The empress of ice cream

Louise

While the king swims, Lady Arlington walks me down the Stone Gallery, the longest and most ornate of the cloistered courtyards within Whitehall.

‘Those are the king’s apartments,’ she says, pointing. ‘The houses on the other side are for favourite courtiers. And here,’ she pauses significandy, ‘a new set of rooms is being prepared.’

She opens some wooden doors. Inside, four men in short wigs, court painters, are working on a fresco. On the opposite wall, a tapestry in the French style is being hung by men on ladders. Another workman, a cabinetmaker, is installing an inlaid bookcase of walnut and maple with the help of an apprentice. The smell of wood shavings and fresh paint hangs in the air. As we enter the men duck their heads respectfully, then go back to what they were doing.

‘What a beautiful room,’ I say truthfully, going to the window. The tall panes remind me of Versailles. Beyond is a pretty garden containing a large glass sundial, with the long glittering lake of St James’s Park beyond.

‘It’s for you.’

I turn round, astounded. ‘For me?’

‘He is having it refurbished specially. And look.’ She crosses to another door and opens it. It leads to a set of stairs. ‘He can visit you directly from his own apartments.’

‘Without anyone knowing, you mean?’

Lady Arlington nods. ‘There may be times when he wishes to be discreet. To begin with, at least.’

I stare at her. ‘But I would never permit him to visit me in that fashion unless he were my husband.’

‘Don’t be a fool, Louise,’ she says softly. ‘You must do what

is necessary, just as pretty girls have always done with kings. The only question is, what will you get out of it.^* Your Majesty.’ She sweeps into a curtsey, and for a moment I think she is mocking me. Then, turning, I see that the king has come into the room.

T was told you were here,’ he says impatiently. ^Do the rooms meet with your approval.^ They will be finished by the weekend. Perhaps you will do me the honour of moving into them.’

T cannot—’ I begin, but Lady Arlington is quicker.

‘That is very timely, sir. We are beginning some rebuilding works next week, so Louise would have had to leave us in any case.’

‘Sir,’ I say, ‘I cannot possibly accept these quarters. They are far too good for a lady-in-waiting.’

‘On the contrary. It is you who are far too good for them.’ Charles is gazing at me with an intensity I find unnerving. ‘Walk with me,’ he says quietly, casting a glance at Lady Arlington. ‘Let us talk a litde.’

He leads me out into the Stone Gallery, and Lady Arlington walks fifteen paces behind us, pretending to be engrossed in the statues.

For a while, though, we do not talk much at alii, the king only pointing out to me where various courtiers five. Then he produces a key and unlocks a small door.

‘This is my privy garden,’ he says, closing and locking the door behind him. Lady Arlington, I notice, is still on the other side of it. ‘For my use alone.’

‘It must be hard for Your Majesty to find solitude.’

‘In truth, I never used to seek it. It is only since her death . . .’ He glances at me. ‘Tell me, Louise. You said she let you read our correspondence? ’

‘That is so.’

He says with a studied lack of interest, ‘Then what do

you know about Dover? Besides that my sister was very ill, I mean?’

This is dangerous ground, but there is no point in denying it. T know about the treaty. Madame took me into her confidence from the outset!’

T see.’ He touches his moustache. ‘Then presumably you are aware that it is a secret known only to a handful of other people. In this country there are six, besides myself Seven, now you are here. Were it to become known more widely, it could affect the whole course of my reign.’

‘I know. And I promise that I will never betray Madame’s confidence.’

He nods. ‘The fact that she trusted you is enough for me. But tell me . . .’ He hesitates. ‘Was it. . . honourable?’

‘Sir?’

‘Many of my subjects would say - if, heaven forbid, they knew about it - that when I signed that piece of paper, and took Louis’s pension, I signed away my honour. I have been thinking about that a lot, these past months. I want to know what you think.’

He is asking what I think. I try to imagine Louis XIV having this conversation, and I cannot. It is extraordinary - to talk almost as equals like this.

I have to be careful.

‘If a man had signed that document, then perhaps it could be considered dishonourable. But you are not a man. You are the king - you are England. You cannot be bound by the same considerations as ordinary men, just as you cannot be bound by the wishes of Parliament.’

‘Yes.’ He begins to pace, and I walk with him, trying to match his long stride. ‘So I thought myself, at the time. But since her death ... I see my people - they are weary of wars. Religious divisions too. Perhaps in my greed - my yearning to be an independent ruler - and my desire to please my sister, I have put my interests before theirs.’

‘But Madame had no interest in this. She only wanted what was best for you.’j

‘True. But perhaps she was influenced by her own religious convictions. Not to mention her . . . admiration for Louis.’ He glances at me^ and I see that he knows, or at least suspects, about his sister and the king. ‘She was like all of us Stuarts,’ he says apologetically. ‘Her appetite for hfe was large, and she sometimes allowed it to sway her judgement.’ He falls silent for a moment. ‘It is good to talk about this. Since her death, there has been no one I could discuss it with.’

I sense an opening. ‘You can talk to me as often as you wish, sir. Indeed, I hope that you will.’

He gives me a rueful glance. ‘I would not impose that burden on you.’

‘It would be no burden. And it is only what they all expect.’

‘Oh? Why is that?’

I hesitate, and find myself blushing a little. ‘Some of your ministers think that I will catch your eye.’

‘Ah,’ he says softiy. ‘Of course.’ He gives me a sideways look. ‘I can see why they might think so. I confess that in the past I have often had a deplorable weakness for female beauty.’

My blush deepens. ‘But I can help you without that. I can be your confidante, just as your sister was. I can get messages to Louis, I can make him aware of the pressures you are under. I have already seen how impossible it would be for you to announce your conversion now. I will report it to him.’

He raises his eyebrows. ‘You would intercede with your own king on my behalf?’

‘I would be a go-between, trusted by both. As your sister was.’

‘Then let those be the terms of the Treaty of the Rose Garden,’ he says laconically. ‘But - just so I am quite clear - that is as far as it goes? To talk to me, and nothing more?’

I blush again.

‘Forgive me,’ he adds. ‘More plain speaking. But I would

rather shock you now with my bluntness, than offend you with an unwelcome suggestion on some future occasion.’

‘Then I will speak plainly too.’ Plainly, I think, but carefully. ‘I will never by my conduct bring disgrace to my family.’

He nods. Is he disappointed, or pleased? It is impossible to be sure. But it is important that he knows that I am not going to do what Lady Arlington is insinuating I should.

We have reached the sundial in the centre of the garden, an elaborate affair of glass orbs inlaid with stained glass. The base is carved with an inscription;

Each day all previous days forget:

Waste not these hours with regret.

‘'Carpe diem^’’ he says, seeing me read it. ‘A good instruction for us both. You realise that if we are seen together, talking, people may draw their own conclusions? Your reputation, I am sure, would not invite such a response, but I am afraid that I have not always been so well behaved.’

‘It will be better if they do,’ I say frankly. ‘It will worry them far less than the idea that we are discussing matters of policy’

‘A shrewd answer. And I see over your shoulder that Lady Arlington is spying on us from the windows of your apartment even now. She will be wondering what we are talking about.’

‘Perhaps we had better make it look—’ I stop.

‘My thoughts exactly,’ he agrees. He reaches for my hand, puts it to his lips, and kisses it at the wrist. Then, still holding my wrist, he pulls me easily into his arms. For a moment I find myself staring into his eyes. Is there a hint of amusement - of calculation, even - deep in their blackness?

‘I meant what I said earlier,’ he says softly. ‘I will make no suggestions to you, I swear. But I do not deny that had you been a different sort of woman, I would have done so without hesitation.’

*

I7I

‘Well?’ Lady Arlington demands. ‘What did he say?’

‘He said . .s .’ I cannot tell her what he said. ‘It was nothing. Flatteries and endearments and so on.’

Lady Arlington smiles. ‘And I suppose you told him to keep his flatteries to himself?’

I do not reply.

‘It’s all right. I was watching from up here. I saw the way you were together. I knew you would be charmed by him. There’s something about a crown that overcomes the most stubborn scruples, isn’t there?’