He glanced at Sarah Churchill, who met his gaze defiantly and seated herself on a tabouret close to her mistress.
“What I have to say to you is for your ears alone,” he told Anne.
“Lady Churchill has my complete confidence.”
Sarah was smiling at him smugly. But he was not going to discuss these matters before a third party. He said with dignity: “I see I must call again when Your Highness is free to see me alone.”
Anne looked alarmed. “Is it so important then?”
“All the more reason …” began Sarah.
Rochester put in: “I will call again,” and he rose.
But Anne’s curiosity was great.
“Oh, no,” she said. “Lady Churchill will not mind in the least.”
Lady Churchill flushed slightly, but Anne went on firmly: “Leave me with my uncle, dear Lady Churchill, and come back later.”
Incidents like this made Sarah so furious that she could scarcely control her rage; Rochester saw this, and thought: The sooner my niece is free of that virago, the better. If she dared she would insist that they change places and she be the mistress.
However, there was nothing Sarah could do, so she walked to the door, head erect, disapproval in every line of her comely figure.
Rochester wondered at which door she would be listening.
“Now, uncle,” Anne prompted placidly.
“A very unpleasant subject, I fear. You are deeply in debt again.”
“Oh, that!” said Anne.
“This time to the tune of seven thousand pounds. A fortune, you will see.”
“But I cannot understand it.”
“You have been losing heavily at cards lately, perhaps. And you are doubtless too generous to … your friends.” He glanced at the door by which Sarah had just left.
“But seven thousand pounds!”
“Which, I fear, has been outstanding for some time; your debts will have to be settled soon or there will be a scandal.”
“But where can I find seven thousand pounds?”
“That is a problem to which you will have to give your thoughts until you find the solution.”
Anne’s jowls were quivering; she was seriously put out. Debts it seemed there must be. But so much—this was incredible.
“Money,” she said plaintively, “is so tiresome. There is never enough of it.”
“Yet there is no one in the kingdom who would not agree that Your Highness, due to your father’s generosity, is more lavishly supplied with this tiresome article than most of us.”
She disliked him; he was not being helpful; he was criticizing her and she hated to be criticized.
“Very well,” she said haughtily. “I suppose I must thank you for bringing this matter to my notice. The debts shall be paid.”
When he left her, dismay replaced her arrogance.
Where was she going to find seven thousand pounds?
Then she knew, for all her life there had been one who had never failed her.
“The King is here,” he said.
“The King!” cried Anne. “Oh, yes. I told him I was in trouble. You had better leave me.”
Sarah who was determined to hear what took place between the King and his daughter, signed to Barbara and, pushing her into a cupboard, shut the door on them.
“But why …” began Barbara.
“Hush!” commanded Sarah, and at that moment James entered his daughter’s apartment.
“My dearest Anne,” said the King, taking his daughter into his arms. “Dear Father, it is good of you to come.”
“And you are well, and taking good care of yourself? You must now, you know.”
“Oh, yes, but I am so upset.”
“You must tell me all about it.”
