‘A gentleman to see you, Madam.’
‘A gentleman, Armistead.’ Her heart had begun to beat rapidly. She must calm herself. Could it be … Did royalty arrive in a sedan chair? Did it ask humbly to be admitted? She looked down at her hands and went on: ‘Is it someone I know, Armistead?’
‘Yes, Madam. The gentleman was here last night.’
She hoped she did not betray her disappointment to the watchful Armistead.
‘It is my Lord Maiden, Madam.’
Malden! The young nobleman with whom she had talked in the wings and who had so obviously expressed his admiration for her. He was at least a friend of the Prince of Wales.
‘Show him in, Armistead.’
Mrs Armistead bowed her head and retired to return in a few minutes and announce: ‘My Lord Maiden, Madam.’
Lord Maiden entered the room and it immediately seemed the smaller for his presence – so elegantly was he dressed. His ornamented coat was frogged with gold braid, his wig curled and perfectly powdered, his heels were lavender coloured to match his breeches. He was indeed a dandy.
His eyes were alight with admiration.
‘Your humble servant,’ he said, and kissed her hand.
‘Lord Maiden, it is good of you to call on me.’
‘Madam, it is angelic of you to receive me.’ He coughed a little as though slightly embarrassed. ‘I trust, Madam, that you will forgive … the intrusion. My er … my mission is one …’
He looked at her as though he were at a loss for words and she prompted coolly: ‘Pray proceed, my lord.’
‘It is a mission which I must needs accept … having no alternative, as I trust you will believe Madam.’
‘But of course I believe you.’
‘And pardon me, Madam.’
‘For what, pray?’
‘That is what I have to explain.’
‘You are intriguing me mightily, my lord. I shall begin to suspect you of I know not what if you do not tell me what mission has brought you here.’
He fumbled in the pocket of his coat and brought out a letter.
‘I was requested, Madam, to see that this was put into none but your own fair hands.’
She took it. ‘Then now, my lord, your mission is completed.’
He was still looking at her rather fearfully and glancing down she saw that ‘To Perdita’ was written on it.
She opened it; it was brief. Just a few words to Perdita telling of admiration and a desire to see her again and it was signed Florizel.
‘Florizel,’ she said. ‘And who is Florizel?’
‘Madam, can you not guess?’
‘No,’ she retorted. ‘Any young gallant might sign himself so. It is not you, I hope, my lord. Did you write this letter?’
‘No, I did not.’
‘I am surprised that a noble lord should play the part of messenger.’
‘Madam, I beg of you do not despise me for doing so.’
‘Well, is it not a little undignified to run errands? Why could not the writer of this letter bring it himself? Why should he send you.’
‘I dared not refuse, Madam. It was a commission from His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales. He is Florizel.’
She was silent. She was unsure. This was not the manner in which she had expected to be approached. As she had pointed out, Florizel could be anyone. If the Prince of Wales wished to be her friend he could not do so under a cloak of anonymity. Prince Florizel would not do. It must be Prince George.
She handed the letter back to Lord Maiden. ‘I do not believe it,’ she said.
‘Madam, I assure you. His Highness brought the letter to me himself. He commanded me to bring it to you.’
‘My Lord Maiden, there are men in the world who believe that because one is an actress one cannot be a lady. They stoop to all kinds of tricks to entrap an actress. I wish to know the truth. Who wrote this letter?’
‘I am speaking the truth, Madam. I would not dare tell you that His Royal Highness had written this letter if it were not so. You should not feel insulted. There is no insult intended. His Royal Highness merely expressed the wish that you will give him an opportunity of making your acquaintance. He was greatly affected not only by your beauty but by your acting. He admires acting, the arts, literature. He is, besides being a prince, a very cultivated gentleman.’
‘To meet the Prince of Wales is an honour, I am sure, but …’
‘You hesitate Madam? It is indeed an honour that the Prince should seek acquaintance. Will you write a note in reply? It is what His Highness hopes for.’
She hesitated.
‘But surely, Madam. You cannot still be suspicious.’
She looked at him sadly. ‘My life has made me so, I fear. If this letter was truly written by His Highness pray tell him that I am overwhelmed by the honour he does me. I can say no more than that.’
Lord Malden considered. Such a message delivered as he would deliver it could imply success. He bowed low and left her.
In his apartments at Kew the Prince was eagerly awaiting the return of Malden. With him was Frederick, to whom he was confiding his new passion.
‘You have never seen beauty until you have seen her, Fred.’
Frederick replied that he had heard of Mrs Robinson’s beauty, for rumour did seep into their quarters in spite of their parents’ efforts to keep them unsullied by the world. ‘I know she is one of the finest actresses in the theatre and one of the most beautiful women in England.’
‘It’s true,’ cried the Prince ecstatically. ‘I cannot wait to embrace her.’
‘Will she receive you at her house, do you think? You had better be careful this does not come to our father’s ears.’
‘You can trust me, Fred.’
‘It is a little difficult to get away. What if you were wanted when you were visiting? Remember Harriot Vernon.’
‘This is quite different.’
‘I know it,’ replied Frederick, ‘but you were wanted when you were meeting her, and it did become known and she was dismissed because of it.’
‘He could not touch her, Frederick. She is not a member of his Court.’
‘But you are, George. You could be forbidden to see her.’
George’s face flushed with fury. ‘It’s true,’ he cried. ‘I’m treated like a child. It will have to stop soon.’
‘It will stop soon. When you’re eighteen, and that’s only a few months away.’
‘Yes, then I shall have an establishment of my own. Then I shall be my own master. God speed the day.’
Frederick looked out of the window. ‘Malden has just arrived,’ he said.
The Prince was beside his brother and was in time to see Malden entering the Palace.
‘Now,’ cried George, all his ill-humour vanishing. ‘I shall have her answer.’
‘You have no doubt what it will be?’
George tried to look serious but he could not manage it. Of course she would be ready to fall into his arms. He was the Prince of Wales, young, handsome, popular, the most desirable lover in the country. Mary Hamilton had refused to become his mistress purely on moral grounds. He was well aware that she had had difficulty at times in holding out against him.
How different it would be with Perdita.
He was thinking of Florizel on the stage.
‘… but come; our dance, I pray:
Your hand, my Perdita; so turtles pair
That never meant to part …’
But it was her voice that he kept hearing:
‘… like a bank for love to lie and play on …’
How beautiful those words on her lips; what picture they had conjured up in his mind.