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Authors: Jean Plaidy
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providing lavish entertainments which, since they were given in honour of the King’s mistresses, obviously brought the King to their table. When Charles was enamoured of Louise de Keroualle and she wanted a guarantee of security before she succumbed, it was Lady Sunderland who arranged what she called a “wedding” for King Charles and the French woman and this was celebrated at the Sunderlands’ house.
But with the passing of Charles and the coming to the throne of James it was necessary to decide where it was necessary to bestow one’sallegiance. Sunderland was an opportunist—so while he pretended to support James he was in league with William of Orange that he might be ready to leap whichever way would bring him most advantage.
William was shrewd; he did not trust Sunderland; in fact no one trusted Sunderland. Yet he was a man whom no one could ignore. When Queen Mary had died and William was disturbed as to whether his subjects would continue to accept him as King, it was Sunderland who had shrewdly arranged a reconciliation between the King and the Princess Anne, which William had realized afterwards was the best method of placating those who were against him.
Sunderland was a man of brilliance and William could not afford to do without him—nor, decided Sarah, could the Marlboroughs.
Sarah considered the possibilities of alliance. His son, Charles Spencer, in himself would be an excellent
parti
. Robert Spencer, Sunderland’s eldest son, had led a profligate life and died some ten years before; thus Charles was the heir. There had been a third son who had died as a child, and four daughters, two of whom were dead. The vast Spencer wealth would be at Charles’s disposal; Charles was a brilliant politician, and Sunderland was one of the most influential men in the country. So union with the Spencers was necessary.
When Sarah told her husband this he was disturbed.
“Charles Spencer for our young Anne,” he demanded.
“
Young
Anne! Really, Marl, what are you thinking? You still see her as a child. She is not I assure you. She will soon be as old as Henrietta was when she married; and look what a success
that
marriage was.”
“I don’t like Charles Spencer.”
“Why should you? You don’t have to marry him.”
“But our little girl …”
“She has been brought up to look after herself. Have no fear she will do that.”
“No,” said Marlborough, “I don’t like it.”
Sarah sighed. Not only had she to arrange this difficult match, but she must make her husband see that it was necessary.
She set to work in her usual indefatigable manner.
Since Marlborough was not eager for the match Sarah herself sounded Sunderland, who at once grasped the importance of what she was trying to do.
By God, thought Sunderland, they already have Godolphin. With Marlborough and myself, the three of us would be invincible.
To Sarah’s delight he was wholeheartedly enthusiastic.
“My daughter is a very beautiful and charming girl,” said Sarah.
“I am sure, having such a mother, she could be nothing else,” was Sunderland’s reply.
Sarah waved such flattery aside impatiently. “My Lord Marlborough, however, is not in great favour of the match.”
“And why not, I pray you tell me.”
“Oh, Lord Spencer is a Whig and my lord is a staunch Tory.”
“My son would be guided by me in all matters of importance.”
Would he? wondered Sarah. She remembered how the Whiggish prig had denounced his father’s conduct. But that was of no great concern. If Sunderland could not manage his son, she would manage her son-in-law. The important point was to have the three most powerful families together.
“I will tell Lord Marlborough what you say,” she replied; “it might influence him.”
She was elated. Sunderland seemed so eager for the alliance with the Churchills that she believed he would do her work for her. How much better if
he
would persuade dear sentimental Marl of the advantages. Far
But with the passing of Charles and the coming to the throne of James it was necessary to decide where it was necessary to bestow one’sallegiance. Sunderland was an opportunist—so while he pretended to support James he was in league with William of Orange that he might be ready to leap whichever way would bring him most advantage.
William was shrewd; he did not trust Sunderland; in fact no one trusted Sunderland. Yet he was a man whom no one could ignore. When Queen Mary had died and William was disturbed as to whether his subjects would continue to accept him as King, it was Sunderland who had shrewdly arranged a reconciliation between the King and the Princess Anne, which William had realized afterwards was the best method of placating those who were against him.
Sunderland was a man of brilliance and William could not afford to do without him—nor, decided Sarah, could the Marlboroughs.
Sarah considered the possibilities of alliance. His son, Charles Spencer, in himself would be an excellent
parti
. Robert Spencer, Sunderland’s eldest son, had led a profligate life and died some ten years before; thus Charles was the heir. There had been a third son who had died as a child, and four daughters, two of whom were dead. The vast Spencer wealth would be at Charles’s disposal; Charles was a brilliant politician, and Sunderland was one of the most influential men in the country. So union with the Spencers was necessary.
When Sarah told her husband this he was disturbed.
“Charles Spencer for our young Anne,” he demanded.
“
Young
Anne! Really, Marl, what are you thinking? You still see her as a child. She is not I assure you. She will soon be as old as Henrietta was when she married; and look what a success
that
marriage was.”
“I don’t like Charles Spencer.”
“Why should you? You don’t have to marry him.”
“But our little girl …”
“She has been brought up to look after herself. Have no fear she will do that.”
“No,” said Marlborough, “I don’t like it.”
Sarah sighed. Not only had she to arrange this difficult match, but she must make her husband see that it was necessary.
She set to work in her usual indefatigable manner.
Since Marlborough was not eager for the match Sarah herself sounded Sunderland, who at once grasped the importance of what she was trying to do.
By God, thought Sunderland, they already have Godolphin. With Marlborough and myself, the three of us would be invincible.
To Sarah’s delight he was wholeheartedly enthusiastic.
“My daughter is a very beautiful and charming girl,” said Sarah.
“I am sure, having such a mother, she could be nothing else,” was Sunderland’s reply.
Sarah waved such flattery aside impatiently. “My Lord Marlborough, however, is not in great favour of the match.”
“And why not, I pray you tell me.”
“Oh, Lord Spencer is a Whig and my lord is a staunch Tory.”
“My son would be guided by me in all matters of importance.”
Would he? wondered Sarah. She remembered how the Whiggish prig had denounced his father’s conduct. But that was of no great concern. If Sunderland could not manage his son, she would manage her son-in-law. The important point was to have the three most powerful families together.
“I will tell Lord Marlborough what you say,” she replied; “it might influence him.”
She was elated. Sunderland seemed so eager for the alliance with the Churchills that she believed he would do her work for her. How much better if
he
would persuade dear sentimental Marl of the advantages. Far
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