Abigail's Cousin (35 page)

"It be a
picture of Iroquois Indians, who came to visit me from ye New
World, Mr Harley. Ye Secretary of State introduced them."

Harley looked
again at the picture: "It's those scarlet robes ma'am that intrigue
me."

She explained
that the Indian chiefs were conducted over the House of Lords and
they much admired the ermine robes of members and when the queen
was notified she commanded the Duke of Norfolk to have copies made
of the ceremonial robes and presented them to the chiefs at a
special ceremony. It seems they chose to drape them over their
native costume and the artist painted what he saw. The picture
hanging from a hook on the wall of the queen's sitting room was a
copy of that picture, the original being retained for a special art
gallery and museum which was to be established in London.

Harley asked
after the purpose of their visit and the queen explained they
needed help. He commiserated expressing the opinion that as her
majesty was fully occupied in Europe, such needs of the New World
had to be held in abeyance though to his surprise the queen
remonstrated:

"It will not
do, Mr Harley. It will not do. Chief Ho Nee, their spokesman, knelt
and made his companions also kneel. He made a low obeisance and
through ye translator, I understood that ye Five Nations of which
they were representatives, had been placed on a war footing against
ye French."

The queen
leaned forward and said earnestly:

"They asked me
for warships and other transport to take them across the Hudson
River for ye purpose of attacking and capturing Quebec. What think
you of that, Mr Harley!"

Harley sat
straight in his high backed chair and said:

"It would b-be
an extra stick with which to b-beat our friend, Louis."

The queen
nodded approvingly and leaning forward told him:

"Our English
allies in New England have captured Port Royal in Acadia and their
success was entirely down to the provision of warships and
transports by our Royal Navy."

"Truly, ma,am,
I am amazed." What Harley did not say was the thought that the
places she had mentioned were scarcely current in his own
department. He wondered if his one-time predecessor, Sir Charles
Hedges, had had any better knowledge and concluded negative. She
seemed uncannily to have read his thoughts for she said:

"Sir Charles
knew nothing of this. He had to go. Colonel Nicholson, who led ye
Colonists has renamed ye capital, Annapolis Royal. Should it remain
English a century from now, I shall be remembered for one place in
ye world."

"Very fitting,
ma'am. B-but pray your majesty." Harley hesitated and Anne screwed
her eyes quizzically saying: "Speak your mind Mr Harley. Something
concerns you?"

"You mentioned
warships ma'am earlier. Could these not b-be engaged to help out
the Indians, under the command of the Navy, of course."

She looked at
him without replying, then said: "Ye lord high admiral is George
Churchill, younger brother of ye captain-general. I am reluctant to
beg for favours from this quarter."

Harley nodded
but said nothing and the queen continued: "I have a notion to send
Brigadier Hill with a thousand soldiers to join forces with ye New
Englanders and our Indian friends, but how to get them there."

Harley's
conscience pricked him as his knowledge of the brigadier's military
skill was decidedly negative though he said: "Leave it with me,
ma'am. I will look into it and see if we can find some ships for
this expedition."

The queen
visibly brightened at Harley's words and said: "Some good news on
that front would cheer Masham enormously, I warrant."

She looked
down at her feet and Harley knew from previous conversations with
the queen there was something else on her mind. At last she said:
"Do you have anything further to report on the peace negotiations,
Mr Harley. As ye days pass very little seems to change."

"The negotiations are proceding well your
majesty. England will have b-bases in the Mediteranean after the
War." He was trying to be sanguine but she blurted out: "That be
all very well, Mr Harley but they seem to be at ye expense of my
subjects in ye Channel. They are suffering greviously from ye
French privateers who operate out of Dunkirk."

"I assure you,
ma'am, that is one of the p-provisions which Mr Prior has insisted
upon to the French, the dismantling of the fortifications at
Dunkirk, though I have to tell you ma'am, that the Dutch are
experiencing horrendous losses to their merchant fleet."

Harley was a
cynical man and knew that although the queen would not display her
feelings, his last remark did not displease her for she blamed the
Dutch for their endless procrastinations, and there had been
occasions when their hesitation had robbed the allies of a decisive
victory. He said one more thing to brighten her day:

"There may
well b-be an opportunity for B-brigadier Hill to be given the
command to dismantle the fortifications."

But Anne was
not as naive as Harley's last remark seemed to indicate. She said
bluntly: "I do believe Mr Harley ye are trying to butter my good
opinion."

At her candour
he smiled and thought it pertinent to raise a sensitive topic as he
explained: "The peace negotiations may well founder ma'am unless we
can give the French a categorical assurance that 'le Malbrouk',
their name for the captain-general, is dismissed. Another campaign
they fear will b-bring him to the outskirts of P-paris. I need
hardly tell you of the danger that p-presents not only for the
French, but also for the succession."

Anne looked
horrified as Harley went on: "Many of my colleagues in p-parliament
ma'am b-believe he could not resist if he was hailed as King
John."

"Is there r
eally such a peril, Mr Harley?"

"I fear so,
ma'am. It may not b-be his choice."

"So what is to
be done?"

"The day the
p-peace has been signed, your majesty, will be safe to dismiss
him."

Anne was pained as despite all the
negative rumours about the duke, she remained convinced of his
essential integrity and hesitated to take that ultimate step. He
had always treated her correctly and moreover they had become
friends, aside from her feelings towards the duchess. Over the
years when the bitterness against the duchess had brought about the
final break and she had dismissed her from all her palace offices,
the queen had maintained a cl
ose relationship with the duke.

Harley watched
his queen in the throes of her struggle with her conscience. He
knew she wanted peace desperately; that England, in her trust, also
wanted peace. Yet Anne had still a high regard for the man that
could possibly thwart her plans for peace. Her breast heaved as she
took very deep breaths until she faced him and simply said: "Very
well. I shall dismiss him. Let me know when the time is right."

Harley said
almost to comfort her: "My colleague, Henry St John is
investigating b-business dealings of the captain-general. It is
p-possible he can b-be impeached."

He had said
the wrong thing for angrily she argued: "Why man, ye duke is a
paragon of honesty. Many a captain-general has enriched himself
from his office, but not ye duke. You need have no fear to spare my
feelings. When ye time comes, I shall do my duty, never fear."

"I fear I have upset your majesty." said
Harley humbly but the queen flashed him a smile and he returned one
nervously. She struck her forehead saying: "But, Mr Harley, I
nearly forgot. Your new appointment! Will you accept ye post of
ye
Chancellor of the
Exchequer."

"I am deeply
honoured ma'am."

"Now you can
visit me using ye front entrance instead of ye back stairs."

He laughed and
the queen joined in. The servants heard it and would recite the
news of the laughter to the duke of Somerset and enjoy watching his
reaction and then have a good laugh themselves at his expense.

"Is this the
first time you have been to the House of Commons, Mr Hill?"

The speaker
was Henry St. John who had invited Jack Hill, Abigail Masham's
brother, on account of a request made to him by Robert Harley. Both
men stood just outside the main building whither they had walked
after meeting Hill off the ferry atop the Parliament Stairs which
was the official alighting pier for members of both houses of
parliament using the Thames as a thoroughfare.

The usually
garrulous Hill sulked unnoticed by St John who pointed out notable
buildings and sights on their walk to the House and who now halted
prior to leaving the open air. St John was anxious to move indoors
as there was a fresh breeze blowing across the water picking up
moisture on the way as nothing offered an impediment to it blowing
straight into their faces, and feeling that the breeze may have
carried away his words, St. John repeated the question.

The sulking
Hill looked pained as he reminded St John of his new military rank
and St John stared somewhat taken off-balance for the briefest
moment before saying: "I might appreciate your concern Mr Hill had
you paid for your new title as every other brigadier has done to
date, or, had you earned it on the field of battle. Let me hear no
more of your complaint."

Hill in turn
spoke sharply and might have indeed showed his rough edge had not
people passed in front and behind them, among them some very
attractive women as Whitehall was not far away and so Hill tempered
anger with discretion as he retorted:

"It looks as
though I shall not see your House after all, Mister. I shall have
my army rank which is my right." He moved as if to leave yet
hesitated keen to hear St John's response. It came accompanied by a
large black-haired hand placed on his shoulder by St John who spun
him round, but not roughly, but as if he was dealing with a
recalcitrant child. He said:

"Mr Hill, I
have been asked by my friend and colleague, as a personal favour,
to inquire into the feasibility of your proposed expedition to
Quebec." This was not quite true but he reasoned Hill would not
know that and went on to say: "Should you leave me now I can assure
you your project is doomed. Still, you are entitled to know the
reason. I ask you to wait around to hear it."

It was Hill's
turn to be taken aback yet St John's tone was conciliatory although
he had not been spoken in that tone since Sarah Churchill had told
him off about his drinking habits. He eyed the speaker coolly and
said in a resigned tone: "Well, out with it. What is the
reason?"

St John looked
intently at the younger man, at his deeply tanned complexion
indicating a love for the open air and replied: "Come inside, out
of this breeze awhile. Follow me!" And turning around made for the
door looking back to say: "They serve an excellent draught here."
He waved at the doorman as he entered and introduced his guest:

"Smithers,
this is Mr Hill." Whereupon the doorman offered a book for St John
to sign. He turned to Hill: "You can write I take it."

Hill smiled
sardonically and wondered where St John had learned about him
though complied as asked following him as invited into a large room
where there were a great number of people sitting in armchairs or
at table in high backed chairs. There was a hum of serious talk and
occasional bouts of laughter as St John threaded his way through to
find what he was looking for, a quiet corner. He asked him to take
a seat and a pipe if he was that way inclined.

He sat down
himself, selected a pipe and drew out a pouch offering it to Hill:
"I hope you like Barnacle Rub which is my latest favourite."

For a while
nobody spoke as each man busied himself with the pipe, St John
being ready first but politely waiting for Hill to be satisfied
before offering him a candle and as both men puffed away, St John
leaned forward saying: "It is like this Mr Hill. The
captain-general has issued advice, and you will know the C-G's
advice is tantamount to an order, that no supplies of any kind are
to be provided or soldiers to be commanded without his, or the Lord
Godolphin's, express permission. That means written
permission."

St John puffed
away in silence as Hill stared back at him saying nothing and St
John wondered whether the news was a surprise or if he had some
earlier inkling of the situation, so lacking a response, he carried
on:

"So you see Mr
Hill the War Office and the Admiralty is closed to you."

Hill now did
speak: "I have been given to understand that provided the
expedition reaches Nova Scotia by a date in August, there will be a
thousand militiamen available, from New England, I believe. I also
understand that money will not be a problem so I should be able to
get shipping for the job."

St John nodded
impressed: "That sounds a reasonable proposition although you will
agree the whole expedition hinges upon the soundness of the ships
to transport your soldiers across the Atlantic Ocean, which" St
John stopped and pointedly examined the long stem of his pipe
before thrusting it back between his lips and adding:

"The best
ships have already been commandeered by the Admiralty under George
Churchill who is no friend to the Hill family."

Hill's face
did take on an expression now of disappointment. It was news that
he had half expected though put bluntly as St John had done, it
threw his hopes into disarray. St John looked with sympathy upon
the disconsolate man who took his pipe from his mouth and placed it
on the receptacle as though he had no further interest in tobacco.
St John made a gesture across the room, leaned across the table and
asked Hill as an usher appeared:

"What would
you like to drown your sorrows? It is on the house."