Court of Foxes by Christianna Brand Read Free Book Online Page B

until it had all but consumed her… She knew that her cheeks were aflame and bent down her head to conceal it. ‘As to that — he’s too fond of a satin waistcoat to be quite what I take to be a man; but he’s well enough, I dare say.’ His conversation, however, she insisted, appalled her with its dullness. ‘And why not? What’s there for him to talk of in this terrible Carmarthenshire, but sheep and cattle?’
    ‘There are highwaymen,’ said little Jake, eagerly. ‘They live in a place called the Court of Foxes.’
    ‘Oh, very well then, that settles it. If I’m to have foxes to converse with as well as sheep and cows, what more’s to be desired for me?’ And she burst into a fresh spate of laughter, tinged with hysteria now, at the thought of having left the wet wilds of the Cotswolds only to end up in the still wetter wilds of Wales, shivering in coronet and goatskin in some medieval keep in Carmarthenshire: and leapt up and thrust a cushion upon her head and clutched the worn hearthrug about her in a wild parody of high living among the Welsh aristocracy…
    But when he came that evening she told him — as she had all along known that she must tell him — that she would become the Earl of Tregaron’s wife.
    Now the Unattainable Lady appeared at the playhouse no more. The flower stall was closed, the gallants disconsolate; outside the little house in South Audley Street a footman replied to all those who in their extremity dared to call, that the Marchesa was indisposed. The flower girl, indeed, still full of initiative, had set up her little booth again at the street corner, for any who wished to leave messages of condolence for the invalid; but with the falling-away of all those who had cared more for the wagers than in fact for the lady, trade was not very brisk; and moreover in the cold light of day, the well-worn condition of the blossoms became so apparent as to force frequent renewal, which cut down the profits most depressingly — only his lordship remaining faithful in huge purchases of red roses. So funds were very low; and the sooner, decided the family, that the Earl made good his promise, the better it would be for all concerned. Moreover, he must somehow be persuaded to keep the whole thing as private as possible. The expensive necessity of providing for a wedding had not been taken into consideration when their plans were laid.
    So her ladyship sat in the little drawing-room with her lover’s hand in hers and asked very prettily if when the time came, it might all be done very quietly; and raised her eyes to the portrait, smiling so tenderly down upon her, and said that for the sake of that dear friend (and he had been little more than a friend, she had been almost a child then — and his child, since he had brought her up, almost from babyhood — just a kind father) — for the sake of his memory she would prefer no outward parade of rejoicing…
    He was disappointed. ‘I wanted to show my prize to all the world. The Prince himself had promised to be there.’
    ‘The Prince?’
    ‘His Royal Highness is my intimate friend. He was the first I went to when I knew I was to be the happiest of men. He was delighted. He has never really cared for—’ He broke off abruptly, bit his lip a little, shrugged it all off. ‘The — er — the lady concerned was from the other set: there are two divisions in our present society, as no doubt you know, those who circle about the court and those who attach themselves to the Prince, who is of course not at present persona grata with his papa. So that — well, as I say, he would have undertaken to dance at my wedding; and confided to me, dearest, by the way, that it had been in his mind to send you flowers, but that you appeared so adamant in refusing all acquaintance that he dared not: for the Prince of Wales can hardly afford an open rebuff.’ (Oh lord! reflected the Unattainable, there we went too far!) ‘But he greatly admires you and would