The Remarkable Life and Times of Eliza Rose (25 page)

Eliza thought for a moment. ‘What, then, if he were disguised?’

‘At a foot and a half taller than most men that could be difficult.’

‘Not so,’ Eliza said, picking up the script, ‘for I
began reading this last night, and there’s an ideal part for him.’

‘Really?’

Eliza nodded. ‘In the play, the courtesan –’

‘Who’s very beautiful and talented, I’m sure!’

‘Of course,’ Eliza confirmed, and continued, ‘the courtesan is loved by a prince, but he’s just one of many men who seek her favours. She has promised to be true, however, and so he follows her around the country to make sure she stays faithful.’

‘Yes, but how –’

‘Well, he disguises himself as a dancing bear to do this, so that the courtesan won’t know he’s spying on her!’

Nell began laughing. ‘A prince disguised as a dancing bear – an excellent part for the king to play. But ’tis a pity that a bear can’t speak, for the king will have no lines to say.’

Eliza smiled. ‘He will, for the bear speaks to the audience when there’s no one else about. He tells the audience, in rhyme, that he intends to follow the courtesan and see if she’s faithful.’

‘And then what happens?’

‘One of his rivals in love, finding out that Brown Bear’s costume conceals his enemy, takes a gun and pretends to shoot him. The play continues with the bear limping around wounded, and goes through plots and counter-plots until at the final curtain the bear reveals himself as the prince. ’Tis very funny.’

Nell clapped her hands. ‘Perfect!’ she said. ‘I’ll tell the king about it tonight.’

The next morning, Eliza, arriving at the theatre early,
was surprised to find Jemima already there. Looking at her drooping shoulders, drawn face and lank hair, Eliza wondered guiltily if she should have tried harder to visit her or engaged her on an excursion to take the air, for in the three weeks since William’s birth she’d hardly seen the girl. She’d been so busy since Nell’s return to London that her concerns about Jemima, her wish to tell her of William’s real character, had been pushed to one side.

‘How are you, sweeting?’ she asked now, squeezing her friend’s hand.

A listless eye was turned on her. ‘Is there any news of William? How is my husband?’

Eliza, unprepared for this question or indeed for seeing Jemima at all, couldn’t think of what to say in reply and just bit her lip.

‘Is he back in London?’ Jemima asked, her voice rising. ‘Why hasn’t he visited me? Does he know of our child?’

Eliza patted her hand, trying to compose the words she knew would have to be said.

‘I must see him!’ Jemima said plaintively. ‘I must see him or die of heartbreak!’

Eliza would have deemed this an exaggeration with anyone else, but looking at Jemima’s sorry condition decided that this might be a distinct possibility. She searched her mind for ways to sound positive.

‘Are you eating well?’ she asked Jemima. ‘And have you planned when you’ll visit little William? Have you heard from Mrs Reynolds as to his welfare?’

Jemima shook her head miserably. ‘I haven’t seen my Williams. They are both lost to me! How can I care whether I eat or no?’ Her hand clutched at
Eliza’s. ‘But tell me truthfully, have
you
seen William? Does he know I’ve been confined?’

Eliza swallowed. ‘I haven’t seen him,’ she said, ‘but he does know of the child.’

‘Then why doesn’t he come to me?’ Tears began to drip down her cheeks. ‘Oh, I’m truly lost!’

‘He … he …’ Eliza stammered, then pulled Jemima on to a settle and sat down next to her. ‘Jemima,’ she said slowly, ‘’tis a sad and difficult thing I have to tell you, but you must be very brave and think of all you’ve gained from having known William. Your child, for instance. If you hadn’t known William then he wouldn’t have been born.’

Jemima looked at her with her brimming eyes. ‘What are you trying to say?’

‘I’m trying to say that William, the man you think of as your husband –’

‘The man I
think
of!’ Jemima said. ‘How dare you say such a thing? He’s truly my husband and you were there to sign as witness to it.’

Eliza took a deep breath. ‘The thing is,’ she began, taking her hand again and squeezing it, ‘Nell told me – and it was William himself who told her – that the marriage ceremony you went through was a sham. The minister who married you was but a false one.’

Jemima stared at her, but her expression showed little acknowledgement that she’d understood.

‘William went through the ceremony to try and persuade your father that he was in earnest, so your family would give up the fight for you. The reverend gentleman being false, however, the marriage vows you took have no veracity. They are meaningless. And then William found out that your father had virtually
disinherited you,’ Eliza went on gently, ‘and so all his efforts had been for nothing.’ Jemima did not react to any of this and it seemed to Eliza that she’d almost gone into a trance. ‘I’m sure he cared for you once, very deeply,’ she went on, ‘but he and those gentlemen who surround the king have a certain attitude towards women. They live for pleasure and to satisfy their needs and nothing else.’

‘No!’ Jemima said in a high, frightened voice. ‘William is not like that.’

Eliza knew that William was very much like that, but thought it best not to insist upon it. ‘All is not lost, Jemima,’ she said gently. ‘You must think to your child, now. Think of what is best for him. Perhaps … perhaps you could take him home to your family.’

‘My father would kill me!’ Jemima said. She stood up abruptly, pulling her hand away from Eliza’s. ‘Besides, you’re wrong. William
will
come for me. He’s promised to do so.’

‘But, Jemima –’

‘And then we’ll collect our child and go to the Americas together and live out the rest of our days! He promised me this and he won’t let me down. No one could be so cruel!’ Saying this she ran to the door of the tiring room and looked down the passage, as if she was expecting him to appear at any moment.

‘Jemima, please –’

‘If all you have to tell me are lies about William then I don’t wish to speak to you!’

‘Let us speak of other things, then.’

‘I don’t wish to speak to you at all!’ Jemima’s pallid face became so rigid and threatening that Eliza immediately took two steps backwards.

Perhaps Nell would know what to do, she thought. Perhaps Nell could persuade William to speak to Jemima – or at least urge him to acknowledge his son and pay for his future upkeep. It was, Eliza thought, a wretched and pitiful affair, with a girl driven half-mad and an unwanted child who might end up in the workhouse. Oh, pray God that such a thing should never happen to her!

Eliza sought Nell’s advice, and she managed to speak to William the following evening. He, though, as expected, showed a complete lack of concern for both Jemima and young William. Ascertaining Jemima’s real name and address from him, however, Nell gave these to Eliza who sent out for parchment and ink and, after several trial attempts, eventually wrote the following:

From the King’s Theatre, Drury Lane
.

To Sir Horace and Lady Rotherfield
,

My first wish is to apologise for my writing skill. Your daughter, who has been my dear friend these past months, has done much to improve my abilities, but I fear these are still somewhat lacking
.

However, I will come to the point. Your daughter, called Jemima by us, has been estranged from you for some time and was, I fear, seduced by a man who, although gentle-born, was no gentleman. He wickedly deceived Jemima and even went through a form of marriage ceremony with her, to which I was witness
.

Over three weeks ago, Jemima gave birth to a child, a healthy boy whom she named William. He is living with a wet nurse at some distance, which means that Jemima has little contact with him. She has also been completely abandoned by the man she thought loved her, for the marriage ceremony was just a fake
.

Sir and madam, Jemima does not know that I am appealing to you, but I beg you, if you can find it in your heart to forgive her, then take her back into your family. I fear for her very much if you do not, for she has neither the means nor the ability to survive in London, being a gentle creature who may be usurped by others. She is very frail in body and spirit and needs the stability of your household about her and, because she has been extremely ill-used, a mother’s tender care
.

Please forgive my boldness in writing to you. I can assure you that I do so only with Jemima’s best interests at heart, and remain, dear sir and madam, your faithful servant
,

Eliza Rose

Eliza read through her letter once more and then sealed it using Nell’s new brass seal and a stick of red wax. A mother’s tender care, she thought to herself … and tears of self-pity came into her eyes. She reproved herself, however, hurriedly threw a cloak around her shoulders and made her way towards the post agent without more ado. The sooner Jemima’s family received the letter, the better.

Chapter Twenty-Three

‘The king won’t come to the theatre to rehearse,’ Nell said to Eliza. ‘We must go there instead and put him through his lines.’

‘Go to the palace to rehearse?’ Eliza asked in awe.

‘Of course!’ Nell replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

They were in Nell’s little dressing room where she’d just had some costume fittings for the new play. Because, naturally, her size was going to increase due to her pregnancy, the wardrobe mistress had designed her outfits with a series of ingenious tucks and seams which could be let out. Now Nell slipped her arms into a white satin robe with ruffles down the front, wrapped it around herself and tied the belt.

Outside, a handbell rang six times. ‘Six of the clock and a fire in Eastcheap!’ a bellman cried, and both girls went silent for a moment, listening for more news, for everyone remained anxious about fire. ‘But flames all contained!’ he went on, and they both relaxed a little.

‘Could … could Jemima come once to the palace with us, do you think?’ Eliza asked.

Nell sighed.

‘I know,’ Eliza said. ‘I know she’s –’

‘Tiresome! And miserable and slovenly. I’m sure she
doesn’t wash from one week to the next.’ Nell patted her own immaculate ringlets. ‘Why, her hair looks like a squirrel’s lair.’

‘But she suffers from a melancholy and so has no interest in herself,’ Eliza said. ‘’Tis not her fault. It sometimes happens to a woman after she’s been brought to bed. And she has been
so
let down.’

‘She is such dismal company, though. The king loves me for my wit and my gaiety, Eliza! I couldn’t think of inflicting such a sad creature on him.’

Eliza shrugged. ‘I was just trying to think of something that might cheer her. Some excursion to give her more to think on.’

‘She certainly needs it,’ Nell said, ‘for she’s so thin and pale she puts one in mind of a spirit creature.’

‘I almost fear for her sanity,’ Eliza said. ‘I wrote to her father and mother five days ago. Surely they must have had the letter by now?’

‘Had the letter and torn it up, I shouldn’t wonder – for didn’t she say that her father was an ogre? But I have just thought of the very thing! Why don’t you take her out to Barnes to see little William?’

‘Oh, could we?’ said Eliza, delighted.

‘You may take the carriage and ride there and back in style. Surely
that
will improve her spirits.’

The excursion was planned for the end of the week, although Eliza, thinking about it later, had her doubts that even
that
would work: Jemima had been so dreadfully miserable lately that even talking about the baby brought on more tears. What else could they do for her, though?

The following day Nell and Eliza had an appointment
at the palace in order to acquaint the king with his new role in
The Prince and the Courtesan
. As few people as possible were going to be let into the secret beforehand, for the king wanted to invite the queen and the court to the theatre and only reveal at the final curtain who was playing the role of Brown Bear.

‘The king thinks it the most excellent charade ever devised,’ Nell said. ‘Everyone will be thrilled when they discover it’s he.’

Eliza wore an old outfit of Nell’s for the occasion of the visit: a gown of heavy scarlet brocade with a very full skirt and tiny glass buttons all down the bodice. Being taller than Nell, she’d attached a border of dark blue to the skirt hem in order to lengthen it and, her hair having now grown to below ear-length, Nell lent her some pretty red-enamelled hair combs to wear in it.

The new house being just a short distance from Whitehall, Nell said it was hardly worth getting the carriage out and they would go on foot. On leaving the house she regretted this, however, for the moment they closed the front door they were besieged by a great number of street vendors – news of Nell’s new fortune and address having moved through London’s underclass very quickly.

‘What d’ye lack, ladies? What d’ye lack?’ came from all round them, and then Eliza heard the shouted merits of merchandise of every description: shellfish, poultry, hot eels, rat poison, ballad sheets, flowers, pickled whelks, shirt buttons and matches. The delights of these goods being loudly and continuously shouted contributed to so great a hubbub that both girls had to put their hands over their ears. Their way
to the palace now being seriously impeded, Nell finally turned on the crowd and, putting her hands on her hips, gave vent to such foul language that it stopped the sellers in their tracks. Then, her lips twitching with the effort not to laugh, she took a handful of coins out of her pocket and threw them into the air.

As the crowd scrambled for the money, she took Eliza’s hand and together they ran across the cobbles for the safety of the palace.

‘Next time,’ she shouted to Eliza, ‘we’ll take the carriage!’