Roger, having spent four years in France, and speaking French like a native himself, had understood every word of this; so he was not surprised when the two moujiks went down on their knees before Georgina and, opening the trunk, took from it a costume. But he and everyone else present were filled with admiration at its richness.
It was the gala skirt and bodice of a Russian peasant girl, the rainbow-hued embroideries of which had been stitched with infinite care; and with it were the filmy white petticoats, a pair of soft, red leather boots and a splendid headdress tinkling with gold coins, to complete the costume.
As Georgina exclaimed with delight at this exciting gift Vorontzoff bowed again, and said in his slightly husky voice: "Should my Lady take a fancy to try on these poor rags before casting them to her maid, she will, I trust, find that they fit her exquisite figure perfectly."
"But Monsieur le Comte!How can you possibly be sure of that?" smiled Georgina, her eyes widening.
The Russian's strong white teeth gleamed for a second in a confident grin. "If they do not, my steward's back shall make acquaintance with the knout; since the rogue was given ample funds to secure the correct measurements from your dressmaker."
"Indeed, Sir; I am prodigious grateful to you for your forethought," Georgina replied a trifle breathlessly. Then, beckoning over one of her footmen she added, "Here, Thomas! Take these lovely things to Jenny. Tell her that I desire her to press them at once and place them in my wardrobe."
As the footman took the costume from the moujiksGeorgina placed her hand upon the Ambassador's arm and led him across the hall towards the drawing-room. The others followed, Droopy Ned and Roger bringing up the rear.
The latter, unheeding of his friend's casual chatter, was cursing the Russian beneath his breath. His sole source of income was the £300 a year which his father allowed him. Having no establishment of his own to keep up, that was normally ample for his needs; but his extravagant taste in clothes left him little over, and during the past few months he had strained his resources to buy Georgina presents. Yet, even so, to a wealthy woman of fashion, his gifts had been no more than knick-knacks; whereas this confounded foreigner could produce a present of greater value than them all, by a mere wave of his hand. Moreover, as Georgina loved dressing up, few gifts could have been better calculated to appeal to her.
After passing through a long suite of reception rooms the party arrived at the Orangery, in the south-western extremity of the house. It was something more than a conservatory for. the cultivation of semi-tropical plants such as citrus fruits, banana-palms, mimosas and camellias; since Georgina spent much of her time there, and had had sofas, chairs and tables set in alcoves formed by pyramidal arrangements of exotic greenery.
The tables now carried an assortment of wines and spirits for the refreshment of the male travellers, and hot chocolate for the ladies. It was as yet only a little past mid-day, but the custom of the times was to breakfast late, making it a full dress meal, and to dine at four o'clock, or shortly after.
As Colonel Thursby poured Selwyn a glass of Madeira he inquired: "Have you been to any executions lately, George?"
The question was a perfectly natural one; as, although there was nothing the least ghoulish in Selwyn's appearance or morbid in his manner, he was well known to have an insatiable interest in hangings, exhumations and everything connected with death. It was even said that when the body of Martha Ray; Lord Sandwich's mistress, had been exhibited after her murder by an unsuccessful suitor, he had bribed the undertaker to be allowed to sit at the head of the corpse dressed in the flowing weeds of a professional mourner.
"Nay, Newgate has been plaguey unproductive of recent months," Selwyn replied; then added with a smiling glance at Fox: " 'Tis my belief that all our most desperate criminals must have taken refuge in the House."
"Oh, come, George!" Fox exclaimed with his ready laugh. "How can you pass so harsh a judgment on those amongst whom you sat for twenty-six years as Member for Ludgershall?"
"In my day they were of a different metal, Charles. My Lord Chatham would never have allowed the impeachment of so great a servant of the Crown as Mr. Warren Hastings; or this miserable trial which still agitates the nation and threatens to drag on interminably."
" 'Twas the only way to bring the natives of India some measure of protection from the rapine of the Company's servants. Pitt, himself, admitted that, when condemning Hastings' action in mulcting the Zamindar of Benares of half a million sterling; and made it clear that the case was not a party issue, but one upon which members should vote according to their consciences."
"Yet, Sir," broke in Droopy Ned, "The Prime Minister stated on more than one occasion that Mr. Hastings is placed at a grave disadvantage; in that many State papers which would show good reason for his acts cannot be made public without disclosing the secret understandings that we have with certain of the native Princes."
"In the government of an Empire, my Lord, 'tis not particulars which should concern us so much as general principles."
Droopy waved a scented lace handkerchief airily beneath his long nose. "Perhaps, Sir, you can tell us then what principle it was that governed His Highness of Wales when, before the India debate early this month, he filled Mr. Erskine so full of brandy that his language to the Prime Minister would have made a Billingsgate fishwife blush?"
Fox laughed again. "If you would have us all set a limit on our potations before entering the House, my Lord, you should start with the Prime Minister. 'Twas but two nights later he was so indisposed as to be unable to answer me; and that from having been drinking through the whole of the previous night at My Lord of Buckingham's with Harry Dundas and the Duchess of Gordon."
"Yet, Sir," interposed Roger. "I'll wager that he never forgot his manners."
"Nay. I'll give you that, young Sir. And I will admit that the language Erskine held in his personal attack passed all bounds of decency. But, as Lord Edward says, the Prince had primed him before he spoke, and we all know His Royal Highness's irresponsibility."
Fox spoke with restraint; yet he had ample reason to have used a far stronger term. The unnatural hatred that the Heir Apparent bore to his father had caused him, from his first entry upon manhood, to become the most ardent supporter of the Opposition. Fox being the King's bete noire, the young Prince had deliberately cultivated his friendship, and in return, that generous-hearted statesman had obtained from Parliament grants totalling many score thousands of pounds to enable His Highness both to set up an establishment of his own at Carlton House and to indulge his wildly extravagant tastes.
More, when the Prince had fallen desperately in love with Mrs. Fitzherbert it was Fox and Mrs. Armistead who had, night after night, consoled him in his tearful fits of despair because the lady would have none of him. Apart from the undesirability of any official union of the Heir Apparent and a commoner, on account of it being morganatic, Parliament viewed such a prospect with particularly grave alarm in the case of Maria Fitzherbert because she was a Roman Catholic; but she made no secret of the fact that her price was marriage.
In consequence, on his publicly establishing her in a larger residence,' members demanded a plain answer, if he were married to her or no, and made a further grant of funds to pay his mountainous debts dependent on the answer. Faced with this impasse in the previous April, the despicable young man had allowed Fox to issue a categorical denial on his behalf. Thus he had secured the supplies he needed by causing his bosom friend to appear a most barefaced liar; for Mrs. Fitzherbert, refusing to remain longer in what she considered an intolerable position, had forced the Prince to admit two days later, to Earl Grey, that he had been married to her on 15th December, '85— over sixteen months earlier—and it seemed impossible to everyone that Fox should not have been a party to their secret.