Sweet Lass of Richmond Hill - Plaidy Jean - Страница 38

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4 Bribery ?'

'I think so, sir.'

'Try someone else.'

'I thought of that, Your Highness. There is the rector of Wehvyn in Hertfordshire, the Reverend Johnes Knight. He is no ordinary parson as you know, but a man of wealth—not particularly ambitious. He doesn't need to be. He has been to Court now and then. Your Highness may not remember but he is a friend of friends of Your Highness's. I have ascertained that he is at this moment visiting Lord North at Bushey and I propose—with Your Highness's permission—to write to him there and ask him to come to Carlton House. I think he might be willing to perform the ceremony.'

'Do it, Gardner. I confess I find all this delay irksome.

It was more than irksome. It was faintly alarming. Fox's letter had done it. If Fox felt so strongly, so might others. One could never be sure who was going to hold up hands of disapproval. And if all these arguments against their union were to reach Maria's ears, who knew what she would do? He simply must not allow her to leave him a second time.

In the meantime he was going to meet her family; he was going to persuade them of the advantages of this marriage in case these disturbing impediments were put to them.

The Reverend Johnes Knight was playing a round game in the drawing room of Lord North's house in Bushey when a messenger arrived from Carlton House with an invitation for the clergyman to dine with the Prince of Wales.

Lord North looked a little startled that his guest should have received such a letter and agreed that he should set out without delay for Carlton House; but the gravity of his lordship's expression set the Reverend Johnes Knight wondering what it could mean, and when Lord North drew him aside and whispered that if he were wise he would tell no one of the

summons to Carlton House until he had ascertained what was required of him, he was a little uneasy.

'I am merely to dine with the Prince,' he said.

Lord North raised his eyebrows. 'I should imagine that something more will be asked of you than your company at dinner/

It was possible. When previously had the Prince invited the Reverend Johnes Knight to dine with him? The answer was: Never before.

With some trepidation he presented himself at Carlton House where he was conducted to a waiting room, and when he had been there a very short time one of the Prince's gentlemen, Edward Bouverie, came to say that the dinner party was cancelled. The Prince, however, would see him if he would present himself at Carlton House on the following morning.

Somewhat bemused the Reverend Johnes Knight left Carlton House and feeling hungry went into the Mount Coffee House to have a meal.

As he stepped inside he heard his name called and there saw an old friend of his, a Colonel Lake, who asked what he was doing in London at this time. Remembering Lord North he prevaricated for a while but let out that he had called at Carlton House, at which the Colonel grew very alert. He was to have dined there, the clergyman proudly explained, but the dinner had been cancelled and he had looked into the coffee house for something to eat.

'Wky not dine with me?' suggested the Colonel, and the clergyman was delighted to have company, for he was a man who was not fond of being alone.

Over dinner they talked of friends and politics and at last the subject of the Prince's infatuation for Mrs. Fitzherbert was mentioned.

4 I would not have believed he could have been so affected. Why, when she went away he was well nigh demented. There is no doubt about it, he is deeply enamoured of this woman.'

'What a pity that she is not a German Princess. What a happy situation that would be! But alas, life does not work out as conveniently as that.'

'Unfortunately not. The Prince is a charming young man

and I should like to see him happy. I see no solution to his problem. She won't live with him without marriage; and how can he marry her?'

Alas, it seems that they are faced with an impossible situation.'

The Colonel gave his companion a shrewd look. 'There is no way out. They may seek some clergyman misguided enough to perform the ceremony.'

'Do you think they will?'

'I should hope not. What would your opinion be of a member of your profession who so far forgot his duty to the Crown and to the State as to do such a thing?'

'It would be quite wrong, of course.'

'I trust no clergyman would do such a thing. I am sure that if such a request were made to you you would refuse. That is so, is it not?'

'Why—yes, yes of course I should refuse.' The Reverend Johnes Knight felt a little sick; he had lost his appetite.

When he left the Colonel he went to his parents' house in Stratford Place where he spent the night; to their questions as to his business in town he was evasive, and the next morning presented himself at Carlton House.

There he was not kept waiting long but was conducted to the Prince's bedchamber where His Highness, wearing a dressing gown as though he had just risen from bed, was waiting for him.

'My good friend...' he began, his eyes warm with affection, and the Reverend Johnes Knight felt in that moment that he would do anything to please such a charming Prince.

'I must offer my apologies for bringing you up from Bushey and being unable to see you last evening. Circumstances ... circumstances...'

The Reverend Johnes Knight murmured that it was such an honour to be received by the Prince at any time and he would make a hundred journeys up from Bushey for such a pleasure.

'For a very long time,' said the Prince confidentially, 'I have been deeply in love with a good and virtuous lady. I shall know no peace until she is my wife. At one time I was so desperate that I attempted to take my life and should have

done so had my doctors not saved me in time. I have suffered greatly by the attitude of my father towards me. I should tell you, my dear friend, that he hates me, that he greatly regrets that my brother Frederick is not his eldest son. I have suffered ... how deeply I can never explain.'

The Reverend Johncs Knight expressed his sorrow at the Prince's sufferings.

'I knew you would,' went on the Prince, 'because I believe that you are deeply attached to me. Is that so?'

'It most certainly is, Your Highness.'

'Then I am going to ask you to give proof of that attachment. I am going to ask you to perform a marriage ceremony between myself and Mrs. Fitzherbert.'

'Your Highness, I could not do it. It is against the law. The Marriage Act stands in the way, sir. It would be criminal of me to perform such a ceremony.'

'As soon as I am on the throne that iniquitous Marriage Act will be repealed.'

'I am sure it will, sir, but now it is in force and I cannot therefore

The Prince paced up and down the room, a look of blank despair on his face.

Then he turned to face his visitor. 'So you refuse me?' he said plaintively.

Tour Highness it is with the deepest regret, but I must.'

'If you refuse I must find a clergyman who will.'

The Reverend Johncs Knight was torn between his desire to serve the Prince and what he knew was his duty. He might, it was true, find someone to marry him, but what sort of clergyman would he be? Someone who would ask for preferment for performing the task; someone who would have to be bribed, someone who might betray the Prince's secret to Mr. Pitt if he were offered a bigger bribe to do so.

He pointed this out to the Prince who grew more and more melancholy. 'It is for this reason that I wished you to help me. I wanted an honest man to come to my assistance. Ah, so many people swear they will serve me ... but only when it pleases them to do so.'

The Reverend Johnes Knight was young and impressionable

and the Prince was well aware of this. He went on talking of his sufferings, of the manner in which the King had ill-rrcatcd him, of his enduring love for the most virtuous of women; and at length the Reverend Johnes Knight cried out: 'I will do it. For Your Highness I will do it.'

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