On February 6th, which was Anne’s birthday, Anne was invited to Kensington Palace to celebrate the occasion.
“I shall accompany you,” announced Sarah.
“Of course, dear Mrs. Freeman.”
“They will not be expecting me. They will think I want to hide myself because of my husband’s so-called disgrace. I will show them that nothing he has ever done makes me ashamed. I am proud of him. I wonder they do not forbid
“They know that I should never go without you,” said Anne.
“Dear Mrs. Morley. My one comfort in my trouble.”
“Dearest Mrs. Freeman, what are friends if not to comfort each other in adversity?”
They left the Cockpit together; and as the Princess’s carriage passed along, the people cheered her; but the surprise of the people was obvious when they saw that Sarah Churchill was accompanying her; the entire city knew of Marlborough’s disgrace and believed that would be an end of his ambitions. Therefore it was odd to see Marlborough’s wife in the Princess’s carriage.
When they arrived at the Palace even greater surprise greeted them.
“Was Marlborough’s wife mad?” courtiers whispered to each other. “How could she be received at Court when her husband was in disgrace?”
Sarah was well aware of the stir she created; she walked a pace or so behind Princess Anne, her head high, her eyes flashing scorn, through the royal apartments, which even now retained a whiff or two of fresh paint, into the state apartments so lovingly designed by William and watched over by Mary, to where the King and Queen were waiting.
Anne curtseyed; so did Sarah; and when Mary saw the latter she was almost unable to suppress a gasp of dismay and astonishment.
Mary drew her sister aside and spoke coolly to her. Sarah she ignored.
Many would have tried to hide themselves in the throng; not so, Sarah; it was as though she flaunted her presence in the royal apartments, as though she were saying: “You may not want me, but here I am and here I remain.”
I hope you do me the justice to believe it is as much against my will that I now tell you that, after this, it is very unfit that Lady Marlborough should stay with you, since that gives her husband so just a pretence of being where he should not. I think I might have expected you should have spoken to me of it; and the King and I, both believing it, made us stay thus long. But, seeing you so far from it, that you brought Lady Marlborough hither last night, makes us resolve to put it off no longer, but tell you she must not stay, and I have all the reason imaginable to look upon your bringing her here as the strangest thing that ever was done. Nor could all my kindness for you (which is always ready to turn all you do to the best way) at any other time have hindered me from showing you so that moment, but I considered your condition, and that made me master myself so far as not to take notice of it then.… I tell you plainly that Lady Marlborough must not continue with you in the circumstance her lord is.
Sarah, who was with Anne when she read this letter, snatched it from the Princess and gave vent to her rage.
“You see how they treat you! Who would believe that you are the heiress to this crown when you are treated like a serving wench!”
“Sarah, we are
“Until you dismiss me, I would never go,” was Sarah’s rejoinder.
“Then what can I do?”
“You can write to her and tell her that you resent her unkindness and have no intention of parting with Lady Marlborough.”
“What will they do then?”
“What can they do? It is for you to choose those you wish to have about you.”
So once more under Sarah’s dictation Anne wrote to her sister, and when the letter reached her Mary sent orders that Lady Marlborough was to leave the Cockpit.
“There is only one thing to do,” said Sarah; “I must leave the Cockpit, so if you do not want us to be parted you must come with me.”
“Where can we go?”
“My dear Mrs. Morley forgets she is the heiress to the throne. There will be some who are ready to lend her a lodging, I’ll swear. What of Sion House? That would be comfortable. I am sure the Duchess of Somerset would not deny you shelter there if you asked it. Shall I arrange for a letter to be taken to her while we prepare to leave.”
“Oh, dear Mrs. Freeman, you think of everything!”
“Then write immediately. Someone must take care of Mrs. Morley. Remember her condition, and she is never well during these times. A miscarriage could be brought on. I am sure the people will realize how harsh your sister and her Dutchman are to turn you out of doors at such a time.”
So Anne wrote the letter while Barbara Fitzharding immediately went to her sister to tell her that Anne was proposing to move to Sion House with Sarah.
When William heard this he sent to the Duke of Somerset asking him to refuse the request of the Princess
