“Sixteen!” The Queen had almost made a loud exclamation, but she managed to maintain the low volume of hervoice. “You are but a child. If you were forced into this, we will have our vicar annul your marriage.”
Elizabeth had to school her features. She had not expected compassion and caring from Her Majesty. “It was not something I wanted, but it was my choice, Your Majesty. Besides, as I understand the law, it is too late,” Elizabeth replied insotto voce.
“Our vicar will do as we ask,” the Queen insisted.
“This is my burden to bear, Your Majesty. For my own reasons, as much as I would love to be free of that man, I cannot be. For the good of others I love, I must remain married to him,” Elizabeth averred. She had tried to stop herself, but a single tear rolled down her cheek.
The Queen wiped the tear coursing down the Duchess’s cheek with her own handkerchief. Her heart went out to this beautiful girl before her. “If there is ever anything we may do for you, you will ask it of us, will you not?” Elizabeth understood it was not a question. She nodded her head.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Those watching were amazed at how long the Queen spoke to the Duchess of Hertfordshire in hushed tones. None missed when Her Majesty leaned forward and did something with the silk square she had retrieved from her sleeve.
Her Majesty kissed the Duchess’s forehead—as was to be expected—and then she did something none who attended court had ever seen her do before. The Queen pulled the young Duchess into a hug, one which lasted for some moments.
All speaking in the chamber ceased as the courtiers looked on in wonderment, many with mouths hanging open.
The signal to theTonwas clear. Regardless of how ill the Duke of Hertfordshire was thought of, his wife had the approvaland affection of the Queen of England. It would not do for any of them to try and paint her with the same brush as her husband.
The Countess of Colbath collected the train and handed it to Her Grace, who then backed out of the chamber without a single wobbly step.
Only once the door closed did the conversation in the chamber resume, somewhat louder than was normally acceptable. Those present had just witnessed something extraordinary. As much as they would have loved to have been privy to the conversation between the Queen and the Duchess, all the spectators could do was speculate.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“The sooner I can return to Hertfordshire House and remove this hooped monstrosity, the happier I will be,” Elizabeth stated as soon as she and Lady Morag joined the Earl and his solicitor in the Colbath coach.
As he had been since Her Grace had entered the palace, Wickham sat atop the horse. As soon as the carriage began to move, he took up station a little behind it.
“May I assume you were presented, Your Grace,” Crawley verified.
“Yes, Mr. Crawley, I was. The Countess discharged her duties as promised,” Elizabeth confirmed.
The solicitor opened the case he was holding and withdrew some papers from it. “All of your debt markers,” he announced as he handed them to the Earl.
Without a delay, Lord Colbath ripped them into tiny pieces. They would be consigned to a fire as soon as he and his countess gained Colbath House. His nightmare was over. The cheating Duke held no more leverage over him and if he never saw the blackguard again it would be too soon.
“May I ask what the Queen said to you, Your Grace?” Lady Morag queried.
Elizabeth related the substance of the conversation with Her Majesty. “I only wish I was able to accept her offer of help.” She did not elaborate and the McIntires did not feel Her Grace had left any opening for them to ask what she meant.
“You could have no more powerful ally in polite society,” Lady Morag observed.
For the rest of the relatively short ride back to Hertfordshire House, there was no more conversation in the coach. All that was heard was the clip-clop of the horses’ hooves as they connected with the cobblestoned streets.
The door was opened by Wickham who had vaulted off his horse when the conveyance came to a stop at his master’s house. He offered his hand to Her Grace, but she refused to take it and stepped out without his assistance. The Duchess stood and watched as the Colbath coach was pulled away by the two pairs of matched greys.
She had known this time was fast approaching. Now she was isolated once again, with onlyhimand his lackeys for company.
At least she had Loretta, but she would need to continue to be circumspect in her treatment of her maid. The last thing Elizabeth wanted was for her husband to remove the maid if he felt his wife had become too close to her.
She took a deep breath. Then Elizabeth climbed the six stone steps which led to the small veranda and the front door of her prison.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The day of the presentation was the day Jane, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia, accompanied by the two eldest Gardiner childrenand the attendant nurse and footmen took a walk in Hyde Park before their picnic at the duckpond.
Jane looked longingly in the direction of where she believed Berkeley Square was. How she missed Lizzy. Based on her younger sister’s last letter, today was the day Lizzy was to take her curtsey before the Queen, so mayhap she had not even returned to the Duke’s house yet.
