Abdication: A Novel (43 page)

But as she tried to stand up to leave, she realised that she was stuck. A couple of blobs of glue, not quite dry on the extra cushion, had attached themselves both to the seat of the chair and to the fabric of Evangeline’s skirt. With a little straining she managed to release herself and pushed the chair out of her way but not before the engineer, Sir John and Mr. Barnes had all heard the sound of ripping cloth.

“No one ever tells the truth, that’s your whole problem,” Evangeline said, flinging herself through the door with as much dignity as she could muster.

Walking quickly towards the lift, the tear in her skirt flapped open behind her, as the furious voice of Sir John followed her down the corridor. “This treacherous incident will not go unnoticed. I can assure you of that Miss Nettlefold.”

On the drive back to Hamilton Terrace May had asked politely if the recording had gone well.

“I am a little tired, May, if you don’t mind, and would rather not speak.”

May had been apologetic. Even so she ventured further, hoping that Evangeline had not had words with Sir Philip? Evangeline was not in the mood for imparting confidences and responded with a shake of the head. She knew why May had asked the question. These days, with the tensions in the House escalating by the day and monopolising Philip’s time, he was quite capable of being tetchy to anyone.

May had enquired after Loafer as well. She had remarked on how the dog had appeared unusually lethargic for these past couple of days. In fact, May could not remember when she had last seen the dog conscious. But Evangeline offered no insight into the dog’s recent behaviour and the rest of the journey had passed in silence.

The following afternoon the car made its way up the graceful loops of the Fort drive, and soon the floodlit walls appeared, silhouetted against a sky in which rain clouds obliterated the stars. The king’s station wagon was parked in the semicircular driveway but for once no one was waiting at the front door. A full minute elapsed before Osborne the butler appeared, as immaculate as ever in his black suit and tie. Greeting Miss Nettlefold with a handshake, and all but ignoring May, he retrieved the suitcase from the boot of the car. Evangeline, with a sleeping Loafer in her arms, followed him into the house, with May carrying her own overnight bag walking close behind her.

It had been Evangeline’s idea for May to stay the night at the Fort. After agreeing to return Loafer to Wallis, she had become nervous of the likely consequences of yesterday’s scene at the Crystal Palace. Secretly she planned to feel so unwell that it would become necessary for her to return to London early the next morning. She had telephoned Wallis before she set off for the Fort from London.

“Wouldn’t it be fun if May stayed and took us both for a drive tomorrow? I have never been to Eton School and the Blunts are always telling me there is a dear little village nearby with an excellent tea shop.”

Osborne led the way into the octagonal drawing room where the velvet curtains were closed against the night sky. The tea things had not been cleared away and a plate of egg and cress sandwiches lay untouched on the large stool in front of the fire. Two men—one dark, the other blond—were standing near the fireplace holding flower-patterned cups. They were so absorbed in their conversation that neither noticed Evangeline come into the room.

“Mrs. Simpson remains rather taken with Rothermere’s suggestion,” the king was saying. “We would go ahead with the coronation next May as planned but as the decree absolute becomes law in April, that gives us an opportunity to fix a wedding date before then. And then, do you see,
Wallis will be at my side when I am crowned but she will not take the usual royal rank due to a king’s wife. ‘Morganatic’ is the term, I believe? I think this plan may solve all our problems, Walter, don’t you?”

“Of course, the plan is certainly worth a shot, sir,” the dark-haired man replied, “but I am bound to say that I can’t see Baldwin or the rest of them liking the idea very much. Mind you, Winston and Mosley might be supportive, for what that is worth. Leave it with me for now, sir.”

Just then the king caught sight of Evangeline. She had learned how to make him the briefest of curtseys so as not to draw attention to a process she still found both tricky and embarrassing.

“My dear Evangeline, what have we here? A sleeping Loafer! You must have been running him ragged in the Sussex fields! Osborne, take the poor dog to the kitchen and see if he might like something to eat.”

Evangeline deduced from the king’s friendly tone that he had heard nothing of yesterday’s aborted recording.

“Come and meet my guest,” the king beckoned Evangeline over to the fireplace. “I believe you may already have been introduced to Walter Monckton, my lawyer? Wallis will be with us shortly. Cigarette?”

Evangeline declined the offer as she had so often before, irritated that the king never remembered that she did not smoke. She felt jumpy. She had not seen Wallis since her return from Suffolk three weeks ago, nor had she heard a word from Sir John during the past twenty-four hours and did not know if, or how, he would implement his parting threat. Perhaps he had forgiven her. Evangeline hoped that for once she would be given the benefit of the doubt. Behind her back she crossed her fingers for luck.

Mr. Monckton, a friendly-looking man with prominent spectacles and a central hair parting that reminded Evangeline of Wallis’s own style, shook her hand firmly. “Pleased to meet you again, Miss Nettlefold. I trust you had a safe journey from London?”

“Oh, Evangeline knows her way to the Fort with the instinct of a
treasure seeker, Walter! She has been one of our most frequent visitors this year, although we have not seen enough of you recently. And how is the splendid Miss May Thomas?” the king enquired.

Despite his ever-present politeness of manner, his smile momentarily fell away revealing a face that appeared to have aged a decade in a month. Turning to the lawyer he explained that Evangeline’s driver worked for Sir Philip Blunt, the man whose legal advice over these past few days had been invaluable.

“Grew up in the plantation fields of Barbados, May did. And I tell you, even though she’s not yet twenty-one, there is nothing she doesn’t know about the inside workings of a car.”

Mr. Monckton looked interested. “Funny thing that. My daughter Valerie is not much younger and she too is crazy about motors. She drove me here today and is having a cup of tea in the kitchen. I hope Miss Thomas is there too. They should meet.”

At that moment Wallis came into the room. The yellow of her collared cardigan matched the yellow of the king’s tie. A new diamond pin in the shape of a bow sparkled from her lapel.

“Vangey, darling, how lovely to see you. It has been too long. Now have you brought Loafer back to me? Oh yes, don’t tell me, he’s resting after all those walks in the park?”

Evangeline submitted herself to her old schoolfriend’s embrace, feeling the boniness of Wallis’s shoulders protruding through the wool of her cardigan. To Evangeline’s relief she could detect nothing but warmth in her old schoolfriend’s greeting even though Wallis looked exhausted.

“Shall we leave the gentlemen to their talk and go to my room to catch up?” Wallis asked her, taking Evangeline’s hand and leading her upstairs. “Aunt Bessie is on her way here from across the ocean, thank goodness, but I am so pleased to have you here with me now, Vangey. I could do with one of my own at the moment in this crazy country.”

As soon as they reached the first floor bedroom Wallis sat on the bed and patted the cover for Evangeline to sit down next to her. “I expect you have heard on the grapevine that the Suffolk judge gave us the nisi?”

“Yes. I had heard.”

“Oh good. I thought you would have. I must say that is a relief for all of us. I cannot tell you how unenjoyable it was in that cold little house in Felixstowe, even though Kitty and George did their very best to keep up all our spirits.”

Evangeline, along with everyone else who was following the unfolding drama, was well aware that the decree nisi had been granted in Ipswich more than three weeks ago. The first stage of Wallis’s legal separation from Ernest had been reported in the British press on the 27 October but with the minimum of embellishment. However, Evangeline had been fully briefed by the American papers sent over by her brother. The journalists had gone to town. The
New York American
had been unequivocal when it stated that a wedding date between “Wally” and the king of England was already scheduled for next year. The decree absolute would finalise the divorce at the end of April and speculation hovered over whether the marriage would precede the coronation, confirmed for 12 May 1937, or whether the union between Wallis and Edward would follow shortly afterwards. What seemed to be in no doubt, however, was the inevitability of the marriage itself.

“So now we have all that business, including the coronation, hanging over us and who knows where it will all end.”

Wallis was looking at Evangeline, her dark little eyes suddenly hardening. “Now look here, Vangey,” she said, drawing Evangeline’s hand once again in amongst her bejewelled knuckles. “I know you think I have forgotten all about what I said to you back in September at the Meurice. The truth is that even though I have still not convinced David how much better off he will be without me, I am still trying my best. He must have it his way at the moment, you see?”

Evangeline was listening.

“But I am pretty sure that when he speaks to Mr. Baldwin this coming Monday he will see sense,” Wallis went on. “I know that the British people, who love David, will never accept me. I’m divorced twice over, well, almost, and I am a Yank with far too much pep. But David won’t take it from me. He is full of crazy talk at the moment about giving up the throne. In fact, Walter thinks I should leave the country for a while to let things calm down, and maybe out of sight will mean out of mind. To be frank, life has been pretty good hell for some of these past few weeks and I miss my freedom.” Wallis paused, smoothing down her hair with her hand. “I couldn’t even get out of my flat in Cumberland Terrace to go to Antoine so my hair is a complete mess! Even this place, where I have been so happy, now
seems
like a fortress and I feel like a caged bird. If I can manage to get away,” she went on, “you will have to look after Loafer and maybe Slipper too for a while longer.”

Evangeline murmured her agreement trying at the same time to pull her hand free. She suspected Wallis was dissembling. Only half an hour earlier in the drawing room downstairs Evangeline had heard the king discussing Wallis’s interest in a morganatic marriage.

“The thing is, Vangey,” Wallis was saying, “I give you my word now that David and I will never be married. You know me, Vangey. I love life too much, and I am talking about the old secure way of life that I had with Ernest, to even consider becoming queen of England!”

Even now Evangeline could not work out whether Wallis Simpson was in love with the king or not. She no longer believed a word Wallis said. In fact she was only relieved to conclude that Sir John Reith had decided not to mention yesterday’s little disagreement in the recording room. Perhaps some men
were
actually decent. She was about to go and change for dinner when there was a knock at the door.

“I am sorry to disturb you, madam,” Osborne said, “but there is an urgent telephone call for you. I explained to Sir John Reith that you were speaking with Miss Nettlefold but he insisted I interrupt.”

“I will take the call here, Osborne. Just put it through to the bedroom extension.”

Evangeline made a move to leave but Wallis put her hand on her arm. “Don’t go, Vangey. Reith may have something interesting to say.”

Ten minutes later, as Evangeline was making her way down the staircase, the king emerged from the door to the cellar steam room. “Are you all right, Evangeline?” he asked. “You look upset.”

“Yes, sir. I am upset,” Evangeline almost snapped back at him. “I think you should know that Wallis is not all she seems. She is treacherous and dangerous. She says one thing and does another. She cares only to benefit herself. She is not worthy of you, sir. Don’t let her betray you, sir, in the way she has me.”

At that moment Wallis appeared at the foot of the staircase in the octagonal hallway.

“Wallis,” the king said, “tell me what is going on.”

Without looking at Evangeline, Wallis took the king’s arm and turned him to face her. “One’s schoolfriends should be loyal,” she began. “Even fat, spinster, hairless ones whom one has spent a lifetime feeling sorry for and being kind to out of pity. Above all, one’s countrymen should be loyal. But if I have learned one thing in life, it is that one will always have enemies and that, however you choose to spell the word, it is
jealousy
that will eventually destroy everything that matters.”

Together the king and Mrs. Simpson went arm in arm into the yellow curtained drawing room followed by Osborne, who shut the door firmly behind him.

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY
-T
HREE