Abigail's Cousin (10 page)

Spencer
reddened and was only saved further embarrassment by two events,
the arrival of their coffee and the sudden appearance of another
gentleman, whom Churchill introduced:

"Allow me
gentlemen to introduce my private secretary, monsieur Adam de
Cardonnel."

The newcomer
was taller than his employer but did not differ much in dress
wearing the long coat of the day flared at the waist with wide
slits on each skirt though the button-holes of his coat were cut in
military style. His breeches, stockings and shoes all shouted a
gentleman and as he had entered their room, he had removed his
three-cornered hat sweeping the floor as he bowed.

Churchill
introduced his friends in turn starting with Godolphin, the senior,
who asked whether the newcomer preferred the French or the English
address. He said forthrightly:

"In
expectation of imminent events, my lord, perhaps it would be more
prudent for the English form, adding 'when in Rome etc'.

Spencer sat
mute reflecting on their conversation about spies forgetting that
not all French were hostile; he was disabused quickly by Churchill
who explained:

"Monsieur, beg
pardon, Mister Cardonnel's late father was a victim of Louis XIV's
expulsion of the Huegenots in 1685, but it was my good fortune that
Louis' loss was my gain." Then addressing both of his friends
added:

"Adam brings
news of my packet boat."

As Churchill takes his leave of
Godolphi
n and Spencer,
Cardonnel said:

"It was my
pleasure to make your acquaintance, mes amis."

To Churchill,
he simply gestured saying: "I have a gig outside, my lord."

Repeating his
farewells to both his former companions, Churchill follows
Cardonnel's direction and with a last adieu, both leave the coffee
house leaving Godolphin and Spencer together who smile ruefully at
each other.

Present-day
Windsor Great Park owes much to the pursuits of Queen Anne who
loved to ride her fast gig along the forest trails and, at times, a
game warden's alert hearing of the rapidly turning wheels, of the
lash of her whip, of her wild cries as she drove at reckless speeds
saved him from death or serious injury. Her riding reached the ears
of Jonathon Swift author, satirist, playwright and, at the time,
editor of a satirical weekly newspaper.

He travelled
down to Windsor to personally witness one of her mad rides and
wrote later that: 'she hunts in a chaise with one horse which she
drives herself, and drives furiously like Jehu, and is a mighty
hunter like Nimrod, driving in her chaise above forty miles.'

There are
extant mementos of her presence, as for example, in Queen Anne's
Gate, Queen's Avenue and the immortal Queen Anne's Ride, and it is
along the approach roads towards the appropriately named Garden
House that a carriage appeared one afternoon in 1704, on a
Wednesday, the 18th of May. It halted at the entrance to the
Gardens, and a gentleman alighted and stepped into the gatehouse
for a few minutes to show the sentry his documents, his reason for
being there.

While awaiting
scrutiny of his papers by the guard, he walked towards and stopped
at the entrance to stretch his legs outside the carriage where he
had been closeted these past few hours. He looked beyond the
enclosing walls at the gardeners who were busy hoeing, or bent down
weeding, or pushing a wheelbarrow. He noticed a lad being
instructed and thought he saw sweet peas being planted. His
attention was diverted by someone in a skirt bending down with her
back towards him. Her striped dress, her angular figure seemed
familiar to him but just then the sentry called and he walked back
to the gatehouse to accept the validated pass and ascended once
more into his carriage tapping the roof to indicate to the driver
to continue. The carriage proceeded through the gateway of Garden
House with Windsor Castle looming in the background, some distance
away.

His carriage
passed Garden House and he was sorry, but his business was at the
Castle so regretfully the figures of working people were left
behind as the carriage arrived at the dull, grey stonework of the
forbidding castle and passed under its walls through an archway,
and making a circuit the vehicle stopped to allow a footman
matching his pace to that of the carriage to grab the handle of its
door, and open it as the vehicle stopped.

The footman
lowers the step which is the signal for the passenger to alight and
to follow the footman to the entrance. He exchanged a few words
with the footman who gives directions which entails him walking
along a passageway, up a short flight of steps, at the top of which
begins a carpet and from thence the man's footfalls are silent.

He stops at a
glass-fronted ante-room and knocks at the window and a clerk looks
up and smiles at the visitor, rising from his desk to open a door
where he now has the opportunity to greet the visitor:

"It must be Mr
Harley," as if to imply he is the only guest expected. He goes on
to say: "A very good day, to you sir. I shall notify Sir Charles
that you have arrived." Then he has disappeared into the dark
interior leaving Harley waiting at the entrance though he enters
the clerk's sanctum and makes himself at home.

The clerk
returns with Sir Charles in tow who greets Harley formally telling
him the queen has been informed of his arrival. He invites him to
be seated. When he sees him comfortably installed, Sir Charles
says:

"Your
background is non-conformist Mr Harley and as such one cannot blame
you for your Whig sympathies, yet you have decided to enter the
opposite camp. It is not for me to enquire into your awakened
sympathy for our cause but I must warn you of political friends who
might feel they have been betrayed."

Harley's face
registers his surprise at Hedges candid opinion, replying: "I have
returned to my roots, Sir Charles that is all. My father was a man
of p-p-property who welcomed the Reformation for it released him
from homage to a foreign p-p-relate. Yet the men of business who
have infiltrated our movement give loyalty to foreign merchants,
and call it b-business. That is not my way, and if I fall out with
such men, so be it. Does that provide you with an explanation of my
re-discovered allegiance?"

Hedges had
listened attentively to Harley and uttered what he hoped were
comforting words:

"To quote the
Gospel, Mr Harley, there is no greater joy in Heaven than over the
repentance of a sinner. You are right welcome." He looked aside as
a footman appeared outside the ante-room apparent through the
glazed partition. Hedges beckoned:

"Come Mr
Harley. I believe her majesty is ready to see you."

As the two
walked side by side following the footman, Hedges said in a
whisper: "Do not entertain too great an opinion about your new
post, Mr Harley. Her majesty still asks me to sharpen her pens just
as Cromwell might well have done to the keeper of his secrets,
hence his secret-toire. Her majesty still believes your office
covers the procurement of pens as well as offering credentials to
foreign ambassadors."

Harley watches
in amazement as Hedges stops at a panelled door, take an artefact
hanging down from a nearby hook using it to scratch upon a panel of
the door. Despite having observed this procedure before. Harley is
still in shock as the door is opened and Hedges steps inside and
once Harley has also crossed the threshold, listens as he is
introduced:

"Robert Harley
Esquire, your majesty."

He hears the
queen reply: "Thank you Sir Charles. You may withdraw."

She waits for
Hedges to retreat backwards over the threshold and close the door
before directly addressing Harley again:

"Welcome to
Windsor, Mr Harley. I trust you had a pleasant journey from
London."

Harley's mouth
felt dry and he was nervous, and could hardly credit his own
utterance:

"Indeed so,
your majesty! It was a very enjoyable excursion made more so by the
p-p-prospects of renewing our acquaintance ma'am."

She appeared
not to have heard as Harley noticed her distracted by discomfort in
her leg which she clutched, and then spoke:

"I am given to
understand, Mr Harley, you are agreeable to accepting ye office of
Secretary of State."

"I am, ma'am"
replied Harley, "Indeed, ma'am, I have accepted the p-post with
some reluctance which I hope your majesty will understand as I am
sincerely desirous to serve your royal highness above all other
considerations."

"What
considerations, Mr Harley?" She demanded imperiously, upon which
answer, Harley though surprised was pleased he had rehearsed his
arguments in the carriage on the way down:

"As Secretary
Hedges may be aware ma'am, for the past twelve-month it has b-been
my privilege to hold the office of Speaker in the House of Commons,
an office, ma'am, demanding utmost impartiality as regards disputes
between all parties. Therefore in accepting the high office of
Secretary of State, my reasoning led me to b-believe henceforth I
shall be unable to pursue the same impartial course. It is
something which I must come to terms with in the interests of the
government especially in view of the p-partisan opinions of certain
Whigs in the ministry. That is it in a nutshell, ma'am."

"In a
nutshell, Mr Harley! That must be a very big nut. However the gist
of what you say is that party interests seem unduly narrow and I
assure you, Mr Harley, that until a minister by his actions shows
he is not party-led then I shall not trust his opinions."

Harley mindful
that Anne is devoted to the Church of England says
reassuringly:

“Then I pray
ma'am that the Good Lord directs and guides your humble servant
towards the course of action most favourable to your majesty's good
government and in consequence most b-beneficial to the interests of
our country."

She smiled at
these words seemingly unaware of their obsequiousness and gave
reply:

“I endorse
your sentiments Mr Harley. I look to you in ye hope you will be my
ally in keeping me out of ye power of ye merciless men of both
parties."

It was
Harley's turn to smile. He was in his element reassuring her:

"To my
friends, colleagues and members ma'am, I am a moderating man and
b-believe in neither extreme but in compromise towards resolving
the many p-problems besetting our country."

The queen
looked highly pleased and while pulling a cord hanging from the
ceiling said:

"Moderation is
my own watchword, Secretary of State, so it would seem we are of
one mind."

A door opened
to admit Sir Charles and suddenly Harley recalls his words a few
moments before yet still is aglow at having been addressed as
Secretary Of State by the queen herself and his next hours of
existence would be on cloud nine. He heard her words:

“Will you
escort Mr Harley and see him safely out." He bowed and withdrew in
the manner Hedges had demonstrated earlier but still in a euphoric
mood her say: "It has been good to hear and talk to you, Mr Harley.
Adieu for now."

Too soon his
euphoria fades as Hedges informs him:

"That
wonderful glow you feel, Mr Harley, when her majesty first
addresses you as Secretary of State. Keep it alive Harley! Make it
last! It will fade all too soon."

As he walked
beside his fellow Secretary, he noticed for the first time they
were similarly attired with the fashionable long, flared coat,
close-fitting to the waist with deep pockets in the skirts. Buttons
ran the whole length of the coat but only the ones from breastbone
to waist would be buttoned. Their shoes in identical black with
broad buckles reflected the lamps on the walls. As they walked past
a full-length mirror, Harley speculated how many coat holes Hedges
left unbuttoned.

He stopped at
his office door inviting Harley inside and when he had got used to
the dim light, noticed a long table upon which was stretched out a
long white stick and all thoughts of buttons left Harley as he
contemplated his insignia of office and listened to Hedges as he
picked it up, but the significant words he heard attentively:

"Here you are
Harley, old man, your white stick of office. Allow me!" Hedges took
something else from the table and held it up to Harley who saw that
it was a chain which Hedges was trying to place round his neck. He
helped him, as he was smaller and was having difficulty with the
clasp. Then he handed him something else, saying:

"Put it in
your pocket, old man. It's your official seal of office. Ever used
one! They're quite straightforward. You've poured wax before."

Harley did not
respond still in a dream as Hedges spoke to him:

"Congratulations, Secretary of State. You will find your full title
in this document." He handed him a scroll, tied around the middle
with red tape.

Hedges noted
Harley's silence, saying in friendly tone: "Head still in the
clouds, I dare say. Like I said earlier, make the most of it. Tell
you what! Call in at Jonathon's. You know the coffee house. Treat
your friends. Make the most of the day. You won't see another like
it."

Harley could
only smile feeling a little ostentatious as he took his leave. He
descended the steps alone then walked back along the corridor into
a small courtyard which hitherto looked unfamiliar and he wondered
if had opened the correct door, but he gained the open air and once
more felt lost as the carriage was nowhere to be seen. He spoke to
a footman wondering if he were the same one who had met him
earlier. They looked all alike. He said to him:

"Will you
convey my compliments sir to my coachman and warn him of my
imminent departure."