Now rumour of the king's liason had spread beyond the English
nation, and had been whispered even at the secluded court of
Portugal, into the ears of the bride elect. And the queen
regent, dreading the trouble this might draw upon her daughter,
had counselled her never to admit his majesty's mistress into her
presence. This advice the young queen determined to act upon;
and accordingly when Charles, a couple of days after their
marriage, presented her with a list of those appointed to her
household--amongst whom was my Lady Castlemaine--her majesty drew
a pen across the name of the dreaded favourite. The king, if
surprised or indignant, made no remark at the time, but none the
less held to the resolution he had taken of appointing the
countess a lady of the bedchamber. No further attempt of
intruding his mistress's presence upon his wife was made until
Lady Castlemaine came to Richmond.
It happened on the afternoon of the day on which the favourite
arrived her majesty sat in the great drawing-room, surrounded by
a brilliant throng of noble and beautiful women and gay and
gallant men. The windows of the apartment stood open; outside
fountains splashed in the sun; music played in a distant glade:
and all the world seemed glad. And as the queen listened to
pleasant sounds of wit and gossip, murmuring around her, the
courtiers, at sound of a well-known footstep, suddenly ceasing
their discourse, fell back on either side adown the room.
Pages:
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142