The Duchess of Drury Lane by Freda Lightfoot Read Free Book Online Page B

ensure that royal princes and princesses marry appropriately, with the King’s consent. His Majesty disapproved strongly of some of his brothers’ marriages and concluded greater control was needed so that the dignity of the monarchy could be preserved. Which means they are only permitted to marry ugly foreign princesses instead of lovely young actresses.’ And we both laughed, not for a moment thinking that this very act might one day impinge upon my own life.
    ‘I believe Tate’s father died at Plymouth before the ship had barely left port. Tate himself, however, you will find a most charming man, and well educated, having been a pupil at Harrow School.’
    ‘Then what on earth made him choose the theatre as a career?’ I felt compelled to ask the inevitable question, my earlier hope in my own new career now rapidly fading as I grew increasingly weary.
    ‘Because in spite of all the social prejudices against actors, he chose this most reviled profession so that he might indulge his love of mimicry. He is not the greatest actor in the world, and those he impersonates do not always take kindly to his shrewd observations of them, but he is a most polished and kindly gentleman.’
    When we at last reached Leeds we found cheap lodgings and Mama quickly dispatched a note to Tate Wilkinson, requesting a meeting.
    ‘It will not be long now,’ she assured me. ‘I have every confidence he will take you on.’
    I couldn’t stop blaming myself for the time I had wasted keeping my secret. Why had I not trusted my mother, instead of hiding behind my shame? Now I was worried that my condition, at four months gone, would damage my chances of being given even an audition.
    ‘Make no mention of this matter for now,’ Mama insisted, when I expressed this concern to her.
    ‘But that would be cheating,’ I protested.
    She scoffed at this. ‘Actresses fall pregnant all the time. We will leave off mentioning you are increasing until he has seen the value of your work.’
    The following day we received a note saying that Wilkinson would be happy to meet us at a local inn.
    The moment he walked through the door I knew at once that I would like him. He was not handsome in any way, nor young, being in his middle years. He was short and rather stocky with an awkward gait. Mama had explained that he’d once fallen off stage and broken his leg, which had been set badly. But his round, homely face was wreathed in a broad smile, and his eyes twinkled most merrily.
    ‘What a happy chance to see you again, Grace,’ he cried, smacking a kiss on each cheek. ‘Not quite the waif-like Desdemona of yesteryear, but not unhandsome, no indeed, not unhandsome at all. In fact, bearing up better than most, I should say.’
    My mother blushed delightfully at this flattery and quietly introduced George, Hester and me. I realized of a sudden we must look a sorry sight indeed: travel-stained, bone weary, and really rather shabby. I deeply regretted the loss of my basket of stage costumes, essential for any actress, and one I’d invested in heavily over the last two years. But afraid of alerting Daly’s attention, as he might then prevent our departure, I’d been forced to agree with Mama that we walk away with only the clothes on our backs. Nor did we have much money, and I saw at once that Wilkinson recognized our penurious state.
    Dejected, miserable, close to tears, I was suddenly overwhelmed by shame and shyness. How foolishly naïve of me to imagine we could just up sticks, cross the Irish Sea and find a place in another company.
    Genuinely delighted to see her old friend again, my mother was bubbling over with high spirits. Over-compensating for my gloom she at once began to sing my praises, painstakingly listing the productions in which I’d played the lead, emphasizing the good audiences, the well-received songs, even the benefit, leaving out any mention of the first failure. I listened in cringing silence, hating the fact that my brother