'It is said the Tsar is becoming tired of all the endless ceremony,' Louise's mentor said.
'Is that why he is staying at the Pulteney Hotel and not at St James's Palace?'
'Possibly. I hear he favours the Whigs, and he is trying to bring about a reconciliation between the Prince and Princess. But the Prince will have none of it. He has never relished being lectured.'
Ten days later Wellington arrived in London. Louise had hoped Rupert might be with him, but was disappointed. She tried to avoid going to the Ball given by White's, but Emily insisted she attended, and wore the new cerulean blue ball gown that Louise had secretly been keeping for when she could dance with Rupert. Louise therefore went to Burlington House and joined what seemed to be the whole of Society there.
The Season was lasting longer than usual. By the end of June most people would have retired to Brighton or their country homes, but this year the festivities continued throughout July, and even into August with a re-enactment of the Battle of the Nile in St James's Park.
Emily showed her first sign of weariness. 'How many more battles will they be re-enacting?' she demanded. 'Do we go all the way back to Hastings? But since that was won by a Frenchman, perhaps it would not be appropriate.'
'William was a Norman,' Sir Martin pointed out.
'Well, that's part of France, isn't it? Martin, we have a house hired in Brighton. Cannot we go there, soon?'
'As you wish, my dear, as soon as you can be ready.'
'Do you want to remain in London, Louise?'
'No, Mama, I will be very glad to leave.'
Rupert, when he did come, would find her, and it would be easier if she were in Brighton than Devon. Two days later they left London.
*
Rupert was tired of constant travelling. He had been to so many different cities to consult with officials and army officers he was finding it difficult to remember which cities belonged to which countries, and the many people were blurring into an unidentifiable mass. If, when he sold out, he were to become a diplomat he must find ways of remembering them. It was August already, four months since Napoleon's abdication, and he had not yet been able to go home even for a short visit. Letters from Louise and Amelia followed him round the continent, reaching him sometimes weeks after they were written, and often in a different order, so that the later letters referring as they did to earlier ones, were sometimes incomprehensible until he had the earlier ones too. Then, finally, he had orders to present himself at the Foreign Office.
He had known the allies were to hold a Congress. Lord Castlereagh had talked about it before the festivities had started in London. During these months, though many of Europe's rulers were in London, no serious negotiations had taken place. All had to give way to the celebrations, and after so many years of warfare Rupert agreed this was understandable. Lord Castlereagh, when they met in London, said he thought it could all be wrapped up in less than six weeks.
'Emperor Francis has returned to Vienna to make arrangements,' he explained. 'I want you to go there to help. I wanted to begin at once, but the Tsar needs to return to Russia first, so we plan to start the main conference on October the first. Some of us, from the allies, will be there beforehand of course, discussing what we wish to achieve,'
'How soon do you wish me to go?' Rupert asked, resigned to being away from Louise again.
'Next week. I do sympathise, you have not seen your family for months, but I understand your sister Lady Amelia is still in Grosvenor Square.'
At least Amelia would know where Louise was. If she had gone back to Devon it would take him four days to post there and back. He had to start at once.
'Louise? She and Emily have gone to Brighton,' Amelia told him. 'We did think of going there too, but after all the excitement of the past few months we need peace, and were planning to go home. You only caught us just in time, we were setting out tomorrow.'
At least Brighton was nearer than Devon. Amelia provided him with Emily's direction, and after seeing off Amelia and David, he posted to Brighton and arrived at the house on Marine Parade in time to join Emily and her husband for dinner.
'Louise? Oh, you have missed her. She met an old friend from school and is dining with them. She will be back soon. Do wait here for her. Have you anywhere to stay? We have some spare rooms. Isobel and Arthur are bringing the children down next week.'
'Thanks, I have a room at the Ship. I will see Louise tomorrow morning, if that is convenient.'
Frustrated, but aware that in his current exhausted state he would not be good company, he went to the Ship, ate a solitary dinner, and retreated to bed. Tomorrow he and Louise could at last talk of marriage.
*
Chapter 16
Louise sat in the drawing room, trying to occupy her thoughts with a sketch of the beach and the bathing machines which she could see from the window. It was so long since she had seen Rupert, and although they had exchanged letters she felt they must be strangers. She had refused her mother's suggestion that they walk on the Parade.
'We will not be far away, and you will see Rupert when he arrives,' she'd said, but now their meeting was so close Louise did not want anything to happen to delay it.
Emily knew of her hopes, and Louise thought she understood her reasons for refusing to marry Rupert while he was in the army. Now she was planning a wedding, talking about wedding gowns and asking where they would go on their wedding journey.
'I am thinking of spending the winter in Paris,' she said. 'You could come with us. I haven't been there since I was a girl. No doubt it will have changed a great deal.'
'Everyone seems anxious to go to Paris or Brussels,' Louise said, trying to be interested. She really did not care where she was, if she could be with Rupert.
'I'll send someone over to find a house to hire. A large one, for I want to entertain friends. Amelia and David might come, though as Amelia is increasing, she may prefer to remain in England this winter. I'm sure Isobel and Arthur would come, for a time at least.'
Louise was listening with half an ear. These plans did not concern her. Rupert, who had been away from England for years when he was in the army, would probably prefer to visit his various estates, which he had seen only briefly in recent years. It mattered nothing to her, if they could be together.
She glanced at the clock. Perhaps Rupert thought it was too early to call on her. She must be patient. He would come.
When her mother's butler came into the room to say she had a visitor, she felt her heart beating so strongly she thought it might jump out of her chest.
'Who – who is it?'
'A young gentleman, he would not give his name.'
'Then send him away.'
'You can't do that, Lady Rushton,' a new voice interrupted.
Louise gasped in dismay. It was Cedric. He was wearing what looked to be a new coat, with wide reveres, and skin-tight breeches with gleaming hessians. At least, she thought irrelevantly, he seemed to have discovered how to tie his cravat. Had his gambling been lucky, or was he running up yet more debts to tradesmen? Then she remembered he would have come of age and would now have control of his own inheritance.
'What brings you here?' she demanded. 'I do not wish to see you, and you are showing your customary lack of manners by forcing your way in. Please go, before I send for servants to throw you out.'
'I know my cousin is coming to see you this morning. I met Lady Barlow on the Parade. I want you to plead my case with him. He's been abroad all the time, I've had no chance of speaking with him.'
'There is nothing I wish to say in your support. You behaved disgustingly, and deserve all the troubles you have brought on yourself. Please make sure he leaves,' she added to the butler, who was standing in the doorway. 'If he resists, send for a constable.'
'Yes, my lady.'
'Oh, very well, I'll go. I know he's coming to see you, and I'll wait outside to speak to him.'
'I hope he kicks you into the sea!'
She was
still trembling with fury at his impertinence a few minutes later when the door opened once more. This time there was no butler. The Earl came into the room and closed the door behind him. He came forward, and when Louise rose to her feet, dropping her sketch pad and pencil, held out his arms. With a sob Louise went to him, and was clasped tightly to his chest.
*
It was some time before, rather flushed, Louise drew away and pulled him to sit beside her on a sofa.
'Oh dear, how very forward of me,' she said, laughing.
He held her closely, one arm round her shoulders, the other holding her hand tightly.
'My darling, why? We are going to be married, are we not? And after so many months apart, can I not claim a kiss?'
'A kiss? One?' Louise said. 'I thought there were rather more than one!'
'Not enough to make up for all I have not had since we had to part. It's been a year since I had to leave you. And I am going to have to leave you again for a short while.'
Louise sat up. 'Not – not the army?' she said, and shivered.
'No. I will sell out whenever I have time. Lord Castlereagh is demanding my services, and if I mean to consider a diplomatic posting in the future, I cannot refuse him. It will only be for a few months. He is arranging a meeting in Vienna, for the allies and others to settle matters in Europe. The war has caused so many changes, to national boundaries, governments, and such, they have decided to gather all the people with any interest at Vienna. I am to go there now, to liaise with the Emperor's people in setting it up. It starts at the beginning of October, and will be over by mid-November. We can marry in December, unless you would come to Vienna and marry me there?'
Louise sighed and swallowed her disappointment. Yet more delay, but she could not ask Rupert to abandon what would be a new career for him. He was leaving the army for her, even though he could have continued and gone to either America or India, where many of the Peninsula veterans were bound.
'It would not be practical, none of our friends could be there,' she said. 'Let it be December, then. Where would you prefer to marry? In London? Or in Hampshire, at your home?'
'Would you not wish to marry in Devon?'
Louise had often considered this. 'That was Richard's home, never really mine. I would not want memories of Richard to intrude on our wedding day.'
'Then in London, and we can hold a reception for all our friends at Dubarry House. Will your mother be willing to manage that? Amelia will be too busy with planning her confinement after Christmas, she may not even be able to come to London.'
'Mama will be delighted. She adores big parties.'
'Good. Then, my darling, as we have rather missed out some of the formalities,' he said, laughing, 'will you do me the honour of marrying me?'
Louise did not need to answer. Her look was enough, and he pulled her into his arms again. After a delicious few minutes he drew away, and from a pocket took out a small ivory box.
'This is the traditional Dubarry betrothal ring,' he said, and opened the box to reveal a large ruby surrounded by sparkling diamonds. He took her hand and slipped the ring onto her finger. 'A perfect fit,' he said, and kissed her.
*
Soon afterwards Emily and Sir Martin came in. They saw immediately that all was well, though when it was explained to them that the wedding could not be until December, Emily said some very uncomplimentary things about Lord Castlereagh.
'We will distract ourselves by going to Paris,' she said firmly. 'I can make the arrangements from there, and we can come back to England a week before the wedding. Just think, Louise, a Parisian wedding gown! And all your bride clothes can be made there. The modistes are still in Paris, and many who fled abroad when those revolutionaries took control went back when Napoleon took charge.'
'I just want Louise,' Rupert said. 'I am so sorry there must be this delay, but I trust it will not be for long.'
'Four months is not very long to arrange a wedding, as I tried to say to Isobel, but she would not listen,' Emily declared. 'At least it won't be such a hurried affair as Matilda's, when she did not have even a new gown.'
'How is Sir Henry managing with her?' Rupert asked.
'I have not heard, but they did not come to London for any of the peace celebrations. He probably finds that a quiet life in the country suits her. Oh, did you see Cedric waiting outside for you?'
'I did.' Rupert's tone was grim. 'I sent him away. Do you know how he has been behaving while I have been away?'
'Badly, from all I hear,' Sir Martin said. 'He gambles, but not very successfully. I don't know what his fortune is, but it is thought he will soon run through it. Did he want your help?'
'I didn't wait to listen. I said I would see him this evening. I suppose I have to discover what he wants of me. I am his only relation, and still feel some responsibility for him. Maybe it was partly my fault he turned out so badly, but I confess I never could find his company congenial.'
'Nonsense. You didn't become his guardian until he was sixteen or seventeen. He was already ruined by then,' Sir Martin said. 'You once threatened to send him to sea.'
Rupert laughed. 'I was sent to the Peninsula before I could carry out that threat, and now he is of age I have no right to do it. Perhaps, if he is really in trouble, I can persuade him to join the army! He might be willing to consider going to America.'
*
Cedric was in a belligerent mood when he saw Rupert that evening at the Ship. He accepted a glass of Madeira and gulped it down, holding out the glass for it to be refilled. Rupert poured in a small amount. Cedric's cheeks were flushed, and he looked inebriated already.
'You must help me,' he said, and his voice trembled.
Despite himself Rupert felt sorry for the boy. And he was still a boy. 'Have you lost everything? Your entire fortune?'
'It was those wretched snyders,' Cedric said, and swallowed. After a moment he continued. 'And after them all the others I gave custom to. They were like locusts, they all descended onto me at once.'
'Custom, but not payment, I gather?'
'Well, everybody does. Everybody waits to pay tradesmen until their luck changes.'
'And your luck? Has it changed?' Rupert was determined to find out the true scale of Cedric's misfortunes.
'No. It's been damnable for months!'
'Then stop gambling and live on the rent you receive from letting out The Court,' Rupert advised, doubting Cedric would follow it. The Court was his family home, a modest manor house with a couple of farms in Bedfordshire.
Cedric frowned. 'I don't even get that any more.'
'Why not? Have your tenants left? Or are they adopting your policy of not paying on time?'
'It was sheer ill fortune,' Cedric insisted, glaring at Rupert. 'The cards were marked, I'm sure, but his friends denied it. They would. They never liked me.'
Rupert was startled. 'Cards? What do you mean? Is this a gambling debt? You will have to explain.'
'I – I lost it. The Court. In a card game. I had nothing else to stake, except my clothes! What else could I do?'
This total disaster had come much earlier than Rupert had expected. Cedric must have been gambling heavily every day to have run through what had been a reasonable fortune so quickly.
'You are a fool.'
'You have to help me! Rupert, they'll put me in a debtor's prison, and there's nothing I can do to pay it all off! I'm your heir! It would harm the Dubarry name! You won't like that!'
'I will have to endure it. As for being my heir, you may not be for much longer. I am to be married before Christmas.'
'Married?' Cedric gulped. 'You can't marry! Why, you've never even looked at a girl.'
'I have now. Lady Rushton has accepted my offer. Will you not felicitate me?'
Cedric was gaping at him. He muttered something under his breath which Rupert chose not to hear. Then the boy stifled a sob.
'But what about me? What can I do?'
Perhaps he might be brought to see some rea
son at last. 'You will have to find some occupation. Come, Cedric, I'll buy you a commission in the army if you'll leave England.'
Cedric looked relieved and breathed a deep sigh. 'I suppose the army isn't so dangerous now we've beaten the French and the war's over.'
'There are wars elsewhere,' Rupert warned him. Cedric was, as usual, quite unwilling to face reality.
'Where could I go?'
'There is New South Wales – '
'Isn't that where they send convicts? I can't live with them! They are criminals!'
'Some of them have stolen no more than a few pence. How much do you owe your creditors?'
'That's different!'
He would never accept his own culpability. Rupert went on. 'Or we have soldiers in India.'
'India? But that's unhealthy. Most British die out there.'
'Some come back with fortunes. If they work hard for them. Or there is Canada.'
Cedric looked interested. 'Canada? I thought the war against America was over, we'd won it?'
'We've almost won it. Well?'
'That might be possible. At least there wouldn't be much fighting.'
'It's all there is if you reject the others.'
He did not like it, but eventually agreed, and Rupert told him to come to the Foreign Office in two days' time.
'Have you the means to return to London?'
'I came down with a friend. He's not going back yet, so I have to find someone else to help me.'
'I'll buy you a ticket on the stage tomorrow. Then I'll see to it a friend of mine will deal with the formalities about a commission. Meanwhile have your debts ready for me. It will be the last time I pay them.'
Louise Page 14