The Queen and Lord M (23 page)

‘How can she, Lehzen? If she has a child we shall all know in good time.’

‘These things can be arranged. She can declare her innocence, then when the affair has blown over, slip away and have the child and let some servant look after it. It’s been done before.’

Yes, thought Victoria, Aunt Sophia.

‘It is all a matter of time,’ went on Lehzen. ‘That is why Sir James was insistent about the examination.’

‘I’m surprised that she agreed.’

‘She wouldn’t have done so, but when Sir James let it be known that it was more or less an order from Your Majesty that changed her tune.’

‘It is all very shocking. I don’t want to have to see her. Send an order to her that she is not to appear until her character has been cleared in the only manner it can be.’

After leaving Lady Tavistock and Lady Portman Sir James felt it was his duty to inform the Duchess of Kent what was happening to her lady-in-waiting.

The Duchess was horrified. She had been so immersed in her own affairs that she had been completely unaware of what was happening under her nose although the entire household was whispering about Lady Flora.

She sent for Flora at once.

‘Is this true?’

‘It is lies … all lies,’ cried Lady Flora. ‘I am ill and because my body is swollen they are saying I am pregnant.’

‘Who is saying this?’ demanded the Duchess.

‘The Queen’s ladies started it. Tavistock and Portman.’

‘Oh,’ said the Duchess, ‘so it came from that quarter.’

‘I have explained to Sir James Clark that I am sometimes more swollen than others. Besides, I am a virgin. I trust Your Grace believes me.’

The Duchess was relieved. She did believe Flora. She had been jealous of her because Sir John had been rather too friendly with her. Sir John was so charming that many women found him irresistible and Flora had quite clearly been flattered, but they had all worked very well together. The Duchess believed she saw the motive behind this attack on Lady Flora’s character.

‘Do you swear that you could not possibly be pregnant, Flora?’

‘I do. If your Grace will allow me to stay at Court I can prove it. People will see that at times I am larger than at others. I am sick, I know. But I will consult Sir Charles Clarke. I am sure his diagnosis will be different from that of Sir James.’

‘Go to your bed and lie down,’ said the Duchess. ‘I will talk to you later, but let me tell you this: I believe you. This is some cruel plot which has started in the Queen’s household. Don’t worry. Flora. I will stand by you.’

The Duchess kissed her lady-in-waiting and the usually frigid Flora was almost in tears. ‘
They
will be sorry for this,’ declared the Duchess; and Flora felt that with the Duchess’s support she could face the ordeal before her.

Naturally the Duchess immediately sought out Sir John.

‘They are accusing Flora of being pregnant,’ cried the Duchess. ‘It is all a hideous plot. The poor girl is almost demented … although she bravely tries to hide it.’

‘You know,’ said Sir John, ‘that they are accusing me of being the father of this non-existent child.’

‘No, they cannot!’

‘They have already done so. But then I am blamed for everything so I have become accustomed to that.’

‘Is this child … non-existent?’

‘As far as I can say … yes. Do you think Flora is the sort of woman to take a lover? Flora is as frigid as an iceberg.’

‘You have tested this?’

‘One does not have to submit her to
that
test. All the signposts are there to lead one to that conclusion.’

‘Then she should refuse to submit to this distasteful examination, poor girl.’

Sir John was smiling one of his most cynical smiles. ‘This is going to be one of the biggest scandals of the age. Our little Vic does not realise what a storm she is raising.’

‘Should we try to tell her?’

Sir John laughed. ‘Tell her? Certainly not! Let her get her little fingers burned. The people love her. She is so appealing, the dear little Queen – so kind to everyone, so innocent. Out she goes on her horse – and how well she looks on her horse – riding in her carriage, bowing, smiling. Oh yes, the people love their dear little Queen. But don’t you see, this is her affair. She is at the root of it. She is hounding an innocent woman; she is accusing her of what society calls disgraceful conduct – more disgraceful of course when it is brought to light. If practised in secret it can be quite respectable. Oh, yes, they are playing right into our hands. I think this is going to be a victory for us.’

‘I begin to see what you mean, but this can only come about if Flora is innocent.’

‘I’m ready to stake my future honours and pension on her virginity.’

‘You should know,’ said the Duchess, a little tersely.

‘I’m sure I do,’ he said with a smile.

‘Then what happens next?’

‘Simple. There is an examination and Flora is proved to be a virgin.’

‘That will be an end to the matter.’

‘Oh dear me, no. That will
not
be the end of the matter. Flora will be cleared, yes, but others will be involved. Those who slandered her; those who have treated a sick woman to such indignity, humiliating her, tearing her reputation into shreds.’

‘You mean … the Queen?’

Conroy lifted his shoulders. ‘Our Little Majesty could scarcely escape
some
censure, for those interfering old busy-bodies could not act without her consent.’

‘And then?’

‘The Court, the people will see that it is not all sunshine in the Palace. Perhaps they will question whether some of the hard things which have been said about others – such as the Queen’s mother and that Comptroller of a royal household who was ready to be her good friend – have been entirely true. Moreover I do not think Lady Flora’s family will let the matter be quietly shelved. And quite rightly. They will want no stories being put about that the matter has been hushed up to save Lady Flora’s face.’

‘You are making it look like a conspiracy.’

‘That,’ said Sir John, ‘is exactly what it is.’

On the following Sunday when the examination was to take place tension grew in the Palace. The two doctors and Lady Portman with Lady Flora’s maid were all present.

Victoria, like everyone else, was waiting for the result. She had realised that if they were wrong the situation was going to be rather unpleasant. She could not hope that they would be proved right, of course. And yet …

Oh dear, what a terrible position to be in! How had she become involved in such an indelicate affair? How much better if everyone had taken Lord Melbourne’s advice to wait and see.

The Baroness came to her, her face blank with dismay.

‘Is it over?’ asked the Queen.

‘Yes,’ said Lehzen.

‘The result?’

‘The two doctors have signed a statement to say that she is a virgin and that the swelling is due to some growth of the liver.’

‘Oh, the poor girl!’

‘She is very ill but not pregnant.’

‘At least,’ said the Queen, uncertainly, ‘this has settled the disagreeable matter once and for all. I am going to ask her to come and see me. I am going to tell her how very sorry I am that we misjudged her.’

‘That is the best line to take,’ said the Baroness.

The Queen wrote at once to Lady Flora inviting her to call on her. Lady Flora replied at once begging to be excused; the ordeal through which she had passed combined with her illness had brought her near to a state of collapse and she was unable to leave her bed.

Victoria answered kindly, suggesting Lady Flora visit her the next day.

The meeting took place. The Queen was in tears. It had been such a dreadful affair and she was afraid poor Lady Flora had suffered greatly. But she, the Queen, was so happy now that it was all over and she wanted Lady Flora to know that she had her deepest sympathy.

Lady Flora replied with guarded dignity, aware she said of the honour Her Majesty did her by her interest in her affairs. She added she felt very ill and would be glad to retire to her bed.

‘Please do so at once,’ said the Queen. ‘I shall send someone tomorrow to ask how you are.’

When Lady Flora was gone she sighed with relief and told herself how glad she was that the matter was settled, but she would be very careful in future to make sure that she was in possession of the full facts before she accused anyone.

‘I am grateful,’ she repeated to the Baroness, ‘that this most distasteful affair is now over.’

But of course it was not over.

‘This,’ said Sir John, ‘is the beginning of the fun.’

He was going to exploit the situation to the full, so he went at once to see Lady Flora.

‘So our Little Vic has made her apology,’ he said.

‘She was very gracious,’ Flora told him.

‘And very frightened, I daresay. And how are you, Flora?’

‘A little better today.’

‘Good! Well enough to write a letter?’

‘To whom?’

‘To your brother, of course. He may not have heard of this. In fact I am pretty certain that he has not. Knowing the young gentleman I am sure that if he had heard of the slanders aimed at his sister he would have been down with all speed to avenge the insult to his family honour.’

‘He does not know, of course.’

‘He is going to.’

‘You are going to tell him?’

‘No, you are.’

‘I am heartily sick of the entire affair.’

‘You know, Flora, in an affair like this even though one is proved innocent there will always be someone to believe the worst. In a few years’ time they will be saying “What was that Flora Hastings affair? Immoral woman wasn’t she? Found out and disgraced!”’

‘But I have been cleared.’

‘People believe the worst. You’ll have to make such a noise about this that the facts are not forgotten. We want the right people to be blamed. Take my advice, Flora. Write to your brother. Tell him how you have been slandered. Tell him to what you have had to submit. Your family honour is at stake, you know. People are going to believe the worst. Write off to Loudoun right away.’

‘He is not at Loudoun. He’s at Donington Park.’

‘So much the better. Leicestershire is nearer than Scotland. Take my advice, Flora. Do this at once. Or do you prefer to stand meekly by and let them insult you?’

He knew that was not Flora’s way. He brought her pens and ink and sat there watching her while she wrote the story of her wrongs. When it was written, he himself took it away and made sure it was despatched without delay to the young Marquis of Hastings.