. I will think of what we must do.’

On his way back to Leicester House he could not suppress his excitement.

I am about to be a father. I, George, Prince of Wales!

This would be the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me if only...

Recently he had gained confidence. Everyone paid homage to him. His mother listened to him with more attention than she ever had before. Lord Bute was respectful. And even the King could not command him to do what he did not want.

He must not forget that he was the Prince of Wales and that one day he would he King, kings were meant to govern, so Lord Bute and he was a very wise and clever man.

Surely it was within the means of a King to discover a way round a situation like the one in which he found himself.

• • •

He wanted to talk to someone about it and whom could he trust but his favourite brother and sister.

He called Edward and together they went to Elizabeth’s apartment. Poor Elizabeth, it was one of her bad days and was unable to leave her bed. She looked very wan propped up with pillows, but at least one did not see her deformity in this position.

‘I have some news for you.’ said George. ‘I don’t know what you will think of it.’

‘Well, let’s hear and we’ll tell you,’ retorted Edward.

‘I am going to be a father.’

He looked from one to the other. Edward’s mouth had opened in surprise; a faint colour touched Elizabeth’s cheeks, making her look almost healthy.

Elizabeth spoke first: ‘So Hannah is with child.’

George nodded.

‘What are you going to do about it?’ asked Edward.

‘Do? What can I do?’

‘Is Hannah happy?’ asked Elizabeth.

‘She is both happy and sad. She is happy because she longs for the child and unhappy because of the circumstances.’

‘Poor Hannah! And you, George?’

‘I wish to God I could marry Hannah.’

‘They would never allow it.’

‘No. And there is Mr. Axford.’

‘It was a marriage mill,’ said Elizabeth. ‘So perhaps if it were possible it could be proved that the marriage was not legal and that Hannah was free.’

‘Oh, do you think that could be.’

‘Marriages like that are illegal,’ said Edward. ‘If you married Hannah, and if this child is a boy it could be a King of England, think of that.’

‘Children can be made legitimate, I believe, even if the parents were not married at their birth,’ said Elizabeth.

George’s blue eyes were shining with purpose. ‘I shall not rest,’ he said, ‘until I have righted this.’

‘George,’ cried Elizabeth, suddenly fearful, ‘will you promise never to do anything...that might be considered rash...without first telling me about it.’

George was at his sister’s bedside; he took her thin hand and kissed it.

‘I swear that I will consult you first.’

She seemed relieved.

‘It is most exciting,’ said Edward. ‘George, I never thought you’d have it in you. When we used to sit in the schoolroom while we cogitated over those ridiculous problems and I copied the answers I used to think Old George will always be the good and respectable member of the family.’

‘I always wanted to be good and respectable,’ George admitted. ‘It is strange how fate seemed to decide against one’s own decision and make one what one is not.’

‘We always have the chance to go our own way,’ Elizabeth reminded him.

‘It’s true,’ put in Edward. ‘If you had taken one look into that linen-draper’s window and then looked away and forgotten all about the girl you saw there this would not have happened. You would have been cosily married either to one of the Wolfenbuttels of Grandfather’s choice or the Saxe-Gothas of our mother’s. Perhaps you would have been about to be a father. You see it is in our own hands.’

Elizabeth was watching her elder brother anxiously But he had promised to let her know before he did anything rash

• • •

The Prince was not subtle enough to hide his feelings and Elizabeth Chudleigh recognized the change in him and guessed its cause.

‘A natural and not unexpected result.’ she chuckled. ‘What now?’

Whatever it was she decided to have a place in the centre of affairs.

As soon as she had an opportunity of speaking to him alone she told him that she was sure there was something about which she should congratulate him.

He looked startled. ‘How...how did you know?’

‘Oh...’ she smiled wisely and with the utmost affection. ‘Perhaps it is knowing Your Highness so well, having Your Highness’s welfare at heart. I sensed that something of importance has happened.’

The Prince had unconsciously pressed his lips together.

‘Your Highness should not imagine that I wish to pry. I only want to tell Your Highness that if at any time you should need my help...’

‘You are very good, Miss Chudleigh. I shall never forget how good.’

‘Then if there is anything I can do at any time...’

‘Oh yes, yes, indeed. I know I can ask you because I know I can trust you.’

As she had guessed, it was not long before he was confiding in her.

Hannah was going to have a child and he naturally wanted the best attention for her. He believed that a lady might help him best in this matter.

He was right about that, Elizabeth assured him. In fact she had some knowledge of these matters. Some of the maids of honour...Oh, the Prince must not be too harsh in his judgment of these giddy young girls. They were careless, thoughtless and they found themselves in this kind of trouble. She had helped more than one.

‘But how?’

‘Taking them away from Court...perhaps some servant’s house...and there taking a doctor to them.’

‘I should want this to be very secret.’

‘It could be arranged so that even the doctor did not know whom he was attending.’

‘But this would have to be a very qualified doctor.’

‘Naturally. Has Your Highness anyone in mind?’

‘Y...yes. Dr. Fothergill.’

‘The Quaker!’

George nodded.

‘Well, it is natural that she should wish for one of her own sect.’

‘Being a Quaker he may not consent to...’

‘Not a bit of it, Your Highness. I know Dr. Fothergill well. He is not a very stern Quaker. He will wish to serve Your Highness.’

‘But he is not to know.’

‘Of course not. I will tell him it is a person in a very high place. I will accompany him in the carriage and when we reach a certain point he must consent to be blindfolded.’

‘Blindfolded!’

‘It is an old method, Your Highness. Doctors have attended ladies in extraordinary circumstances before. You may safely leave this to me. I will approach Dr. Fothergill. I will tell him his services are needed; and then when the time comes I will take him to Tottenham, but before we reach the house I shall blindfold him, and the bandage will not be taken from his eyes until he is actually in the room with the patient. Then he will do what is necessary, we shall blindfold him again and then...when we are back in London the bandage will be removed from his eyes. He will be well paid...paid a little extra, of course, Your Highness...’

‘Of course.’

‘And that is an end to the matter. You have had the doctor you wished for; he has delivered the child safely; and he cannot be sure where he has been or whom he has delivered.’