Unfortunately, this description does not tally with the only known portrait of her, a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds - and why did Sir Joshua paint her, if this story be all a myth ? Here she is seen as a dark-eyed girl, with an expression hauntingly sad and pensive. But this picture belongs to a later date when sorrow had already told its tale upon her face.

Again, Hannah certainly cannot be called petite. Short, it is true, she was, but she was distinctly plump - " rather disposed to embonpoint," a tactful critic remarks. However, it is interesting to note, as " the possessor of a fair, unsullied face," she could not fail to attract attention at a time when smallpox had left but few women unmarked.

Be this as it may, Hannah was pretty - fact and legend are unanimous - bewitch-ingly pretty. George she enslaved immediately ; to him she seemed as an angel. And henceforth he found frequent occasion to visit the Opera. Market Street, curiously enough, came invariably to be included in the itinerary of his daily walks and his daily rides. And, we are told, the Prince used often to patronise Mr. Wheeler's shop, and there buy the most useless and absurd apparel.

A Handsome Prince

Are we to believe, then, that this marked adoration escaped Hannah's notice ? Surely not! She may have been a simple little maid, but still she was a woman, and somewhere within her soul she must have entertained a woman's hopes, ambitions, and love for admiration.

Besides, George was a good-looking boy, much taller than most of the Hanoverian Princes, strong, well made, dignified, with a clear complexion, regular features, twinkling eyes, and the very whitest of teeth. In fact, he was just what an English prince should be. And his smile - it even turned the hearts of the blase ladies about Court. And they never saw the ardent love-glances which Hannah saw!

Surely, therefore, although he was six 01 seven years her junior, clad in his gorgeous princely clothes, his hair powdered, a jewelled sword at his side, he appeared in Hannah's eyes a veritable god. What a contrast to the men whom she was accustomed to meet in her uncle's parlour !

And yet how George envied those men ! He would readily have exchanged his birthright for the entree to that mysterious inner room. But, one thing was very clear, he could not rest content for ever, worshipping from afar, with only an occasional stolen word upon which to feed his love. Something must be done ; someone must be found in whom he could confide, someone to help him. But who ?

Now, George was no fool. And in selecting that someone he displayed a wisdom worthy of a more mature, experienced man. In short, his choice fell upon Elizabeth Chudleigh, the arch-adventuress of the day.

The Amazing Duchess Of Kingston

An account of her amazing career has already appeared in Every Woman's Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, page 3111. For the purpose of this present story, therefore, the briefest summary must suffice. She began life, then, in quite a humble way, but, owing partly to her own determination, partly to her irresistible beauty, at an absurdly early age she secured the appointment of Maid of Honour to George's mother, the Princess of Wales.

At Court, in spite of the Princess's notions on decorum, she contrived to lead a life of reckless gaiety, and eventually, after playing havoc with the hearts of every eligible member of the peerage, condescended to bestow her hand upon the youthful Duke of Hamilton. While he was abroad, however, completing his education, she carried on a violent flirtation with a young naval officer, called Hervey - of course, merely pour passer le temps, for Hervey was only a nephew to the Earl of Bristol, and therefore quite ineligible. But the affair, as often happens in such cases, soon became more serious than originally she had intended. There seemed to be no means of quenching her lover's adoration. And so - mainly because the idea struck her as being romantic and bizarre - she eloped with him.

What she had done in haste, however, she began immediately to repent at leisure. She did not even like her husband, and certainly had no desire to endanger her position at Court by such a marriage. Fortunately Hervey had gone to sea immediately after the ceremony. For the present, therefore, her secret was safe. Many people must have guessed the truth, but Elizabeth made a point of knowing so many of other people's secrets, that nobody dared offend her. Knowing this, she proceeded herself to declare the marriage null and void ; it was absurd, she thought, to regard so slipshod a contract as legally binding. And so, when the opportunity presented itself, she wedded herself to the Duke of Kingston. This occurred in 1769, and King George III., accompanied by Queen Charlotte, attended the ceremony. No sooner had she become Duchess of Kingston, however, than Hervey, quite unexpectedly, succeeded to a vast fortune and the Earldom of Bristol. If only she had waited a little longer 1 But Elizabeth did not allow this to worry her ; to be a duchess is greater than to be a countess. None the less, her position now was a dangerous one.

For a while, however, all went well, but then - at the time she was abroad, and incidentally, only a few days before, had been received with almost regal honours by the Pope - suddenly the bomb fell. News came that in England a suit for bigamy was pending against her.

Quite undaunted, however, she claimed her rights as Countess of Bristol (!) and insisted on the case being heard in the House of Lords. Of course, she lost it. But defeat did not drain her resources. England had become impossible to her; that was all. She sought, therefore, fresh worlds to conquer, and conquered them - first, the Court of Russia, then that of Frederick the Great.

Elizabeth Chudleigh Interferes

Such was the woman whom Prince George chose as his confidante. How could he have made a wiser choice ? One can picture her listening to the shy story of his love, caressing him with her voice, promising to help him, and, all the while, wondering how much she stood to make out of the transaction. For these were the early days of Elizabeth's career ; money was essential to her - she had none save what she earned by her wits.

But George, no doubt, did not mind the expense, for his agent arranged everything to perfection, and enabled him to keep secret trysts with his Quaker girl in safety at the house of a certain Mr. Perryn, who lived in the village of Knightsbridge. Mr. Perryn appears to have been one of Hannah's uncles. His house, therefore, was an eminently respectable meeting-place. But Elizabeth Chudleigh must have wheedled him very cleverly. Indeed, she made him quite romantic, for when he died he left Hannah an annuity of £40 a year..

News of those secret meetings, however, soon reached the ears of the Prince's mother, and his tutor, the Earl of Bute. They very easily put one and one together, and decided that, although it was probably merely a youthful infatuation, the affair must be put to an end immediately. Still, the rumours were quite disquieting, and the situation obviously one which required tactful handling. To whom, therefore, could the mission be entrusted ?

Now, why not go to Elizabeth Chudleigh ? Bute hated the woman - she knew much too much about him - but, none the less, admitted her qualifications. And, of course, Elizabeth accepted the task readily ; the situation appealed to her ; it seemed to provide infinite possibilities. for artistic treatment.

Really, there was nothing to worry about, she assured the Prince's mother. A husband must be found for Hannah ; that was all. And, no doubt, she spun a similar story to Mr. Wheeler, appealing to his Quaker conscience to assist her in removing the girl from danger.

Forthwith, therefore, a search was made for a suitable husband, and eventually a man named Axford was selected, the son of a grocer on Ludgate Hill. He was much younger than Hannah, and apparently one of the very few men who did not want to marry her. But, fortunately, he was poor, and the promise of a handsome dower served very effectively as a bribe. Immediately, therefore, a ceremony was arranged. And it took place on December XI, 1753, at Keith's celebrated chapel.

A Chapter of Surprises

But Hannah! Cannot one picture her feelings, and pity her as she stood before the altar by the side of this mean little grocer's assistant ? Demure, obedient little girl, she had not courage to resist, but, none the less, sorrow and disappointment surged through her pulses. " Place not your trust in princes - place not your trust in princes." The saying echoed in her mind, and now she realised its truth. And yet was not her Prince, her George, the very pattern of chivalry ? Why had he deserted her ? Why had he not been near her for days ? Why had she not been able to tell him of her sorrow ? Had he betrayed her ? Poor little girl! Her heart was filled with misery, and she felt very little like a bride as, leaning on her husband's arm, she walked slowly down the chancel steps, down the aisle, and so out of the church.

But at that moment a coach dashed up, drawn by four steaming horses. And before Hannah had time to realise what was happening, she found herself being lifted in a strong man's arms into the carriage.

A postilion slammed the door. A whip cracked. And the heavy coach rolled away, leaving the new-fledged bridegroom standing, amazed and helpless, in the doorway of the church.

Just then a woman slipped away silently and unnoticed through the little crowd which had assembled, but her eyes sparkled with merriment. She had come there purposely to witness the comedy. The woman was Elizabeth Chudleigh.

And when presently the timid little bride ventured to open her eyes again, she found herself seated by the side of George Prince of Wales.