Urged on by the king, who seemed determined to prevent any further display of etiquette, Clavering ran up the grand staircase, while Charles followed with equal celerity, much to the discomposure of Colonel Maunsel, who thought that his son ought to have observed more ceremony.
On being ushered into the colonel’s sleeping chamber, the king threw himself into an elbowchair and indulged in a hearty laugh. Clavering, meanwhile, anxious to escape from the raillery in which it was evident that the mirthful young monarch was disposed to indulge at his expense, proceeded towards the inner chamber to ascertain that all the necessaries for the king’s toilette were ready, and finding that no change of linen had been placed there, he begged leave to retire in order to repair the omission. Charles nodded in token of assent, and Clavering, with a profound obeisance, quitted the room, leaving his Majesty still laughing heartily at the thoughts that tickled his fancy.
By-and-by a gentle tap was heard at the door, and, in reply to Charles’s summons to come in, Patty Whinchat entered, carrying with much care a fine linen shirt with laced ruffles, and a laced band of snowy whiteness placed upon it. Curtseying to the king, she tripped into the inner room and deposited the linen on the bed.
Her errand performed, Patty returned, and dropping another curtsey to the king, observed,
“Captain Clavering bade me say, sir, that if you have occasion for any change of apparel, you will find all you require in the wardrobe.”
“Captain Clavering is very obliging,” replied Charles, glancing admiringly at her. “How art thou called, child, and what office dost fill in the house?”
“I am named Patty Whinchat, an please you, sir,” she replied; “and am handmaiden to Mistress Dulcia Beard.”
“Oddsfish, Patty!” exclaimed the king, “thy good looks rival those of thy mistress. Ye are both so pretty, that if I were asked which to take I should be fairly perplexed in the choice.”
“But you are not asked to take either of us, sir,” Patty rejoined. “My mistress has got a lover, and I—”
“More than one, I’ll be sworn!” interrupted the king, “or the serving-men have no taste. However, there’ll be no great harm in robbing your favoured and fortunate swain, whoever he may be, of a kiss “—suiting the action to the word. “You have plenty to spare, both for him and me.”
“You are mistaken, sir,” replied Patty; “I shouldn’t have half enow for Ninian Saxby, if I let him take as many as he wants. But don’t detain me, sir, I pray of you. I mustn’t stay here another minute. I’m wanted downstairs. Somebody is below, I’m told,” she added, mysteriously, “and I’m dying to have a peep at him.”
“And who may this ‘somebody’ be whom thou art so curious to behold, child?” inquired Charles.
“The servants will have it the king is here,” rejoined Patty; “but they’ve said the same thing so often before that I don’t exactly believe them.”
“What sort of person is the king, child?” said Charles. “Should you know him if you beheld him?”
“Know him!” exclaimed Patty. “To be sure! the very instant I clapped eyes upon him.”
“But what is he like? Remarkably handsome, eh?”
“Handsome! quite the contrary! He’s remarkably plain—harsh features, and very dark. Mercy on us! if it should–”
“Why, what’s the matter, child?”
“If it should be the king whom I’ve been talking to all the time!” she exclaimed, trembling.
“If it were the king, I’ll answer for it he would be the last person to be offended with so pretty a lass as thyself,” said Charles, reassuring her with another kiss. “But hie thee downstairs, and thou mayst possibly find out some one who will better answer to thy notions of what a monarch ought to be than myself.”
Patty then curtseyed and moved towards the door, but she could not help casting another look at the king ere she quitted the room, exclaiming,
“Oh, if it should be his Majesty, I shall never get over it!”
Much diverted by the incident, Charles went into the inner room, and before proceeding to disrobe himself, placed his rapier and the brace of pocket-pistols, which he usually carried with him, on a table set near the arras curtain hung between the two rooms. His ablutions performed, he next exchanged his travel- soiled undergarments for the fair linen provided by Patty, humming the while some snatches of a then popular French romance.