The Remarkable Life & Times of Eliza Rose by Mary Hooper

Author:Mary Hooper
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2012-11-02T02:31:43+00:00

Eliza made her way on foot towards the Royal Exchange, the very grand trading exchange in the City which had been rebuilt after the Fire. Here there were not only facilities for the rich merchants to trade wholesale, but a multitude of little shops and stalls selling delicate and flavoursome things. At a shop calling itself The Sugared Plum she purchased some frosted rose petals and a quantity of dainty crystallised fruits and, after looking in every other shop window, crossed the courtyard of the Exchange to make her way back to Drury Lane. She was rather preoccupied, wondering when she’d hear from Aunt Thomasina, when she saw William Wilkes, grandly dressed and seeming rather drunk, talking to several other young gallants. She hesitated, nervous about approaching him, yet anxious to take the opportunity to say something about Jemima’s condition.

Quickly ascertaining that Valentine Howard wasn’t amongst the young men surrounding William – for much as she wanted to help Jemima, she didn’t intend to be embarrassed in front of him – she went over and, curtsying low, asked if she might speak with Mr Wilkes for a moment in private.

‘Not another of your girls, William!’ the cry went up from his cronies. ‘I swear you have already laid a dozen wenches this year!’

Eliza gave the group what she hoped was a cold look and one of them said, ‘Ah, no! ’Tis the pretty songstress from Foxhall,’ which rather made her want to smile.

William stepped away from the group. ‘What is it?’ he asked irritably.

‘Sire,’ Eliza began somewhat nervously, ‘I’m maid to Nell Gwyn and friend to Jemima – as we call her.’

He narrowed his eyes. ‘Yes? And so?’

‘Excuse me for being so bold as to approach you, but Jemima is pining and also … also …’ she reddened and couldn’t bring herself to say the words that Nell would have uttered without a qualm, ‘… she seems to be soon … soon … that is, she is not quite herself at present.’

Wilkes puffed out his cheeks, rolled his eyes. ‘That’s too bad.’

‘Sire!’ Eliza said, shocked at his seeming callousness.

‘’Tis not at all what I wanted. It has all gone wrong!’ he said, making a drunken, throwaway gesture with his arms.

Eliza felt a great desire to kick him. ‘It has all gone wrong for Jemima, too, then,’ she said, suddenly emboldened, ‘and her misfortune is much the greater, for you may go on just as you please, but she has to bear an added burden.’

Wilkes looked at her again and then gazed into the distance, appearing to be considering, in an ale-sodden way, what was to be done. ‘Oh, I suppose I shall think of something,’ he said eventually.

‘May I tell her that?’

‘If you wish.’ He gave her a half-nod, turning again to his cronies, and Eliza made her way back to the theatre. At least, she thought, she could tell Jemima that she’d seen him, and give her his message, such as it was.

The following day a sealed document was delivered at the theatre for Jemima.

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