In the evening I had a visit from Lady Elizabeth Waldegrave, who
brought her sister, Lady Caroline Waldegrave, both to pay congratulatory
compliments. Lady Elizabeth is lady of the bedchamber to the princess
royal, and lives in this Lodge.
Her sister, by the queen's, goodness, is permitted to spend some months
of every year with her. They were left orphans at about sixteen: the
queen instantly took them both under her protection. They are gentle and
well bred, and seem very amiable. They stayed with me till it was time
for them to go into waiting for the princess royal, whom they attend to
the Terrace.
My dearest Mrs. Delany came again, to visit me wholly, and drink tea
with me. We had a thousand things to discuss, but were scarce a moment
together before we were interrupted by Madame de la Fite, who, however,
only stayed to give and receive from Mrs. Delany congratulations on
meeting in my room at Windsor, and then she pretty soon took leave.
We had but again arranged ourselves to a little comfort, when a tat-tat
at my door followed, and a lady entered whom I had never seen before,
with a very courteous air and demeanour, saying, “I could not defer
paying my compliments to Miss Burney, and wishing her much joy, which
we must all feel in such an accession to our society: I must get my
daughter to introduce me.” And then advanced Mrs. Fielding, and I found
this was Lady Charlotte Finch.
Mrs. Fielding is one of the women of the bedchamber. She lives with
her mother, Lady Charlotte, and her three daughters, girls from ten to
fifteen years of age.
When she also wished me joy, I saw in her face a strong mark of still
remaining astonishment at my appointment. Indeed all the people in
office here are so evidently amazed that one so unthought of amongst
them should so unexpectedly fill a place to which they had all privately
appropriated some acquaintance, that I see them with difficulty forbear
exclaiming, “How odd it is to see you here!”
Lady Charlotte's visit was short and very civil; she was obliged to
hasten to the Castle, to attend the younger princesses till they went to
the Terrace. They are sent to wait in an apartment of the Castle, till
the king and queen and the elders walk out, and then they are called to
join them, when the crowd is not great, and when the weather is fine.
My Windsor apartment is extremely comfortable. I have a large
drawing-room, as they call it, which is on the ground floor, as are all
the queen's rooms, and which faces the Castle and the venerable round
tower, and opens at the further side, from the windows, to the little
park. It is airy, pleasant, clean, and healthy, My bed-room is small,
but neat and comfortable; its entrance is only from the drawing-room,
and it looks to the garden. These two rooms are delightfully independent
of all the rest of the house, and contain everything I can desire for my
convenience and comfort.
In her way to my room, Mrs. Delany had met the king; she was a little
shocked, and feared she came at an improper hour, or ought to have come
in the back way. I know not if he had perceived her distress; but he
soon removed It, for when he went out to go to the Terrace he looked
towards my windows, and seeing her there, advanced a few steps to ask
her how she did. The queen turned round and curtseyed to her, and the
Princess Augusta ran up to speak to her.
I had retired behind her; but when they moved on, Miss Goldsworthy, the
sub-governess, stole from her charges, and came to the window to desire
Mrs. Delany to introduce' her to me.
Sweet Mrs. Delany, thwarted in her kind private views of an interesting
confabulation, grew fatigued, and went home; and then Mrs. Fielding rose
to accompany her. Miss Port made a second attempt for tea, but received
for answer that Mrs. Schwellenberg would come down and make it as soon
as the king and queen came from the Terrace.
The ceremony of waiting tea till the royal family return from the
Terrace, is in order to make it for any company they may invite to
it....
To-night, like the rest of my attendance, I was merely treated as if an
accidental visitor. Sweet queen--she seems as fearful of employing me as
I am myself of being employed.