The Regency by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles Read Free Book Online

number of times you broke her heart —'
    ‘ Don't start talking about Mother! I warn you, Ned, I won't stand it! You gave her plenty of grey hairs too —’
    Edward and James had hardly ever quarrelled in their lives, one brother too industrious, the other too indolent ever to begin; but this quarrel, born of two sore hearts, escalated foolishly to the point where each was too hurt to continue, and they stumped away to brood at opposite ends of the house. By the time Héloïse came home, they were treating each other with wounded dignity.
    James told her the story of the mishap and Puppy's death in a voice so racked with guilt that she wanted only to comfort him, and said gently that it was a great pity, but that nothing so very bad had happened after all, and that the shock might even do Fanny good in the long term. Then Edward explained stumblingly that he had invited John Skelwith to the ball in gratitude for his help; and Héloïse took pity on him and said he was quite right to do so, and that she would write out the invitation the following day. She left them both more comfortable than she had found them, and they were too glad to have been eased to notice her unusual preoccupation.
    At dinner there was still too much silence, so to make conversation she mentioned the rumour of the defeat of Bonaparte. Father Aislaby, fortunately, had more details to offer.
    ‘ Yes, it's true Bonaparte has been beaten. It's the first setback he's suffered on land since he was forced to flee from Egypt, and that was eight years ago.'
    ‘ I remember. Everyone thought he was finished then, but he came back,' Héloïse sighed. 'But what happened this time?'
    ‘ You remember that business at Putulsk in December? The Russians and French fought, and both sides got pretty badly mauled, but couldn't claim a victory. Well, it seems Boney had taken his army into winter quarters at a place called Preuss-Eylau, somewhere in the north of Prussia, and the Russians attacked them actually in camp. They fought in a snowstorm all through the streets of the town, and there was a great deal of confusion. Casualties were heavy on both sides, but the French came off rather the worse, and when they retreated, it turned into a rout.'
    ‘And what will happen now?' Héloïse asked.
    Aislaby shrugged. 'Not much, I imagine. The Russians will be anxious to press home their advantage, of course, and as we are their allies, they will look to us for support. But even if the Government had an army available to send to Prussia, I doubt whether it would. Grenville and his friends have never been keen on getting involved in Europe itself. Don't forget they came to power through an upsurge of anti-war feeling.'
    ‘ Grenville will soon be gone, you mark my words,' Edward said. 'Then we'll see something start to happen. We'll get some ministers who really believe in the war, and who'll fight it whole-heartedly. That's the only way to beat Boney.’

    *
    Later that night, Héloïse sat at her dressing-table while Marie brushed out her hair, making her ready for bed. James came through from the dressing-room, and Héloïse, noting his preoccupied air, took the brush from Marie and dismissed her with a nod. She observed James's reflection in the mirror as he walked aimlessly up and down the room, and continued to brush her hair with slow, thoughtful strokes.
    ‘ Well,' she said at last, when it was obvious he was not going to initiate the conversation. 'It has been quite a day for both of us.'
    ‘Yes,' he said absently. 'Shall we go to bed?'
    ‘ Not yet, my James,' she said. 'We should talk a little. I think that something is disturbing you.’
    He paused in his pacing, and gave her a rueful smile. 'Are you surprised? That business with Fanny and the dog —' He came over to stand behind her, took the brush from her, and began to brush her hair.
    She bent her head to his strokes and half-closed her eyes in bliss, like a cat. 'It was very lucky,' she said casually,