Read The Third George: (Georgian Series) for Free Online Page A

wrong?’
    ‘News,’ he said, ‘from Mecklenburg.’
    ‘Pray tell me quickly.’
    It was Bute who took the letter from the King’s tremblinghand and read that the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz had died and that in the circumstances the wedding would have to be postponed.
    The Princess Augusta sat down heavily. It was what she feared – some impediment, something that would stand in the way of getting George married promptly.
    Was she imagining it or did she see a look of relief in the King’s eyes? Was he saying to himself: It could happen that the marriage does not take place after all. And there is Sarah …
    Bute took charge of the situation as he had on so many occasions, promptly, tactfully and resourcefully, thought the Princess fondly.
    ‘This is sad news,’ he said, ‘but I do not see why the death of our little Queen’s mother need delay the wedding. Poor little lady, she will be so desolate and in need of comfort … the comfort her husband can give her. I think Your Majesty should write immediately and insist that the plans are not held back in any way whatsoever.’
    ‘It is very sad … for Charlotte,’ said George.
    ‘I knew,’ said Bute warmly, ‘that you would want to comfort her. Let us write of your feelings without delay. And we will say that on no account should the Princess Charlotte … our little queen … delay her journey to her kingdom and her King.’
    George allowed Lord Bute to lead him to his mother’s writing table while the Princess watched her forceful lover. What an ally! How she adored him! More today, than in those weeks which had followed their first meeting in the tent when the new excitement had come into her life. More than ever, she thought fondly, after all these years.
    *
    Lady Sarah Lennox came down to breakfast at Holland House looking fresh and lovely, as though she had not a care in the world.
    Her sister Lady Caroline Fox regarded her with some impatience while her brother-in-law looked up from his plate sardonically as she fell into her chair.
    Lady Caroline found it difficult to forgive her for losing, as she said, the greatest chance that would ever come her way, for Lady Caroline was sure that had her foolish young sister playedher cards as any wise girl would have done, she would now be betrothed to the King and not known throughout the Court as the girl he had jilted.
    What was so irritating was Sarah’s indifference. In fact Sarah’s indifference was at the whole root of the trouble. If Sarah had shown some enthusiasm for the King’s courtship in the first place, Caroline was sure George would have been so determined to marry her that nothing would have stopped him.
    Sarah was holding something in her lap and her brother-in-law asked what it was she was regarding so tenderly. Lady Caroline gave a little shriek as Sarah held up the hedgehog.
    ‘Not at the breakfast table!’ she cried.
    But Sarah began to laugh and set the creature on the table.
    ‘Is he not a little darling?’ demanded Sarah.
    ‘I refuse to have him on the breakfast table,’ declared Lady Caroline.
    But Sarah was looking appealingly at her brother-in-law. Henry Fox thought her a little idiot, but she amused him and was so pretty so he said: ‘Don’t be hard on poor Sarah, Caroline. She has suffered three bereavements so recently – the death of her little squirrel, that of Beau her horse …’ Sarah’s eyes filled with tears at the recollection. ‘Not to mention,’ went on Mr Fox as though he were addressing the House of Commons, ‘the King of England.’
    ‘Oh, dear Mr Fox,’ sighed Sarah plaintively, ‘do not bring up that stale matter again. I am so sick of the King and his wedding.’
    ‘Sarah, for God’s sake try to be sensible,’ pleaded Caroline. ‘I know it is difficult for you …’
    ‘Very,’ sighed Sarah mischievously. ‘Don’t you love the way he rolls into a ball. Look at those spikes.’
    Caroline sighed and looked at her husband who