Read Online The Regent's Daughter: (Georgian Series) by Jean Plaidy - Free Book Online
Authors: Jean Plaidy
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of, and that nothing would please him more than to be rid of her. And now that this investigation was going on, who knew what would come out of it?
But it was not the end. He had tired of Lady Jersey, who had influenced him so strongly at the time of his wedding, and he had sought every opportunity of returning to Maria. With his usual abandon he had begged her, implored her, gone to all the lengths which she had experienced before. The most telling of course was his imminent death. So it had been when he had attempted suicide for her sake. Some denied he had really done this and that it was a piece of play-acting on his part, but she liked to believe it was true. She had stood out against him, telling him that in marrying Caroline of Brunswick he had denied his marriage to her and since he denied it she had no wish to remind him of it.
It had all been a mistake, a terrible mistake, he had declared. He had wept; he had knelt. She was his true wife; he demanded she do her duty and return to him; if she did not he would publish the truth. The whole of England should know that she was his true wife and that creature … that coarse vulgar German hausfrau … could go back to Brunswick. Maria had been shocked, for she saw the purpose in his eye and she knew him capable of the most impulsive actions.
‘And your little daughter, the Princess Charlotte?’
‘She can take the child with her, for if I am not married to her mother what is her position here?’
Maria was shocked. ‘That innocent child! Your own daughter!’
‘I have no room in my heart for anyone but you.’
‘What a pity you did not remember that before you allowed them to bring the Princess Caroline to England.’
But what was the use? He was determined; and because sheloved him, she knew she would give in in the end. But she had insisted on being treated with the dignity of a wife; and had sent to Rome for the Pope’s verdict on whether or not that ceremony which had taken place in her house at Park Street was valid. The answer had come back from Rome that it was; she had returned to the Prince and for a time they had been idyllically happy.
But knowing it was not in his nature to be faithful to one woman she was always aware that such happiness could not last. He was the lover of all women, as Sheridan had said, so how could he be the lover of one? Maria was however sure that she was supreme in his affections, and however much he might stray, he wanted her there all the time. She was his ‘dear love’, his ‘soul’s wife’, as he was fond of telling her.
Yet she could not rely on him. Was that why she clung to Minney? Did she believe deep in her heart that if ever the Prince left her she would turn to this lovely child whom she looked on as her own? But now they were threatening to take Minney from her. It was one of the greatest sorrows of her life that she had had three husbands and no children.
The Seymours had been Maria’s particular friends and in fact Lord Hugh had expressed his disapproval of the Prince’s public marriage to Caroline of Brunswick so strongly that the Prince had been annoyed by his criticism and had cut him ever since. But the friendship between Maria and Lady Horatia was very deep and it had been a cause of great grief to Maria to see Horatia growing weaker and weaker and to know that her friend was suffering from galloping consumption and had no hope of recovery. Lord Hugh had arranged to take his wife to Madeira for the winter as soon as their child was born.
Little Mary Seymour (Minney) was born on a bleak November day at Brompton. Maria arrived soon afterwards to see her friend and the new baby, and as soon as she took little Mary into her arms she loved her, but like her parents she was alarmed by the child’s frailty.
What a momentous day that was in her life – and although she was so anxious on account of Horatia, how could she be anything but grateful for the turn of fate which brought her Minney.
Horatia
But it was not the end. He had tired of Lady Jersey, who had influenced him so strongly at the time of his wedding, and he had sought every opportunity of returning to Maria. With his usual abandon he had begged her, implored her, gone to all the lengths which she had experienced before. The most telling of course was his imminent death. So it had been when he had attempted suicide for her sake. Some denied he had really done this and that it was a piece of play-acting on his part, but she liked to believe it was true. She had stood out against him, telling him that in marrying Caroline of Brunswick he had denied his marriage to her and since he denied it she had no wish to remind him of it.
It had all been a mistake, a terrible mistake, he had declared. He had wept; he had knelt. She was his true wife; he demanded she do her duty and return to him; if she did not he would publish the truth. The whole of England should know that she was his true wife and that creature … that coarse vulgar German hausfrau … could go back to Brunswick. Maria had been shocked, for she saw the purpose in his eye and she knew him capable of the most impulsive actions.
‘And your little daughter, the Princess Charlotte?’
‘She can take the child with her, for if I am not married to her mother what is her position here?’
Maria was shocked. ‘That innocent child! Your own daughter!’
‘I have no room in my heart for anyone but you.’
‘What a pity you did not remember that before you allowed them to bring the Princess Caroline to England.’
But what was the use? He was determined; and because sheloved him, she knew she would give in in the end. But she had insisted on being treated with the dignity of a wife; and had sent to Rome for the Pope’s verdict on whether or not that ceremony which had taken place in her house at Park Street was valid. The answer had come back from Rome that it was; she had returned to the Prince and for a time they had been idyllically happy.
But knowing it was not in his nature to be faithful to one woman she was always aware that such happiness could not last. He was the lover of all women, as Sheridan had said, so how could he be the lover of one? Maria was however sure that she was supreme in his affections, and however much he might stray, he wanted her there all the time. She was his ‘dear love’, his ‘soul’s wife’, as he was fond of telling her.
Yet she could not rely on him. Was that why she clung to Minney? Did she believe deep in her heart that if ever the Prince left her she would turn to this lovely child whom she looked on as her own? But now they were threatening to take Minney from her. It was one of the greatest sorrows of her life that she had had three husbands and no children.
The Seymours had been Maria’s particular friends and in fact Lord Hugh had expressed his disapproval of the Prince’s public marriage to Caroline of Brunswick so strongly that the Prince had been annoyed by his criticism and had cut him ever since. But the friendship between Maria and Lady Horatia was very deep and it had been a cause of great grief to Maria to see Horatia growing weaker and weaker and to know that her friend was suffering from galloping consumption and had no hope of recovery. Lord Hugh had arranged to take his wife to Madeira for the winter as soon as their child was born.
Little Mary Seymour (Minney) was born on a bleak November day at Brompton. Maria arrived soon afterwards to see her friend and the new baby, and as soon as she took little Mary into her arms she loved her, but like her parents she was alarmed by the child’s frailty.
What a momentous day that was in her life – and although she was so anxious on account of Horatia, how could she be anything but grateful for the turn of fate which brought her Minney.
Horatia
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