The Prince and the Quakeress - Plaidy Jean - Страница 20

The Elopement

The meetings were taking place regularly. The closed carriage, the journey with Jane, the ecstatic reunion in the Haymarket; they had become a pattern of life. George loved her. He had said so. He admitted he knew little of life, but one did not have to learn about love; it came to one and there it was the meaning of one’s existence.

They talked of love; of their adoration of each other; it was enough to be sure of their meetings, to touch hands and occasionally kiss. Each was aware of the barriers which separated the niece of a linen-draper and a Prince of Wales; but they did not discuss the matter.

All they asked was to be together.

• • •

Hannah had changed. She did not realize how much. When one of the children spoke to her she was absent-minded; she forgot to perform those household tasks which had been second nature to her; moreover, her beauty had become so dazzling that even the linen-draper noticed.

‘What is happening to Hannah?’ he asked his wife.

Lydia and Mary had been aware of the change before he had, and Lydia replied that she wondered whether Hannah was in love.

‘She goes often to Ludgate Hill,’ went on Lydia. ‘I suspect that she goes to see Isaac. Perhaps it is time to arrange a marriage.’

‘Isaac is younger than she is and scarcely in a position to marry.’

‘Perhaps if she had a fair dowry...’

‘We have our own daughters to think of. Hannah has beauty. Perhaps that should be considered dowry enough.’

‘Well, she is twenty-three years of age and that does seem old enough for marriage. It is our duty to see her settled even as our own daughters.’

Henry agreed that this was so and that although Isaac was young and it would be many years before he inherited his father’s business, the Axfords were a good Quaker family and Hannah must of course marry into the Society of Friends.

Henry decided to walk over to Ludgate Hill to have a word with Mr. Axford about his son and Hannah. He talked to Mr. Axford who said that Isaac was somewhat young for marriage but that he was no doubt taken with Hannah and as she was a good Quaker he would have no objection to the match. A dowry would be helpful. Grocery was not so profitable as linen-drapering, and Isaac would need to put a little money into the business.

Mr. Wheeler explained that he was not in a position to put up a large dowry for a girl who was after all only his niece when he had daughters of his own to think of. But the young couple were clearly attracted. Hannah was constantly making excuses to call at the grocer’s.

‘She comes here rarely,’ said Mr. Axford. ‘Only to order the grocery, and then she is in and out in no time.’

Mr. Wheeler replied that he had been mistaken in that and doubtless Hannah spent the time at the glass-cutter’s with her friend Jane.

But he was disturbed.

• • •

A few days later he was more than disturbed; he was alarmed. He had followed Hannah and Jane and seen them get into the dosed carriage; he had gone into a coffee house and sat watching the house in the Haymarket. He had seen Jane and Hannah emerge and get into the carriage; he had waited in the coffee house and seen a young man, little more than a boy, come out of the house He knew th.tt face. He had seen it many times.

It could not be. It was impossible. But such things had happened before. The closed carriage; the secrecy. Only someone in a high place would make such arrangements. In a high place indeed!

Here was...disaster. Here was scandal. His niece Hannah was clandestinely meeting the Prince of Wales. For what purpose did Princes make assignations with humble girls?

This was disgrace such as had never befallen the Wheeler family before. Death was preferable to dishonour, and Hannah was bringing dishonour to their household. A Quaker girl a Prince’s mistress. Something must be done at once.

But what? Mr. Wheeler was a shrewd and cautious man. There was no sense in shouting their disgrace to the housetops. If he did, Hannah’s conduct would bring disrepute; entire community of Quakers. It was never comfortable to be members of a minority religious group. Such groups were always open to persecution. The essence of the Society of Friends was simplicity, chastity, devotion to duty; and when their members strayed from virtue, when a Quaker girl became a harlot, that was a far greater crime than when a woman was not a Quaker behaved in such a way.

But there was no sense in publicizing Hannah’s crime.

No one should know of what he had discovered but himself, Lydia and Mary.

• • •

Mr. Wheeler sent for his wife and sister, and when they arrived he shut the door of his sitting room and hade them be seated.

‘I have made a terrible discovery,’ he said. ‘We have a sinful woman under this roof.’

Mary’s heart began to leap about in the most uncomfortable manner. Hannah! she thought. What has she done? She is with child. That is why we have seen this change in her lately. This is the end. We shall be turned away.

Lydia was equally alarmed. ‘Pray tell us, Henry,’ she said.

‘It is Hannah. She has a lover.’

Mary moaned softly, and Lydia put her hand to her mouth and cried: ‘No. No.’

‘It is true,’ said Mr. Wheeler. ‘She leaves this place in a closed carriage with that wanton Jane who has no doubt led her into this. She goes to a house in the Haymarket to meet her lover.’

‘This is terrible,’ cried Mary. ‘I could wish to die of shame.’

Lydia said: ‘They must be married. It is the only way to rectify the wrong.’

Mr. Wheeler’s lips twisted into a grim smile. ‘Marriage is impossible.’

‘A married man...’ whispered Mary.

‘Unmarried.’

‘Then...’

‘His position prevents his marrying Hannah.’

‘Hannah can read and write,’ said Mary almost indignantly. ‘She is so very beautiful. What man considers himself too good for her?’

‘The Prince of Wales, Mary.’

There was a deep silence in the room; then Mary whispered: ‘The Prince of Wales!’ And there was a note of reverence in her voice.

‘The sin does not grow less because of the exalted position of one of the sinful,’ said Mr. Wheeler sternly. ‘All men are equal in God’s eyes.’

‘Amen,’ said Lydia.

‘Amen,’ echoed Mary.

‘This has caused me the gravest concern,’ went on Mr. Wheeler, ‘and I see only one way out of it. Hannah must be married without delay...to Isaac Axford.’

‘The dowry...’ began Lydia.

‘That is not my least concern, but I must find it. I must satisfy Mr. Axford. For of one thing I am certain. There must be no delay.’

There was silence in the room; then Mary began to weep quietly.

‘That I should bring this disgrace to thee, brother, who hast put the bread in our mouths and the roof over our heads

Mr. Wheeler said softly: ‘Everything is in God’s hands, Mary. Let us pray for His guidance.’

They knelt there in the sitting-room, while above them Hannah, unaware of what was being decided, sat at her window singing softly under her breath and looked out on the sights of the Market.

• • •

It was hardly likely that George could keep his secret. He had said nothing of the wonderful thing which had happened to him but his looks betrayed him, and it was very clear to such an observant man as Lord Bute that something had changed George and he guessed that it was a woman.

He was hurt that George had not confided in him; he was alarmed too, for his hold on the young Prince was obviously not as firm as he had believed it to be. It was imperative that Bute did not lose his influence with the Prince. His whole future depended on it. Augusta was his, and he would continue in her favour; he was sure of that. But Augusta was, after all, only the boy’s mother; and her power, rested on her ability to keep her influence over him. There was one way of losing it; and that would undoubtedly be through a woman. If George transferred his affections to a mistress and if she were a woman of strong opinions, Bute and Augusta could be powerless And George was just the kind to become completely enamoured of a clever woman.