‘I don’t want to go just yet. Please don’t make me.’
Arthur looked at her in silence. Inside he was struggling to contain a growing sense of irritation. At the same time he did not want to hurt her and the tension between the two impulses only made the situation even more intolerable. He took her hand and guided her gently but firmly back towards the cab, where she climbed in and took her seat with a show of reluctance. Arthur closed the door on her and stepped back.
‘Goodbye, Kitty. I will see you in London, my love.’
‘Goodbye, dear Arthur.’ She raised a hand and waved it weakly.
Before she could speak again Arthur nodded to the driver. ‘Take her straight back to my brother’s house.’
‘Yes, sir.’
At a crack of his whip the horse broke into a trot and the cab began to move away. Kitty’s face appeared at the window and she waved her hand as the cab drew off. Once she was no longer visible Arthur drew a deep breath and puffed his cheeks in relief, but he had the good grace to wait until the cab turned up a street and disappeared, with one last frantic wave from the occupant, before he turned to climb the gangway on to the deck of the Ardent. A fresh breeze was blowing up the river Liffey and Arthur paused to fill his lungs and relish the sense of freedom.
Five days later he was back in London. Arthur quickly hired some rooms for himself and arranged to meet his brothers to discuss their strategy for dealing with the accusations being made against Richard, and by extension the rest of the family. Richard was still claiming to be ill, but his scandalous disregard for the opinion of his social peers meant that he openly consorted with courtesans, with little regard for the effect this had on his wife, Hyacinthe, and their children: a state of affairs that was prejudicing more and more of the non-committed amongst the members of Parliament, not to mention provoking the wrath of those who owned the newspapers that seemed to fill every coffee shop and club in the city. But try as he might Arthur could not shift his brother from his course and matters came to a head one Sunday towards the end of April when Arthur paid a visit to Richard’s home in Chelsea.
The servant showed him into the drawing room, and Arthur picked his way over the toys and dolls that lay scattered about the floor. He took a seat by the window that overlooked the street and waited. After quarter of an hour had passed the door clicked open and Richard entered. He had not shaved for some days and his thin jaw was dark with stubble. His hair was roughly tied back with a ribbon and he wore a silk gown of the type favoured by Indian nabobs. He greeted his guest with a tired smile and stepped over the obstacles to join him at the window.
‘You look terrible,’ Arthur began.
‘I thank you. So kind of you to say so. How is married life, brother? Not that you can have enjoyed much of it as yet. I heard from William that you left Kitty in Dublin when you returned.’
‘She will be joining me soon enough.’
Richard looked at him with a sharp expression.‘Too soon, from your tone.’
‘I’m here to discuss yourproblems.’
‘Rather than your own?’ Richard sat back in his chair and winced. ‘Ahhh. Sorry, too much drink last night. I can’t cope with the consequences as well as I used to. Anyway, you mentioned problems.’
‘Richard, I have the seat for Rye, as you know, and will be taking my place in Parliament tomorrow. Naturally I will speak up for you.’ Arthur paused to ensure his next point was given its full impact. ‘The thing is, Richard, that your behaviour is not helping our cause.’
‘My behaviour?’
‘This flagrant cavorting around the capital with your latest mistress on your arm. Have you no sense of decorum?’
‘Decorum is for asses and hypocrites,’ Richard sneered. ‘I love the woman, and I don’t care who knows it. We are exceedingly happy together. How many men of our class can say that?’
‘That’s all very well, but you cannot ignore the impression it is creating on other people. They regard it as a scandal, Richard. And as long as they do, there is no hope of your achieving the high office you deserve, and no hope of Britain’s benefiting from your talents.’
Richard chuckled. ‘Quite the patriot, aren’t you, brother? Perhaps I am not quite so public-spirited as you think.’
‘I know you, Richard. I know that you gave several years of your life to promoting the fortunes of our country in India.And I know that you feel aggrieved over the scant recognition of your achievements that has been accorded to you by the people here in Britain. It is most unjust, I grant you that. But squatting here in your self-pity and indulging yourself in outraging public morals is a self-defeating form of revenge, I’d say. Richard, you cannot continue like this, for all our sakes.’
Arthur fell silent and stared at his brother earnestly for any sign that his words had had their intended effect. Richard sighed and stared out of the window. At length he shrugged, then coughed to clear his throat and winced at a sudden pain in his head.
‘Look here,Arthur, I appreciate your concern. But there is little I can do about it now.’
‘Rubbish!’ Arthur snapped back. ‘There is everything. Sober up. Smarten up. Go back into Parliament and defend yourself and your policies. If you can’t stop whoring around then at least attempt to keep your private life private, and for God’s sake start cultivating a following amongst the newspaper editors here in London.’
‘Newspaper editors?’ Richard frowned. ‘Why should I want to associate with such vermin?’
‘Because they influence public opinion.’ Arthur spoke patiently.‘And public opinion influences those in government. You might try to be seen in public with Hyacinthe more often and give the impression of being a dutiful husband.’
‘What is the point?’ Richard asked wearily. ‘My enemies mean to destroy me. I hear that votes of censure are being planned in the Lords and the Commons. Of course I will try to defend myself, but you know how slowly these things progress, Arthur. It will be years before my name can be cleared, if it ever is. I will have to employ lawyers to defend me, and they are sure to bleed me dry in the process. So you can see why I feel little desire to play along with public opinion, or deny myself what few pleasures life affords me. I am not the only man in London who indulges his physical needs outside marriage.’
‘True,’ Arthur conceded, ‘but you are one of the few who elevates it to the level of popular spectacle. It has to stop, Richard. For your own good.’
‘For the good of the family,’ Richard countered mockingly.
‘Yes, that is true. Britain has need of us as never before. We have proved what we can do in India. Think what we could do for Britain with you in government and I on the battlefield. Our country needs us, and if we serve her to the fullest extent of our abilities, then people a hundred years from now will honour the name of Wellesley.’