Garlands of Gold (30 page)

He made some attempt to wrap her purchases individually, but the paper he found was filthy and so instead she laid each purchase carefully in her basket and covered them with the cloth . . .

‘Call in again from time to time, madam,’ he invited. ‘I get pretty things brought into me now and again from folk in urgent need of money.’

‘I will do that,’ she said.

They bade each other good day and then she left. Outside it was snowing slightly. It was now late morning and she was eager to get home with her purchases. Joe was waiting for her, but as they were not far from
La Belle Sauvage
she decided to call first on Elizabeth, whose time was drawing near for the birth of a second child.

The warmth of the inn was welcome after the cold outside. Saskia found her friend in the early stages of labour, but not yet ready for bed.

‘A message has been sent to Grinling,’ Elizabeth said, her cheeks very flushed as she paced up and down, finding it impossible to sit comfortably. ‘I do hope he can get home in time, but Robert said it is at least a five-hour ride away.’

‘Robert was here?’ Saskia questioned in surprise.

Elizabeth paused in her pacing with a little grimace as she experienced another wave of pain. ‘Yes. About half an hour ago. He expected Grinling to have arrived and came to bring us the good news that Master Wren has given him a special assignment. Isn’t it wonderful! Now we are hoping that Grinling will have the same good fortune one day.’

Saskia felt a curious pang that she had not been the first to be told the good news. Then she reminded herself that there was no longer any unity between Robert and her to make him want to bring word to her before anyone else.

Later at home when she had washed her purchases she placed them in the glass-fronted cupboard in the music room with those she had already collected. All the time she was listening for Robert’s return, wanting to congratulate him and to hear what assignment had been given to him.

He did not come home and she dined alone. It was four o’clock next morning when she heard him kicking snow off his boots before entering the house. His unsteady tread on the stairs was a clear indication that he had been drinking and he crashed open the door of his bedchamber as he entered. Then his great bed creaked as he threw himself across it and afterwards there was no further sound.

Surprisingly he joined her for breakfast, although he came late when she had almost finished. She had heard the servants taking cans of hot water for his bath, but thought the effect of the drink he had consumed during the night hours would have kept him in bed much longer. He looked strained and pale, which indicated that he had a severe headache, but he nodded appreciatively when she congratulated him on winning an assignment from Master Wren.

‘It’s beyond anything I expected,’ he answered almost in awe. ‘I am to be one of his team in building the new cathedral!’

‘Again I congratulate you, Robert!’ she exclaimed with delight. ‘What an honour!’

He sat back in his chair. ‘There is only one snag. It is that nobody knows, not even Master Wren himself, when the building will commence. So far no date has been fixed, the reason being that the King has rejected two of Master Wren’s designs. It seems that the clergy are clinging to old-fashioned ideas instead of accepting Master Wren’s new and exciting plans. They want the cathedral to be rebuilt much as it was before. Unfortunately it appears that they are influencing the King towards their way of thinking.’

‘But he also rejected Master Wren’s plans for the vast area destroyed by the Great Fire. Why was that?’

‘My guess is that the King lacked control of the necessary funds, because he is not a man without foresight. Instead of the wide avenues and fine open plazas that Wren visualized for London, the rebuilding is taking place mostly along the same old routes as before. Worst of all, rogue builders are taking greater advantage all the time and a deal of bad housing is going up. Only last week another new house collapsed through poor foundations and I fully expect that state of affairs to go on happening in the years ahead. Fortunately so far nobody has been killed, although there have been casualties.’

‘I remember that was your concern a while ago. So what shall your tasks be until the rebuilding of St Paul’s commences?’

‘Today I’m going with him to look over some sites where the burned-out churches are to be rebuilt. He wants to hear any suggestions I have to offer, but the final decision will always be his.’

‘So you have an interesting time ahead of you.’

‘Indeed I do.’ He glanced at the clock and pushed back his chair. ‘I must go. I’m meeting Master Wren at the ruins of St James’ Church just off Piccadilly.’

As he made for the door she half rose from her chair. ‘Robert! Please tell me about your day when you come home this evening.’

He paused, raising an eyebrow in surprise at her request. ‘Yes, Saskia. I’ll do that.’

She sank back in her chair and after a few minutes she heard the front door close after him. Since they had to live together she must at least share his life and his interests as much as possible.

Later that morning a messenger brought the news that Elizabeth had given birth to a daughter. Saskia was mixing a dye at the time, but she stopped work to let Joan continue with the mixing while she wrote a congratulatory note to send back to her friend by the messenger.

As she returned to her work her thoughts drifted. When she was growing up in Holland she had always supposed she would marry a fellow countryman and have lots of children. Being an only child had probably made her long for a family more than most girls of her age, for she had envied her friends with brothers and sisters. She had also deeply missed having a father, aware to this day of a gap in her life. Once, after her mother had inadvertently revealed the location of her father’s house on the far side of the city, she had gone to look at it. She had stayed long enough to see three of her half-sisters come out to play with a ball along the street. One had the same colour hair as her own. Once the ball had bounced to her feet and she had picked it up to throw it back to them. Later she had seen two of her half-brothers come home from school. Both were tall and fair. Neither of them had looked in her direction. When they had entered the house she turned away, wishing that she could have spoken to them.

She had never lost hope for a family of her own one day until Robert had played that devastating trick on her. Now that dream had to be put aside with others that had faded away with time.

That evening Robert clearly took pleasure in relating to her all he had done and she was caught up in his enthusiasm and examined with interest some sketches and plans that he had brought home with him. Yet she could see that his mind was not really focused on her. It was clear that he would have gained the same satisfaction in relating everything to a perfect stranger. She felt a chill descend on her. Was it an early sign that his love for her was fading? She could scarcely blame him if it was, for she had done nothing to sustain it.

They settled to a routine whereby they each dealt individually with the events of their working days. She continued to hold her weekly consultancies and the clients that had placed regular orders did not always continue attending, for their cosmetics were delivered by Joe in the smart little carriage, but wearing a green livery. His white attire had served its purpose, but had not been practical wear. Yet the chairs on a Wednesday afternoon were never empty as new clients came out of curiosity or through recommendation. Her success continued to grow.

Twenty

O
nce again Saskia went to congratulate Elizabeth on the birth of a fine baby and was delighted that she was asked to be godmother. The choice of names had been left to her, but between them they had decided on Alice.

‘She is like a beautiful rose,’ Saskia declared, looking down into the face of her godchild, whom she held in her arms.

‘I think I’m going to have a whole garden of roses before my childbearing days are over,’ Elizabeth replied, laughing. ‘In the days of my innocence I had never supposed that babies could be conceived so quickly. In fact, like most girls, I did not know how they were conceived at all! I thought it happened through kissing and that was why girls had to be chaperoned!’

‘I was aware early on in my life as to what was entailed,’ Saskia said, amused. ‘My mother was very plain speaking and full of warnings as to what could happen to me if I did not keep young men at bay.’

Elizabeth had suddenly pressed her fingertips to her lips in self-reproach. ‘I’m sorry, Saskia. I spoke thoughtlessly about my babies when you have yet to conceive. I’m sure you will find yourself with child before long.’

Saskia spoke lightly as she returned the sleeping baby to the crib. ‘I have your two dear children to love in the meantime.’

It was the truth. She enjoyed playing with little James and now there was his sister to bring pleasure into her life, easing the craving in her for a child of her own. As agreed from the start she and Robert were leading their own lives, although they accepted all invitations that came to them jointly and were socially much in demand. They entertained lavishly, saw all the new plays and attended balls, card parties and soirées. She guessed that Robert had a mistress, but preferred not to think about it, uncertain as to why she should find it painful. She told herself it was from resentment that somewhere another woman thought her too dull to keep such a handsome man faithful to her.

Her relationship with him was not easy. There were times when they laughed together, but others when the strain between them was intense and they quarrelled heatedly. Then she was almost afraid of him, for he looked at her so passionately. Yet never once had he tried the handle of the communicating double doors between their two rooms. She decided that for his sake and her own she would have to return to Holland as soon as the war ended. She was certain he would give his consent now when their marriage was proving to be so difficult for them both.

He had kissed her on occasions. Usually it was when they were on exceptionally good terms. Then he would take her by the shoulders and kiss her on the brow, but never on the lips. She believed he did not trust himself to put his mouth to hers, for she was well aware that his desire for her had not waned.

Her collection of little treasures had now reached the figure of one hundred and twenty. On her natal day and at Christmas time Robert had given her something that she could add to it, each being new and of beautiful French porcelain. She had one cracked little pot in her collection that could never be used, but it was of blue Delft just like one she had had in the original collection and when she had seen it languishing on a market stall she had bought it immediately.

It was an evening in early summer when Saskia decided to broach the subject of a return to Holland. Robert had gone out into the garden to see what the gardener had done that day, for he was extremely interested in plants and new ones were being introduced into the country from far away places all the time. She found him strolling along a path and increased her pace to catch up with him. He turned to her with a smile.

‘You’ve come to enjoy the evening air with me. Good.’

‘Yes, but I also want to discuss a very serious matter with you.’

‘What is it?’

‘It is about our relationship. You have to admit that it is quite impossible at times. We would be much better apart and I’m sure after the difficult months we have shared you feel differently now about my original request to go home to Holland. This war will not last for ever. I’m looking ahead to when peace is restored and I could safely return without causing any gossip. Nobody would be surprised that I should wish to go home and see how friends have fared during the conflict. You are so firmly established with Master Wren now that when I fail to come back again you would not be blamed for my apparent desertion. You can also query the legality of our Fleet marriage, because I believe that can be done under certain circumstances and then you would be a free man again.’

He must have been expecting such an approach from her, for all the time she had been speaking he had shown no surprise.

‘Yes,’ he replied evenly. ‘You can go back to Holland whenever it is safe for you to travel, but on one condition. In return I’ll raise no objection to your departure. Previously when you asked me to let you go I was against it, because I wanted to give our marriage a chance to survive. Unfortunately it has proved to be a pathetic sham.’

‘I regret that too, but I never deceived you. From the start you knew I loved somebody else, even though his love was directed elsewhere.’

He gave a nod. ‘So how soon after we have news of a peaceful settlement would you expect to depart?’

‘I have to wind up my business first. What is the condition that you mentioned?’

‘That you share my bed before your departure.’

She gasped in angry astonishment at his demand, withdrawing a step from him. ‘That would be breaking our agreement!’

‘Just as you intend to break it by leaving me!’ he gave back bitterly. ‘So make up your mind. Meet my terms or stay as we are in this wretched relationship.’

She felt overwhelmed. ‘Do you hate me for it, Robert?’

His gaze was incredulous. ‘Hate you? No! I pity you for throwing away the good life we could have had together.’