JET. 36.] AND THE PRINCESS CHARLOTTE. 227 



out of the way, and I said I was unable to go. The 

 messenger sent back word that I was wanted on most 

 particular business, and that a coach was waiting at 

 the door by express commands. I was obliged to 

 comply, and fell asleep as soon as I stept into it, not 

 awaking till it reached Connaught Place. I stumbled 

 up-stairs, still half-asleep, to the drawing-room. To 

 my astonishment, T found both my hands seized by 

 the Princess Charlotte, who said how impatient she 

 had been at the delay, which was owing to her mes- 

 senger having first gone to my chambers in the Tem- 

 ple. I asked by what extraordinary accident I had 

 the honour and pleasure of seeing her Eoyal Highness 

 there. She said, " Oh, it is too long to tell now, for I 

 have ordered dinner, and I hope it will soon come up." 

 She only added that she had come out of Warwick 

 House alone, and had got into the first hackney-coach 

 she could see in Cockspur Street, and had sent to 

 Blackheath for her mother, who arrived some time 

 after with Lady Charlotte Lindsay. We sat down to 

 dinner, and she was in high spirits, seeming to enjoy 

 herself like a bird set loose from its cage. I said 

 I had nearly dined before her message reached me. 

 She said, " You may eat a little bit with us, and at 

 any rate you can carve/' I said the only dish I could 

 carve was the soup. However, the dinner went on 

 very merrily. Miss Mercer (afterwards Lady Keith 

 and wife of Count Flahault) had been sent by the 

 Prince as soon as her flight from Warwick House was 

 known, there being no doubt entertained as to where 

 she had gone. 



I happened to know that the Duke of Sussex dined 

 in the neighbourhood, and I wrote a note to beg he 



