Young bloods

Eventually the vicereine had had enough and summoned Lieutenant Wesley to her private apartments at the start of August. Arthur knocked on the doors to her rooms and was shown to her office by a footman.

'Lieutenant Wesley to see you,Your Grace.'

'Show him in.'

The footman beckoned and Arthur marched through the door and stood to attention as the footman closed the doors gently behind him and left his mistress and her guest alone.The vicereine was an elegant lady some years older than Arthur and considerably wiser. She sat at a small escritoire and quickly finished a note she was writing on a sheet of vellum, before closing the lid of her inkwell and setting her pen down. She gazed at him for a while until Arthur became uncomfortable and his mind raced with ideas about the reason for this summons to a private interview.

'Sit down, Lieutenant.'

'Yes,Your Grace.' He pulled up one of the chairs that lined the room, ready for the intimate recitals that she sometimes held here.

'Arthur, if I may call you that?'

He nodded.The resort to his first name did not bode well and he swallowed nervously.

'Arthur, do you know why you are here?'

'No, Your Grace.' He recognised the strategy and felt like a naughty schoolboy caught out by his teacher.

She smiled briefly. 'Behaviour is what I wish to discuss with you. Namely, your behaviour – or lack of it, I should say.'

'Your Grace? I'm not sure I understand.'

'I hope you do,Arthur, because it is the only way in which you may be redeemed. Frankly, I am tired of the ceaseless pranks that you play on some of the guests at my picnics.'

'I do not mean to cause offence,Your Grace.'

'You do worse than that, Arthur.You cause annoyance.You are like a small spoiled brat of a boy, the kind that does his utmost to ruin birthday parties and that sort of thing. Just to gain attention. Well, now you have my attention and all I can say is that I am beginning to wish that my husband had never consented to your brother's request that you become an aide. It's a shame, a great shame, for I like nothing more than to be surrounded by handsome, charming men like yourself. I can see that you have potential, but at present, this boorish behaviour of yours will not do. Do you understand?'

'Yes,Your Grace. I apologise most humbly.'

'Arthur, I'm not interested in your apologies. I'm only interested in having untroubled picnics. To which end I would appreciate it if you would not attend any more social events until the end of the summer. It would be best for all concerned. You may use the time to consider whether you really do deserve a place here at the castle, or whether you might be better off in another, more remote, posting. Do I make myself clear?'

'Yes,Your Grace.'

'Then go. I've had quite enough of you for now.'

Chapter 47

To the delight of the vicereine Arthur Wesley heeded her advice and began to mature into the kind of responsible gentleman that she prided in having at her court. No longer was there an endless stream of complaints about his behaviour. To be sure, there were still a few occasions when he annoyed some local dignitary or other, but no more so than the rest of the members of her 'awkward squad'. Indeed, by the end of the year something of a transformation had occurred and now Arthur was once again welcomed to the balls where he danced gracefully, drank modestly and conversed in a mature and engaging fashion.

As Christmas approached he arranged to meet his brother William for lunch in the latter's club on Eustace Street. As soon as he stepped through the doors of Coulter's, Arthur was aware of an unusually quiet and calm atmosphere, totally at odds with most of the places he tended to frequent with the other officers from the castle. Of course, he thought, that was entirely in keeping with William's character. The man was so earnest in his ambitions that he had contrived to live wholly within the bounds of respectability and sobriety.

'Arthur, over here,' William called out as loudly as he dared from his table over by the window. There were a few others dining quietly and they looked up irritably at the sound of a raised voice, before continuing with their meals. Arthur crossed the room to join his brother. William rose to his feet, they shook hands formally and sat down.

'So, William, what news?'

'News? Does there have to be a reason why one brother asks another to lunch?'

'No reason. It's just that you haven't invited me here before. So I assume that you need to tell me something.'

'Indeed,' William admitted, then fished in his pocket and brought out a letter. 'From our mother in London.'

Arthur regarded the letter for a moment and then looked round and signalled for the waiter to come and take his order.

'Aren't you going to read it?' asked William.

'Why should I? She wrote to you.You tell me what it says.That would be quicker.'

The waiter came up to the table with a deferential nod of his head. 'Sir?'

Arthur glanced up. 'I'll have some lunch. How is the pork done in this place?'

'Cooked in port, sir. Soused.'

'I can imagine. I'll have some of that to start with.'

'Very good, sir. And to drink?'

'William, what are you having?'

'Nothing at the moment.'

'Good, then you can join me in a Madeira.'

'Yes, sir.' The waiter snapped his order book shut before turning away and making his way across the room to the kitchen.

'I suppose that's going on my bill?' William muttered.

'Why not? You can afford it.'

'I can, and I won't deny it.The reason I can afford the wine is that I look after my money, unlike my wastrel brother. Brothers, I should say.'

'What do you mean?'

'Read the letter for yourself.'

'Just tell me.'

William sighed. 'It's Richard. The fool's taken up with some foreign woman who is bleeding him dry. Getting himself into terrible debt. It's a bad business. Doesn't reflect well on the family.'

'A veritable model of noble behaviour, our Richard,' Arthur replied wryly.

William stared at him for a moment before shaking his head in exasperation. 'Glib, as ever.'

'But true.'

William shrugged. 'It's irrelevant. To return to the topic of the family's finances, if I may…?'

'Please.'

'I know you have some debts, but we have to concentrate on handling Richard's before his creditors start to take action. I have already acted on his behalf to mortgage the Dangan estate.'

Arthur looked at him sharply. 'Dangan, mortgaged?'

'It had to be done, Arthur. I had to raise some capital to pay off his immediate debts. There's just enough capital left to service the debt for perhaps another ten years. After that, there's only a small sum in equities between us and financial ruin. You see,' he leaned closer to Arthur, 'we have to start building careers. All of us, if the family is to continue. Richard's political career is going well in London. As soon as he bags one of the great offices of state he should be able to find a few sinecures to guarantee a stable future. I've decided to follow him to Westminster. Partly to support him, but also to try to make my own way there.'

'But you're already the member for Trim.'

William nodded. 'It has served its purpose. I need to move on. Therefore I'll be resigning from the seat sometime in the new year. I'll be taking most of my belongings with me, but you're welcome to what's left behind. You might want to move into Merrion Street once I've gone.'

'You are too kind, William.'

Wiliam shrugged. 'Please yourself. The offer was well meant.'

'I'm sure it was. Thank you. No, really. I mean it.'

William stared at him a moment in an attempt to discern if he was being mocked, then he nodded. 'I'm pleased to help you in any way that I can, Arthur.'

'Really?' Arthur smiled. 'Actually, there is one other favour I'd like to ask of you.'