So many new prospects

My last night – for the while at least – with my darlings at R- House finds all three of us a little tearfull over the separation.

Sure, says Eliza, we have been quite spoilt just as much as our precious jewel by having our own best of sleepy wombatts for such a space.

Indeed my darling, it has been most exceeding pleasant, and to be one of the family and no fuss made. But we cannot hope that it would pass unremarkt did we continue to do so.

We all sigh.

But, says Josiah, when we go home – tho’ we are getting so us’d to this place that it may also be call’d home – during the summer, you will come visit, will you not?

O my loves, says I, of course I shall come visit, tho’ 'tis quite entire curious that I am bidden to a deal of house-parties when Society leaves Town.

That is hardly to wonder at, says Josiah. A lovely widow’d marchioness – agreed to be quite entire in the best of ton by some of the nicest judges on the matter – fam’d for her philanthropickal endeavours – said to have a most pleasing competence –

O, says I, you think there are fellows consider they will repair their fortunes do they make suit to me?

I do not doubt it, the wretches. Had they suppos’d they should have to close their eyes to marry money, the thought of gaining the exquisite Lady B- into the bargain must sure be a great encouragement to their endeavours.

O! I cry, sure I shall have to be about locking my bedroom door.

Indeed, says Eliza, that takes my hand and begins to press kisses up my arm, 'tis proverbial that widows are quite desperate eager to know a man once more.

For very few can hope for a naughty wild girl!

But the next morn I must off to my own place: the girls show very affect’d, and beg to be invit’d to come to tea, and Flora clings to my skirts as if she desires to hold me there by main force. Sure 'tis most extreme charming.

But I must away, and when I come to my own dear house, I must be shown about as if I am a visitor or one that desires to come rent it, with all the painting and the upholstery and the several improvements, and indeed, it all looks exceeding fine. Miss L- has already been to tune the piano – and just before the end of the oyster season, says Euphemia, so that I could make her those oyster patties she relishes so much.

I look about my good people – I can see the fine warmth of feeling there is 'twixt Hector and Euphemia, and all look exceeding well, and there does not seem any difficulty within the household.

Why, says I, 'tis quite immense good to be home. Do you bring me some coffee in my parlour and I will give a little mind to business.

So I go look through the household books and all is in very good order. Euphemia comes to talk over the matters of providing for a soirée and a drawing room meeting, and I ask her whether she has found a girl to help in the mews cottage yet.

Oh yes, says Euphemia, you know that large family further down the mews, the father is head groom at the livery stables, there is a girl there just of the age for the matter. They show’d themselves a little disinclin’d at first – (I wonder if this is because of that matter of skin colour) – but when they heard what we would pay and that she would get her meals, they almost bustl’d young Nell out of their house and into the cottage. So I have askt Dorcas to give her a little instruction in the good ways of doing things, and she shapes exceedingly.

Very good, says I. And, Euphemia, Mr F- is most exceeding pleas’d at the way Hector has been instructing Harry and Josh in the pugilistick art and while he knows 'tis undertaken entirely out of kindness, wonders if there might be some recompense he might make.

Euphemia looks thoughtfull and says she will go consider upon the matter. But she minds that, altho’ Hector has that exceeding fine watch you gave him, Your Ladyship, when we were down in Surrey, he does not have a chain that he thinks of a similar fineness.

Ah, says I, indeed that is a matter.

Once she has gone, after there has been some discourse concerning a nice little supper, sure there is some excellent fine sparrow-grass of late, Your Ladyship, fit for the Regent himself, I start looking through my correspondence and the cards that have been left and indeed, there are a deal of invitations for me, both for very many occasions throughout the rest of the Season and for house-parties when Society quits Town. Perchance 'tis entirely because, as Josiah remarkt, I am a very eligible widow (tho’ I confide fortune-hunters are in ignorance how much of my inheritance from the late Marquess goes to revolution), but I also wonder whether 'tis politickal business.

Well, I shall not know until I attend, I daresay.

I am a little forlorn in the evening, when I am not being a sleepy wombatt for my pretty darling bundle, and I go to bed all alone.

But my mood has improv’d by the morn and I sip my chocolate and think about matters I must be about and contrivances to put in hand.

So I am up and breakfast’d and at my desk a-writing of many letters on a variety of business, when are shown in Miss A- and Miss R-, a deal less like tragedy-queens than the last time they call’d upon me. I send for coffee.

Oh, Lady B-, cries Miss R-, I know not how you contriv’d, but my gratitude is quite infinite! My dear good uncle – quite himself again, indeed, quite more chearfull than I have ever seen him, drinks a deal less – says he has been elect’d to some private club, a fine set of fellows, excellent society. It quite takes him out of himself.

And, says Miss A-, quite entire reconcil’d with Mr J-, o, the black miasma that fill’d the theatre is quite dispers’d as if by some sanitive breeze.

Well, my dears, I am quite delight’d to hear it, but 'twas none of my doing. How should I go about to contrive election to some private club? Sure I confide that there are those that recognize Mr W-'s merits.

Comes in Celeste with coffee and little cakes.

They sit down and look at me and say that sure I am too modest and they cannot suppose that such a contrivance that has come about so happy does not have somewhat to do with Lady B-.

Sure there are matters that go about in Town without I have some hand in 'em! Why, is it not report’d that that dreadfull dog-stealing gang has been round’d up, sure I knew nothing of the matter until I read of it.

A shocking thing! says Miss R-, sure I was frighten’d to let my dear little Puggsiekin out of the door for fear he should be snatcht.

But my dears, say I, how go matters at the theatre?

They tell me at considerable length, and only cease when Mrs N- comes in, kisses us all most friendly, and sits plump down in a chair. She disburses a deal of gossip to cries of no! can it be! &C, until it is time for the actresses to go to the theatre. Miss N- says she will be along later, but she hears that there is a rehearsal this forenoon? Indeed, say Miss A- and Miss R-.

Mrs N- looks at me and says that there are those, my dear Lady B-, put it about that this staying with your dear friends the F-s and their family at R- House is entirely a ruse and that you are up some secret stair to His Lordship’s bed – tho’ there also those that suppose that 'tis not His Lordship’s bed but that of the ravishing Mr MacD-.

I laugh and say indeed, this does not astonish me: but so long as 'tis all speculation, what care I? But my dear, I have a few commissions for you as my intelligencer -

Some of the matters she can answer at once, others, she says that she can be about discovering.

Excellent good news! And another thing – I go about to hold a soirée, sure 'tis quite some while since I have done so. Now, I feel I am oblig’d to invite the Graf von M-, from the Bavarian Embassy, that I am sure Mr N- would find many matters to converse upon with –

Oh, indeed, is there not some matter of a constitution?

Somewhat of the kind, I apprehend. So I would intend to bring them together; do you be my confederate in the matter.

Indeed, my dear, I take that you have some contrivance upon hand that this will be material to?

O, most entirely, says I (for is the Graf entrappt by Mr N- he will have little opportunity to talk to anyone else. I have another contrivance on hand for Mr W- Y-, I confide.)

In the afternoon I go ride in the Park upon my dear good Jezzie-girl.

When I return home I am back at my desk about a deal of business: but I feel that I am getting matters under my hand again, even tho’ there are so many new prospects coming that will sure provide me with yet more things to be about and contrivances to make.