‘Eh?’ Arthur frowned a moment before he got the point. ‘Ah, I see. St Patrick’s day.’

‘Quite. Ever the sensitive monarch, our George.’

‘But this is madness,’Arthur said quietly, glancing round to make sure that he was not overheard.‘The country is already divided enough over the issue. Now the King threatens to make it a constitutional matter.’

‘So it seems,’ Sidcup agreed, and smiled ruefully. ‘We live in interesting times, Sir Arthur. Pray that his majesty comes to his senses before it is too late.’

Arthur returned to his home on Harley Street filled with a sense of growing despair over King George’s intransigence. It was a divisive enough prospect for England, but in Ireland it would play straight into the hands of those who wanted an end to British rule. Arthur could think of nothing so calculated to foment a general uprising. His dark mood was evident to Kitty the moment he joined her in the parlour. She sat in a chair by the fire. Beside her the infant lay in his crib, fists twitching furiously as he wriggled on his back and made a strained gurgling noise.

‘Arthur, what is the matter?’

He forced himself to soften his expression and smiled as he leaned over Kitty and kissed the top of her head. ‘It does not matter now, my dear. How are you today?’

‘Well, thank you. My strength is returning.’

‘Good. And our son?’ Arthur knelt down and tickled the infant’s stomach gently.

Kitty smiled fondly as she glanced down into the crib. ‘He has been feeding like the five thousand. I don’t know where he fits it all. He’s like a bottomless well.’

Arthur wrinkled his nose as a familiar odour rose up from the crib. ‘I fear that the boy’s bottom has welled up somewhat.’

Kitty laughed and swatted her husband gently. ‘I will have him changed. Then he can be put to bed before we eat.’ She looked at her husband closely for a moment and then touched his arm. ‘Is there a problem? What happened today?’

‘It’s not important. Not yet, at least.’

‘Can you tell me about it?’

Arthur shook his head faintly.‘I’d rather not even think about it.’ He stood up. ‘I’ll be in the study while you attend to the boy. Send for me when dinner is served.’

‘Yes, my dear.’ Kitty looked at him reproachfully.‘You can talk to me about whatever it is that concerns you.’

Arthur smiled and patted her on the shoulder. ‘I know. But not tonight, my dear. In any case, there is nothing we can do about it.’

He took a last look at his son and then turned to leave the parlour. Kitty watched him go, with a sad expression at his subdued mood, and then rose from her chair to call the nursemaid and have the nappy changed.

Eight days later the bill to abolish the slave trade was put to the vote before Parliament.When the count had finished and the members were allowed back in the chamber the house waited in silence as the spokesman for the tellers turned to address the speaker.

‘The ayes, two hundred and eighty-three.The nays, sixteen. The ayes have it.’

The house erupted with a mixture of cheers from the abolitionists, drowning out the cries of protest from the supporters of the trade. As tears of triumph glistened in his eyes, William Wilberforce was surrounded by supporters eager to offer their congratulations on the success of his lifetime’s work. Despite his ambivalence Arthur was moved by the sight and could only hope that the man’s moral victory did nothing to undermine his nation at the hour of its greatest peril. The shouting and excited hubbub gradually died down as the speaker rapped his rod on the floor and called for silence. Eventually the chamber was quiet again and the speaker waited a moment before he indicated Lord Grenville.

‘The Prime Minister wishes to address the House.’

The attention of the members was fixed on Lord Grenville as he rose from his seat and paused a moment to draw a breath before he spoke. When he did, there was no mistaking the weary frustration in his tone. Arthur was surprised, since Grenville was a firm supporter of Wilberforce’s long campaign, and he leaned forward to hear the Prime Minister’s words as clearly as possible.

‘I can think of no better piece of legislation to honour the service this government has given to our people. The abolition of such an abhorrent trade in humanity will send a message to the world concerning the finest values that Britain holds dear even in this darkest hour, when we are beset by an enemy intent on tearing the very concept of liberty to shreds.’

A murmur of approval rippled through the chamber, and Grenville raised a hand to signal silence before he continued.‘As all gathered here will know, the abolition of the slave trade is just one measure of the freedoms the government intended to deliver to the people. It had been my wish, my dream, to offer freedom from religious prejudice. I had ordered the drafting of a bill to permit the entry of Catholics into the armed forces of our country. It was my hope that this would be the first of many measures to end the unjust oppression of so-called dissenters in these islands of ours. However, his majesty saw fit to demand that my ministers and I disown the bill, and swear never to bring similar legislation before this House again.After due consideration I have to tell the House that we are not prepared to swear such an oath.’

Grenville paused and looked round at the members watching him intently. Arthur could already sense the importance of the Prime Minister’s next words and felt his stomach tighten with anxiety as Grenville cleared his throat and concluded his announcement.

‘It is, therefore, with the greatest of regret that I announce my resignation, and that of all my Cabinet ministers, with immediate effect.’

Arthur felt his heart sink. At a time when it was vital for the nation to be united, it was folly for the King to undermine his government. If a coalition of the political factions could not succeed, then what hope was there for the future of Britain?

Chapter 27

‘The Duke of Portland? You can’t be serious.’ Arthur shook his head. ‘The man is almost permanently dosed up to the eyeballs with opium. One can hardly ever get a coherent word out of him. In any case, he’s too old for the post.’

‘Nevertheless, he has a powerful faction behind him and the King has asked him to form a government,’ Richard replied as he helped himself to another lamb chop and then sent his servant away from the breakfast table. ‘At least it means the Tories will be in power again, and we’ll have no more Whiggish liberality for a while. For that at least I am grateful.’

Arthur could understand his brother’s feeling well enough. It had been the Whigs who had been behind the calls to prosecute Richard for exceeding his authority during his term as Governor General of the colonies in India. With the Tories back in power there was a good chance that any prosecution could be delayed for years, or better still quietly abandoned in the fullness of time. No wonder Richard was in a fine mood this morning, when he had invited Arthur to join him for breakfast.