The Decadent Duke by Virginia Henley
Henry Dundas patted her hand. “Amen to that, my dear.”
When the dessert was served, Georgina had to mask her amusement. Lord Apsley’s adoring gaze watched every mouthful she took so, wickedly, she kept licking her lips to taunt the poor devil. When she was finished, she murmured, “Dare I have another?” She saw an eager look kindle in his eye. “No, I mustn’t be greedy.V When she saw his disappointment, she felt contrite and vowed to stop teasing him.
The company was about to take their drinks into the drawing room when Addington arrived.
“Henry, you’ve missed dinner. Do sit down and I shall order you a plate,V Jane invited, “and you can tell us about the king.”
Henry Addington looked agitated. “My dear duchess, I couldn’t eat a thing. Actually, I would like a word in private with the prime minister, if I may?”
“We are all friends here, Henry, and loyal Tories. There is no need for secrecy. We all understand that the king suffers bouts of distress where he is not quite lucid,” Pitt declared.
“Actually, tonight His Royal Highness was most lucid and suffering from a bout of anger.” Addington hesitated; he should not discuss his patient’s condition, but the king was not ill. He was furious. Henry felt he had no choice but to inform William Pitt what the king had ordered.
“What has angered him?” Pitt prompted.
“The Act of Union. Well, not the act per se, but your promise to emancipate the Catholics. The king insists you should not have proceeded without consulting him, and he intends to block it.V Henry took a deep breath and blurted, “His Royal Highness has ordered me to become his prime minister.”
Everyone in the room sat stunned.
Georgina glanced at her mother, thinking that they should excuse themselves so the Tories could discuss the matter privately, but the duchess shook her head and put her finger to her lips. The ladies sat quietly and listened.
The members all spoke at once, voicing their outrage and disapproval. Then George Canning made a suggestion to William Pitt. “For the time being you must drop the proposal for Catholic emancipation.”
“I made a solemn promise, in good faith, that if I got enough votes to pass the Act of Union, I would guarantee that Catholics could become members of parliament. My word is my bond; my political reputation would be in ruins.V
“All will know it is the king who blocks it and not you.”
Pitt got to his feet and proudly raised his head. “The mistake was mine, gentlemen. I was so confident of my influence, I failed to consult with the king. Since I cannot fulfill my promise, I have no choice but to resign my office.V
Georgina suspected that it was William Pitt’s over-abundance of pride that prompted him to make such a dramatic decision. The king’s insult, asking Addington to become his prime minister, could not be borne.
The members argued against such a drastic step, while Addington stood wringing his hands.
Pitt cut through the arguments to the heart of the matter. “I will resign, and the speaker of the House will become prime minister, as His Royal Highness wishes. To do otherwise would bring down the Tory party and put the Whigs in power. If we do not want Prince George and Charles Fox as our masters, we must do the king’s bidding.”
The Duchess of Gordon left the room and came back with a cask of Scotch whiskey. She poured a dram for every member, knowing they were in need of fortification. After they drained their glasses, the party broke up and everyone departed.
“Such dreadful news is beyond bearing. The Gordons have always been staunch supporters of King George. We have given him our love and our devotion, but I fear our monarch is mentally deranged. Your father told me as much on the night you were presented to Queen Charlotte.”
“The situation is so sad. I feel sorry for the queen.”
“The situation is appalling. William Pitt is the finest prime minister this country ever had. His skills surpass those of his father by a mile. Addington will never fill his shoes.”
Georgina’s brother came into the drawing room. “It has only just struck midnight. Did your dinner party break up?”
“I have dreadful news that is beyond bearing.”
“Hello, George. You’re home early,” his sister declared.
“I have news, too. I ran into Lord Holland at Brooks’s. Henry told me that John Russell buried his wife a few days ago.”
“Oh no.” Georgina’s face went pale.
“Great heavens! It never rains but what it pours!” Jane refilled her glass with whiskey as her mind grappled with the inconvenient news. “Elizabeth isn’t a blood relative of the Duke of Bedford, so he likely won’t go into official mourning. There is no reason why he should curtail his social calendar. I shall write to Charlotte and Susan immediately and have them postpone their balls until next month.”
Georgina was deep in her own thoughts and did not hear one word her mother said. John Russell will be devastated. It must be a terrible shock to lose a wife at such an early age. She immediately thought of his three sons. How on earth will the man cope? A picture of young Johnny came into her mind. He’s so sweet and so shy. Her heart went out to him, and a lump came into her throat that made it difficult to swallow.
“I wonder if the duke’s visit to Derbyshire was curtailed? The moment he got the news, I’m sure he would return to Woburn.”
“Holland said he got the news directly from Francis Russell, so he must be back in London,” George said.
“I wonder if anything developed between the duke and the Devonshires’ daughter during his visit? I’m sure the duchess would press him to make a commitment. That was the whole idea of the invitation to Chatsworth. I shall be on tenterhooks waiting for an announcement. With a death in the family, a declaration might be postponed. Oh dear, was anything ever so vexing?”
“I’m sure you’ll find a way to ferret it out, Mother,” George said. “What is the other news that has upset you?”
“Oh, yes, upsetting news indeed. Mr. Pitt has been forced to resign as prime minister.”
Georgina withdrew quietly as her mother went into detail about the political upheaval.
After she undressed, she went and stood before the sketch she had made of her father. “There really is a resemblance to John Russell. I wonder if I was thinking about him when I drew the picture.” The man does jump into my thoughts at odd moments.
Now that tragedy had touched Russell and his sons, she felt wretched about the rude things she’d said to him. It had been an amusing game really, to utter cutting, cruel remarks. One he had seemed to relish. Now she regretted being deliberately unkind. She had the impulse to write him a letter of condolence and glanced at her writing desk. No, it would be better if it came from the family, not just from me.
“It’s been a long day.” In Russell Street, John joined his brother in the library and set a bundle of letters of condolence on the desk unopened. He poured himself a drink. “I took the boys back to school. I had a word with each of their teachers, who assured me they would report anything amiss. I had a meeting with the headmaster, then stayed at Westminster to have dinner with Johnny. It was a wrench leaving him—I hope he’ll be all right.”
“Of course he will—boys are resilient,” Francis assured him. “Did you hear the news?”
“About what?VJohn drained his glass.
“William Pitt resigned today!V
The weary look on John’s face was replaced by one of surprise.
“The king is blocking Irish Catholics from becoming members of parliament, so Pitt stepped aside in favor of Speaker Addington.”
“Damnation! I should have known Catholic emancipation was too much to hope for.”
“Why on earth would he resign his prime ministership?”
“On principle, of course. It was also a very shrewd move. If he opposed the king, it could bring down the government and put us Whigs in power. Pitt made the sacrifice for the Tory party.”
“Sacrifice is a concept that is beyond me,” Fran
After Francis left, John contemplated what the House would be like under Henry Addington. He surmised that things wouldn’t go smoothly. Though he was deeply regretful that the Irish problems were no closer to being resolved, he clearly saw that the political mess would divert him from dwelling on his own turmoil. John poured himself another drink, hoping it would induce sleep, and went upstairs to bed.
Just before dawn, his recurring dream began.
He was astride his hunter, riding through a sun-drenched meadow filled with wildflowers. Their heady scent, combined with the exhilarating feeling of freedom he experienced, was intoxicating.
The female companion riding beside him was a joyous creature who loved and lived life to the fullest. She had a passion for nature, and children, and animals, and he never tired of hearing her laugh. They were racing their horses toward a hill, and John knew he would let her win for the sheer pleasure of watching her exult in her victory.
Suddenly, they were drenched by a summer shower, but the lady did not even slow down. She galloped up the hill, slid from her saddle, and climbed up on a high boulder. She raised her arms and exultantly lifted her face to the rain, as if it were the elixir of life.
John dismounted at the base of the boulder and held up his arms. “Jump, Georgy! I’ll catch you.’’
Her silvery laughter was the loveliest thing he’d ever heard. Without hesitation she flung herself with total abandon into his waiting arms. He caught her and then rolled with her until he had her pinned beneath him in the wet grass.
When he captured her soft, warm mouth it tasted of delicious laughter and sensual anticipation. It was heady intoxication to know she wanted him as much as he desired making love to her. The reaction her eagerness stirred in him was a potent spur to possess her body and soul and lure her to surrender her essence to him.
She was that rare female who could blot out his pain and anger and the dark thoughts that tortured him. He could lose himself in the tempting, honeyed depths of her body, where she allowed him to indulge any wicked fantasy for which he thirsted and craved.
He enjoyed the seduction because it heightened their desire and brought the blissful, almost unendurable pleasure that allowed him to escape as nothing else could.
The intense delirium his lovemaking aroused in her took him to a place where only rich, dark sensation existed. He indulged a passion so powerful, it brought exquisite pleasure, followed by peace and deep contentment.
John knew he had never felt this happy in his entire life. The laughter and the newfound freedom made his heart overflow with joy. ”Georgina, you must know I want to marry you.’’
She laughed up at him, her green eyes sparkling with amusement. “What took you so long?’’
“ wasn’t free until now!”
John awoke with a start. He knew he’d had the recurring dream, but this time his female companion had a face, and a name. Georgina Gordon. He pushed the dream away, not wishing to analyze it. Not daring to. The joy and happiness he had felt quickly evaporated and left behind a dreadful, guilt-ridden remorse.
Chapter 14
“Charlotte and Charles are back in London.” Jane Gordon handed the note from her eldest daughter to Georgina so she could sort through the rest of the morning post that had just been delivered.
“Charlotte says she couldn’t put up with the cold fog that constantly shrouded Goodwood House. Chichester is too close to the coast for the weather to be anything but gloomy in November.”
“Fife House in Whitehall will be far more convenient for the guests she invites to the ball that she is planning for you. We must go over there and settle on a date.”
Mother will make the plans for her. Poor Charlotte will have to bow to her wishes.
“We have a number of calls to make today. I need to visit Henry Addington’s wife. He will have told Mary Anne far more about the king’s condition than he divulged to us at dinner last night, and since I am a dear friend of the royal family, I warrant she will tell me everything. In strictest confidence, of course.”
“Of course.” Then you will tell Henry Dundas, who will waste no time passing it along to William Pitt.
“Next, we must pay a call on George Canning’s new wife. He will have confided in her how all the Tory members feel about the shocking state of affairs that has come to pass.”
“Are you sure he will have discussed politics with his bride?”
“I am certain. Joan is an heiress, and therefore she controls the purse strings. Canning would not dare make a move without confiding all and asking her advice.”
“Your shrewdness amazes me, Mother.”
“A woman needs to be shrewd to get anywhere in this man’s world, Georgina. You will do well to learn from me.” Jane summoned a footman and ordered that their carriage be made ready directly after lunch.
“Last, but by no means least, I intend to pay a visit to Lady Spencer. The Duchess of Devonshire’s sister-in-law will tell me if anything noteworthy transpired between the Duke of Bedford and the Devonshire girl while he was at Chatsworth.V
“But Lavinia Spencer doesn’t speak to her sister-in-law. She won’t know anything.”
“Au contraire, my dear. Lavinia will have made it her business to know everything. Ah, here is lunch.”
Her mother’s keen interest in the Duke of Bedford made Georgina think of John Russell’s bereavement. She hadn’t been able to get him or his sons out of her mind since she had heard the tragic news. I cannot imagine how alone he must feel at such a sad time.
Georgina pushed her food around her plate. Her mood had affected her appetite, and nothing appealed at the moment. She smiled apologetically as the maid came in to take her dish. When she declined dessert, her mother frowned.
“It is this dull, overcast weather that is affecting you. Before we pay our calls, I want you to go upstairs and put on one of your new hats to brighten up the day.”
By four o’clock in the afternoon, Georgina was ready to scream. During the visit with Mary Anne Addington, they had discussed the king’s health ad nauseam. It was plain from the doctor’s report that poor old George was again tottering on the brink of madness.
The visit with Joan Canning had seemed endless. She discussed every single Tory member and revealed all sorts of personal details about their wives and children. Jane avidly took it all in, but Georgina found it offensive. When they rose to leave, she decided she had had enough. Mother can visit Lavinia Spencer without me. One more serving of tea and gossip will make me spew.
She waited until her mother climbed into their carriage. “We are close to Whitehall. I think I will drop in on Charlotte and make plans for the ball. If I am with you when you quiz Lavinia Spencer about the Duke of Bedford, it will make me look desperate, as if I am hunting him down.V
“Very well. Tell Charlotte to prepare for at least two hundred. And be sure to have Charles drive you home.”
Georgina took off her gloves and stuffed them into her reticule. Then she walked down Tothill Street toward Parliament Square. Fife House, Charlotte’s imposing town residence on Whitehall Place, was only about half a mile away. The walk will clear my head.
John Russell spent most of the day in parliament and left just after four. What a bloody waste of time! Absolutely nothing got done in the House today, and by all the futile discussions and hand wringing, it will be a miracle if things get sorted out before the start of the new year. Both Whig and Tory members huddled in groups, whispering like a bunch of old women!
John shrugged off politics and thought of his sons. Westminster School was close by, and as he walked toward Parliament Square, he debated whether to drop in and check on their well-being, or whether his visit would cause an emotional upheaval. I should at least make sure Johnny is all right.
John turned to go back toward the s
Her surprise at seeing him was palpable. “Lord Tavistock . . . John . . . please accept my heartfelt condolences for your sad loss. Your concern for your children must be devastating.” She put her hand on his sleeve. “You and your sons shouldn’t be alone at such a harrowing time. The Christmas season will be particularly difficult. Please know that you would be warmly welcomed if you visited Charlotte and your friend Charles at their house here in Whitehall, and I offer you an open invitation to drop in at Pall Mall anytime you feel in need of company.”
John pulled his arm away as if her touch scalded him. He stared with disapproval at the profusion of bright pink lilies adorning her hat. Guilt over making love to her and asking her to be his wife goaded his conscience as if the dream had been real. “My lady, I am newly widowed and not in the market for another wife.” His voice was quelling, his expression rigid as stone. “Your shameless husband hunting is abhorrent to me.”
Georgina gasped at the brutal insult. She wanted to slap his dark face, but decided to wound him with words instead. Her chin lifted and her glittering eyes narrowed. “It is not hard to like you, Russell—it is impossible. I offered you my genuine compassion, and you flung it back at me as if it were dung.” She smiled sweetly. “Whatever makes you think I would be interested in a mere lord when I can attract a duke to offer me marriage?” She tossed her head, and her pink lilies danced enticingly. “And not just any duke, I might add. We both know the duke I have in mind. He has quite taken my fancy. Good day to you, Lord Tavistock.”
“Georgy, Georgy!” Mary danced around her favorite aunt. “You have another new hat.”
“One I’m rather partial to, so try not to muck it up.” Georgina looked at her sister Charlotte. “I’ve had a trying afternoon. I’m so glad you’re back in London . . . I am sorely in need of civilized company.”