Louis surprised both Madelaine and Edward by taking the stage next. He bowed to the audience and sat down at the pianoforte, flipping the tails of his cutaway coat back over the stool. He adjusted the lace at his shirt cuffs and then tentatively rippled his fingers over the keys in a bravura flourish. Then he began to play a well-known country dance from memory with some ornamental embellishments. Lady Henrietta’s performance had been accomplished, but his was that of a maestro.
Edward’s guests realised this was a performance one could not expect to hear in anywhere but the most important of cities accompanied by a large professional orchestra. When he came to the end of his piece, he stood and bowed to calls from all of “More” and “Encore”. He would have stood down for the next performers, but the audience was determined not to let him leave and the earl personally requested he perform another piece.
Lady Henrietta requested he play something classical. He bowed to his Lady and re-seated himself at the pianoforte and began to play. His fingers caressed the keys evoking lyrical melodies and touching the souls of his listeners. Even the children stayed silent enthralled by the spell he wove with his fingers. The applause echoed through the ballroom and as he stood once more and bowed they still did not want to let him go. He left the stage blushing to the roots of his hair and retreated to the side of the room.
“You are a dark horse, Comte,” declared the earl “why did you not tell us you were so gifted a pianist?”
“It has been a long time since I last played. I fear I was a little rusty, my lord. I played the violin as well, but we used to travel light and I sold it when we needed the money.”
Madelaine who had moved to stand beside her fiancé said “Father, I never knew you could play like that. Why if you could play so brilliantly did you not become a musician? You would have been famous.”
“My father allowed me to be taught as a child, but when I wanted to make my living playing, he forbad it. He said it was one thing to play for select gatherings, but I would not disgrace the family name by performing in public. He wanted me to go into the Church, but I had no vocation and no wish to keep vows of celibacy.”
“If I could not play then I asked to be allowed to take a commission in the army, but he thought that too beneath us, so eventually he agreed to let me study medicine in Paris and I took fencing lessons in what spare time I had. I hoped to have some way of supporting myself without distancing myself from my family. I still hoped to join the army and thought I might change my father’s mind.”
“When I finished my studies there was already an undercurrent of hatred towards the nobility of France. The third estate had great justification; they were appallingly treated by my class. I was of noble birth without any of the advantages of money and I realised though I had trained as a doctor, my father had no intention of allowing me to practice medicine.”
“Mon père le comte ordered me to marry the neighbouring comte’s daughter who had a large dowry and would inherit more. There was no son so it was suggested I took their name and the daughter. I refused and realising my father would continue to interfere in my life I resolved to leave France. He stopped my allowance, small though it was, but I was offered work at Messieurs Texier de la Boessiere as an assistant, where I worked under a different name.”
“Henri worked as a chef in a hotel at night and in a patisserie during the day. Somehow we managed to make enough to travel to Italy together and the rest you know. Henri is my cousin, my Uncle’s son by a farm girl who died not long after he was born. He had nothing to thank my family for; they treated him lower than a serf and he followed me to Paris.”
The stage had been taken by the local choir who sang rousing carols. They moved on to some country songs which the band supported and the villagers joined in the choruses.
“Are you going to do your card tricks, Madelaine?” Edward asked.
“No, I don’t think so, I could not follow my father’s performance,” she replied.
Her father started to say something and thought better of it but looked relieved. After the choir, the band struck up a dance tune and the crowd cleared to the sides of the room to allow room for dancing. Some of the crowd sought to refill their tankards and glasses in the banqueting hall and others had made room for just a little more food.
Normally the earl would have led the dancing with his mother or his bride-to-be, but as he was unable to dance, Lady Henrietta accepted the invitation from her brother, Sir Bardolph, to lead out the set. They were followed by Lady Sophia and her husband, Sir Anthony, and Madelaine accepted her father’s invitation to join the dance. Madelaine was claimed by Sir Henry Johnson at the end of the dance and her father moved back to the earl’s side where he was conversing with Julian. The dancing started off sedately but it became more boisterous as the country dances progressed.
Louis asked Julian “Did you ever learn to fence, Mr. Creighton?”
“I took a few lessons, but I was not very good, M. le Comte.”
“Then perhaps you would accept a few lessons. I have agreed to stay on at Chalcombe Manor with Madelaine, until my lord has recovered, but I need to keep flexible.”
“I would be honoured, sir, but you could do with a better pupil.”
“I might teach Sir Bardolph’s eldest as well. It might keep him out of the mischief he seems determined to get the younger children into, and Timothy Griggs said he wished to learn to use a sword and I think would benefit from lessons. It would be good exercise for the earl when he gets back on his feet too.”
The winter’s sun had already set, but the dancing got livelier as the evening progressed. Madelaine danced continuously being handed from partner to partner until the word went round at nine o’clock that Henri was preparing to serve supper to those who had room to eat it and a mass exodus ensued to discover what further delights were on offer. Most of the crowd managed to eat at least a little extra but it was becoming late and the grooms and some of the young farmers departed to harness up the carriages, gigs and carts with their respective horses and to saddle the riding horses that were stabled. The gardeners lit the lanterns along the path and those that would walk set off for St.Mary’s Church although some of the villagers were by now very merry.
The Chalcombe carriages with their lamps lit drew up outside the front door along with those belonging to the Purcells and Wynstanleys, but their children had been finally sent to their beds. Sir Horace Charrington chose to have an early night, but the earl was determined to attend midnight mass and was carefully chaired into his carriage. It was decided he would be carried into church rather than transport the bath chair which would be difficult to use within the crowded church. The few members of staff who would stay behind would attend church on the morrow.
Chapter Twenty-two - Le Saint Etienne
The earl was exhausted by the time the Chalcombe Manor carriages returned home and was grateful to be carried straight upstairs and put to bed by Plovett and Timothy Griggs. Madelaine had floated through the evening enjoying the dancing and compliments from a very respectful crowd of villagers. They were universally pleased with their earl’s choice of bride and wished only he could have danced with his beautiful betrothed. As Lady Henrietta and Lady Sophia had danced nearly all evening too, Madelaine felt certain her behaviour could not been considered fast. Louis had been careful to only dance once with Lady Henrietta, as their tentative engagement was not yet public knowledge.
Christmas Day for most of the guests at Chalcombe Manor started later than a usual day although the servants had been busy cleaning up after the party and making the ballroom and banqueting hall ready for the St. Stephen’s night’s ball. Few guests appeared downstairs for breakfast and as the day proved fair, some of the more energetic went riding. Madelaine having checked with Plovett the earl still slept, went riding with her father and Julian before breakfast, with the uninvited company of Gelert, and then sat down to consume a light repast.
Louis and Julian after breaking their fast went t
o have their first lesson in the ballroom amidst the enterprise of the Manor’s servants and Cousin Almira as she began arranging the masses of greenhouse flowers intended to decorate the rooms for the ball. The festive greenery would remain in place but she was adding a profusion of flowers. Henri and the kitchen staff were planning on serving what he described as a simple dinner that evening in which a haunch of roast venison would feature. Amazingly little food remained from the buffet and supper of Christmas Eve.
There were some cold meats, fruit cake and half of one of the huge cheeses left over but his stews, pies, tarts and most of his sweet confections had vanished. He had made a few more cakes and game pies which he had kept in reserve, but he was pleased to know only a hundred and fifty would attend the ball on the following day. He had much to prepare for forty would sit down to dine at six before the ball and the buffet for one hundred and fifty later in the evening. The orchestra who had been hired for the ball had played for a Christmas Eve function some fifty miles away and would arrive later in the day and would put up at the Manor. This arrangement had been agreed with their fee, to avoid them the expense of finding other accommodation on Christmas Day.
Madelaine went once more to visit the earl as Plovett indicated he was awake, washed, shaved and had eaten his breakfast. She found him cheerful, but tired, and willing to stay in bed until family presents would be distributed before dinner at six. Lady Henrietta visited her son in the early afternoon having watched some of Julian’s lesson whilst overseeing the arrangements for the ball. She had been approached by one of the nursery maids because the children had heard Lady Madelaine was to put on a display of card tricks at the Christmas Eve party and whilst they had enjoyed the knife throwing and other performances had been looking forward to it.
Both Edward and Lady Henrietta expressed a wish to see her perform, because they were intrigued why Louis had issued an interdict on her playing cards. Madelaine was reluctantly persuaded to put on a performance that afternoon. The present-giving would be brought forward, and she could entertain the children before they departed for their nursery dinner. By five o’clock Edward was dressed and ferried downstairs. He was seated beside the fire in the drawing room. The Manor’s other guests were dressed for dinner and had brought the presents they wished to distribute. Julian had ridden to the vicarage to join his family for their Christmas dinner and would stay overnight. Sir Horace was present and looking rather better than when he first arrived.
The children were brought down dressed immaculately although Percival Purcell sported a stunning black eye, he had acquired during the course of the party from a scrap with a sturdy village lad. He looked thoroughly unrepentant despite having received sound condemnation from his parents and preceptor for behaviour which they deemed unsuited to a young gentleman.
The present giving began with the earl presenting his mother with a sapphire bracelet he had ordered to match a set of necklace and earrings of which she was fond. He gave silver travelling flasks to his brother-in law and uncle engraved with their monograms. His sister received a pair of diamond and pearl brooches which she was thrilled with and Sir Horace was given a silver handled cane which was much more ornate than the simple one he carried. Madelaine was given a delicate emerald necklace and earrings which Edward said, to some snickering from the children, matched her eyes.
He presented her father with a pin for his cravat decorated with a large square cut emerald. Louis had expected no presents apart from those he had received from Madelaine and Henri felt awkward about accepting such an expensive gift. To the children he gave less expensive but much appreciated gifts; a new riding crop to his young cousin with the black eye and a set for cricket to his next brother and to the older Wynstanley boy. The other two boys received beautifully illustrated story books and Miss Purcell a beautiful ivory doll dressed in rose silk.
Other presents were distributed between family and friends. Cousin Almira was donated a fur muff from the earl and a pair of new kid gloves from Lady Henrietta. The children received presents from their parents, Lady Henrietta, Sir Horace and Madelaine who gave each a handkerchief decorated with their name and appropriate motifs. Madelaine had made embroidered collars for the ladies.
She had made a dove grey ribbon-edged scalloped collar with charcoal embroidery before arriving at the Manor for Lady Henrietta, but she had changed her mind after that lady had deemed the plain white collar and cuffs on a new lilac carriage dress dowdy and had made her instead ivory satin cuffs and matching collar with a border of ivy and violets to replace them. Lady Sophia received a large square fine linen collar with the hem embroidered in delicate white cut work and Lady Callista a pale blue silk collar embroidered with silver and bronze coloured beads in a design of roses. Cousin Almira was given the scalloped collar that Madelaine had intended for her mother-in-law to be.
For the men Madelaine had embroidered a set of handkerchiefs for each with their monograms. Having prepared such a set already for Edward, when she had intended to decline his proposal she had decided such a present looked ungenerous towards a fiancé. After consultations with Mrs Moss and Lady Henrietta she had obtained a brand new night shirt for him and this she had embroidered with his initials and the supporters to his coat of arms, a griffon and a talbot rampant on either side of the yoke.
Lady Henrietta gave Madelaine a beautiful lacy shawl and Lady Sophia gave her an exquisite fan made of ivory and painted with a pastoral scene. Lady Chalcombe had given Louis a pair of new leather riding gloves, but following his musical performance on the Eve of Christmas had searched out an excellent violin which had once been the property of her husband’s first wife. This she offered to Louis, because she said he would make better use of it, than it lying around un-played. When all the presents had been examined a card table was set up and everyone sat to watch Madelaine’s exhibition.
She started with two brand new packs of cards showing them to the guests before breaking one open. She had removed her elbow length satin gloves and was wearing her rose silk dress. She started by demonstrating the fairground game of Find the Lady using the Queen of Hearts and two other cards which she manipulated on the table. The children yelled out their choice and each time they were wrong. Twice they insisted there was no Queen on the table and both times she turned over the Queen and the other two cards. Finally they failed to select the Queen once more and declared she had done something with the Queen. This time she turned the cards over and the King of Spades was shown as the only picture card.
“Oh dear” she said, “Where can I have put the Queen of Hearts?” Madelaine looked behind little Miss Purcell’s ear finding only a sixpence which she gave to the child. She looked in Master Purcell’s coat pocket but there she found a shilling.
“I remember where I put the Queen! It is in my lord’s waistcoat pocket!”
Edward looked and everyone laughed at his surprise when he found the card where she said it would be. For the next trick Madelaine shuffled the pack from one hand to the other with dramatic flair and asked the children to pick a card and place it back in the pack without her seeing what it was. Each time she found the card, but not in the pack but on a different child accompanied by much laughter. So far Edward and Lady Henrietta had found no reason why Louis should object to Madelaine playing cards with them. Madelaine handed the unopened second pack of cards around and asked Edward to break the seal.
“Please would you examine this pack of cards and make certain they have not been marked in any way.”
Edward confirmed the pack was unmarked.
Madelaine shuffled the cards twice and then declared “I shall deal four hands of five cards. To my lord, a royal flush in spades, to my lady the other three queens and the king and knave of hearts, to my father two to six in all four suits, and finally three aces and the final two knaves for Sir Bardolph.” She dealt out the hand and they picked up their cards and showed them to the room exactly as she had promised. Madelaine collected the cards and reshuffled the pack,
cutting it twice. She then handed the cards to Sir Bardolph and asked him to deal any number of cards face down. He dealt six and she asked him to pick them up.
“Seven of diamonds, ace of clubs, deuce of clubs, knave of spades, four of diamonds and nine of clubs,” she stated without seeing the cards. Sir Bardolph laid his hand out on the table in the order she named them.
“How do you do that?” asked Sir Anthony impressed.
“Some of the tricks I was taught by a stage magician, but I remember the order of the cards which is why father insists it is unfair for me to play.”
She reshuffled the pack and dealt out cards in threes which as they were turned over added to twenty one each time. “Vingt et un, ladies, my lord and gentlemen. Those are all the card tricks I’m going to show you today as it is not long before dinner.”
Dinner was called and the children traipsed upstairs to their tea and bed. Louis allowed Edward to drink wine with dinner, but when the ladies left and the port was passed around he covered Edward’s glass and then filled it with an excellent bottle of claret he had located. Edward accepted the restriction as his leg was beginning to feel much better. When they joined the ladies Louis was begged to play and with little encouragement tuned up the violin and played for them. No one talked; the only sound was the occasional quiet clack of Madelaine moving a bobbin. Having finished embroidering her presents she decided to have a change of activity and had got out a small lace cushion and was making flower motifs for applying to a nightdress or shift.
Madelaine was concerned she had worn all her evening dresses more than once and none of her dresses was really special enough for a ball. She considered the problem and spoke quietly with Lady Chalcombe. Madelaine knew there was not time to make a new dress and Lady Henrietta was much shorter than her, but if some material could be found in a different colour she could just manage to make a new overdress for her ivory silk dress. Henrietta thought she had some thin jade green silk which might be suitable, so when Louis stopped playing they retired to Lady Chalcombe’s bedroom to consult with Sutton, her dresser.
The Fencing Master's Daughter Page 22