Amanda Grange: Henry Tilney's Diary

‘The marchioness, endeavouring to conceal her uneasiness, said, “Yes, my lord, I allow the count all the merit you adjudge him, but from the little I have seen of his disposition, he is too volatile for a serious attachment.” ’

‘She is making that up,’ said Eleanor crossly.

‘I thought she might be,’ said Mama, with a smile at me.

‘At that instant the count entered the pavilion ,’ I went on.

‘ “Ah,” said Muriani, laughingly, “you were the subject of our conversation, and seem to be come in good time to receive the honours allotted you. I was interceding with the marchioness for her interest in your favour, with the Lady Julia; but she absolutely refuses it; and though she allows you merit, alleges, that you are by nature fickle and inconstant. What say you – would not the beauty of Lady Julia bind your unsteady heart?”

‘ “I know not how I have deserved that character of the marchioness,” said the count with a smile, “but that heart must be either fickle or insensible in an uncommon degree, which can boast of freedom in the presence of Lady Julia.”’

Eleanor gave a dreamy smile.

‘Well, it is all innocent enough,’ said Mama approvingly. ‘You may read it with my blessing. But now I think I will have a rest before dinner. I am a little fatigued after our exertions.’

‘I wonder if there will be any counts at the supper party on Saturday,’ said Eleanor.

‘About a dozen, I should think,’ I said, ‘and they will all be ensnared by your charms. Indeed I think it certain that they will all be fighting over you, for the heart must be either fickle or insensible in an uncommon degree, which can boast of freedom in the presence of Eleanor.’

‘Now you are laughing at me,’ she said, but she was beaming with happiness.

I left her to her daydreams and, making the most of the fine weather by calling my dogs, I went down to the river to do some fishing. The sport was good and I caught three fine specimens which were served up at dinner.

Wednesday 21 April

Eleanor and Mama spent the day sewing, aided by Mama’s maid. Frederick was still lying low, and I rode over to the Maples. Stewart was at home and Charles Plainter was there. All three of us rode down to Copse End.

‘My sister is looking forward to the supper party,’ said Stewart. ‘Mama wants her to marry Frederick.’

‘She is too late. Frederick is going into the army.’

‘Yes, I had heard something about it. Been behaving too wild, has he? I thought as much. But nothing so trifling as that will stop Mama,’ he said. ‘She and Pen are determined to have him.’

‘No amount of determination will make Frederick do something he does not want to do,’ I said. ‘Frederick goes his own way. He ...’ I was going to say that he had had his heart broken, and then decided against it. ‘... does as he pleases.’

‘Will you be there?’ asked Stewart.

Charles said that he would be there with his family, whilst I said that I would be there for supper, but not afterwards.

‘I have escaped, too,’ Stewart said. ‘I have to attend the parties at our own house but Mama says that I am still too young to go to our neighbours for evening parties, for which I thank God. I wish I could stay sixteen for ever. Supper parties are bad enough, but dancing is worse. Give me my horses and dogs, my old clothes, let me do as I please and I am happy, but stuff me up in all that rig and make me play the courtier and I am miserable.’

I was not entirely of his way of thinking.

‘I like company, if it is good, but too often it is tedious. Everyone says the same things over and over. However, my sister Eleanor will be having supper with us, it is her first grown-up party, and her delight will carry me through.’

Thursday 22 April

Papa has spent the day harrying the servants, making sure that everything will be ready for Saturday. One of his old friends, the Marquis of Longtown, is coming and my father wants to make sure everything is perfect. Mama and Eleanor have again been sewing, and Frederick at last seems to be coming out of himself. He suggested that we should go riding this afternoon, and although I had already been out this morning I obliged him. He talked to me a great deal, about his fears for the future, his disappointment in love and his feeling of purposelessness.

‘What use is an heir before he inherits?’ he asked. ‘There is nothing for him to do.’

‘Except go into the army,’ I said. ‘Perhaps you will like it.’

‘It will at least get me away from here. The general will never hand over the reins whilst he has breath. If I had enough money I would buy a place of my own.’

‘Then marry an heiress,’ I said lightly. ‘Stewart says his sister has set her cap at you.’

‘What, Pen Maple?’ he asked incredulously, reining in his horse, and then he began to laugh.

I had not heard him laugh since his disappointment and I was very pleased to hear it. His horse danced beneath him, snorting, as if to join in the amusement.

‘Yes, both she and her mama are determined to have you,’ I said, stopping beside him.

‘Penelope Maple is the last woman on earth I would marry,’ he retorted.

‘You have still not forgiven her for beating you at sledging down the back hill when you were eleven then?’ I asked.

‘Did she? I had forgotten that.’

‘Surely not. You must remember the terrible trouble she was in when her mother discovered she had taken a tray from the kitchen and used it as a toboggan.’

He roared with laughter.

‘So she did,’ he said.

‘Does that make you look more kindly on her?’ I asked.

‘Of course. I will marry her tomorrow,’ he said.

‘You could do worse,’ I remarked.

The laughter left his eyes and his mood became dark.

‘I could do better,’ he said.

He set off again, trotting at a sombre pace. His gaiety had gone and although I tried to bring it back again I did not succeed.

Saturday 24 April

The abbey was full of activity today as the house was prepared to receive our guests. Mama took to her room this afternoon to rest and Eleanor, full of energy, darted from room to room, unable to settle in her excitement at the idea of attending her first grown-up party.

‘You will wear a hole in the carpet,’ I told her. ‘Do sit down.’

‘Henry! How can you sit still?’ she asked me.

‘Easily. Come and sit down, bring A Sicilian Romance and we will see what is happening to Julia now that she is in love with Hippolitus. Will she win him, or will her evil father and even more evil stepmother ruin her happiness for ever?’

‘I hope that Julia and Hippolitus get married and live happily ever after,’ she said.

‘It will be a very short story if they do. Ah, here is Julia, thinking of her One True Love:

‘She was roused from her state of visionary happiness, by a summons from the marquis to attend him in the library. She found him pacing the room in deep thought, and she had shut the door before he perceived her. The authoritative severity in his countenance alarmed her, and prepared her for a subject of importance.

‘ “I sent for you, my child,” said he, “to declare the honour which awaits you. The Duke de Luovo has solicited your hand. An alliance so splendid was beyond my expectation. You will receive the distinction with the gratitude it claims, and prepare for the celebration of the nuptials.”

‘This speech fell like the dart of death upon the heart of Julia. She sat motionless – stupefied and deprived of the power of utterance.

‘The marquis observed her consternation; and mistaking its cause, “I acknowledge,” said he, “that there is something somewhat abrupt in this affair; but the joy occasioned by a distinction so unmerited on your part, ought to overcome the little feminine weakness you might otherwise indulge. Retire and compose yourself.”