Lament for a lost lover

“Has it occurred to you that his presence here might be difficult for Charlotte to bear? He is the child of the man she was hoping to marry ... How would she feel to find that child in her home?”

“She seems fond of him, Mother, as she does of Edwin. Charlotte is too sensible to blame an innocent child.”

“Perhaps so,” she said. “Well; my dearest, we shall say au revoir. It is a comfort to know that you are not far off.”

I stood between my parents-in-law watching the departure of my parents and brothers and sister. Charlotte was with us.

I went back in the house feeling that I had passed through one phase and a new one had begun.

THE RESTORATION

ENCOUNTER AT A PLAYHOUSE

THE TWENTY-NINTH OF MAY OF THE YEAR 1660 WHAT AN UN-forgettable day that was! We must all be in the capital for the King’s ceremonial entry. How fitting it was that it should be His Majesty’s thirtieth birthday. We had travelled to London on the previous day and taken up residence in the Eversleighs’ town house which, through his careful conduct, Carleton had managed to keep in the family in much the same manner as he had Eversleigh Court. Alas, he had not been able to put away treasures from this house, there being no secret hiding place, but he had, with great daring, carried a few of them from London to Eversleigh Court and it had been possible to bring a few back. So we found the house not so austere as it might have been.

What a happy scene that was! The city seemed to have gone mad with joy. It was clear that all believed that the evil days were over and that a new heaven had come on earth. As we rode out «orn our lodgings-myself and Charlotte with Carleton and Lord a Lady Eversleigh-we had difficulty in getting through the crowded streets. Lord Eversleigh in his splendid uniform was cheered. Clearly he was one of the King’s generals, and I knew that my father, who would be making his way through these streets, would be getting the same acclamation. We were to go to London Bridge, where the grand procession was being organized. From there we would join the King, who would be journeying from Rochester through Dartford to Blackheath.

There was my father and mother with Lucas. I was so proud of my father who looked magnificent in his uniform. He was a very distinguished-looking man, and my heart warmed to him because I knew of the great love between him and my mother and that I was a living result of it. I felt very emotional in that moment and infinitely sad because my own husband had been taken from me.

The crowd was growing and the shouts were deafening. It was all “Long live the King.” It seemed incredible that a few months before these people would not have dared mention his name.

A woman was beside Carleton-a tall woman who sat her horse most gracefully. She was what I would only call voluptuous, and there was a black patch on her temple to accentuate the beauty of her large brown eyes.

“I must present you to my wife,” said Carleton.

I felt a shudder of revulsion which was inexplicable. I had heard that he had a wife.

What was it Edwin had said? They go their own ways. It suits them.

“Madam,” he said to his wife, “allow me to present my new cousin. Edwin’s widow.”

“I have heard of you,” said Barbary Eversleigh. “You have a fine son, I believe.” I noticed that she threw a mischievous look at Carleton, as though she knew that the birth of my son had baulked his ambitions, and this gave her pleasure. “I have heard of you, too,” I said. “Are you often at Eversleigh Court?”

“Rarely,” she answered “Even though, I believe, my husband is frequently there “ She was studying me intently, as though taking in every detail of my appearance I felt uncomfortable, and I was glad that at that moment the trumpets announced that the King’s arrival was imminent Barbary drew in her mount and brought it closer to Carleton’s In the van of the processions were three hundred men of the Trainbands dressed in cloth-of-silver doublets, twelve hundred followed in velvet coats and then came the footmen in purple livery Brilliantly coloured uniforms were everywhere-buff-coated soldiers, with sleeves of cloth of silver, wearing rich green scarfs, there were men clad in blue, laced with silver, followed by the members of the City Companies in their black velvet coats and chains As this passed the great moment had arrived There, between his two brothers, rode the slim, dark man, and as he appeared, shouts went up from thousands of throats “God save the King “