The Queen Mother Part 3

Morning, noon and night.

'He was'nt sane when first he came

It's getting worse and worse,

And if he stays much longer,

I think that I shall curse!

'He received a postal order

(Don't call me a Liar)

For he looked at it one moment

Then PUT IT IN THE FIRE!!

'Is'nt it sad, in so young a lad,

Such lunacy to see,

For he drank his cup and saucer

And forgot about the tea!!

'Though Sergeant Little's brain is weak

His arm is very strong,

He strafes the Bosche like anything

Here's Luck to him life long!136*

The soldiers apparently loved this poem. 'They really thought I had brains!' Encouraged, she wrote another one for Private Harding, one of those who had 'delighted' in slipping her the Queen of Spades.

I sometimes go into the Ward

And play a game or two;

And if I get the Queen of Spades

T'is only due to you

Private Harding!

Are you not ashamed and sorry

That cheating should go on?

Something's wrong about the dealing

I put the blame upon

Private Harding!137

Mr Dunn, the local photographer who had recorded the fire, came to the Castle to photograph Elizabeth and the soldiers. They all dressed up and pretended they were the Glamis Band, complete with gramophone, dinner horn, penny rattle, drum, penny whistles. 'The noise is infernal! ... They are quite mad. Harding was the Queen of Spades!! That was a great joke! Nix was "His Lords.h.i.+p's Jockey" and frightfully pleased with himself.'138 Next day she had to present the prizes at the whist drive, which she was dreading. In the event it was not too bad, she thought. Harding won first prize, six handkerchiefs and then they all danced; her partner whisked her round and round until she became quite giddy. Then reels, recitations and the evening ended with a whisky toddy at 12.30 a.m.

After breakfast the following day ten of the soldiers left and Elizabeth waved them goodbye. 'They were all dreadfully unhappy and too darling ... I do wonder if they caught their train! Because every two steps, they stopped, threw their kit bags into the air, and waved frantically, and of course all the kit bags fell down, so that took about 3 minutes to pick them all up. They all enjoyed themselves frightfully last night.'139 She remained in touch with many of them Nix, 'the angelic little one', wrote to her from Hull. Pegg wrote to tell her that he had won the Distinguished Conduct Medal and was going back to New Zealand. Ernest Pearce wrote to say that he had been made a lance sergeant. Some of those who were left at Glamis celebrated Hallowe'en. 'They all dressed up and got married. It was very profane and most amusing.'140 More serious matters were on her mind because she was about to be confirmed. The Bishop was coming to stay for the weekend,* she wrote to Beryl, and added, ''elp!' She was being prepared for confirmation by Mr Tuke, the rector of St John's Episcopal Church in Forfar. She sent Beryl a sketch of her confirmation dress white crepe de Chine trimmed with white fur, and with b.u.t.tons down one side. She thought it would be 'quite useful for dancing cla.s.ses and things afterwards'.141 The confirmation took place on Sunday 5 November 1916. Instead of a private ceremony in the chapel at home 'that's the one thing I will not have. I'm quite determined. I know exactly what it would be. Rows of gaping soldiers and domestics,' she declared firmly she elected to be confirmed at St John's in Forfar.142 She and the other girls wore white veils above their white dresses. Margaret Cadenhead, who was also being confirmed, said, 'she had her hair tied back with a bow. Lovely hair and lovely eyes, beautiful blue eyes.'143 Afterwards Elizabeth and her mother returned to the south.

In February 1917 she had to take to her bed for about ten days suffering from a bronchial complaint. She followed the war news and rumours. 'The news is really quite cheerful isn't it? Germany howling for peace (silently so far), and we are catching their mouldy subs. This is hush news, two of their biggest and newest surrendered (tho its probably untrue) minus their officers. They'd shot them all. Pip pip. Hurrah to heaven.'144 She remained in the south at St Paul's Walden and St James's Square, where her mother had undertaken another patriotic duty: entertaining overseas officers. This sometimes took the form of thes dansants, which Elizabeth attended. Many of the guests were Australian officers. 'Thursday is our Australian day. At least every day is that now, we are simply inundated with them!' she wrote to Beryl. 'Do come and join the gory throng that goes fox trotting along. You wear a hat & your best dress I believe at these sort of things! The men are very nice and quite RESPECTABLE, so your Mother wont mind letting flighty flirtatious Beryl come & dance.'145 Beryl accepted the invitation, and they both clearly enjoyed themselves. 'Wasn't it too too funny? I was never so much amused in my life!! One man was too horrible for words, he was disgusting, & yet even he amused me. The sailor was very nice. Did you dance with him? ... And did you dance with Captain Phillips in plain clothes? He is so nice, he's often been here for lunch and dances simply divinely.'146 The next week, that same Captain Phillips came to tea with her at St James's Square, 'tete a tete!! Rather funny. He's such a nice person, & we talked solidly in the dark from 5 till 7.15!! He's an excellent talker, & told me stories. Its nice talking to an intelligent person occasionally ... Captain P asked me if I was interested in letters from the front?'147 This was followed by several rows of question marks.

Back at Glamis for a snow-covered Easter 1917, she found there were only seven soldiers at the Castle. With George Robey rattling away on the gramophone, she played cards with them and, as always, she won their hearts. One of them wrote presciently in her autograph book, May the owner of this book be

Hung, Drawn, and Quartered.

'Yes'.

Hung in Diamonds, Drawn in a Coach and Four and

Quartered in the Best House in the Land.148