The Queen and Lord M

Chapter VIII THE HASTINGS SCANDAL

Christmas followed closely on the death of Lady John. Several of the ladies-in-waiting went home to their families to spend the holiday and one of those who left was Lady Flora Hastings, who had gone up to Scotland to stay at one of her family’s seats, Loudoun Castle.

Victoria had never recovered from the depression which had begun with the death of Lady John and she began to feel not so well and to worry about her health.

‘I am putting on a good deal of weight,’ she told Lord Melbourne.

‘Oh,’ he replied easily, ‘plump people are much more comfortable to be with than thin ones. “I like not these lean men”, said one of your ancestors, King Henry VIII to be precise.’

‘It was all very well for him. He was tall. I am too short to be fat. Oh, how I wish I could grow!’

‘Your small stature somehow lends you dignity which shows how naturally that very regal quality comes to you.’

‘It could be even more noticeable if I were a few inches taller. And I hate to be fat.’

‘You should eat less.’

‘I know, but I do like food.’

‘It is very often that we like the things which do us most harm. Don’t have your food so highly flavoured.’

‘I like it so.’

‘All Hanoverians are very fond of food. You take after your family.’

‘That’s what I’m afraid of. My grandfather went mad. Some said Uncle William really was.’

‘I remember the gamblers making bets,’ said Lord Melbourne. ‘Would he be in a straitjacket before he could get to the throne?’

‘And I believe it was hinted that even Uncle George …’

‘Good God,’ cried Lord Melbourne, ‘what are you suggesting? It’s madness … I mean folly. People go mad through worrying too much, so that is what you have to watch for. As for being fat … walk more, take exercise. That will do it. Then you need not cut down on the food you like.’

‘My feet get swollen when I walk.’

‘Then walk even more and they’ll get over it.’

‘Some members of my family have walked a great deal and they are fat. I am getting rather lazy. I never want to dress in fine clothes now.’

‘You must dress,’ said Lord Melbourne. ‘The people expect it. Besides dressing brushes up a woman.’

‘I don’t feel quite the same as I did.’

‘You became Queen. It was a great experience. You were exultant, excited. It is only natural that the excitement wears off, and there follows a certain depression. Soon you will throw that off and settle down. Then you will discover what a fine thing it is to be queen of a great country.’

‘I hope so. I hate to feel so lazy. Sometimes when I get up in the morning I don’t want even to brush my teeth. I feel angry about teeth. They are such a nuisance.’

‘Mrs Sheridan used to say that there were four commandments and that children should be brought up to obey them … and if they did all would be well. They were: Fear God; Honour the King; Obey Your Parents; and Brush Your Teeth.’

Victoria began to laugh. Then she thought of Mrs Sheridan, who must have been the mother of Caroline Norton, that woman with whom he was involved in divorce proceedings.

She thought: How I wish he would tell me something of his past life – that very colourful, exciting and, some would say, wicked past of his, which has made him such a fascinating person!

Oh yes, there was something to make life agreeable even during this time of depression. Her meetings with Lord M.

The Baroness came into the Queen’s bedroom through the communicating door. Her face was flushed and she looked as though she were rather excited about something.

‘I must tell you at once. Flora Hastings is back.’

‘Well, Daisy darling, that is not very good news.’

‘She came back from Scotland, you know.’

‘Yes, I heard she had gone to her mother’s house for Christmas.’

‘She came back in a post chaise which she shared with … guess whom?’

‘Daisy, what has come over you? Tell me what it is at once.’

‘She came back alone with Sir John Conroy.’

‘Well, of course there have been lots of rumours about them. They are often together and I am ashamed to say this – and wouldn’t to anyone but you, Daisy – but people say that my mother is jealous of Lady Flora because Sir John pays too much attention to her.’

‘It may well be that he has been paying very special attention to her.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘She is feeling most unwell. She has mysterious pains in her side. And there is no doubt that her figure has undergone a change recently. She had grown noticeably larger.’

‘Oh no, Daisy, it cannot be!’

‘I am certain it is. I hear that she is going to consult Sir James Clark.’

‘Oh, how very shocking!’

‘Well, what do you expect?’

‘That man is capable of anything.’

‘Now,’ said Lehzen, not without glee, ‘we shall await developments.’

The fact that Flora Hastings had travelled in a post chaise alone with Sir John gave rise to a great deal of gossip in both camps, and as she was visiting the doctor and her figure was somewhat enlarged, conclusions were being drawn in every quarter.

Lady Flora, too, seemed preoccupied and very pale; she was clearly worried.

Even her friends were asking themselves what the outcome would be. Lady Flora, the daughter of a very important family; Sir John married; and the Duchess either very jealous now or soon would be. What an exciting situation!

As for the Queen, who had begun to feel a little deflated, she was finding a new interest in life through the Lady Flora situation.

‘If,’ she said to Lehzen, ‘it is proved that he is responsible for her condition, he will have no alternative but to leave the Palace and that is what we want more than anything.’

Lady Tavistock, Lady of the Bedchamber, who was in charge of the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting, returned from visiting her family to find the scandal in full spate.

‘It is disgraceful,’ she was told by Lady Portman, second-in-command in the bedchamber, ‘that the woman is allowed to go about in this state. Something ought to be done about it.’

‘The Queen is aware of this, of course.’

‘You should know what sharp eyes she has. She misses little. And it really is becoming quite obvious.’

‘What a scandal! I’m glad it is one of the Duchess’s ladies and not one of ours.’

‘If it were one of ours we should have hushed it up by now and got her sent away … quickly.’

‘I wonder why Lady Flora didn’t stay in Scotland?’

‘Because she can’t tear herself away from Sir John, I daresay.’

‘I’ll have to think what can be done,’ said Lady Tavistock.

She could go to the Queen, but perhaps that was not advisable. The Queen could be very imperious. Lady Tavistock had been made uncomfortably aware of that when they had been out driving recently, and the Queen had suddenly declared that she must walk more because she was putting on weight and had been advised to take exercise. When the Queen walked etiquette demanded that her ladies walk also. The ground had been damp, and Lady Tavistock had returned to the Palace with wet feet and as her maid had the key to her wardrobe she had been unable to change. It had been most uncomfortable and a cold had resulted. She had complained to Thomas Creevey, that ubiquitous gossip, who had said with a chuckle, ‘I daresay you thought her a resolute little chit.’ And Lady Tavistock had agreed that she had. And Thomas Creevey had lost no time not only in noting the incident in his diaries, but discussing it with his friends.

Now there was the difficulty of taking what would seem the right action in the eyes of that ‘resolute little chit’ with regard to the Flora Hastings affair.

Meanwhile Lehzen and the Queen discussed Lady Flora continuously.

‘Of course,’ said Victoria, ‘if I were on speaking terms with Mamma I could tell her about it because after all Lady Flora is in her household.’

‘It would certainly be her place to deal with the matter,’ agreed Lehzen. ‘When I think of all the unkind remarks that woman has made about me …’

‘It’s her just reward, Daisy. I am sure very soon everyone will know.’

‘We can only wait and see,’ was the reply.

Thus when Lady Tavistock approached the Baroness to ask what action should be taken, for she believed some action was necessary, Lehzen could only reply that it was impossible for any of them to approach the Duchess since the Queen was not on speaking terms with her mother.

‘But something will have to be done,’ cried Lady Tavistock. ‘We can’t have a woman in the Palace flaunting such a condition.’

‘Someone will have to be spoken to,’ Lehzen agreed. ‘And if it is not the Duchess, then who can it be? I can only suggest Lord Melbourne.’

‘The Prime Minister! On such an affair!’

‘Lord Melbourne is more than the Queen’s first minister. He is on friendly terms with the Palace.’

‘Then I will ask him to see me when he next calls,’ said Lady Tavistock.

Melbourne looked at her with some distaste. Though she was connected with Lord John Russell and would be the Duchess of Bedford, Anna Maria, Marchioness Tavistock, did not attract him in the least. She was something of a mischief-maker, he believed, and he had heard the story of the wet feet. It was her own fault, Melbourne had thought, if she wasn’t in better control of her maids; and a walk in the rain hurt nobody. Moreover it was disloyal of her to have discussed her mistress with someone like Creevey.

‘I have to speak to you, Lord Melbourne,’ she began, ‘on a very delicate matter.’

He waited.

‘It concerns Lady Flora Hastings.’

‘Yes?’

‘I have reason to believe that she is in a certain condition.’

‘What reason is this, Lady Tavistock?’

‘Well, it is becoming rather obvious and she has visited Sir James Clark.’

‘You have spoken to Sir James Clark?’

‘Yes, and he tells me that she would seem to be pregnant.’

‘He is not sure?’

‘He has not examined her fully.’

‘And she has made no suggestion that she should leave Court?’

‘She is one of the Duchess’s ladies, but I am sure that had she intended to leave someone would have made me aware of it by now. If she is indeed in this condition I cannot have her here contaminating the young ladies of the Palace.’

‘Quite so,’ said Lord Melbourne gravely.

‘I would like your advice as to what action should be taken.’

‘Well, as you are not entirely sure that the lady is pregnant I cannot see that you can take any action. On the other hand if it is indeed so, time will soon make this plain. So all I can suggest is that you wait and see.’

Before leaving the Palace Lord Melbourne went to see Sir James Clark.

‘I want you to tell me,’ he said, ‘what you think of your patient, Lady Flora Hastings?’

‘I think that she may be pregnant.’

‘Are you treating her for anything?’

‘I am giving her a few pills and ointments.’

‘What is the ointment for?’

‘For a swelling of the body.’

‘In a significant place, I presume.’

‘Most significant.’

‘But you are not sure what ails her?’

‘I have not made a proper examination but all the signs are that she is pregnant. She appears to be nervous and a little afraid, but that could be accounted for by the fact that she is an unmarried woman.’

‘Precisely,’ said Lord Melbourne. ‘Well, we can wait and see.’

When he left the doctor he called on the Queen and told her that he had spoken both with Lady Tavistock and Sir James Clark.

‘There doesn’t seem to be any doubt as to what ails the lady.’

‘It is scandalous.’

‘It’s the last thing I would have expected to have happened to her. She is such a plain, disagreeable woman.’

‘And wicked too.’

Lord Melbourne was inclined to be lenient towards her frailty, and Victoria went on: ‘I can guess who is responsible. He is a monster.’

‘I believe the Duchess to be already very jealous,’ added Lord Melbourne.

‘It is disgraceful.’

‘He is very popular with the ladies … your monster. Even your Aunt Sophia delights in him. So that is three ladies we know of who find him irresistible. Your Aunt Sophia was quite a character in her youth. There was a scandal about her. She fell in love with one of your grandfather’s equerries and rumour has it that there was a child. Sophia was smuggled out of the Palace from under Queen Charlotte’s nose and had the boy and came back as demure as ever.’

‘It is hard to believe that of Aunt Sophia. She always gives me the impression of knowing so little of the world.’

‘It is often hard to imagine that the lean and slippered pantaloon was the gay young rip of thirty years before. And it’s not always easy for any of us.’

‘Poor Aunt Sophia! It must have been very dull living with my Grandmother Charlotte. But she was discreet and slipped away to have the child … if she did. This brazen Flora Hastings stays at Court and as for that monster … I daresay he is laughing about it.’

‘The only thing we can do is wait and see,’ said Lord Melbourne. He was a great believer in allowing events to take their course.

The days passed and Lady Flora looked pale and clearly ill but she made no attempt to remove herself. The ladies in the Duchess’s household were whispering about her now, for the rumours were spreading. She was noticeably larger and she certainly did look quite ill at times.

They discussed what they had heard of pregnancy symptoms and assured themselves that these were exactly those from which Lady Flora was suffering.

But why did she not slip discreetly away? She was not the first lady of the Court who had found herself in such a situation. Perhaps she thought that as Sir John Conroy was involved it was not necessary to do this. He was such a power in the Duchess’s household that Flora had no need to feel the qualms which would beset a woman with a less powerful lover.

Lady Tavistock and Lady Portman were constantly talking of what should be done.

Lady Tavistock said: ‘I don’t like it. I am after all in charge of these young girls. I can’t have that woman here, getting larger every day and brazenly showing us all that she has no shame.’

‘Something ought to be done,’ agreed Lady Portman. ‘Do you think you should speak to the Queen?’

‘I might approach the Baroness again.’

‘I think you should do that.’

‘Lord Melbourne said wait and see.’

‘Meanwhile she is walking around in this disgusting state!’

‘I’ll see if the Baroness is in her rooms. Come with me.’

The Baroness was and she was not averse to discussing the shocking affair of the woman who had so long taunted her.

‘There can be no doubt,’ she said. ‘No doubt at all.’

‘Then why does she not go away?’ demanded Lady Tavistock.

‘She feels that with the support of Conroy she can snap her fingers at us all.’

‘I feel that she should be made to know that we are aware of her condition.’

‘Yes,’ the Baroness’s eyes were gleaming, ‘I should like to be there when she is told that.’

‘Perhaps Sir James could tell her that it is no longer a secret.’

‘He is undoubtedly the one to do it. And then let her try to brazen it out with him!’

‘She is brazen,’ said Lady Portman. ‘We all agree to that.’

‘He could put it very discreetly,’ said the Baroness. ‘For instance he could say: “You must have been married for some little time, and have told your friends nothing about it” … or something like that.’

‘That’s an excellent idea.’

‘Do you think he will do it?’ asked Lady Portman.

‘Of course he will because he will know that we have the Baroness’s support when we ask him and that means that we have the Queen’s.’

Lehzen nodded. ‘I can give you authority to do this.’

‘Then I shall do it immediately,’ said Lady Tavistock, ‘because although it is all very well to wait and see, I feel I am failing in my duty towards the Queen’s young ladies in allowing this to go on.’

Sir James Clark had been very surprised when he had secured his position in the Queen’s household. His medical skill did not warrant this, as he was uneasily aware; he always said that he believed in simple remedies; he could be sure that while they might do no good (and on the other hand they might be effective) they could at least do no harm. Feeling insecure he had a great desire to ingratiate himself with the Queen and he knew that the best way he could do this was to win the good graces of the Baroness Lehzen.

He was well aware of the gossip concerning Lady Flora, that Sir John Conroy was suspected of being her lover and that the Queen hated Conroy who had made such extravagant demands as the price of his departure that it had been impossible to grant them. Therefore by declaring Lady Flora pregnant he would be condemning Sir John Conroy, and it was very likely that if Lady Flora retired in disgrace Sir John would be forced to go also. Thus he would be rendering a service to the Queen!

He had not examined Lady Flora but he had prodded her stomach over her gown and there was certainly a protuberance; she was undoubtedly unwell. Everything pointed to pregnancy.

So now he had the Queen’s instructions (for coming from Lady Tavistock that was what it meant) to tackle Lady Flora and get the truth from her.

He did not wait for her to come to see him but called on her.

She was alone in her apartments, looking very pale with dark shadows under her eyes; she was obviously worried and the swelling, he noticed with gratification, was obvious.

She showed some surprise that he should call on her so he said quickly: ‘I am anxious about your health, Lady Flora, and have come to enquire how you are.’

‘I still have the pain.’

‘Lady Flora, I think you must be secretly married.’

Lady Flora stared at him for a moment and then turned a fiery red.

‘I don’t grasp your meaning. Sir James.’

‘I think you do.’

‘Are you suggesting that I am … with child?’

‘It seems obvious.’

‘But surely you … a doctor …’

He looked steadily at her. ‘I have not examined you closely, but it would appear from all I have seen that you are going to have a child.’

‘That’s impossible.’ She put her hands on her swollen abdomen. ‘The swelling is not always the same. At times it is larger than at others.’

Sir James looked dubious.

‘You don’t believe me. I can show you dresses I have worn recently. I could wear one yesterday which a few days earlier I could not have got into because I was too large.’

Sir James said he was no dressmaker. ‘I think you should submit to a proper examination,’ he added. ‘You are either pregnant or have some very obscure illness.’

‘Then it is some obscure illness.’

‘You must submit to this examination.’

‘I will not,’ cried Lady Flora, clearly agitated at the prospect. ‘I think you are behaving in a most unprofessional manner. It is not your duty to insult ladies who come to consult you.’

‘You grow larger every day and the ladies of the Palace think so, too. They will only be satisfied with a medical examination.’

‘The ladies?’ demanded Lady Flora. ‘You mean the Duchess of Kent? She has said nothing to me.’

‘Lady Portman has spoken to me.’

Lady Flora said: ‘Oh … the Queen!’

Sir James nodded. ‘So you see that since Her Majesty is aware of your … plight … an examination is the only answer.’

‘You mean it is Her Majesty’s command that I submit to this disagreeable examination?’

‘Clearly it is Her Majesty’s wish.’

‘I need time to consider this.’

‘It is dangerous to delay.’

‘In what way dangerous?’

‘The rumours are growing. They have spread beyond the Palace.’

‘Very well,’ said Lady Flora. ‘But I insist that another doctor is present. I have known Sir Charles Mansfield Clarke all my life. If he will take part I will submit.’

Sir James was a little deflated, for while she was declaring she would stand out against the examination he believed her to be guilty. Now he was not so sure.

He could only agree at once that Sir Charles should be called in and went back to Lady Tavistock and Lady Portman to tell them what had happened.

‘With great reluctance she has agreed to the examination.’

They were all disappointed. They had been counting on a blank refusal which in their eyes would have confirmed her guilt.

They went to the Baroness who in her turn went to the Queen.

‘Lady Flora has most reluctantly agreed to an examination,’ said the Baroness. ‘Sir James had to force her to it.’

‘How … indelicate!’

‘She is brazening it out. She thinks she is clever enough to outwit us all.’

‘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.

When Lord Hastings received his letter he had just risen from a sick bed. Flora had written that she was ill, and because she was ill her honour had been in question. Certain ladies of the Queen’s household had fabricated a scandal about her and since the Queen believed this scandal it had been necessary for her to submit to an embarrassing and humiliating examination.

The young Marquis, quick-tempered and hot-headed, decided that he would leave at once for London and very soon was in his sister’s apartments listening to her story in all its most indelicate details.

‘Of course,’ he said, ‘there is one person behind this, for this examination was tantamount to an order from the Queen and we know who advises the Queen on all matters. Lord Melbourne. I shall challenge that fellow to a duel.’

‘Take care,’ begged Lady Flora.

‘I shall take care of our family honour. Lord Melbourne has questioned this. He has to answer for it. It is either his blood or mine.’

‘For Heaven’s sake be careful.’

‘Don’t worry about me. I’m a young man, which is more than Melbourne is. I’ll warrant he is better at tattling scandal in the royal boudoir than handling firearms.’

Nothing Flora could say would deter her brother and she began to wish she had not listened to Sir John’s advice and written to him. However, she was feeling too ill to care very much and Lord Hastings left her to go to his friend Lord Winchelsea to ask him to act as his second in the duel.

‘Duel!’ cried Winchelsea. ‘You’re mad, my dear fellow. Whom do you intend to call out?’

‘Melbourne.’

‘The Prime Minister?’

‘Why not? If he assails the honour of my family he shall answer for it as any man should.’

‘Now wait a minute, wait a minute,’ cautioned Winchelsea. ‘You are jumping to conclusions. Are you sure it’s the Prime Minister you should be blaming?’

‘I can’t very well challenge the Queen.’

‘Oh, so it is the Queen you wish to castigate.’

‘If she were not royal and a woman my challenge would go to her. As it can’t, it goes to her Prime Minister.’

‘You’re a hot-headed idiot, Hastings. Look here, go and see the Prime Minister first. Get an account of the story from him. I doubt he had anything to do with the affair. This is women’s tittle-tattle. Don’t make a fool of yourself.’

Hastings was impressed with this advice and agreed that he would see the Prime Minister first before calling him out.

As soon as Lord Melbourne heard that Lord Hastings wished to see him he guessed for what reason. A disastrous affair, this Flora Hastings matter. What a pity they had not let well alone. The trouble was that the whole press had taken up and exaggerated the story and it was being suggested that the Queen was deeply involved.

‘Now, Hastings,’ said Lord Melbourne in his most bland and worldly manner, ‘what is all this about?’

‘I am sure you have a very good notion. I am disgusted by the way in which my sister has been treated.’

‘Ah yes, yes. So are we all. A most unfortunate business.’

‘Fabricated by malicious people! Flora’s innocence has been proved.’

‘At which I am delighted,’ said the Prime Minister. ‘Not that I had any doubts that it could be otherwise.’

‘How unfortunate that you did not state this at the time, Lord Melbourne.’

‘Oh, but I did by implication. My advice when Lady Tavistock came to see me was: “Do nothing.” And since she and her friends were so certain she was right – which was clearly very rash and uncharitable of them – I begged them to wait and see. “Wait and see.” Those were my very words. For I knew that the only way in which I could make these ladies see logic was to point out to them that while Lady Flora remained at Court under their eyes she must before long produce the infant if that infant existed. I assure you, my dear Hastings, I did all I could to urge these ladies to act with discretion.’

Lord Hastings was temporarily subdued. He could see that he had been rash to think of challenging the Prime Minister to a duel. But he was not going to let the matter be thrust aside.

‘I am determined,’ he said, ‘to get to the root of this affair and to discover who set these ugly and criminal rumours into motion; and as Her Majesty seems to be at the heart of the matter I shall ask for an audience.’

Melbourne was horrified.

‘But you cannot ask the Queen for explanations!’

‘I am determined to get to the root of this, no matter whom I have to ask.’

‘I think,’ said the Prime Minister, ‘that the Duke of Wellington might be able to help you. I will tell him you are coming to see him and I will ask him to listen to what you have to say and advise you.’

Lord Hastings agreed and when he had gone, uneasy as Lord Melbourne felt on behalf of the Queen, he was relieved that he had been able to pass the rather tiresome young Hastings over to the Duke of Wellington.

The Duke of Wellington was always eager to give advice. His fighting days were over; his popularity had waned (because he had stood against the Reform Bill); he was now a considerable politician but Parliament could never take the place of the battlefield. He was fast becoming a kind of father figure to the country and it was a custom to call him in for consultation at any time of difficulty.

He was delighted therefore to advise the impetuous young Marquis.

‘It was a shocking affair,’ he conceded, ‘and therefore best forgotten. There has been a great deal of comment about it already. It is much wiser therefore to let sleeping dogs lie.’

‘This,’ said the Marquis, ‘is exactly what I don’t intend to do. Sleeping scandal, you mean! Yes, sleeping! Just waiting until someone comes along and prods it to life. Then we shall have the old accusations again. No, I intend to bring it out into the open and kill it stone dead.’

He left Wellington and wrote at once to Melbourne. He could get no satisfaction from the Duke, he said; and he was determined to have satisfaction. Therefore he asked Lord Melbourne to arrange for him an interview with Her Majesty the Queen.

Impatiently he waited for a reply. None came. Furiously he sat down and wrote again telling Lord Melbourne that his patience was exhausted. As Lord Melbourne had told him that the Court ladies were responsible for the treatment of Lady Flora he was determined to ask the Queen for an explanation. He did not believe it was due to the deliberate actions of Her Majesty but put it down to baneful influences which were about the throne and which poisoned human feelings. He was addressing himself to the Prime Minister as the organ through which all things were now carried out at Court.

When Melbourne received this missive he realised that it would be dangerous to ignore the young man. Hastings was in a fighting mood and the matter needed the most delicate of handling.

He wrote back at once saying that he had been away and he would submit the request to the Queen, and at once went to Victoria.

‘It is this distressing matter of Flora Hastings again, I fear.’

‘Oh, surely not!’

‘I think it will be necessary for you to see this young man.’

‘I? But what have I to do with it?’

‘He blames your ladies and seems to think that you are behind them in this.’

‘What nonsense! Naturally I wanted to know the truth. If Lady Flora was an immoral woman I didn’t want her at my Court. I have seen her and expressed my sympathy. I have sent to ask how she is progressing. Surely that is enough?’

‘Oh,’ said Lord Melbourne comfortably, ‘if you will just see the young man he’ll be soothed. You will know how to charm him.’

‘I don’t care to be forced into this interview.’

‘There is no question of forcing. Who would attempt to force the Queen? I will just give you one of my pieces of advice. You have never been averse to listening to them at less stormy times. You may reject it of course but I am going to be my bold and uncompromising self and say that you are much too clever not to listen to an old man who has seen a great deal of the world.’

‘Dear Lord M, why cannot everyone be as kind and understanding as you are?’

‘I might ask why everyone cannot be as reasonable as Your Majesty.’

‘So you are absolutely certain that I should see him?’

‘I think so. Be noncommittal. Tell him you regret what happened and that you have nothing but respect for his dear sister and she will be treated with honour, etc., at Court. That will satisfy him.’

‘So it is really a matter of placating this young man?’

‘No, it’s not as simple as that. It’s a matter of placating the people. This affair – alas – has been widely reported in the press and of course wildly exaggerated. The people take sides in these matters and they are invariably on the side of the oppressed – the wretched Lady Flora – devil take her – in this instance.’

Victoria could not help smiling at Lord Melbourne’s quaint expressions.

‘I will see what I can do with the trying young man,’ she said.

In her most regal and dignified manner she received Lord Hastings as she had said she would. She told him that she greatly regretted that such a matter should have occurred at her Court and that it was most distasteful to her. She realised that Lady Flora was blameless, so she should be allowed to remain at Court while she wished to do so and would be treated there with the utmost respect. As far as she could see that ended the matter.

Lord Hastings found it difficult to argue with the Queen, so he came away dissatisfied; but even though the Queen had intimated that she wished the matter to be closed, he soon realised that this could not be so. The press brought out the story again and worried it like a dog with a favourite bone trying to get a little more meat off it. People were taking sides. The majority of them were with Lady Flora but an unpleasant rumour was started that she was actually pregnant, that this was not the first time, and that she had recently left the Court to give birth to an illegitimate child.

‘I will not allow this,’ cried Lord Hastings. ‘I don’t care for anyone … not even the Queen. I am determined to make sure that no one is going to question the honour of our house.’

He wrote to Lord Tavistock demanding that he ask the truth of his wife; he also wrote to Lord Portman. Acrimonious letters passed between them. Lord Hastings believed he knew who was at the centre of the plot against his sister and it came from the foreign influences which existed at Court. This was an accusation against the Baroness Lehzen.

Lady Hastings, Flora’s mother, took up the fight and wrote to the Queen, reminding Victoria that she was a mother defending her much maligned daughter and she wanted an explanation of the ‘atrocious calumnies and unblushing falsehoods against her daughter’s reputation’. She wanted to know who had betrayed the Queen into following a course of action which had attempted to degrade the victim of their persecution. People looked for sympathy to a female sovereign, she added. This was not a matter to be hushed up.

The letter was sent to the Prime Minister with a request that he should deliver it to the Queen.

He took it to her himself.

‘Is there no end to this tiresome business?’ demanded Victoria petulantly.

‘There is an end to everything but time and space,’ said Lord Melbourne lightly.

‘I hear that when the injured lady took a drive this morning she was loudly cheered in the streets.’

‘Unfortunate,’ said Lord Melbourne. ‘And also an indication. But I think we should handle Mamma Hastings with tact.’

‘Of course she is a mother and she writes as though she is very upset.’

‘But the matter is done with and I should have thought she would have known better than to address Your Majesty in this way. It’s a breach of etiquette. Will you trust me to reply?’

‘Please do. But tell her that I am sorry it all happened and let her know I understand her feelings.’

Lord Melbourne gave her one of his tender looks and sat down to write the letter immediately so that she could approve it.

Her Majesty’s allowances for the feelings of a mother diminished her surprise that Lady Hastings should address her thus. Her Majesty bade her Prime Minister convey to Lady Hastings her deep concern for the unfortunate occurrence and was anxious to do everything to soothe the feelings of Lady Flora’s relations.

‘That should settle the old lady,’ said Lord Melbourne.

But it did not. In a short time Lady Hastings was writing once more – this time to Melbourne. She now demanded the dismissal of Sir James Clark.

This, said Lord Melbourne, was insolence; and he wrote to Lady Hastings telling her that her demand was ‘unprecedented and objectionable’ and that although she was a lady and the head of a respected family he would do no more than acknowledge that he had received such a letter.

‘They will give us no satisfaction,’ said Lord Hastings, ‘and there is only one thing to do, unless we are to slink off with our tails between our legs. We will publish the correspondence.’

The press was delighted; so were the people. Here was a mighty scandal. The Morning Post had a scoop and it intended to make the most of it. The whole story was revived. The Tories were trying to make it a political issue. Some declared that Lord Melbourne should apologise to Lady Hastings for his discourtesy towards her. In the clubs, in the streets, in the taverns, the Flora Hastings affair was discussed and the three principal actors in the piece were said to be Lady Flora, the Queen and Lord Melbourne.

‘It will die down,’ said Lord Melbourne. ‘These things always do.’

The Queen read the papers every day and was hurt and amazed to read criticisms of herself.

When she rode out in the streets the people were silent. They no longer cheered her; yet Flora Hastings’s carriage was held up by people who applauded her and wanted to tell her that they were on her side.

It was astonishing. Victoria could not believe it. She was no longer their little duck, their dear little Queen; she was a wicked woman who had cruelly slandered an innocent one.

‘Who would have thought such a little thing could change them towards me,’ she cried.

‘It is often the little things in life which are the most important,’ said Lord Melbourne.

She was depressed.

‘It’ll pass,’ said Lord Melbourne philosophically. ‘It always does.’

‘How right you were when you impressed on me how important this affair could become.’

‘And you listened to me. Therefore let us regard it as a lesson.’

That lifted her spirits a little. Lord Melbourne said that any experience was worth while if one learned from it. She had certainly learned from this. And she still had dear Lord Melbourne as her companion.

And that, she reminded herself, was a great deal for which to be thankful.