Bess attached herself to the Duke of Dorset, becoming his mistress in Paris. Even though she had a new protector she realised she couldn’t pin the pregnancy on him and that she would have to take herself somewhere quiet and out of society. She went to stay with her brother in Italy.
In September 1784 Georgiana gave birth to another daughter, Harriet. Bess was to also have a girl, Caroline Rosalie, born at an inn in rural Italy under false pretences; Bess was supposedly the wife of Louis (in reality a servant to Bess’s brother John) and it was in this squalid and unfriendly place that she went into labour. She had received secret letters from the duke hinting at his concern for her but never overtly naming the cause of it. He did tell her how much he missed her and what his plans involving her were. Whether this was any consolation in her hour of need is not known.
The kindly servant, Louis, took Caroline to his own family to be brought up amongst them. This meant that Bess could visit the child and know she was being well looked after. With her mind at ease over baby Caroline, Bess returned to the social life she had been enjoying until her pregnancy began to show. One of the first things she did was to fall for the Russian Ambassador in Italy.
The duke and duchess were again letting Bess know how much they both missed her and wanted her home again with them. The duke knew what prevented Bess from accepting the offer straight away and he tried to tell her that Georgiana didn’t know about them, and wouldn’t get to know if he could help it, but if she did find out he told Bess that he would take all the blame. There was still Caroline to consider, however, and whatever else Bess may have been she seemed genuinely to love her children. She had already lost two to her husband. Could she bear to be parted from her third?
It wasn’t until July 1786 that Bess was able to go back to England to be with her two best friends. She had managed to persuade the Comte St Jules to claim little Caroline as his daughter but to an unnamed mother. Caroline officially took his name and was made at home there. The duke went to meet Bess at Southampton on her arrival from France. Georgiana did not accompany him although other family members were there, so displays of affection were probably kept very quiet. All Bess’s worries and jealousies about the duke were put aside at the reunion. What is more, the duke was suffering from his recurring gout problem and this may well have put the dampeners on any romantic activities.
Georgiana, although she did continue to have doubts about her friend’s motives towards her husband, relied on Bess for support. Georgiana was frequently in financial trouble. She was still a compulsive gambler and through secretly borrowing and losing she had clocked up an enormous debt. Creditors were on her back, threatening to reveal to the duke the extent of her profligacy. One in particular was causing the duchess great agitation, a man called Martindale. Georgiana had made a deal with him over the betting table that when one of them won something over the other they could double or even treble the sum. This meant that the downward spiral for the duchess took an even faster pace.
By the time of Bess’s return to the family home, Georgiana was in debt to the tune of £100,000 (around £6 million today). It is no wonder she was suffering from nervous seizures and upsets. Bess was studiously avoiding her friend, afraid of her guilt coming to the fore and bringing her comfortable situation to an end.
In September Bess’s former flame, the Duke of Dorset, visited the Devonshires and began a flirtatious relationship with the duchess. Bess was not at all jealous; it meant that she commanded the Duke of Devonshire’s attention. Georgiana experienced a strange illness after her admirer had left the house. It meant she stayed in her own rooms for long periods of time alone, except for her mother. While the duchess
In September 1784 Georgiana gave birth to another daughter, Harriet. Bess was to also have a girl, Caroline Rosalie, born at an inn in rural Italy under false pretences; Bess was supposedly the wife of Louis (in reality a servant to Bess’s brother John) and it was in this squalid and unfriendly place that she went into labour. She had received secret letters from the duke hinting at his concern for her but never overtly naming the cause of it. He did tell her how much he missed her and what his plans involving her were. Whether this was any consolation in her hour of need is not known.
The kindly servant, Louis, took Caroline to his own family to be brought up amongst them. This meant that Bess could visit the child and know she was being well looked after. With her mind at ease over baby Caroline, Bess returned to the social life she had been enjoying until her pregnancy began to show. One of the first things she did was to fall for the Russian Ambassador in Italy.
The duke and duchess were again letting Bess know how much they both missed her and wanted her home again with them. The duke knew what prevented Bess from accepting the offer straight away and he tried to tell her that Georgiana didn’t know about them, and wouldn’t get to know if he could help it, but if she did find out he told Bess that he would take all the blame. There was still Caroline to consider, however, and whatever else Bess may have been she seemed genuinely to love her children. She had already lost two to her husband. Could she bear to be parted from her third?
It wasn’t until July 1786 that Bess was able to go back to England to be with her two best friends. She had managed to persuade the Comte St Jules to claim little Caroline as his daughter but to an unnamed mother. Caroline officially took his name and was made at home there. The duke went to meet Bess at Southampton on her arrival from France. Georgiana did not accompany him although other family members were there, so displays of affection were probably kept very quiet. All Bess’s worries and jealousies about the duke were put aside at the reunion. What is more, the duke was suffering from his recurring gout problem and this may well have put the dampeners on any romantic activities.
Georgiana, although she did continue to have doubts about her friend’s motives towards her husband, relied on Bess for support. Georgiana was frequently in financial trouble. She was still a compulsive gambler and through secretly borrowing and losing she had clocked up an enormous debt. Creditors were on her back, threatening to reveal to the duke the extent of her profligacy. One in particular was causing the duchess great agitation, a man called Martindale. Georgiana had made a deal with him over the betting table that when one of them won something over the other they could double or even treble the sum. This meant that the downward spiral for the duchess took an even faster pace.
By the time of Bess’s return to the family home, Georgiana was in debt to the tune of £100,000 (around £6 million today). It is no wonder she was suffering from nervous seizures and upsets. Bess was studiously avoiding her friend, afraid of her guilt coming to the fore and bringing her comfortable situation to an end.
In September Bess’s former flame, the Duke of Dorset, visited the Devonshires and began a flirtatious relationship with the duchess. Bess was not at all jealous; it meant that she commanded the Duke of Devonshire’s attention. Georgiana experienced a strange illness after her admirer had left the house. It meant she stayed in her own rooms for long periods of time alone, except for her mother. While the duchess
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