was incredible. Something must be done … quickly. She was not going to allow that Fitzharding woman to spread scandal about her.
“Take me to your parents,” she commanded.
The house was clean, for which she was thankful, but when she came face to face with Mary and Francis Hill she was horrified. Their state of emaciation was clearly due to starvation.
“I am Sarah Churchill,” she announced. “Sarah Jennings that was.”
Mary Hill gave a little cry and said: “So you’re Sarah.… I have of course heard much of you.”
“And I have heard of you. This is terrible. But I will remedy it. Those are your sons. Here, boy, go and buy food … as quickly as you can.”
She gave him money and both boys went off.
“Now,” said Sarah, “you had better tell me everything.”
“You, Francis,” began his wife.
“It is not an unusual story,” Francis explained. “I was a merchant. My business failed. I became bankrupt and over the last months have had to sell our possessions in order to live. We have become poorer and poorer. We came to this place to live. It is the best we can afford. There is very little money left and I do not know where we shall turn for more.”
“Those boys …?”
“They can earn a penny here and there … but it is not enough to keep us.”
“And you?”
“I have tried, but my strength seems to have deserted me.”
Sarah could understand why. Malnutrition! There was little strength in either of them.
“So there are you and the two boys.”
“The girls were more fortunate. They found places.”
“Places!”
“Yes. Abigail and Alice are in service. Abigail has a good post with Lady Rivers.”
“What as?”
“As a maid in the house.”
A maid! thought Sarah. My cousin … a maid to Lady Rivers! A nice state of affairs! Lady Rivers might come to Court and bring her servants with her. And among these the cousin of Lady Marlborough!
“It is fortunate that I have discovered this. You must tell me everything. Hold nothing back. I will find places for all the children—those two boys and the girls. As for you, I shall leave you ten guineas for the time being and we will decide what has to be done.”
Sarah then began firing questions at the couple who, trembling with excitement and hope, answered them. She sat upright on the chair they had given her, while her busy mind was working. Two boys … perhaps a place in the Custom House for one and the other … well, she would see. As for the girls, she must consider what could be done for them, and when the children were in good positions they could help support their parents; in the meantime she would see that they did not starve.
The boys returned with food and it was shocking to see the manner in which it was immediately devoured.
Sarah was horrified; but at the same time pleased by their homage. It was quite clear that they thought her an angel in disguise, the omnipotent, beautiful benefactress!
It was pleasant to be so regarded and she knew that without a great deal of effort she would be able to bestow such benefits on the Hill family that would make them her willing slaves for ever.
Help to Mary and Francis Hill had come a little too late. A few days after Sarah’s visit Francis died; Mary was so stricken with sorrow, and suffering from the same disease caused by starvation, quickly followed him.
Now Sarah had only the four orphans to settle, and she ordered the two girls to return to their parents’ house to attend the funerals. She sent off money and cast-off clothes to the family and busied herself with planning what to do with them.
The boys must be settled first. The thought of them running about the streets in rags horrified her. She told the Princess Anne about her discovery of these needy relations—for she was anxious that Barbara Fitzharding should not start circulating her stories before she had had a chance of putting her own case—and Anne was immediately sympathetic.
“My dear Mrs. Freeman has the kindest heart!” she sighed.
“I want to place them all as soon as possible,” Sarah told her.
“I am sure Mrs. Freeman will know what to do for the best.”
She did. It was infuriating that Marl should be out of favour; but she consoled herself that all the slights and humiliations would be forgotten once Dutch William was no more and Anne was Queen. She was very impatient for that much longed for