Free The Spider's Touch by Patricia Wynn

she had spoken of the army just to frighten her more. She seemed firmly convinced that the English were about to rise, and that their intention would be to relieve both the King and herself of their heads.
    “Jawohl!” Happily for Hester, Madame Schulenberg grasped at these words of comfort. “De King vill make wery sure of de army. He knows how to command. He iss a wery great general, and he vill never keep traitors about him. Dey vill see dat he iss not to be fooled.”
    The notion of the army and his Majesty’s military expertise seemed to calm her, enough that she appeared conscious of having uttered an indiscretion. She gave them her most distant smile, and Hester sensed that the intimacy they had reached was at an end.
    “I tell you dis,” Madame Schulenberg said coyly, “because I know dat you luff his Majesty. Lord Hawkhurst and his Countess could only vish him vell. Und perhaps dere is a tiny favour you vould like to ask off him, yes?”
    Isabella was about to deny any such motive. But, mindful of her aunt’s instructions, Hester hastily exclaimed, “How very kind of you to ask, my lady! Perhaps, you have heard that Lady Hawkhurst’s brother, Mr. Dudley Mayfield, has come into town. I know that he would be very glad for a place in his Majesty’s household ... if one could be found?”
    Instantly Madame Schulenberg’s manner underwent a subtle change. Her smile took on a keener shape. “A place vit his Majesty? Vat talents does dis gentleman possess? If he is de broder of Madame Hawkhurst, I do not doubt he hass wery many.”
    Hester was completely unprepared to answer this question, not being aware that any talent was required for a royal sinecure, and not having the slightest notion of any that Dudley had.
    It fell to Isabella to supply them, which she did ingenuously. “My brother is very fond of playing at cards, and he shoots and is good with a horse.”
    A delicate frown marred the Maypole’s brow. “I do not tink his Majesty iss in need off any more gentlemen in his schtable, and ve vould haf to ask Herr Von Kielmansegge, who might decide to be disagreeable. But—” the cloud vanished— “perhaps von of de young princesses vill haf him. I shall be happy to inquire.”
    Hester was amazed at how simply the chore she had dreaded had been accomplished. She was grateful to Madame Schulenberg for offering her assistance, which had spared Hester from raising the awkward topic herself. She even felt ashamed for suspecting the lady of mercenary motives.
     Until they began to take their leave, when their hostess mentioned that she had been longing for another lady to keep her company when the King was away. Her niece would be able to fill the post, if only she had the funds to employ her. Two thousand guineas would be required, but she did not dare ask his Majesty for the money. He had been more than generous to her already, and in view of the recent disturbances, she would not care to worry him for something the English people might not believe she deserved.
    In the end, Hester was forced to tell her that she would mention the matter of her niece to Lord Hawkhurst, who, she felt almost certain, would be honoured to assist in any wish from such a devoted friend of the King.
     

Chapter Four
     
    Wits, just like Fools, at war about a name,
    Have full as oft no meaning, or the same.
    Self-love and Reason to one end aspire,
    Pain their aversion, Pleasure their desire;
    But greedy That, its object would devour,
    This taste the honey, and not wound the flower:
    Pleasure, or wrong or rightly understood,
    Our greatest evil, or our greatest good.
    II. ii.
     
    At the end of May, one month after the riots on the Duke of Ormonde’s birthday and only a week after the incident with the Foot-Guards, Harrowby, Isabella, Mrs. Mayfield, and Hester rode to St. James’s Palace in the gilded Hawkhurst coach with the family crest upon the doors. Four perfectly matched bays pulled it through the gates of Hawkhurst