Sweet Lass of Richmond Hill - Plaidy Jean. Страница 64

The Prince of Wales called at the House of the Honourable Mr. Butler.

He was very pale and looked a little thinner. His doctors had advised him that he should not go out but he had insisted.

Mrs. Butler received him with great respect and he was delighted to see that she was shocked by his appearance.

'Your Highness is well enough to be out?'

'I have managed to get here,' he said feebly.

4 I beg of Your Highness to be seated.'

He sank gratefully into the chair.

'And I beg of you, my dear friend, to tell Mrs. Fitzherbert that I am here and to say that I wish to see her. It may be for the last time.'

'Your Highness ...'

He waved a delicate white hand. 'That is what I wish you to tell her.'

Mrs. Butler said she herself would go to Maria, which she did, and shortly afterwards conducted the Prince to Maria's sitting room where she gently shut the door on them.

When he saw Maria he was so overcome by his emotion that lie felt dizzy and as though he would faint. Maria ran to him and caught his arm. Oh, to be touched by Maria again! He leaned against the chair, prolonging the moment.

'I ... I have been very ill,' he said. 'I am still weak.'

'Pray sit down,' said Maria.

He allowed her to put him into the chair and sat there, his eyes closed.

'You should not have come out,' she said.

'I wanted to see you. I felt ... it might be my last chance.'

'What do you mean?' she demanded almost angrily.

'You may not have heard, Maria. But I have been very ill. I have been profusely bled and it has weakened me. My doctors despaired of my life.'

He was delighted to sec the concern in her eyes.

'You will be distressed when I am gone, Maria.'

'This is nonsense,' said Maria, 'to talk of dying. Why should you?'

'Because I have lost all that is worth living for.'

'But you have not lost your hope of the Crown,' she told him with some cynicism.

'Oh, Maria, Maria ... what is that to me if you no longer love me.'

'It seems a good deal ... since you betrayed me for the sake of it.'

Still angry, still hurt, still unforgiving!

He sighed. Then he covered his face with his hands and sobs shook his body.

'What can I say to you, Maria? If you wish it to be goodbye then I shall go back to my bed and ... die. For there is nothing to live for.'

'I have already reminded you once that there is a crown.'

'A crown! It is others who care for that, Maria. You must listen to me. Yes, yes, I insist. Fox ... you know what Fox is. Haven't you always known? I have been deceived by the fellow. He's clever. I don't deny it. But he it was who made the announcement ... without telling me, Maria. What could I do?'

'Denied it.'

'And started a possible conflict? Think of that, Maria. Don't think I haven't implored them to put this right. Sherry will tell vou. I spoke to Sherry. I begged him to do something and, God bless him, he did his best. But Fox had already done the mischief. What could we do? Maria, my beloved, don't blame me for the sins of others. You know Fox. My God, didn't you show ine that you had no liking for him?'

'I heard he had a letter from you ... written just before the ceremony ... saying that there would not be one.'

'Fox would say anything. I may have written a letter. I have been forced to do so many things. They were on me like a pack of wolves. Oh, Maria, let's forget them all. If you would love me again I should be completely happy. We will go to Brighton together; everything you want will be yours.'

'All I wanted was to live in peace and happiness with the man I thought was my husband.'

'You shall, Maria. You shall.'

'No,' she cried. 'You should go. It is over. I understand everything. You should have listened to me in the first place.

Perhaps it is my fault. I wanted us to be together so I pre tended all would be well.'

'Oh, Maria.' He had flung himself at her feet. 'Love me, Maria. It's all I shall ever ask again.'

Tray get up,' she said. 'You will do yourself an injury.'

'So much the better. I have been the victim of wily politicians and I am now the victim of love.'

She sat down on a sofa and he was immediately beside her.

'It was wrong of you to come out,' she said. 'You look so pale.'

He closed his eyes; his heart pounding with hope.

She touched his brow. 'You should rest awhile before you go. You should never have come.'

She was concerned, alarmed for his health.

'Maria,' he said, 'if you would love me I would get well again ... quickly.'

'You are going to get well,' she said briskly.

'I am beginning to feel alive again.'

He clasped her in his arms. He wanted, he said, to lay his head on that magnificent bosom which had so long been denied him.

She was weeping. Maria was not one to weep easily so it showed how deeply moved she was. He had been right to come. This was going to be the reconciliation. He would not go out of this room until he had Maria's promise that all was well between them.

He wanted, he said, to stay close to his Maria for ever. He wanted her to know that he would die if she would not return to him.

He embraced her; she returned his embrace. He was forgiven.

Frederick, Duke of York

Return of the Duke of York

They are together again. Society could talk of nothing else.

The Prince's recovery was miraculous. The very next day he was well enough to drive Maria down to the Epsom races in his phaeton, singing as he went, the healthy flush back in his cheeks, the radiant Mrs. Fitzherbert beside him.

He kept declaring that he had never been so happy in his life. And indeed there was every reason why this should be so. His debts were paid; he had a grant for Carlton House; there had been an addition to his income; his succession to the throne was no longer in peril—and crowning glory, he had his Maria back, as loving as she ever was, admitting that the separation had been as painful to her as to him and that he, Prince Charming, had been in no way to blame. It was all the fault of the villain Fox.

Poor Charles! The Prince felt he had been rather unjustly treated, but he was enjoying life in Italy with the very charming Lizzie and he guessed Charles wouldn't grudge him his happiness.

That evening the Duchess of Gordon gave a ball and naturally she craved the honour of the Prince's company and that of

Mrs. Fitzherbert. They came together; he danced almost every dance with her, only leaving her side when duty demanded it. Everyone smiled on them, implying pleasure in seeing them together and happy again. And at the end of the ball the Prince was heard to say, as he had said so many times before: 'Madam, may I have the honour of taking you home in my carriage?'

And regal, dignified Mrs. Fitzherbert graciously gave her permission.

All was well. The balls and banquets would start again. The Prince was the leader of Society and Princess Fitz, as they called her, shared that honour with him. It was realized that if one wished to entertain the Prince of Wales one must be on terms of friendliness with Mrs. Fitzherbert.

The Prince took a house for her in Pall Mall; and the carriages of the nobility were seen constantly stopping at her door. At dinner parties she was put at the side of the Prince in the place of honour; it was as though everyone was determined to treat her as the Princess of Wales, in spite of Mr. Fox's denial—because it was quite clear that that was what the Prince wished.

He would make up for that denial by making sure that she received every honour which would have been hers had she been his wife; he could not of course make the King and Queen receive her, but who cared for the King and Queen? The Prince of Wales was the leader of society—and his 'wife' with him.