her.
Mrs Robinson felt intoxicated with success and the excitement of the prospect before her.
‘You have won on all sides,’ whispered Mr Fox. ‘The Queen thought your performance very fine. As for the Prince …’ He laughed aloud. ‘He gave the whole house no doubt of his feelings. He could not take his eyes from you. I congratulate you on making the greatest conquest in the world.’
‘You are flattering me, Mr Fox. I daresay he was merely carried away by the play.’
‘Carried away by so much beauty, Madam. And it would not be possible to flatter you, for whatever hyperbole one employed one could not praise you more than you deserve. I shall now give a toast to the whole company.’
Mr Fox had risen and raised his glass. All were silent, listening.
‘I give you the Prince – and the beauty and genius he has tonight had the wit to admire. Ladies and Gentlemen: the Prince and the fair Perdita.’
The reflections of Perdita
WHEN THE GUESTS had gone and Mrs Armistead was helping Perdita to bed she lingered over the night toilette longer than was necessary and Perdita did not deter her. It was pleasant to talk with someone – even a lady’s maid.
‘Madam’s success was complete,’ said Mrs Armistead, helping her mistress into her nightgown. ‘That much I gathered from the remarks. I could not help overhearing from the noble company.’
‘Yes, Armistead, the Prince quite clearly enjoyed the play.’
‘And admired Madam.’
Perdita laughed lightly. ‘He is a very young man.’
‘And a prince, Madam.’
‘As you say, Armistead, a prince.’
‘And the company tonight, Madam … it was more brilliant than we usually entertain.’
‘It was a special occasion.’
‘Madam will no doubt wish to hire a butler if er … if we are frequently to have such noble guests.’
Perdita drew her brows together. She had her commitments. A mother, a child and the ever demanding Mr Robinson who had to be paid to be kept in the background. Her clothes were a vast expense, but necessary, of course, to her profession. A woman withher reputation for beauty must never be seen in public except in the most becoming garments – and these were apt to be the most expensive. But Armistead was right. She would need to hire a butler as well as the footman. If one mingled in high society one must follow their customs. It would never do for them to regard her merely as a play actress. Every moment she must be on her guard that no one should forget she was a lady.
‘I will consider this, Armistead. I think you may be right.’
Mrs Armistead lowered her eyes and smiled discreetly. She was looking into the future no less than her mistress.
‘Thank you, Armistead.’ It was dismissal. And Mrs Armistead went to her own room where she looked at her face in her mirror, compared it with that of her mistress, and remembered the glance that Mr Fox had sent her way. He was a very discerning man. It might be possible that he recognized a clever woman when he saw one, even if she was dressed as a lady’s maid.
*
How could one sleep on such a night? Perdita asked herself. From now on she would think of herself as Perdita because Perdita was a princess – of the rank to match that of a prince.
This was surely the most significant night of her life and all sorts of glittering prospects were presenting themselves to her.
The Prince was undoubtedly more than ordinarily enamoured. He was young and impressionable and very romantic. That was what made him so enchanting and the situation so alluring.
She had heard rumours of palace scandals. Quite clearly he was interested in women, but from now on he must be interested in one woman only and to such an extent that he was ready to go to any lengths for her sake.
Delicious thoughts came into her mind. Impossible, she cried. But why? Suppose she insisted on marriage. Hadn’t the Duke of Cumberland married the Luttrell woman without the King’s consent? But she was of noble family.
Mrs Robinson felt intoxicated with success and the excitement of the prospect before her.
‘You have won on all sides,’ whispered Mr Fox. ‘The Queen thought your performance very fine. As for the Prince …’ He laughed aloud. ‘He gave the whole house no doubt of his feelings. He could not take his eyes from you. I congratulate you on making the greatest conquest in the world.’
‘You are flattering me, Mr Fox. I daresay he was merely carried away by the play.’
‘Carried away by so much beauty, Madam. And it would not be possible to flatter you, for whatever hyperbole one employed one could not praise you more than you deserve. I shall now give a toast to the whole company.’
Mr Fox had risen and raised his glass. All were silent, listening.
‘I give you the Prince – and the beauty and genius he has tonight had the wit to admire. Ladies and Gentlemen: the Prince and the fair Perdita.’
The reflections of Perdita
WHEN THE GUESTS had gone and Mrs Armistead was helping Perdita to bed she lingered over the night toilette longer than was necessary and Perdita did not deter her. It was pleasant to talk with someone – even a lady’s maid.
‘Madam’s success was complete,’ said Mrs Armistead, helping her mistress into her nightgown. ‘That much I gathered from the remarks. I could not help overhearing from the noble company.’
‘Yes, Armistead, the Prince quite clearly enjoyed the play.’
‘And admired Madam.’
Perdita laughed lightly. ‘He is a very young man.’
‘And a prince, Madam.’
‘As you say, Armistead, a prince.’
‘And the company tonight, Madam … it was more brilliant than we usually entertain.’
‘It was a special occasion.’
‘Madam will no doubt wish to hire a butler if er … if we are frequently to have such noble guests.’
Perdita drew her brows together. She had her commitments. A mother, a child and the ever demanding Mr Robinson who had to be paid to be kept in the background. Her clothes were a vast expense, but necessary, of course, to her profession. A woman withher reputation for beauty must never be seen in public except in the most becoming garments – and these were apt to be the most expensive. But Armistead was right. She would need to hire a butler as well as the footman. If one mingled in high society one must follow their customs. It would never do for them to regard her merely as a play actress. Every moment she must be on her guard that no one should forget she was a lady.
‘I will consider this, Armistead. I think you may be right.’
Mrs Armistead lowered her eyes and smiled discreetly. She was looking into the future no less than her mistress.
‘Thank you, Armistead.’ It was dismissal. And Mrs Armistead went to her own room where she looked at her face in her mirror, compared it with that of her mistress, and remembered the glance that Mr Fox had sent her way. He was a very discerning man. It might be possible that he recognized a clever woman when he saw one, even if she was dressed as a lady’s maid.
*
How could one sleep on such a night? Perdita asked herself. From now on she would think of herself as Perdita because Perdita was a princess – of the rank to match that of a prince.
This was surely the most significant night of her life and all sorts of glittering prospects were presenting themselves to her.
The Prince was undoubtedly more than ordinarily enamoured. He was young and impressionable and very romantic. That was what made him so enchanting and the situation so alluring.
She had heard rumours of palace scandals. Quite clearly he was interested in women, but from now on he must be interested in one woman only and to such an extent that he was ready to go to any lengths for her sake.
Delicious thoughts came into her mind. Impossible, she cried. But why? Suppose she insisted on marriage. Hadn’t the Duke of Cumberland married the Luttrell woman without the King’s consent? But she was of noble family.
Similar Books
