There is concern over little Lord S-

[the_comfortable_courtesan]

I think Williams must have put out a good word for me among the household at M- House, that I am doing exactly what the late Duchess would have desir’d, for sure all treat me very civilly, something I was in considerable concern about. I always behave towards them with propriety and courtesy, and offer the occasional compliment. I am greatly afear’d that one or other will feel it remunerative to convey some intelligence about what goes forth to the merchants of scurrility in Holywell Street.

I visit almost daily at present, for Biffle is still in very poor case. He can manage a little business but it tires him quite extremely and altho’ I can provide consolation to him, I am no substitute for his late helpmeet about the matters they were concern’d over.

I worry about the child. Sure I daresay I would never find any baby to match my adorable Flora, but the little Lord S- appears poorly and fretfull, so unlike her sweet amiability. There is a nursemaid that feeds him by hand but I am not persuad’d that this is the most answerable course.

It is quite an encouraging thing to hear rais’d voices as I am shown to His Grace’s private parlour: for this signifies that Biffle is in a condition to quarrel with Lady J- rather than accede to her demands upon him or else silently ignore them, which has so far been the case.

The matter appears to be about the child and the advisability of employing a wet-nurse. One can hear from the corridor that Lady J- is entirely hostile to the notion on the grounds that one that goes out a wet-nurse will almost certainly be a fallen woman.

As I enter the room there is a silence and I see them standing at opposite sides of the room both looking very angry.

I make my curtesy and ask should I return at some more propitious hour. No, come in, says Biffle very decisive, we are merely discussing the matter of hiring a wet-nurse for the child, who does not thrive on hand-feeding. Lady J- begins to say something about the low moral character of the kind of woman &C.

Pray, I say, with a polite smile, do not insult my own dear dead mamma. Oh, she did not go out as a nurse, for she had a good trade as theatre dresser – stage folks are not perhaps so particular in these matters and she was extreme good at her work – but she was not wed when she bore me, tho’ later made a respectable marriage to one of the stage-carpenters.

Indeed, I go on, most women that find themselves with child of a bastard are not ones that follow my pursuit. They are most often quite respectable young women that have been taken advantage of - deceiv’d and desert’d by some bad fellow or even ravisht against their will. To employ one as a wet-nurse is a means of preventing her falling into w----dom.

Lady J- looks at me for a long while. Biffle takes hold of my hand.

Lady J- then says she had always suppos’d, from the excellence of my manners, that I was the daughter of a gentleman that had fallen upon hard times. Indeed not, say I. But on this matter of the child –

Why, asks Biffle, do you not consult Mrs F-? You have often spoken of her great experience in bearing and rearing a fine family, and I know my dearest Kitty found her full of the most admirable wisdom. Indeed I was quite astonisht that you did not invite her here for the occasion.

Mrs F-, says Lady J- after a long silence in which I see her wrestling with a good deal of perturbation, presumably as to whether she should mention her late coolness concerning the F-s, has a young infant of her own and is surely not in any state to rush around making visits.

So she does, says Biffle, I had quite forgot.

It would be really most improper of me to urge them to invite my dearest at once, even if I am really entirely sure that she could solve most of their difficulties with her sage advice. (Also I quite long to see her myself.)

However, he continues, I daresay she is still able to pick up a pen and write should you desire the benefits of her experience. Will you not at least write to her about the matter?

Lady J-, tho’ such a commanding woman herself, has a great sense of what is due to the head of her house and I can see her take this as an order. I will go at once and do so, she says.

Once she has gone Biffle comes and rests his head in my lap. I stroke his hair. He murmurs that he cannot help thinking badly of himself that he can be so overmaster’d by carnal desire for me when his belov’d Kitty is scarcely cold, &C.

You must think of it, my dear, as medicinal (for I am quite sure that I entirely fulfill her intentions, to drag him back to life). You must take me as one does the waters, for your good. (Though perchance I am more like laudanum, that dulls the pain.)

Sure I am quite exhaust’d by the time the carriage conveys me home.

But I am much enliven’d by the discovery that Seraphine, Roberts and Julius are visiting and taking tea in the kitchen, and I go belowstairs at once to greet them.

They are all looking most exceeding well and full of praise for their new place. Seraphine has had a little trouble with the kitchen staff at A- but they have been brought into a better frame of mind by now and no longer tell her all the time how M. Duval us’d to do things. Roberts has great plans for the grounds, which had been quite sadly neglect’d. There is a steward that is somewhat old-fashion’d in his ways and will lament the old days of Lord G- R-'s father, but has been given his instructions to undertake all they require.

Also, says Roberts, they find a very congenial congregation at the local chapel, altho’ he has not yet ventur’d upon preaching there.

I am pleas’d to hear that they are doing so well. Julius demonstrates his walking and all remark at how he thrives.

I am so glad to be back in my own house among my own people. For while I am well-treated at M- House, I cannot rid myself of the feeling that I should not be there, that it is not my place, that I am one that treads upon enemy ground. I cannot suppose that Lady J- is happy about the situation, altho’ she submits to the necessity if she is to have a living brother that does not have to be dispatcht to the fine madhouse in Sussex that Mr H- so cries up. It would be like to cause far more open scandal did he come to me. But I confide that she resents this position.

Comments

[clanwilliam]

Will it be better or worse that Lady J- knows Madame C-'s background? Poor Biffle, and writing to Mrs F- is an excellent idea.

Also, poor Madame C-, but I am so pleased she has her people around her and they are supporting her. And so pleased that Roberts and Seraphine came to visit.

[kore]

That is just the best icon.

I suspect Lady J may be struggling with the "When is a door not a door" thing, i.e. "All x are y but I know this x and they are not y...." Which I don't mean to make light of, it's how people get over preconceptions, but of course I'm a bit indignant on Mme C's behalf.

[kore]

OH LADY J. And it's not even that she's a bad person, because she clearly isn't, she just has all the prejudices of her age, and they just pop out, and if she didn't know Mme C personally they'd probably go unchallenged -- just like the rest of us about various things, I suppose. Maybe someone will request them for Yuletide

I don't like Mme C worrying about that baby, she has a v sharp eye and if it doesn't get a wet nurse soon....

[clanwilliam]

How old is Flora now? She may be old enough that they can send down her wet nurse, who I hope knows to keep her mouth shut, otherwise the cat is definitely out of the bag.

[nenya_kanadka]

Julius demonstrates his walking

That made me smile, in the midst of all the sadness.

Mrs F- is indeed a good resource for them. And I continue intrigued at the prickly relationship between Lady J- and Mme C-.