‘But you are not going to do without me.’
‘We shall do everything in our power.’
‘No one will dare go against Prinney’s wish.’
‘This is matter of law, dearest, and your aunt could claim that she is nearer to you than a woman like myself who am no relation.’
‘But my mother gave me to you.’
‘Don’t distress yourself, dear. We shall have to await the verdict and abide by it.’
‘If they take me away from you, I shall never abide by it.’
‘We should see each other now and then.’
‘But this is my home. I couldn’t imagine any other. You are my dearest Mamma. I never knew another and I will never accept another.’
‘My darling Minney, you are my great comfort.’
Minney looked alarmed. Oh dear, was Prinney being bad again? She knew a great deal about the wickedness of Prinney. When she sat on his knee and they laughed together he was such a jolly man, and he seemed so happy; he always looked at Maria in a melting way which was very affecting and tears came into his eyes when he talked of how happy they all were together. And yet there were whispers about him and she couldn’t help knowing that he did make dearest Mamma unhappy at times. And then when she played with Charlotte, that very knowledgeable young person would tell her secrets which shehad picked up through keeping her eyes open which, she was always pointing out, was a talent Minney seemed sadly to lack. All was not as well as it often seemed. There were undercurrents which Minney did not understand; and that was why dearest Mamma was often a little sad and Piggy went around clicking her teeth.
But when he came large and glittering, when he laughed and wept and said how happy he was to be home with his dearest ones, how pleasant life was. Minney could always be deluded then into thinking that that was how it was going to be for ever. There he would sit with his elegantly arranged neckcloth which always seemed to be trying to keep his chin from escaping (‘My chin, Minney,’ he had said when she told him so. ‘I’ll tell you a secret. I have more than one.’), the beautiful cloth of his coat so smooth to the touch, fitting his large torso so neatly, the great diamond star, which she never failed to find fascinating – he was indeed a fairytale Prince and next to Maria she loved him best in the world with Miss Pigot a very close third. It was their home – the three of them were in a magic circle. And if Maria was Mamma, Prinney was Papa, although it was difficult to think of Prinney in such a role, particularly as he was in fact Charlotte’s father.
Well, thought Minney, he is my Prinney, and our names even rhyme.
Maria, looking at the child, thought: Should I prepare her? It would be a terrible shock to her if she had to go. I am sure her Aunt Waldegrave would do everything to make her happy, but Minney is such a loyal little soul and she has already given her allegiance to me.
Miss Pigot arrived with the tea and Minney poured gracefully and charmingly. How can I ever bear to part with her? thought Maria, and watching her Miss Pigot knew what was in her mind.
I pray God the case goes our way, thought Miss Pigot.
While she sipped her tea Maria was thinking of the first time she had seen Minney. That was at the period of her greatest despair when the Prince of Wales had married Princess Caroline of Brunswick. It had happened more than ten years ago and she would never forget the day when Orlando Bridgeman, LordBradford, had brought her the news that the ceremony had taken place. She had fainted, for that had seemed like the end of everything.
But she had been so sorry for him when she had heard how he loathed the marriage, how his bride was repulsive to him, and how as soon as she was with child and he had done his duty he left her. And when little Princess Charlotte was born he had declared that he would never live with his wife again. She knew that he hated the woman, that he could not bear to hear her spoken
‘We shall do everything in our power.’
‘No one will dare go against Prinney’s wish.’
‘This is matter of law, dearest, and your aunt could claim that she is nearer to you than a woman like myself who am no relation.’
‘But my mother gave me to you.’
‘Don’t distress yourself, dear. We shall have to await the verdict and abide by it.’
‘If they take me away from you, I shall never abide by it.’
‘We should see each other now and then.’
‘But this is my home. I couldn’t imagine any other. You are my dearest Mamma. I never knew another and I will never accept another.’
‘My darling Minney, you are my great comfort.’
Minney looked alarmed. Oh dear, was Prinney being bad again? She knew a great deal about the wickedness of Prinney. When she sat on his knee and they laughed together he was such a jolly man, and he seemed so happy; he always looked at Maria in a melting way which was very affecting and tears came into his eyes when he talked of how happy they all were together. And yet there were whispers about him and she couldn’t help knowing that he did make dearest Mamma unhappy at times. And then when she played with Charlotte, that very knowledgeable young person would tell her secrets which shehad picked up through keeping her eyes open which, she was always pointing out, was a talent Minney seemed sadly to lack. All was not as well as it often seemed. There were undercurrents which Minney did not understand; and that was why dearest Mamma was often a little sad and Piggy went around clicking her teeth.
But when he came large and glittering, when he laughed and wept and said how happy he was to be home with his dearest ones, how pleasant life was. Minney could always be deluded then into thinking that that was how it was going to be for ever. There he would sit with his elegantly arranged neckcloth which always seemed to be trying to keep his chin from escaping (‘My chin, Minney,’ he had said when she told him so. ‘I’ll tell you a secret. I have more than one.’), the beautiful cloth of his coat so smooth to the touch, fitting his large torso so neatly, the great diamond star, which she never failed to find fascinating – he was indeed a fairytale Prince and next to Maria she loved him best in the world with Miss Pigot a very close third. It was their home – the three of them were in a magic circle. And if Maria was Mamma, Prinney was Papa, although it was difficult to think of Prinney in such a role, particularly as he was in fact Charlotte’s father.
Well, thought Minney, he is my Prinney, and our names even rhyme.
Maria, looking at the child, thought: Should I prepare her? It would be a terrible shock to her if she had to go. I am sure her Aunt Waldegrave would do everything to make her happy, but Minney is such a loyal little soul and she has already given her allegiance to me.
Miss Pigot arrived with the tea and Minney poured gracefully and charmingly. How can I ever bear to part with her? thought Maria, and watching her Miss Pigot knew what was in her mind.
I pray God the case goes our way, thought Miss Pigot.
While she sipped her tea Maria was thinking of the first time she had seen Minney. That was at the period of her greatest despair when the Prince of Wales had married Princess Caroline of Brunswick. It had happened more than ten years ago and she would never forget the day when Orlando Bridgeman, LordBradford, had brought her the news that the ceremony had taken place. She had fainted, for that had seemed like the end of everything.
But she had been so sorry for him when she had heard how he loathed the marriage, how his bride was repulsive to him, and how as soon as she was with child and he had done his duty he left her. And when little Princess Charlotte was born he had declared that he would never live with his wife again. She knew that he hated the woman, that he could not bear to hear her spoken
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