Since the affair of Lady Flora Hastings, a sad fate had overtaken Sir James Clark.

His flourishing practice had quite collapsed; nobody would go to him any more.

But the Queen remained faithful.

She would show the world how little she cared for their disapproval, and she desired Albert to make "poor Clark" his physician in ordinary.

He did as he was told; but, as it turned out, the appointment was not a happy one.
The wedding-day was fixed, and it was time for Albert to tear himself away from his family and the scenes of his childhood.