It may be that, the King having taken a great fancy to Lady Mary, modified that lady’s earlier impression.  When she and her husband went to Hanover, the King, as she mentioned in one of her letters to Lady Bristol, “has had the goodness to appoint us a lodging in one part of the Palace, without which we should be very ill accommodated; for the vast number of English crowds the town so much, it is very good luck to be able to get one sorry room in a miserable tavern.  I dined to-day with the Portuguese ambassador, who thinks himself very happy to have two wretched parlours in an inn.”

Lady Mary was, indeed, in high favour at the Courts of Hanover and St. James’s.  “Mr. Wortley and his lady are here,” the British Minister at Hanover, John Clavering, wrote in December, 1716, to Lady Cowper.  “They were so very impatient to see his Majesty that they travelled night and day from Vienna here.  Her Ladyship is mighty gay and airy, and occasions a great deal of discourse.  Since her arrival the King has took but little notice of any other lady, not even of Madame Kielmansegg, which the ladies of Hanover don’t relish very much; for my part, I can’t help rejoicing to see his Majesty prefer us to the Germans.”

It was evidently before that the following incident occurred.  Lady Mary often went to St. James’s, but, as it was very dull there, was often glad to go instead to some less august and more amusing assembly.  One evening Lady Mary particularly desired to leave early, and induced the Duchess of Kendal to persuade the King to dismiss her.  The King reluctantly acquiesced, though, when Lady Mary made her bow, he declared it was an act of perfidy to run away, but, in spite of that and other complimentary remarks, she at last contrived to make her escape.

At the foot of the staircase she met Mr. Secretary Craggs, who, seeing her leave so early, enquired if the King had retired, but she reassured him on that point, and dwelt complacently on the King’s reluctance to let her go.  Craggs made no remark, but took her in his arms, ran upstairs, and deposited her in the ante-chamber, whereupon the pages at once threw open the doors leading to the King’s apartment.

“Ah! la re-voila,” cried his Majesty and the Duchess of Kendal, and expressed their pleasure that she had changed her mind, but Lady Mary was so flustered that, instead of maintaining a discreet silence she burst out, “Oh, Lord, Sir, I have been so frightened!” and related her adventure.

She had scarcely finished relating her adventure, when the door was thrown open, and Mr. Secretary Craggs was announced.  He entered calmly, and made his bow as if nothing had happened, but the King strode up to him, and said angrily:  “Mais, comment, donc, Monsieur Craggs, est ce que c’est l’usage de ce pays de porter des belles dames comme un sac de froment?” ("Is it the custom of this country to carry about fair ladies as if they were a sack of wheat?”) The culprit was dumbfounded by the unexpected attack, and glanced reproachfully at Lady Mary for having betrayed him, but, soon finding his wits, parried with, “There is nothing I would not do for your Majesty’s satisfaction.”