Abigail's Cousin Read Online Free PDF Page B

himself."
    In order to dispel her cousin's gloomy
mood, Abigail changed the subject: "Brother Jack is very grateful
that you were able to find a place for him in the Duke of
Gloucester's household. He'll be very sorry to leave the prince's family,
naturally." She paused reflectively then added:
    “It seems he
liked everybody, I mean all the servants in the family, apart from
one person."
    Sarah had got
bored, as she was wont to do when the talk was of servants and
their doings, yet her cousin's last remark invoked her opprobrium
and she thought, the impudence of the man, with his likes and
dislikes; who do these Hills think they are! Yet she refrained from
voicing her thoughts not wishing to hurt her cousin's feelings. She
simply commented acidly:
    "And who might
that be?" getting the reply of Samuel Masham, whereupon she sat
upright retorting: "I confess to harbouring some distaste for your
brother's views until this moment. Did he say why?"
    "It seems
mister Masham is wont to accuse my Jack of not being a gentleman,
like himself."
    All sorts of thoughts inhabited Sarah's
mind upon hearing that reply, and Abigail wondered, seeing her
cousin's cheeks reddening whether it was through anger over the
implied rebuke for placing Jack in Prince George's household or
whether she blushed on remembering her own upbringing.
    Naturally
Abigail was reticent and Sarah also being silent there reigned an
uneasy quiet broken by the hatch suddenly being opened and Tom,
appearing and saying:
    "Begging your pardon, ma'am, that spire
over on the right be St Mary's church atop Harrow on the Hill. See
that milestone. It says eight mile to London. Turnpike be our next
stop. And then non-stop
to London."
     
    -------------------------------------------------
     
    Tom brought
the carriage to a halt on the approach to the portico entrance of
St James Palace from which a uniformed servant emerged even before
the carriage had stopped opening the door and unfixing the hinged
steps which was the signal for Lady Marlborough to arise from her
seat and alight accepting the servant's gloved hand. She graciously
waited the few moments for her cousin to join her and both upon the
servant's invitation proceeded through the portico into the covered
walkway leading to the main building entrance.
    As they walked between the parallel rows
of Doric columns, they
were passed by servants who, according to gender, curtsied or bowed
to Sarah but completely ignored Abigail who did not mind in the
slightest. At the end of the walkway, an individual greeted both
ladies with exaggerated deference which took her ladyship by
surprise dressed as he was in an enormous red coat with epaulettes
on both shoulders, the coat reaching down to his knees, his
breeches were of cream silk and he wore shining black shoes with
gleaming buckles, completing his ensemble. His affectatious salute
brought both ladies attention to his peculiar headwear which had a
very wide peak and, with the high collar of the coat, his face was
hardly to be seen. It reminded Abigail of the flunkeys who graced
the hallways of fairy tale castles. Sarah, on the other hand, made
a mental note to ask the princess about the new uniform.
    His greeting
also seemed a little extravagant: "Good morrow unto madam la
duchesse; and, to your dear lady companion. Pray permit me to
direct the ladies to their destination." Sarah was short with him
showing him the princess's seal upon her letter of invitation to
which he gave but a cursory glance asking both ladies to follow him
along passageways turning to right and left until Sarah arrived at
the door she recognised from previous visits thanking him upon
which he executed a military turn and disappeared back to his
post.
    Her ladyship pointed out to her cousin a
device on a string which Abigail was to rub over one of the door
panels which had raised blisters. As she rubbed so the sound echoed
inside and before long, the door was opened and Sarah faced the
familiar form of Mrs