The Three Crowns: The Story of William a - By Jean Plaidy Page 0,45

talked on and on—and still he did not come.

“His Grace is late,” said Anna.

“Perhaps we should leave you,” suggested one of the others.

Mary Beatrice nodded. “Yes, leave me. He will be here soon.”

So they left her and she lay shivering in the darkness waiting for the sounds of his arrival.

They did not come.

For an hour she lay, expectant; and finally she slept. When she awakened in the morning, she knew that he had not shared her bed all night.

She sat up, stretched her arms above her head, smiled and hugged herself.

If all nights were as the last one would she enjoy living at her brother-in-law’s Court? The gowns one wore were exciting; so was the dancing; she did not greatly care for the card playing but she need not indulge in that too much. She was one of the most important ladies of the Court and the King made sure that everyone realized this.

How strange this was! Her mother had left her; she was alone in a foreign land; yet, when she was free of the need to do her duty as a wife, she was less unhappy than she had believed possible.

The next night she waited and he did not come; and during the following day she knew why.

It was Anna who told her, Anna who loved her so much that she shared her unhappiness to a great degree and knew her mistress’s mind as few others did.

“He spends his nights with his mistress. I do not think you will often be worried by him. This woman was his mistress before the marriage and I have heard that he is devoted to her.”

“His mistress!” cried Mary Beatrice. “But he has a wife now.”

“But the marriage was for state reasons. He will continue with his mistresses. He is like his brother.”

“I see,” said Mary Beatrice blankly.

“I do not think you will be greatly troubled with him in future.”

“I shall tell him that it does not please me that he should continue with this woman.”

Anna opened her eyes wide. “But do you not see? While he is with her, you are free of him.”

“Yes, yes,” said Mary Beatrice. “That is a matter for which I must be grateful.”

“Well, if you want to be rid of him, who better to take him from your bed than a mistress?”

“You are right, of course,” replied the young Duchess.

Night, and her attendants had left her. She was waiting for him, expectantly, angrily. It was five nights since he had been to her.

She did not believe she was pregnant. He had no reason to think so either. Yet he continued to spend his nights with his mistress.

It was humiliating. She, a Princess, to be left alone because he preferred another woman! She was his wife. He had pretended to be so pleased because she had crossed the seas to come to him; the Earl of Peterborough had wooed her urgently and tenaciously on his behalf in spite of her protests.

Now here she was—neglected on account of a mistress!

Was that his step outside the door? He was coming after all. She sat up in bed, clasped her arms about herself, apprehensive, terrified.

But it was not his step. She stared about her darkened room, and knew she was to be alone again.

She thought of him with that woman. What was the woman like? Beautiful she supposed. All mistresses were beautiful. Men went to them not for the sake of duty; it was all desire where a mistress was concerned. For the sake of such women, they left their wives … lonely.

Lonely. She was lonely!

She lay down and began to weep silently. Perhaps he would come and find her weeping. He would say: Do not be afraid. I’ll go away because that is what you wish.

He would be pleased to go because he preferred to be with his mistress than to do his duty with his wife. So it was duty?

Mary Beatrice’s eyes flashed angrily and she dealt her pillow a blow with a clenched fist.

Then suddenly she put her face on her pillow and gave way to her sobs.

A realization which bewildered her had come into her mind.

She wanted James.

THE PASSIONATE FRIENDSHIP

The girls made a pleasant picture walking in Richmond Park; four of them were arm in arm—the special friends: the Princesses Mary and Anne with Anne Trelawny and Sarah Jennings. Sarah was such good company and the Princess Anne kept screaming with laughter at her comments.

Behind were two of the Villiers sisters—Elizabeth and Katherine—outside the magic circle