With the Princess Casimira he was a profound critic of observances: he invented a new cravat and was most careful that there should never be a wrinkle in his stockings; with the Princess Charlotte he laughed till his head sang.

He played all manner of parts; the palace might have been the stage of a pantomime and himself the harlequin.

But for all his efforts it did not seem that he advanced his cause; and if he made headway one evening with the Prince, the next morning he had lost it, and so Christmas came and passed.
But two days after Christmas a courier brought a letter to the castle.
He came in the evening, and the letter was carried to Wogan while he was at table.

He noticed at once that it was in his King's hand, and he slipped it quickly into his pocket.

It may have been something precipitate in his manner, or it may have been merely that all were on the alert to mark his actions, but at once curiosity was aroused.