Free Exit Lady Masham by Louis Auchincloss Page A

your cousin Sarah, who rescued you from penury and an early grave, learn that you have taken a husband by reading of the Queen's gift?"
    "I crave your pardon, Cousin. I wanted you to be the first to know..."
    "And not the last, miss!"
    "I wanted you to be the first, but I lacked the courage to intrude my little news on the attention of one who must bear the world on her shoulders. And when the deed was done, I was so terrified at not having told you, I resolved to keep it a secret!"
    The Duchess appeared to consider my excuse. For a moment I almost hoped that she would accept it. But this hope blew away with her next response.
    "Surely you know me better than that. Have you ever seen me neglect the least of my duties because of greater responsibilities?"
    "I dared not think that I was one of your duties, Duchess."
    "You are my kin. Did you think I might disapprove your choice?"
    "I thought it possible."
    "It was more than possible. I
do
disapprove it. Very much. Was Masham a man to wed the cousin of Lord Marlborough's wife?"
    "I hadn't presumed so to think of myself."
    "Well, you may be sure Masham had!" The Duchess's laugh was half snort, half cackle. "You may be sure he saw the Captain-General behind the red nose of the bedchamberwoman!"
    I flushed. Even from her I had not been prepared for such rudeness. "Mr. Masham is a worthy man," I murmured.
    "A worthy man to smirk at the Prince's jokes. And to skip to open a door for his betters!"
    "Cousin, you are severe!"
    "Do you think I don't know the man? You've picked an ass!"
    I had to take a deep breath to guard my temper. "It was not in my sphere to look higher. Mr. Masham is all I want."
    "Well, even if your aim is as lowly as you say, I'm surprised that
his
is. What made him take you so poor? Are you pregnant?"
    "And if I were," I retorted, frankly angry now, "how would that have aided me? Had I a father to protect my honor and march a man to the altar? Had I anyone but a cousin who insults and reviles me?"
    "You had your bully of a brother Jack. He's quick enough to quarrel. I don't suppose your gallant would have relished that. Masham's sword, I daresay, is more for show than use."
    It was now that I made my mistake. It was not like me to be indiscreet, but, really, her arrogance was more than flesh and blood could bear! That she, married to the greatest soldier in Europe, should jeer at my husband's courage! Were
no
insects too small for her treading heels?
    "Do you really think, Duchess," I demanded in a cooler tone, "that if mine had been the forced match you suppose, the Queen would have honored us with her presence?"
    Well, if I was an insect, at least I had stung! Sarah made no effort to conceal her astonishment. "The Queen was there? The Queen went to your wedding!"
    "There were only six persons present. It was at Dr. Arbuthnot's apartments at Saint James's."
    "And the Queen went without letting me know! Are you trying to tell me, Mistress Masham, that you have supplanted me in Her Majesty's affections?"
    In my embarrassment and confusion I failed to sense the heavy sarcasm of her tone. "Oh, I'm sure Her Majesty will always be kind to you!" I exclaimed.
    "Kind to me!" The Duchess rose, dark of countenance. For a few moments she seemed actually unable to speak.
    "Get out of this chamber!" she shouted at last, and I fled before the tempest.

8
    A
week later I was seated by the Queen in her drawing room at Hampton Court. Her armchair had been pulled up before the bay window so that she had a full view of the great fountain, which was in full play. Never had I been more conscious of the contrast between the monarch and the woman. My poor mistress was having bad twinges of gout. One of her feet rested on a footstool, tied up in a poultice, and she clasped a dirty damp bandage in her right hand. Her robe was loose and stained in front from saliva that she had just coughed up, and her face was red and mottled. It was almost impossible to keep her clean. But on the ceiling,