King so interested himself in the farmers thereabouts that he often gave a hand with the butter-making.’
How their conversation strayed from the main point at issue and how fascinating that was! They had begun by talking of this move and ended up with King George at his butter-making.
‘So,’ went on Lord Melbourne, having succeeded in lifting the slight sadness which the prospect of moving had made her feel, ‘Your Majesty will remember that you can always come back to Kensington when you wish.’
So she could but Lord Melbourne would understand that it was not quite the same.
‘If you surround yourself with familiar objects – and why should you not? – it will make little difference to you whether you are in Kensington or Buckingham Palace.’
‘You will come and see me every day?’
‘That will be my duty and my pleasure.’
And so she had been wise and given her attention to the packing, for as she pointed out to Lehzen, there were so many personal possessions which one wished to look after oneself.
She and Lehzen spent a happy hour packing her dolls because although she rarely looked at them now it was inconceivable that they should be left behind. Lehzen was nothing loath. She had made quite a number of the dolls which represented characters from history – Queen Elizabeth was conspicuous among them.
‘I never liked her,’ said Victoria. ‘She was really very cruel. I believe she was a great queen and perhaps I should try to be like her in some ways, but I shall try to be good . I want to make my people happy, Lehzen, and comfortable.’
Lehzen said that was a very worthy desire and she believed that Victoria in years to come would be known as ‘Victoria the Good’.
What a pleasant thought! And there was her little dog Dash looking at her rather disconsolately as though he knew something was afoot.
‘We are going to leave Kensington, Dashy,’ she told him; and he put his head on one side and regarded her in that bright and intelligent way which she loved.
‘The only good thing Conroy ever did,’ she announced, ‘was to give Mamma Dashy.’
‘And he, being a wise dog, immediately decided to be yours.’
And Dash hearing his name mentioned gave his little series of joyous barks.
‘Oh, Dashy,’ she said, ‘I do hope you are going to like Buckingham Palace.’
‘We all shall, I’ve no doubt,’ comforted Lehzen.
‘All the same it is rather a solemn moment when one leaves one’s birthplace. Just think, Lehzen, for eighteen years this has been my home. Think of all that has happened here. Do you remember how we used to sit up here and play with the dolls?’
Lehzen remembered very well. ‘I believe Amy Robsart was your favourite.’
‘Well yes, because she was so sad and tragic.’ Victoria picked up Queen Elizabeth and gave her a little shake, as she used to in the old days. ‘Do you believe that Amy was murdered?’
‘That is something we shall never know.’
‘I remember dear Feodora’s wedding. She is very happy now with her darling children. What fun it would be, Lehzen, if they could come and visit us. I’m sure they would love it.’
‘You have only to ask them.’
‘I shall, Lehzen, I shall. Oh dear, I am going to miss dear Kensington.’
‘Buckingham Palace, as Lord Melbourne said, is far more suitable.’
So of course if Lord Melbourne said it, it must be so, and there should be no more regrets.
It was, naturally, more grand than Kensington. Her Uncle George IV had applied his considerable artistic talents to making it so, but when Uncle William and Aunt Adelaide had moved in and Adelaide had chosen some of the décor it had been voted decidedly vulgar.
With satisfaction Victoria examined her room; it was lofty, stately, and she would be alone, for she had made sure that the Duchess should have a quite separate set of apartments as far removed from her own as possible.
Standing at her window looking out across the gardens, she admitted that this
How their conversation strayed from the main point at issue and how fascinating that was! They had begun by talking of this move and ended up with King George at his butter-making.
‘So,’ went on Lord Melbourne, having succeeded in lifting the slight sadness which the prospect of moving had made her feel, ‘Your Majesty will remember that you can always come back to Kensington when you wish.’
So she could but Lord Melbourne would understand that it was not quite the same.
‘If you surround yourself with familiar objects – and why should you not? – it will make little difference to you whether you are in Kensington or Buckingham Palace.’
‘You will come and see me every day?’
‘That will be my duty and my pleasure.’
And so she had been wise and given her attention to the packing, for as she pointed out to Lehzen, there were so many personal possessions which one wished to look after oneself.
She and Lehzen spent a happy hour packing her dolls because although she rarely looked at them now it was inconceivable that they should be left behind. Lehzen was nothing loath. She had made quite a number of the dolls which represented characters from history – Queen Elizabeth was conspicuous among them.
‘I never liked her,’ said Victoria. ‘She was really very cruel. I believe she was a great queen and perhaps I should try to be like her in some ways, but I shall try to be good . I want to make my people happy, Lehzen, and comfortable.’
Lehzen said that was a very worthy desire and she believed that Victoria in years to come would be known as ‘Victoria the Good’.
What a pleasant thought! And there was her little dog Dash looking at her rather disconsolately as though he knew something was afoot.
‘We are going to leave Kensington, Dashy,’ she told him; and he put his head on one side and regarded her in that bright and intelligent way which she loved.
‘The only good thing Conroy ever did,’ she announced, ‘was to give Mamma Dashy.’
‘And he, being a wise dog, immediately decided to be yours.’
And Dash hearing his name mentioned gave his little series of joyous barks.
‘Oh, Dashy,’ she said, ‘I do hope you are going to like Buckingham Palace.’
‘We all shall, I’ve no doubt,’ comforted Lehzen.
‘All the same it is rather a solemn moment when one leaves one’s birthplace. Just think, Lehzen, for eighteen years this has been my home. Think of all that has happened here. Do you remember how we used to sit up here and play with the dolls?’
Lehzen remembered very well. ‘I believe Amy Robsart was your favourite.’
‘Well yes, because she was so sad and tragic.’ Victoria picked up Queen Elizabeth and gave her a little shake, as she used to in the old days. ‘Do you believe that Amy was murdered?’
‘That is something we shall never know.’
‘I remember dear Feodora’s wedding. She is very happy now with her darling children. What fun it would be, Lehzen, if they could come and visit us. I’m sure they would love it.’
‘You have only to ask them.’
‘I shall, Lehzen, I shall. Oh dear, I am going to miss dear Kensington.’
‘Buckingham Palace, as Lord Melbourne said, is far more suitable.’
So of course if Lord Melbourne said it, it must be so, and there should be no more regrets.
It was, naturally, more grand than Kensington. Her Uncle George IV had applied his considerable artistic talents to making it so, but when Uncle William and Aunt Adelaide had moved in and Adelaide had chosen some of the décor it had been voted decidedly vulgar.
With satisfaction Victoria examined her room; it was lofty, stately, and she would be alone, for she had made sure that the Duchess should have a quite separate set of apartments as far removed from her own as possible.
Standing at her window looking out across the gardens, she admitted that this
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