This intrigue of the duke had given much uneasiness to his
duchess, who had complained to the king and to her father, and
had, moreover, set a watch upon the movements of his royal
highness. But such measures did not avail to make him a faithful
husband, and no sooner was Lady Chesterfield removed from his
sight, than Lady Denham took her place in his affections. This
latter mentioned gentlewoman was daughter of a valiant baronet,
Sir William Brooke, and niece to a worthless peer, the Earl of
Bristol. The earl had, on the king's restoration, cherished
ambitious schemes to obtain the merry monarch's favour; for which
purpose he sought to commend himself by ministering to the royal
pleasures.
Accordingly he entertained the king as became a loyal gentleman,
giving him luxurious banquets and agreeable suppers, to which, by
way of adding to his majesty's greater satisfaction, the noble
host invited his nieces, Mistress Brooke and her sister. The
wily earl had, indeed, conceived a plan the better to forward his
interests with the king, and was desirous one of these
gentlewomen should subdue his majesty's heart, and become his
mistress. Margaret Brooke, the elder of the maidens, was at this
time in her eighteenth year, and was in the full flower of such
loveliness as was presented by a fair complexion, light brown
hair, and dark grey eyes. The merry monarch's susceptible heart
was soon won by her beauty; the charming lady's amorous
disposition was speedily conquered by his gallantry, and nothing
prevented her becoming his mistress save Lady Castlemaine's
jealousy.
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