And how the King and his “little sweetheart,” as he called her, enjoyed these visits! and the merry romps they had together!

“On one occasion,” says Captain Napier (Lady Sarah’s son of much later days), “after a romp with my mother, the King suddenly snatched her up in his arms, and, after squeezing her in a large china jar, shut down the cover to prove her courage; but soon released her when he found that the only effect was to make her, with a merry voice, begin singing the French song of Malbruc, with which he was quite delighted.”

But these happy days of romping with a King came too soon to an end.  On her mother’s death Lady Sarah, then only five years old, was carried off to Ireland, to the home of Lady Kildare.  There she remained for eight years, when she returned to England and the guardianship of her eldest sister, Lady Holland.  As soon as George heard of the return of his little playmate he sent for her, hoping to resume the romps of early years.  But Lady Sarah, though prettier than ever, proved so shy and so embarrassed by the King’s familiarities that at last he exclaimed in disgust:  “Pooh! she has grown too stupid!”

But if Lady Sarah’s shyness had cost her the King’s favour, her beauty and girlish grace quickly won for her another Royal friend—­none other than George’s grandson and heir to the throne, then a handsome boy little older than herself, and at least equally diffident.  Every time the young Prince saw her he became more and more her slave, until his conquest was complete.  He was only happy by her side; while she found her dogs and squirrels more entertaining company than the King-to-be.

Lady Sarah was now blossoming into young womanhood.  Every year added some fresh touch of beauty and grace.  She was the pet and idol of the Court, captivating young and old alike by her charms and winsomeness.  Horace Walpole raved about her.  When she took part in a play at Holland House, of which he was a spectator, he wrote: 

“Lady Sarah was more beautiful than you can conceive....  When she was in white, with her hair about her ears and on the ground, no Magdalen by Correggio was half so lovely and so expressive.”

And Lord Holland, her brother-in-law, draws this alluring picture of her: 

“Her beauty is not easily described otherwise than by saying she had the finest complexion, most beautiful hair, and prettiest person that was ever seen, with a sprightly and fine air, a pretty mouth, and remarkably fine teeth, and excess of bloom in her cheeks.”

Although the Prince’s passion for her was patent to all the Court, she seems either not to have seen it or to have been indifferent to it—­an indifference which naturally only served to feed the flames of his love.  One day shortly after he had succeeded to the throne, George, the shyest of Royal lovers, determined to unbosom himself to Lady Sarah’s friend, Lady Susan Strangways, since