I remember one story which began in the most promisingly horrible manner being stopped by my mother's sudden appearance and her givmg some sign to Aunt Charlotte to prevent her saying anything more to frighten us, and I have never heard the end of that story to this day. There were some families who had apartments in the Palace, and with whom my aunts were constantly at feud; indeed, they were not very peaceable livers with any one, but these were especially obnoxious to them. All their doings were closely watched, and if any small privilege were granted to them by the Board of Works, such as a little new paint to their walls, or a necessary cupboard put up, it was a source of bitter complaint and would be remembered and talked of for years. Nothing would soothe, no explanation would satisfy — they were aggrieved and were determined to remain so.
My poor father, who had the management of all works connected with the Royal Palaces, would be terribly worried by these complaints. He made every concession in his power, not only for the sake of pleasing his sisters, but because he feared what they might do to annoy and displease their neighbours, who were old friends of his. General Wynyard had apartments close to my aunts. He was greatly attached to my father, and for his sake bore in patient silence the constant attacks and the petty warfare that was carried on by the two irritable old ladies. It was like the stinging of gnats, and though the complaints were always trifling and absurd they were made the foundation for prolonged and serious quarrelling, and the very name of the aggressor was not to be mentioned in the presence of either of the aunts. There was one terrible altercation that I remember about the door of their kitchen which had been moved, and though the change was rather to their convenience than otherwise, the idea immediately occurred to them that General Wynyard had instigated the act for the sole purpose of annoyance, and the most vehement reproaches were cast upon him, and even the Bible quoted to prove the sin of moving your neighbour's landmark. The General smiled as he repeated this to my mother, and added, " Well, never mind, I can forgive Miss Charlotte more than this for the sake of certain raspberry tarts she used to give me when I was a boy." But though he turned off the subject in this good-natured way to spare my father's feelings, we knew that the constant interference and squabbling that went on was very much felt, and that such close neighbourhood with people who were always seeking an excuse for quarrelling must have been very trying to a peaceably inclined man. One great peculiarity of character in my aunts was their love of mystery. Everything that they did was surrounded with mystery. Things were alluded to, not mentioned, and then a look would pass between the sisters and a warning word, such as " Mary!" or " Charlotte! " as the case might be, and the speaker was checked with the words vibrating on her lips and pulled herself up directly. They used to make periodical visits to London, simply for the innocent purpose of drawing their dividends from the bank, but these expeditions were spoken of in such ambiguous terms, the day's proceedings were clothed in so much that was cloudy and obscure, that you fancied (at least those who did not know the speakers' ways) that a second Gunpowder Plot was brewing. These days were always closed at our house, where my aunts dined and spent the evening, and Aunt Charlotte, if in an amiable mood, would indulge us with one of her delightful stories. Then when the carriage came to take them back to Kensington Palace at night there were great precautions to be taken for safety on the long and perilous journey. The carriage lamps were carefully lighted, and the coachman was warned to look out on every side in case of an attack from footpads or other evil persons who might have discovered the morning's expedition to the bank. On one of these occasions a mischievous cousin, who Uved with us and who dehghted to tease, frightened them so much with his accounts of the perils of the road between London and Kensington that the aunts entreated he would accompany them back, armed with my father's pistols.