concert in the palace. I have never forgotten it.’
She must hear Albert sing one of his songs. ‘But, Cousin Albert, how very clever of you to compose that. Could we sing my favourite duet together?’
Their voices harmonised. The Duchess sat tapping her foot while they sang with Duke Ernest beside her looking very pleased.
There was a visit to Windsor to call on the King, who received them rather coolly although the Queen was kind. Albert noticed that the King was very old and by no means in good health. It seemed possible that in a short time Victoria would be Queen. Albert was impressed by Windsor; his spirits rose and he immediately felt better, more alive, to be in the country. The chestnut trees were magnificent, and the may blossom was just about to break out, and the forest reminded him of home. In such surroundings he would feel well and perhaps not be so tormented by his desire for Coburg as he had imagined. And the castle was magnificent. The elaborate staterooms amazed him; there was nothing like those deep-piled carpets and rich velvet gold-fringed curtains in his father’s houses. All this would be hers one day if the present King had no children, which was now almost a certainty.
Albert began to feel excited by his destiny. He felt sure that he would be able to guide his gay little cousin.
Oh, but the energy of the little creature! Albert’s greatest problem was to keep his eyes open while she chattered away. She wanted to dance every evening; nor was she content if they retired before two o’clock. It was not only that he had to fight the terrible drowsiness which beset him, but his fatigue almost bordered on illness. His step-mother said he had grown too fast, for as a child he had always been much shorter than Ernest; now he had shot up suddenly and was as tall.
The day before Victoria’s birthday, which was to have a very special entertainment, he felt so tired that he could not stay awake. The Duchess of Kent, who was very kind to him, noticed that he was looking delicate and suggested that he should retire early. He blessed her. How kind she was, how thoughtful! Victoria’s blue eyes were round with dismay. Dear Albert. How very concerned she was! He must be well by tomorrow because she could not bear him to be ill on her birthday. Oh, the joy of being in bed, to sleep and sleep and sleep.
On her birthday there was a ball at St James’s Palace. Another of those interminable balls. When I marry her I shall make it a rule that we rise early (for the early morning is the best time of the day) and retire not later than ten o’clock, he promised himself. But he was not married to her yet, and as Ernest had said, it would be for her to choose. Perhaps she would choose Ernest, whose gay temperament was more like her own.
He was at present too tired to care.
It was unthinkable that he, as one of the principal guests, could sit out during the dance. He had to get on to the floor to bow and prance, as he thought of it. He felt giddy and feared he was going to faint. It was her hand that steadied him; and those big blue eyes looked tenderly up at him.
‘Albert, do you feel ill?’
He swayed and she led him to a chair.
The Duchess was beside him. ‘My dear Albert, you are not feeling well?’
He sat down and closed his eyes.
The Duchess said that he must go back to Kensington and that she would arrange this without delay.
So while Victoria danced at her birthday ball, Albert slept as the carriage took him through the streets and he was relieved to reach his bedroom.
But of course this was no way to impress his future bride.
He could not help being pleased when it was time to return home, although that dreadful sea crossing had to be faced before they could reach that haven.
Ernest was now certain that the Princess Victoria had chosen him.
‘Never mind, Albert,’ he said. ‘I shall rule England but I’ll let you have Coburg as a consolation prize.’
Albert was not so sure. He
She must hear Albert sing one of his songs. ‘But, Cousin Albert, how very clever of you to compose that. Could we sing my favourite duet together?’
Their voices harmonised. The Duchess sat tapping her foot while they sang with Duke Ernest beside her looking very pleased.
There was a visit to Windsor to call on the King, who received them rather coolly although the Queen was kind. Albert noticed that the King was very old and by no means in good health. It seemed possible that in a short time Victoria would be Queen. Albert was impressed by Windsor; his spirits rose and he immediately felt better, more alive, to be in the country. The chestnut trees were magnificent, and the may blossom was just about to break out, and the forest reminded him of home. In such surroundings he would feel well and perhaps not be so tormented by his desire for Coburg as he had imagined. And the castle was magnificent. The elaborate staterooms amazed him; there was nothing like those deep-piled carpets and rich velvet gold-fringed curtains in his father’s houses. All this would be hers one day if the present King had no children, which was now almost a certainty.
Albert began to feel excited by his destiny. He felt sure that he would be able to guide his gay little cousin.
Oh, but the energy of the little creature! Albert’s greatest problem was to keep his eyes open while she chattered away. She wanted to dance every evening; nor was she content if they retired before two o’clock. It was not only that he had to fight the terrible drowsiness which beset him, but his fatigue almost bordered on illness. His step-mother said he had grown too fast, for as a child he had always been much shorter than Ernest; now he had shot up suddenly and was as tall.
The day before Victoria’s birthday, which was to have a very special entertainment, he felt so tired that he could not stay awake. The Duchess of Kent, who was very kind to him, noticed that he was looking delicate and suggested that he should retire early. He blessed her. How kind she was, how thoughtful! Victoria’s blue eyes were round with dismay. Dear Albert. How very concerned she was! He must be well by tomorrow because she could not bear him to be ill on her birthday. Oh, the joy of being in bed, to sleep and sleep and sleep.
On her birthday there was a ball at St James’s Palace. Another of those interminable balls. When I marry her I shall make it a rule that we rise early (for the early morning is the best time of the day) and retire not later than ten o’clock, he promised himself. But he was not married to her yet, and as Ernest had said, it would be for her to choose. Perhaps she would choose Ernest, whose gay temperament was more like her own.
He was at present too tired to care.
It was unthinkable that he, as one of the principal guests, could sit out during the dance. He had to get on to the floor to bow and prance, as he thought of it. He felt giddy and feared he was going to faint. It was her hand that steadied him; and those big blue eyes looked tenderly up at him.
‘Albert, do you feel ill?’
He swayed and she led him to a chair.
The Duchess was beside him. ‘My dear Albert, you are not feeling well?’
He sat down and closed his eyes.
The Duchess said that he must go back to Kensington and that she would arrange this without delay.
So while Victoria danced at her birthday ball, Albert slept as the carriage took him through the streets and he was relieved to reach his bedroom.
But of course this was no way to impress his future bride.
He could not help being pleased when it was time to return home, although that dreadful sea crossing had to be faced before they could reach that haven.
Ernest was now certain that the Princess Victoria had chosen him.
‘Never mind, Albert,’ he said. ‘I shall rule England but I’ll let you have Coburg as a consolation prize.’
Albert was not so sure. He
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