said, shaking her head. ‘She wouldn’t dare!’
‘Dare what?’ Julia demanded impatiently.
‘It’s exactly like the Order of the Garter. But surely Lord Castlereagh would not permit it?’
It seemed he had, judging by other shocked comments Julia heard from the English guests.
‘Emily Hobart always was fat and dowdy,’ one woman said. ‘I never could understand what he saw in her.’
‘But they say he’s devoted,’ another replied.
‘Heaven knows why! Did you hear, they employed a special dancing master to give them lessons,’ the first tittered. ‘I’m longing to see whether the poor fellow managed to make her any more graceful.’
Julia turned and stared at them, and saw it was Mrs Webber, who had been at Fanny’s party. She frowned. This sort of sniggering gossip had been rife during her only Season, and she had hated it then. Her refusal to join in with other debutantes, busy tearing to shreds the faces, figures and reputations of those not in their particular circle, had made her unpopular then. They’d called her a prude, and mocked her. She’d been thankful when she’d been able to go back to the country, and had lost no time finding herself a position where she did not have to meet such people.
‘Charmingly rustic,’ said Sir Carey, coming up to them.
Julia promptly forgot the gossips, and turned to him, smiling. ‘Why can’t we have a proper English national dress?’ she asked. ‘Most of the English have not bothered to use their imaginations. Especially the men,’ she added, grinning up at him.
‘I admit it! Should I have worn a footman’s livery? Or come as a chimney sweep or butcher?’
‘With dirty clothes? Why, no one would have cared to dance with you! But you must admit men have a wider choice of costume, so I think it ill of you not to have bothered!’
He laughed. ‘As I am not dirty, come and dance with me.’
‘Is there ever to be any progress?’ she asked later, when they were sipping champagne. ‘From all we hear the Congress is falling apart.’
‘Don’t despair. It’s always difficult when so many different people all want contradictory things. But we can’t afford to fail.’
* * * *
During November and December the negotiations went on. Julia followed the twists and turns with interest, but Fanny was sunk too much in misery to want to know all the intricacies of the different alliances and the quarrels, particularly between the Tsar and Metternich. Frederick spent only half his time at the apartment, and he did not bother to deny that he spent the rest of it with the Countess Tania. Occasionally Fanny roused herself to take some interest in the entertainments Vienna continued to offer the visitors, but she refused more invitations than she accepted, saying she felt too weak to want to face the crowds at balls and receptions. Julia suspected she wanted to avoid Mrs Webber’s vicious tongue. Fanny was unable to ignore gossip as she did herself.
Julia regretted not being able to go to the Carrousel, a mock tournament held in the Riding Hall, where the best Austrian riders competed in medieval events, sporting the ladies’ favours.
‘The cheapest sash cost a thousand gulden,’ Mrs Pryce told her, awed. ‘I don’t know how everyone is managing, they have to have elaborate new gowns for every occasion.’
Fanny was persuaded to attend the concert where Beethoven, despite his deafness, conducted his own work. As well as the seventh symphony he had written a new piece to celebrate the victory at Vittoria.
‘Thank goodness there are no more balls,’ she said as they were driven home afterwards. ‘It will soon be Advent.’
Meanwhile the political negotiations became more and more tense.
‘Perhaps if the Tsar were well things would move more swiftly,’ Fanny complained. ‘They say he is sulking.’
‘It cannot go on for ever,’ Julia tried to console her.
She was very worried about her sister, convinced Fanny’s listlessness came more
‘Dare what?’ Julia demanded impatiently.
‘It’s exactly like the Order of the Garter. But surely Lord Castlereagh would not permit it?’
It seemed he had, judging by other shocked comments Julia heard from the English guests.
‘Emily Hobart always was fat and dowdy,’ one woman said. ‘I never could understand what he saw in her.’
‘But they say he’s devoted,’ another replied.
‘Heaven knows why! Did you hear, they employed a special dancing master to give them lessons,’ the first tittered. ‘I’m longing to see whether the poor fellow managed to make her any more graceful.’
Julia turned and stared at them, and saw it was Mrs Webber, who had been at Fanny’s party. She frowned. This sort of sniggering gossip had been rife during her only Season, and she had hated it then. Her refusal to join in with other debutantes, busy tearing to shreds the faces, figures and reputations of those not in their particular circle, had made her unpopular then. They’d called her a prude, and mocked her. She’d been thankful when she’d been able to go back to the country, and had lost no time finding herself a position where she did not have to meet such people.
‘Charmingly rustic,’ said Sir Carey, coming up to them.
Julia promptly forgot the gossips, and turned to him, smiling. ‘Why can’t we have a proper English national dress?’ she asked. ‘Most of the English have not bothered to use their imaginations. Especially the men,’ she added, grinning up at him.
‘I admit it! Should I have worn a footman’s livery? Or come as a chimney sweep or butcher?’
‘With dirty clothes? Why, no one would have cared to dance with you! But you must admit men have a wider choice of costume, so I think it ill of you not to have bothered!’
He laughed. ‘As I am not dirty, come and dance with me.’
‘Is there ever to be any progress?’ she asked later, when they were sipping champagne. ‘From all we hear the Congress is falling apart.’
‘Don’t despair. It’s always difficult when so many different people all want contradictory things. But we can’t afford to fail.’
* * * *
During November and December the negotiations went on. Julia followed the twists and turns with interest, but Fanny was sunk too much in misery to want to know all the intricacies of the different alliances and the quarrels, particularly between the Tsar and Metternich. Frederick spent only half his time at the apartment, and he did not bother to deny that he spent the rest of it with the Countess Tania. Occasionally Fanny roused herself to take some interest in the entertainments Vienna continued to offer the visitors, but she refused more invitations than she accepted, saying she felt too weak to want to face the crowds at balls and receptions. Julia suspected she wanted to avoid Mrs Webber’s vicious tongue. Fanny was unable to ignore gossip as she did herself.
Julia regretted not being able to go to the Carrousel, a mock tournament held in the Riding Hall, where the best Austrian riders competed in medieval events, sporting the ladies’ favours.
‘The cheapest sash cost a thousand gulden,’ Mrs Pryce told her, awed. ‘I don’t know how everyone is managing, they have to have elaborate new gowns for every occasion.’
Fanny was persuaded to attend the concert where Beethoven, despite his deafness, conducted his own work. As well as the seventh symphony he had written a new piece to celebrate the victory at Vittoria.
‘Thank goodness there are no more balls,’ she said as they were driven home afterwards. ‘It will soon be Advent.’
Meanwhile the political negotiations became more and more tense.
‘Perhaps if the Tsar were well things would move more swiftly,’ Fanny complained. ‘They say he is sulking.’
‘It cannot go on for ever,’ Julia tried to console her.
She was very worried about her sister, convinced Fanny’s listlessness came more
Similar Books
