The Flood-Tide
Page 41
The King had ordered the estates to meet separately, as was the custom, and when the rebellious deputies had refused to leave the hall, he had sent soldiers to clear them out. But a combination of the unwillingness of the soldiers, the hostility of the crowd outside, and the determination of a group of reformist nobles who held the door had turned them back, upon which the King had reputedly said, 'Oh well, devil take it, let them stay.’
A few days later he had ordered the rest of the nobles and clergy to rejoin the third estate, and the self-constituted National Assembly had settled back to go about its work of reorganizing the structure of government.
‘A revolution so complete, to take place in two months, without a single drop of blood being shed is most remarkable,' Allen said. 'I can only suppose it was because everyone wanted it, and no one opposed it.’
Edward grinned. ‘Ah, but now the fun will begin! Everyone will have his own ideas of what's most important, and they will wrangle like dogs over their bones. Do you remember the Lighting Committee in York, how every man on it was convinced his own street corner was the most essential to be lit, and everyone had solid, unanswerable reasons for his opinion? If the French are like other men, there will be a great deal of wrangling, and very little doing, in this Assembly of theirs.'
‘Ah well, men may be a deal worse employed than in arguing - at least that hurts no one. And the worst sort of men for arguing are those who have nothing better to do with their time. A man with a farm to run, a field to till, or a loom to serve is a great deal too busy to argue about politics. And talking of being busy, where is your mother?'
‘Out in the home paddock with James, trying to get a saddle on Ptolemy,' Edward said. Allen started up in alarm, for Ptolemy was Jemima's new colt, and had steadfastly refused to be backed, bucking and rearing so furiously that Allen had been alarmed for her safety and had begged her to return it to the field - not being in a position to forbid her, as he would have liked, to have anything more to do with it. 'Oh, it's all right, Papa,' Edward hastened to reassure him. 'Jamie won't let her get too near. She was for backing the beast while you were out taking your walk, and Jamie said he would do any climbing aboard that was to be done. He'll manage things, don't worry.'
‘I'm going to see, all the same,' Allen said determinedly, making for the door.
‘I'll come with you,' Edward said. 'I must say, you know, James has changed very much since he went to Court. He's much kinder and more thoughtful now.'
‘I think he has got the fret out of his feet,' Allen said, unconsciously using one of Jemima's horseman terms. ‘And he was horrified by the way the King was treated during his illness. I think it woke him up to the value of a well-regulated and loving family, such as he came from. But do you think him changed in essentials?'
‘Perhaps not,' Edward said. 'He's quieter, but he's still the James who lives for pleasure. Being at Court suits him, that's all - he can do what he wants, and not be different from anyone else. He said to me—' Edward grinned suddenly as he remembered it, 'he said to me, "Thank heaven I can live amongst people who don't make a terrible fuss about a little adultery." '
‘Oh dear,' Allen said. 'Perhaps he was joking. Don't tell your mother he said that, for heaven's sake.’
Out in the home paddock they discovered that Jemima had Ptolemy on a lunge-rein, and that somehow the saddle had been got onto him. She herself was standing in the middle holding the rein while James, red with exertion, held the colt's head, and he was going round at an erratic trot into which he flung a wild backwards kick every four or five paces.
Allen started forward in exasperation that she should be doing such a dangerous thing herself, and Ptolemy, seeing newcomers approaching, began to show off like a naughty child, reared up, breaking James's hold, and began to charge about the paddock, bucking in excitement. Everyone yelled at once, James had to dodge very sharply out of the way, and Edward scrambled over the fence to try to get to his mother, who instead of dropping the lunge-rein and making for safety, was hanging onto it and trying to control the creature. There was a moment of noise and confusion, and then Edward managed to get his hands on the rope, from which he could not detach Jemima, while James with a sort of despairing courage flung himself at Ptolemy's head as the colt pranced past and caught the headcollar. Ptolemy was very full of himself, but not stupid, and seeing himself heavily outnumbered he came to a halt and dropped his nose sweetly, though he eyed Jemima very wickedly as she came up, winding in the long rope.
‘You disturbed him,' she complained to Edward and Allen. 'He was just beginning to settle down and go quite nicely, and you spoiled his concentration.'
‘Oh Mother!' Edward laughed in exasperation, but Allen was crosser.
‘It was very foolhardy of you - you might have been hurt. I've begged you not to have anything to do with that colt, Jemima, and as soon as my back is turned - it's most unfair of you, to take advantage of me like that.'
‘Oh darling, I'm sorry,' she said contritely. 'I didn't mean to be deceiving you. But you're wrong about this fellow - he's a good colt really, just a little too vain and high spirited, not wicked. Now isn't that so, James?’
James leaned against the fence and drew out an exquisite handkerchief to mop his brow. ‘If I had known what I was to be let in for, I'd have gone to Weymouth with the Court instead of coming home for a visit. You see what being a dutiful son gets you, Edward, by way of reward? I am exhausted, covered in dust, and all but trampled by this mad horse.'
‘Oh Jamie,' said Jemima, 'you know that isn't true.'
‘If you must have him broken,' Allen said, 'why don't you let someone else do it? There are plenty of grooms whose job it is to take these risks.'
‘Because no one else understands him as I do. You'll be glad when he's winning races and earning you golden guineas, and then you'll thank me,' Jemima said stubbornly.
‘I'd sooner have you in one piece,' Allen said, taking her hand. 'Please, promise me you won't do this sort of thing again. Have the grooms handle him, and just supervise matters yourself.'
‘Yes, Mother, it isn't proper for a lady of your age and standing to be handling horses,' Edward said solemnly, and when she looked at him, about to protest, he winked at her, and she subsided.
‘Oh, very well,' she grumbled. ‘If you are determined to make me old before my time—' But she tucked her hand under Allen's arm comfortably, and allowed Edward to take Ptolemy from her as they walked back towards the house.
A groom came out and received the horse, and Edward and James walked ahead of their parents, James brushing himself down ostentatiously and saying, 'I shall be glad to get back to Court. The horses there generally keep at least two feet on the ground at the same time.'
‘Have you decided when you are going back, Jamie?' Jemima asked. ‘Not until the autumn, I hope?'
‘Well, to tell the truth, Mama, I've been thinking of a change of direction. I've been considering the army, if Papa can stump up for a commission.'
‘The army? That sounds rather energetic for an idle fellow like you,' Edward said.
‘Oh, not really. It's a pleasant life, by all accounts, the army in time of peace. Lots of balls, and smart reviews, and marching about, and jolly red coats that the ladies love. Quite the life for me, I should think.'
‘You are grown tired of Court?' Jemima asked. James met her eye seriously.
‘There are things that go on that I can't like, Mama. You have always thought me a pretty hopeless rake, but compared with the Prince of Wales and his friends I'm an angel upon earth. And the King's getting old, and who knows, his illness may come back on him at any moment, and I don't want to witness again what I witnessed last winter. And if the King should die—' He shrugged, and Jemima was pleased at this evidence of a kind heart under James's appearance of idle sophistication.
‘If it's what you want, James, then I don't see why it shouldn't be done,' Allen said. 'Better that you should have some occupation than live solely for pleasure -
that only makes a man think ill of himself in the long run.'
‘Must it be the army though?' Jemima said. 'Would you not like to go into the Church?'
‘Oh Mother, really,' Edward exclaimed, while James grinned at the idea.
Jemima went on stubbornly, 'It's as gentlemanly a calling, and a great deal safer. And we'd have you at home more.'
‘The army is safe enough in peacetime, Mama,' James said. 'I wouldn't be thinking of it at all if I thought I might have to do any fighting.’
They walked on companionably towards the house, and when they went into the yard they saw a strange horse there, tied to a ring and looking as though it had been ridden hard.
‘A visitor?' Jemima said. Now who could that be?' The horse shifted its weight and sneezed, and taking a closer look at it, Jemima said, 'That's Sir John Anstey's gelding, surely?'
‘Business then, for me,' Allen said. 'If it was social, he'd have come in the carriage, and brought the young people.'
‘He's probably come to shoot me for not marrying any of his daughters yet,' James said languidly, but it was only a joke. All the unpleasantness had died down and been forgotten, and though Sir John was a little uneasy in James's presence, his friendship with Jemima and Allen was restored to its old footing.
He was waiting in the hall for them when they went inside, and Oxhey came forward to announce him, but he did not wait upon formality.
‘Ah, Sir Allen! Your servant, ma'am, young gentlemen. Sir Allen, have you heard the news from France?' ‘What news?'
‘Ah, you have not then. I thought perhaps you'd not have heard it yet.' He flourished a newspaper excitedly. ‘It's in the paper, hot from London, and as soon as I read it I said to Lady Anstey, by God, madam, I said, I'll wager Sir Allen won't have heard this yet, and so I came straight over. I tell you, sir, it's a bad business, a bad business!'
‘What is it, Sir John?' Allen said, beginning to feel apprehensive as he held his hand out for the proferred paper. Sir John looked round them solemnly, gathering his audience.
‘just three days since, sir, in Paris, a great mob of common people marched upon the castle - what's its damn name? - the Bastille, and stormed it, sir, and took it, against the King's soldiers, and cannon, and everything. They tore it down, and murdered everyone in it, and released all the prisoners, and marched off with them. It's a revolution, sir - and you mark me, it's only the beginning. Mob rule, anarchy, what you will! By God, sir, there'll be the devil to pay now! What do you think of that, sir?' he concluded triumphantly. Allen had the paper in his hands and was trying to read the account of the matter, but could not take it in, and when he lifted his eyes Sir John was still staring at him, a monument of disapproval and excitement at having been the one with the news. 'Well, sir? Eh?' Anstey prompted.
‘Good God, sir,' was all Allen could say.
DYNASTY 1: THE FOUNDING Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
Triumphantly heralding the mighty Morland Dynasty — an epic saga of one family's fortune and fate through five hundred years of history. A story as absorbing and richly diverse as the history of the English-speaking people themselves.
THE FOUNDING Power and prestige are the burning ambitions of Edward Morland, rich sheep farmer and landowner.
He arranges a marriage. A marriage that will be the first giant step in the founding of the Morland Dynasty.
A dynasty that will be forged by his son Robert, more poet than soldier. And Eleanor, ward of the powerful Beaufort family. Proud and aloof, and consumed by her secret love for Richard, Duke of York.
And so with THE FOUNDING, The Morland Dynasty begins — with a story of fierce hatred and war, love and desire, running through the turbulent years of the Wars of the Roses.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY