She immediately consulted Sir James Clark, the physician to both Her
Majesty and the Duchess of Kent. One symptom of her complaint was a
swelling of the stomach. By dint of exercise and medical treatment,
she was getting better; the swelling had considerably subsided, and
she had every hope of a speedy recovery; when, on or about the 1st of
March, Sir James Clark went to her room, and announced to her the
conviction of the ladies of the Palace that she was pregnant. In
answer to all his exhortations to confession, 'as the only means of
saving her character,' Lady Flora returned an indignant, but steady
denial that there was anything to confess. Upon which, Sir James
Clark told her, 'that nothing but her submitting to a medical
examination would ever satisfy them, or remove the stigma from her
name.' Lady Flora found that the subject had been brought before the
Queen's notice, and that all this had been discussed, arranged and
denounced to her, without one word having been said on the subject to
her own mistress, the Duchess of Kent; who had no suspicion of what
was going on, and whose sanction was not sought for the humiliating
proposition which had been made to Lady Flora. On leaving Lady
Flora's room, Sir James Clark went to the Duchess of Kent, and
announced his conviction that Lady Flora was with child; and was
followed by Lady Portman, who conveyed a message from Her Majesty to
her mother, that the Queen would not permit Lady Flora to appear till
the examination had taken place. Lady Portman (who, with Lady
Tavistock, are mentioned as most active against Lady Flora) expressed
to the Duchess of Kent, her conviction of Lady Flora's guilt.

"'Her beloved mistress' never, for a moment, doubted Lady Flora's
innocence. She said that she knew her, her principles, and her
family too well to listen to such a charge. However, the edict was
given; and, the next day, Lady Flora having obtained the Duchess of
Kent's very reluctant consent--'for Her Royal Highness could not bear
the idea of her being exposed to such a humiliation'--but, Lady
Flora, 'feeling it her duty to Her Royal Highness, to herself, and to
her family, that a point blank refutation should be instantly given
to the lie,' submitted herself to the most rigid examination; and now
possesses a certificate, signed by Sir Ja