o b464705202491194

by Cheyenne

  Pergami.’

  ‘From me, my—’

  ‘I mean to get it

  with your help.’

  ‘But how—’

  ‘There are keys to the Princess’s apartments. I want these keys. I want to have

  a witness in her bedroom who can testify to her misconduct.’

  ‘Who are you?’

  ‘That is no concern of yours. You will get those keys for me, and be paid well

  for your work. Not only will you be paid but the work you do for me can bring

  you recognition in high places.’

  ‘I— I cannot do this,’ stammered Credé.

  ‘You are a fool. Why not?’

  ‘The Princess has been a good mistress to me.’

  ‘You will find even better masters.’

  ‘I am sorry. You must look elsewhere for your— accomplices.’

  ‘And you— like the good faithful servant you are, will consider it your duty

  to report this conversation to your mistress ?’

  ‘I— I—’

  ‘Ah, you hesitate! You show wisdom at last. I have been discovering certain

  details about you, my dear Credé. There have been little adventures with one of

  the women here. Little Annette is charming, charming— I agree with you. And

  there have been too many kisses in dark corners, too much scurrying along

  corridors in the dead of night. You see, your honour extends only in certain

  directions. I should see you not want to have to disillusion those who have a high opinion of you but—’

  ‘You mean you will betray me if I do not work with you, if I do not get those

  keys?’

  D’Ompteda nodded slowly.

  ————————

  ‘You have the keys?’ asked d’Ompteda.

  ‘Not yet,’ replied Credé. ‘I must await my opportunity.’

  ‘You fool. She sails in two days’ time.’

  ‘That is what makes it so difficult. In any case, Pergami is scarcely ever in her apartments. He is so busy arranging for the departure of the Leviathan.’

  Frustration! groaned d’Ompteda. Angry reprimands from London, through

  Hanover. With all this gossip why was it so difficult to provide what was wanted?

  It should be simple.

  There was talk of nothing in the Villa other than of the Princess’s imminent

  departure.

  We shall have to wait now for her return, thought d’Ompteda.

  ————————

  Caroline was excited. Nothing was so entrancing as the prospect of seeing

  new lands.

  ‘If I cannot have children. I will have travel,’ she announced. She was sorry

  that so many of her English suite had not wished to accompany her. It was not

  that they were afraid of dangers from pirates and bandits— and this was by, no

  means an uncertainty— but they were afraid of being called upon by the Prince

  Regent to give evidence against her. The fact made her laugh and determine to

  give them as much cause for suspicion as possible

  Pergami was faithful. Dear, dear man! she thought. He was one whom she

  could trust; and she had engaged his sister, who called herself Countess Oldi, as one of her ladies-in-waiting. She was already fond of the Countess who however

  was very respectable and inclined to exclaim in surprise at the Princess’s antics.

  But she was Pergami’s sister and that was recommendation enough for her. Little

  Vittorina was to come, dear child; and she and Willikin would be as her own two

  children. Dr. Holland, her English doctor had left and in his place she had

  engaged Dr. Mochetti, a most charming Italian There was one Englishman who

  had joined her suite. He was Captain Robert Hownam and she had engaged him

  as her private secretary.

  Well, it was a happy little company and what did she care if there were few

  English among them. The Italians were charming and her friends.

  She took an affectionate farewell of Baron d’Ompteda and told him that she

  hoped he would not stop visiting the Villa d’Este during her absence. She was

  leaving some servants behind and they would care for him.

  He accepted the offer with gratitude, he would certainly take advantage of it!

  During the time she was away he would have to make a plan so that as soon as

  she returned he could put it into action And so Caroline sailed away on the

  Levzathan to Sicily first and there was a short stay in Messma And after that they would sail to Tunis, Malta and Athens.

  Louise Demont, whom she had brought with her, told her she was writing an

  account of the journey for she believed few princesses would have made it before.

  ‘How terrified I am, Your. Highness, that we shall be set upon by bandits in

  some of these strange places. And what if pirates boarded us!’

  The Princess laughed. ‘I doubt not that I should be able to persuade them not

  to harm us.’

  ‘Your Highness can be most persuasive.’

  ‘You must let me read your account of the journey.’

  ‘If Your Highness would so honour me—’

  Caroline read, the accounts which Louise wrote every day and found them

  interesting. She walked the decks with Pergami and chatted freely with the

  sailors. She ordered Pergami to arrange for balls on board which he did and she

  danced with all the men in turn.

  There never was such a princess, was the comment.

  And many of them believed the stories they had heard of her.

  There were occasions when her suite was in fear of their lives; she was the

  only one who seemed unafraid. She thrived on adventure.

  When she reached Tunis, she was welcomed by the Bey and settled down to

  enjoy a pleasant stay there. For, she commented to Countess Oldi, ‘I find these

  barbarians less barbarous than some Christians I have known.’

  The Bey sent her the finest Arab horses and she made up her mind that she

  would stay for some time in his pleasant land.

  But this happy sojourn was interrupted by the arrival of the Dutch and English

  fleets. The pirates whose head quarters were in Tunis had been intercepting too

  many Dutch and British ships and the fleets of these countries had come to

  demand a settlement.

  In the pleasant villa which had been at her disposal Caroline received a visit

  from Admiral Lord Exmouth who explained the situation to her.

  ‘I’m not afraid of a little conflict,’ Caroline told him.

  ‘But, Your Highness,’ the Admiral replied, ‘it would not be possible for you

  to remain here while these er— negotiations are going on.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘There could be trouble.’

  ‘The Bey is my good friend.’

  ‘Today, Madam, but perhaps not tomorrow. I have orders to ensure your

  departure.’

  She argued but it was no use. Her suite were decidedly nervous and for their

  sake she gave in. Pergami persuaded her to do so.

  ‘It is wisest, Your Highness,’ he said

  ‘I always do as you say, my dear,’ she answered.

  So from Tunis to Athens and on to Turkey and Constantinople. The stay there

  was brief owing to an outbreak of plague, and her entourage was by this time

  longing for the return to Como; and when she went to the Pyramids and had to

  take with her two hundred soldiers to guard the party as it crossed the desert, even Pergami tried to persuade her end the tour.

  But she laughed at them all. Her eyes flash
ed with excitement. It was long

  since she had been so pleased with life.

  ‘At last,’ she cried, ‘I am doing what I want.’

  Poor Willikin was beside her in all her travels. He was too young to realize

  the dangers through which they passed and seemed to have a blind faith in her.

  She was the Princess whom nothing could harm and as long as he was close to

  her, he was safe.

  And after Cairo, Nazareth where she decided to found an Order of

  Knighthood. She called this The Order of St. Catherine of Jerusalem; it was to

  recompense those who had been with her on her pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

  Pergami received the Order, so did Willikin and so did her secretary Hownam.

  She must of course visit Jericho and after that started on the return journey.,

  By the end of October 1816, she was back in the Villa d’Este.

  ————————

  It was good to be back in the Villa. She called Maurice Credé to her and asked

  if all had been well during her absence.

  ‘Very well, Your Highness,’ he told her.

  ‘You look a little sombre,’ she told him. ‘Is everything going well with you?’

  ‘Very well, Your Highness.’

  ‘Well, I trust you are pleased to see me back.’

  Credé bowed. It was her way of talking. And how foolish it was and how it

  gave her enemies the chance to do what had been bribed to do.

  Pergami went about the house to assure himself that everything was in order,

  and in Credé’s apartments he was surprised to find an extra set of keys.

  He examined them closely and ascertained that they were a copy of the keys

  to the Villa. Now for what purpose should Credé provide himself with an extra set of keys? He could ask Credé. But if he did, that would put him on his guard. No,

  he would do no such thing. Instead he would watch Credé.

  Pergami had long been aware that the Princess was under observation. He was

  her chamberlain and it was his duty to protect her. He was going to find out what Credé was doing with that set of keys.

  He did not at this stage mention the affair to Caroline. She was so indiscreet

  and he imagined what her reaction would be. She would declare that Credé was a

  very good servant and she refused to harbour any suspicions towards him. He,

  Pergami, would watch Credé.

  He soon discovered that he was leaving his room at night and prowling about

  the villa. But this was in search of Annette.

  An idea struck Pergami. He would dismiss Credé for seducing one of the

  maids. It was an adequate reason; and then he would confiscate the keys and

  would have no more need to alarm himself about them.

  He summoned Credé.

  ‘I no longer have need of your services,’ he told him. ‘You are dismissed.’

  ‘But— why— what have I done?’

  ‘You are behaving in an improper manner with one of the maids. I cannot

  accept such behaviour in this household.’

  Credé was dumbfounded but Pergami went on, ‘I will take all your sets of

  keys. I know that you have two.’

  Alarmed, realizing that his affair with Annette might not be the true reason for

  his dismissal, Credé handed them over meekly and Pergami was about to ask why

  he had had the second set made, but he refrained from doing so. He would not in

  any case believe Credé’s explanation.

  Credé stammered: ‘Is this not rather harsh to dismiss me because—’

  ‘Because of immorality?’ Pergami raised his eyebrows and looked Credé full

  in the face. ‘I do not think so. There is enough gossip about the Villa— all false tales. We have therefore to be particularly careful. I have no wish to discuss this matter further. You will leave immediately.’

  With that he turned and left the bewildered Credé.

  Dismissed from the Princess’s service, where could he find such opportunities

  again? Credé turned over the matter in his mind and decided that it was certainly not merely because of Annette that he had been turned out. There was another

  reason.

  Could it be known that he had been working for d’Ompteda? If he made a

  confession of this, if he explained everything to the Princess, if he told her that he wished to be faithful to her and it was for this reason that he was confessing to her, he might be taken back.

  The most important thing in the world was for him to be taken back.

  He had the answer. It was confession.

  He would not tell Pergami because he had a notion that Pergami would not

  listen so he wrote to the Chevalier Tomassia, one of the Princess’s equerries.

  He was dismissed, he wrote, because of an intrigue with one of the Princess’s

  waiting women and he was full of remorse and hoped that the Chevalier would

  prevail upon the Princess to reinstate him. He deserved what had happened to him

  because he had been seduced from his duties by Baron d’Ompteda who was

  attempting to betray her. Baron d’Ompteda had asked him to procure keys which

  would enable a spy to be secreted in the Princess’s bedroom. He had been

  threatened by the Baron that if he did not obey he would be ruined and when the

  Baron had offered him money for his services he had given way. He knew that he

  had been wicked and he trusted that the chevalier would have pity on him and give him a chance to show his true repentance in his service to the Princess.

  When Tomassio received this letter he took it immediately to Pergami.

  So this was the answer, thought Pergami. How right he had been to dismiss the man!

  Pergami went at once to Caroline and showed her Credé’s letter.

  ‘So Your Highness now has clear proof that we are being spied on,’ said

  Pergami.

  ‘d‘Ompteda!’ cried the Princess. ‘I should not have believed it of him. So

  Mrs. Fitzherbert’s husband has appointed him spy-in-chief. This makes me

  laugh.’

  ‘Perhaps Your Highness’s laughter should be tempered with caution.’

  ‘Dear, dear Bartolomeo, you are right as usual.’

  The Baron d’Ompteda was asking for an audience with the Princess.

  ‘Tell the Baron,’ said Caroline to Pergami, ‘that I am having a reception to

  celebrate my homecoming. I shall expect him to be my guest.’

  Pergami looked unhappy.

  ‘My dear good friend, leave this to me,’ she soothed him. ‘You know how

  outrageously I can behave when the need arises.’

  So she had not learned the lesson, thought Pergami. She was going to receive

  d’Ompteda. She was going to snap her fingers at all the intrigues. ‘Where will this lead us?’ he asked his sister, Countess Oldi.

  ‘She is too warm-hearted, too forgiving,’ sighed the Countess.

  But Caroline was on this occasion determined on revenge.

  When d’Ompteda arrived at the reception, she called for Pergami to bring her

  a huge cardboard key and this she presented to him.

  He looked bewildered. ‘My dear Baron,’ said Caroline, ‘knowing your love of

  keys I give you this one. I hope it will satisfy you.’

  Caroline turned to Pergami who was standing by.

  ‘Please give the Baron one cup of coffee, and tell him that he may leave and

  that I do not wish to see him again.’

  Publicly dismissed! Before all these people he was given the great key and a

  cup of coffee. What humiliation! He understood that someone had betrayed him

  and immediately
thought of Credé. This was disaster, for he had failed in his

  mission. What hope had he now of secreting himself in the Princess’s

  bedchamber!

  Captain Hownam sent a challenge to d’Ompteda. In view of certain facts

  which had come to light concerning his behaviour, he challenged him to a duel.

  D’Ompteda was to name the place and he would inform his seconds without

  delay.

  The wretched d’Ompteda did not reply; he had reported to Hanover and was

  awaiting instructions. If ever a spy had made a hash of a mission he was that spy.

  Caroline meanwhile had heard about the challenge. She did not wish dear

  Captain Hownam to risk his life for that worthless creature, she declared, so she wrote to the governor of Naples telling him how her privacy had been invaded

  while she was in Italy and begged him to intervene on her behalf.

  D’Ompteda was ordered to leave the country; and this he did almost gratefully

  and with the utmost speed.

  Tragedy in England

  THE Villa d’Este had lost all charm for her. Every time she went into her

  bedroom she wondered whether anyone was spying on her. Her conduct became

  even more suspicious. She could not help it. It was her nature to behave more

  indecorously simply because she was suspected of immorality. She walked about

  with scarcely any clothes on. She allowed Pergami to be in her bedroom when she

  was there alone. It was some mischievous spirit in her which drove her to such

  conduct. It was like that occasion when she had pretended to be in labour

  knowing perfectly well that in the future it would be believed by many people that she actually had been.

  She was misunderstood. She had always been misunderstood. She was not

  promiscuous. She had dreamed of love and marriage and a family of children.

  That was what she had wanted. If they had allowed her to marry Töbingen she

  would have been a happy wife and mother. But they had separated her from him;

  they had married her to a man who loathed her and made no secret of his loathing

  and her brief experience with him had not made her long for more physical

  relationships. But could she explain this to people when they so clearly believed the opposite?

  She was affectionate towards those who served her; she was familiar; but she

  did not seek the ultimate familiarity. No, she had no lover in the full sense of the word, but she liked to pretend she had. It amused her to pretend, also to deceive her husband in a topsy-turvy way. Deceive him into thinking she was an