Sweet Lass of Richmond Hill - Plaidy Jean. Страница 8

Mr. Fitzherbert, though an ardent Catholic, was liberal in outlook and fully supported the monarchy. He had great faith in the King whom he knew was anxious to abolish intolerance and he had hopes of seeing a reform in the laws against Catholics.

In her new affluent circumstances Maria did not forget her family, and when it was time for Frances to leave the convent she suggested that her sister come and stay with her.

It was a great joy to see Frances again—grown into a tall and pretty young woman. The sisters embraced warmly and Maria was interested to discover that her sister had been as regretful to leave the Blew Nuns as she had been. She had tales to tell of Paris, the scandals of the Court, the inability of the King and Queen to get children until the recent birth of a Princess to them—Madame Royale.

Maria listened eagerly and with pleasure to her sister's accounts of life in France and told her what had been happening at home.

'You will not find it difficult to settle down/ she assured her.

'I should have hated to be shut away at Brambridge, Maria. Oh, it is so changed! Poor Papa! He is just there ... not like his old self at all; and Mamma seems to have lost her spirit and the boys are so wild. How glad I am that you married Mr. Fitzherbert and have invited me to stay with you.'

'I am glad about both of those things also/ Maria told her.

Maria enjoyed launching her sister on London society and when she took her to Swynnerton, Frances was a success. She was exceptionally pretty, charming, gay and goodnatured; but a pale shadow of Maria, most people agreed.

There was one young man who was entertained frequently at Swynnerton who did not however agree with this verdict.

Frances came into her sister's bedroom while Maria was at her dressing table. Maria, who liked to dress her own hair, had dismissed her maid. She still wore it naturally. She was secretly proud of those thick corn-coloured curls and was not going to have them disfigured by powder; and as her own hair was abundant she had no need to pad it. Besides, she preferred to follow an original style.

Frances sat on the bed and watched her sister.

'You should see the hairstyles in Paris. They get higher and higher. Women are wearing feathers and even country scenes in their hair. And the Queen leads the fashion, which becomes more outrageous every day. Monsieur Leonard, her hairdresser, goes rattling along in his very fine carriage every day from Paris to Versailles to dress the Queen's hair/

'I shan't change my style ... not even for the Queen of France,' said Maria.

'I don't blame you. Yours looks lovely. Maria, I have come to the conclusion that you are a very unusual woman.'

'Have you only just come to that conclusion?' asked Maria lightly.

'Well I've always known it. You're very happy with Tom, are you not?'

Maria agreed that this was so.

'But then you were happy with Mr. Weld.'

That was also true.

'I wonder whether, Maria, you are the sort of woman who would be happy with any man.'

'I'm sure I should not.'

'But two happy marriages. You are, of course, very good-natured, amusing, clever and beautiful.'

'Please, you are making me blush.'

'But you are also wise, so you know these things. How much am I like you, Maria?'

'Quite a bit, I believe.'

'I wonder if I shall be happily married.'

'I am sure you will if you marry wisely.'

'Are people wise when they are in love?'

Maria was thoughtful. She had married what was considered wisely twice. Yet she hesitated to answer that question. A

thought came into her head. Had she ever been in love? She was fond of Thomas, of course; she had been fond of Edward, but...

Frances was looking at her intently.

'I think/ said Frances steadily, 'that I could feel the same for Carnaby Haggerston as you do for Thomas Fitzherbert.'

Maria was excited. 'Frances. He has...'

Frances nodded.

'And you have accepted?'

'Not exactly. I wanted to talk to you first.'

'But you are fond of him, Frances? I have seen you together. I know.'

'Yes,' said Frances, Tm fond of him.'

'I'm delighted.' Maria rose and embraced her sister. 'Mamma will be so pleased and so will Papa ... poor dear Papa ... if he is able to grasp what this means. Uncle Henry and Thomas will both be so ... gratified. It is just what we should all have wished.'

Frances nodded and kept her eyes on her face. Maria was happy; and her happiness had come through wisdom. No one could deny that Sir Carnaby Haggerston of the Northumberland Catholic Haggerstons was not an excellent match.

With Frances safely married and the chance of helping the boys which marriage with Thomas gave her, Maria was at peace. Occasionally she invited her mother to spend a little time with her in the country. Poor Mamma, she had changed a great deal since Papa's stroke and Maria feared she sighed nostalgically for the past. Walter had gone into the Austrian Army since his religious opinions debarred him from joining that in his own country; and Uncle Henry was often at Bram-bridge. But he was too indulgent and the boys, Maria feared, sadly missed a father.

She was growing closer and closer to Thomas whose activities were of the utmost interest to her; and for him it was a great pleasure to have a well-informed wife with whom he could discuss those issues which were of such importance to him.

There was only one disappointment in their marriage; there

was no sign of any children. But Maria was very young and they had their whole lives before them. Thomas was certain that such a paragon as Maria could not fail to give him all he wanted.

He delighted in those occasions when they could dine alone together. These were rare because there seemed to be a continual round of entertaining, for he had always been a jovial man who liked to surround himself with friends; he was wealthy; he had fine houses in which to entertain, and as there were three of them in different parts of the country and he had so many friends in each part, naturally there was a constant round of visits.

But there were rare occasions when he and Maria could dine intimately together and this was one of them. How beautiful she looked with her golden hair falling about her shoulders, so simply dressed and so charming. He thought that in her muslin gown with the blue ribbons she was more beautiful than in a satin silk velvet or brocade evening gown.

Driving home through the Mall they had passed a young woman in a carriage—a flamboyant, overdressed young woman in pale pink satin and big straw hat decorated with pink and green feathers. An undoubted beauty but, in Maria's opinion, decidedly a little vulgar. Thomas had told her that the woman was Mrs. Robinson, the actress who was known as Perdita because she had been playing Perdita in The Winter's Tale when the Prince of Wales had first noticed her.

While they dined they discussed the woman and the scandal she was causing.

'I am sorry for His Majesty,' said Thomas. 'The Prince is a great trial to him.'

'He is young yet,' replied Maria. 'Doubtless he will grow wiser as he grows older.'

'But when the heir to the throne lives openly with an actress it is certain to cause distress to all good subjects of the King who, I have heard, spends many a sleepless night worrying about what the Prince is doing.'

'I am surprised that he should have become enamoured of such a woman.' B*

'Actresses have a great appeal for the very young and she is reckoned a beauty.'

'She is undoubtedly that/ agreed Maria.

'And clearly well aware of it. I give her another three months. They say His Highness is already wavering.'

'Poor woman! What will she do then?'

'Find another protector, I dareswear. That is usually the way of such women.'