Fortune's Soldier (Sutton Place Trilogy Book 3) by Deryn Lake

Author:Deryn Lake [Lake, Deryn]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Lume Books
Published: 2015-03-29T16:00:00+00:00

13

Christmas Eve 1838! At Windsor Castle Lord Melbourne and Queen Victoria came out of the Chapel, she — tiny little thing — supporting herself on the arm of the great statesman and smiling up at him. And watching the young monarch as she and the Prime Minister exchanged this merry glance, Lord Greville whispered to his wife, ‘She is in love with him, of course.’

Lady Greville was outraged.

‘How can you say such a dreadful thing? He is almost sixty and she not yet twenty.’

Greville smiled smoothly.

‘Naturally she does not know it. And as for him — why, he has an infinite capacity for loving without having anything in the world to love. He was treated atrociously by his wretched spouse and has never been moved since — until now.’

Lady Greville thought of Lady Caroline Lamb — Melbourne’s late wife — whose public pursuit of the poet Byron had scandalized society and brought William Lamb, as Melbourne had then been, to the brink of despair.

‘It would be as well in the circumstances,’ Greville went on, ‘if Her Majesty were soon to renew acquaintanceship with her Cousin Albert.’

‘That match would be much favoured by her family,’ Lady Greville agreed. ‘And I, for one, would dearly love the Queen to settle down. It is no good for a country to have an unmarried monarch. It makes things too — light.’

‘Yes,’ answered Greville slowly. ‘That state of affairs is potentially dangerous.’

He bowed as the Queen came closer.

‘Look at little Vic now,’ he whispered, ‘she’s blushing.’

‘He makes her laugh too much,’ came the reply. ‘It doesn’t do for a Queen to be too merry. It is the place of all women, even royal women, to guide family life.’

‘Yes, my dear,’ said Greville with a smile. ‘I am sure she will do so when the time comes. Meanwhile I intend to wish her the compliments of the season. And I shall have a word about Prince Albert to ears that will be interested. I think things will be very different twelve months from now.’

‘I sincerely hope so,’ said Lady Greville as she dropped an extra low curtsey.

*

In London, in Henrietta Street, Cavendish Square, at exactly that moment, Caroline Hicks slanted her dark eyebrows upward as she stared in a final appraisal of her Christmas Eve dining table; red candles and white damask, Christmas roses and holly berries, mistletoe and crimson napkins. She thought of blood on snow and shivered, though half with pleasure.

‘Is Madam satisfied?’

The butler sounded slightly anxious. It was important to him that this Christmas dinner — with noble company for guests — should be a notable success.

‘Very satisfied, Rivers,’ was Caroline’s reply. ‘And what of the menu?’

‘For the first course, Madam, Veloute à la Reine,’ said Rivers, clearing his throat, ‘followed by Lobsters Bouchées. Then — at Madam’s especial request — a light entrée of Sussex ham in champagne. Then for the main poultry, beside the Christmas turkey of course, there are quails in aspic, Pheasant Mandarin and a fresh young goose.’

Caroline smiled. ‘As well as beef?’

‘Yes Madam.

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