The Regency (42 page)

James felt much more cheerful when he saw with what
good appetite Héloïse ate; and he applied himself to be
charming to Mrs Pobgee, the lawyer's wife, who was on his right. On his left was Louisa Anstey, who was practically a
sister to him: it was no effort to talk to her. She was looking
remarkably well after her own recent delivery, and she ate
everything that came her way, while defying elegance by chatting comfortably across the table with Miss Rosedale
about child-rearing.

Arthur Fussell drank deeply of the claret, and talked to
Edward about hunting.

‘
There's never been a season with so few outings,' he said.
'Even my heavyweight has been out only twice, and my
youngster's never even seen hounds. How the deuce have you
kept your pack exercised, Morland?'

‘
It's been difficult,' Edward admitted. 'We've had to walk
them whenever we could. But the ground's drying out so well,
I think we shall be able to hunt tomorrow at last. It may be
rather muddy, but not impossible.’

Father Aislaby said, 'You could do worse than draw the
copse out at Turn Mire. I hear Mr Rodwell of Acomb Grange
has been complaining about a big dog-fox. It's been taking his
ducks with impunity these four weeks.'

‘
The horses won't be fit. Still you have to start somewhere,'
Edward said. 'You'll come out, won't you, Lucy?'

‘
If you can find me something to ride,' Lucy said. 'I might
as well have one outing before I go home.'

‘
Oh, are you going back to London?' Lizzie Fussell said,
disappointed. 'I was hoping we might have the pleasure of
your company at Fussell Manor for dinner next week.'

‘I'll come out, Uncle Ned, on Honey,' Fanny said eagerly.

‘
Well, if you want her laid up for the rest of the season with
a sprained shoulder, so be it,' Ned said unkindly.

John Anstey and Mr Pobgee were discussing politics.

‘
You can tell by that report in the
Moniteur —
you must
have seen it? — that Spain is Boney's next object,' Pobgee
said. 'He openly attacks the Queen of Spain and her lover —
what's his name — Godoy? All his usual rhetoric, the un
restrained language. He means to enter Spain as a deliverer,
welcomed by the populace. You mark my words — it's Poland
all over again.'

‘
You're right, of course,' Anstey said, 'but Canning thinks
— and I agree with him — that Spain is only a step in a greater plan. The East is his real object: he believes it's the true source
of our power. I believe he means to make a two-pronged
attack, round the two sides of the Mediterranean. Spain is
Boney's doorway to Africa, and from there he can march
through Egypt to India, while attacking from the other
direction through Turkey and the Levant.'

‘Oh can he, by God?'

‘
That's what he believes, anyway. Of course, he has to get
past our navy.'

‘
Your son is with Collingwood in the Mediterranean, I
believe?’

Lucy caught the name and looked across at John. 'Have
you had news from Little John? How is it with Coll?'

‘
Not well,' Anstey answered down the table. 'He's been ill
again, and he's very tired. He wrote asking to be relieved, but
of course we can't spare him. There's too much movement in
Sicily and Corfu.'

‘
Where is your brother Harry at the moment?' Mrs Pobgee
asked James. 'The last I heard he was on detached duty at
Gibraltar.’

Silver clinked against china; candlelight winked in the
prism of cut glass. Ottershaw stood massive and watchful at the serving-table, directing the ballet of service with imperceptible gestures. The footmen in their white gloves removed dishes and
changed plates so deftly they were almost invisible. Héloïse
watched it all while chatting to her neighbours, noting how
well the training of the servants was paying off, her senses
stretched for the 'feel' of the party. Was it a success? Was
everyone happy? Was Arthur Fussell drinking too much?

‘
They have silk stockings at Remington's at twelve shillings
the pair,' Lady Fussell was saying to Héloïse. 'I do think it's
shocking, the price they are these days. I suppose it's the war,'
she added vaguely.

‘
Enderby's had cotton ones at three and elevenpence, the
last time I was there,' Mathilde offered. 'Miss Keating
thought them a great bargain, and bought three pairs. She
said they were very well-knit.'

‘
Oh, but I do prefer silk. I had sooner have only two pairs
of silk stockings, than half a dozen of cotton.’

Past the barrier of the vast silver epergne in the centre of
the table — Mr Hobsbawn's gift for Fanny's christening long
ago — James caught Héloïse's eye and winked, and she smiled
her sudden smile. All was well.

‘
Four of mine are down at once with epidemic colds,'
Louisa was saying to Mrs Pobgee, 'and I suppose the baby will
have it next, for my nursery-maid was sneezing over him this
morning.'

‘
I sometimes think, though, that it's best for them to get
whatever is about, and get it over with,' Mrs Pobgee said comfortably. 'I remember my poor husband coming down
with the chickenpox a few years back, because he had never
had them as a child; and very uncomfortable they were for
him, too, poor creature!' She smiled affectionately at her
husband, who caught the look and smiled back without
interrupting his flow.

‘
But the Crown Prince, Ferdinand, is very popular with the
Spanish people,' he was saying. 'If Boney removes the King
and Queen and helps Ferdinand onto the throne, I doubt if
anyone will resist him.'

‘
Another puppet king, and not just Spain, but Spanish
South America too, in Boney's pocket,' Aislaby remarked.
'Things can hardly get any worse, can they?'

‘
He'll over-stretch himself one day; he's bound to,' Anstey
said, though without much hope in his voice. 'Until then, we
must just go on resisting. Our new Orders in Council are
going to bite Boney, and bite him hard. We're automatically
blockading every port he's banned us from, and any neutral
ship that touches them will have to pay a freight duty to us, or
else have its cargo contrabanded. As long as we hold the
seas, we won't give in. Collingwood says the Mediterranean's
virtually empty of trading ships. He says the waters have
become a desert.’

Stephen drifted up to refill Héloïse's glass, and a silent
query and reassurance passed between them through the
telepathy shared by a good servant and mistress. By leaving a
calculated space at the top of Sir Arthur Fussell's glass, and
by being always at the other end of the table when it was
empty, he was slowing down his rate of drinking considerably.

‘
But it's so important that they should learn good, plain
needlework,' Louisa said earnestly to Miss Rosedale. 'I know I
learned astronomy along with my brother Jack when we were
young, and I don't remember the name of a single star; but I
hem every one of John's shirts myself. I wouldn't trust them
to anyone else.'

‘
Astronomy and needlework both have their value,' Miss
Rosedale said diplomatically. 'I don't believe any knowledge is
ever wasted: I would recommend everyone to learn every
thing they can.’

When dinner was over, Louisa and Lizzie and Héloïse went
up to the nursery to see the baby got ready, while Father
Aislaby prepared the chapel, and at eight o'clock the ceremony
began. Nicholas was brought down in the lace-trimmed robe
and embroidered shawl in which his father, his aunt Lucy,
and his half-sister Fanny had all been christened, and on his
behalf John Anstey, Mr Pobgee and Lucy renounced the Devil
and all his works. Father Aislaby scooped the holy water over
Nicholas's bony forehead, and Nicholas frowned and clenched
his fists, but did not cry. Matty, hovering anxiously in the
background, twitched with anxiety to take him back, and
when allowed at last to have him, hurried him away before
the female guests had had half enough chance to coo over
him.

Then everyone returned to the drawing-room, and the cake
was brought in on a wheeled table, since it was too heavy
conveniently to be carried. Héloïse cut it, and champagne was
poured, and everyone drank the health of the newest Morland
— except for Fanny who, restricted like Sophie to lemonade,
merely drank.

James caught her eye across the room, and lifted his glass
to her with a particularly loving smile. He was remembering his own feelings when Fanny had been born, and later, when
she had been christened. He had been the outsider then; it had been him and Fanny against the world; and though he
now had the woman of his heart for a wife, and two other darling children, nothing could quite erase the memory of
that particular closeness.

‘
Here's another toast,' he said abruptly, arresting the
murmur of conversation which had broken out. 'To Miss
Fanny Morland, of Morland Place. May she prove a worthy
mistress of her inheritance.’

Fanny's cheeks glowed and her eyes shone with pleasure as
everyone drank the toast; though Edward at least deplored
James's judgement in proposing it, and Miss Rosedale
watched her charge closely for any sign of over-excitement.
But Fanny, for a wonder, only smiled, and looked almost
modest. Héloïse was glad, and inwardly praised Miss Rosedale
for the good effect she had had on Fanny; and then discovered
Mr Pobgee watching her with a strange and thoughtful
expression. His gaze was removed as soon as he saw she
had noticed, but it disturbed her for a long time afterwards,
while she tried to determine precisely what the look might
have meant.

It was a pleasant party, and everyone had plenty to say,
and it wasn't until quite late that Mrs Pobgee asked if their
carriage might be called for, and the guests all took their
leave. Only when they had gone did Jenny come into the
drawing-room and approach Héloïse.

‘
I beg your pardon, my lady, but I think perhaps you had
better come up to the nursery and have a look at Baby. I
don't think he's quite well.’

BOOK TWO

The Young Princesses

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,
A

mind at peace with all below,