The Theft of a Dukedom (24 page)

Kitty sat with her hands folded in her lap and
looked down on the spectacle from the privileged
position of the public gallery. She was wearing an ivory
silk day gown, with a high lace edged collar and a black
velvet Spencer to contrast it and as a mark of mourning
for her father and brother. The black and ivory silk
bonnet enhanced her beauty. On one side of her was
her husband Richard, his brother David, his wife Imogen
and Robert’s wife Isabelle. On the other side her new
sister-in-law, Louise, Duchess of Durham sat proudly in
awe of her husband’s new position, with the Dowager
Duchess, Lady Victoria and her son Edward Bertrand,
the Duke of Wentworth. On the row of seats behind,
Millicent, fresh from childbirth and looking radiant, sat
with Anne and her husband Lord Brooks. Kitty was so
proud of her brother and had remarked to him how like
father he had looked in his official robes.

There was a hush as the new peers entered the
Chamber. Unusually, the Prince Regent lounged
indolently in the throne as the Lord Chancellor, the Earl
of Eldon, sat down on the Woolsack; his severe robes
making him seem almost menacing. Eldon frowned at
the Prince Regent’s unnecessary presence, but didn’t
comment as he turned his head to watch the procession
of peers.

At the front, in his plain black robes was The
Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, holding his staff of
office. He was followed by The Garter Principle King of
Arms, attending herald from the College of Arms,
resplendent in his colourful uniform. As Charles was a
Duke, he was preceded by his junior supporter, Robert
Cranborne, the Duke of Cambridge and followed by his
senior supporter and mentor Rupert Carter, the Duke of
Cumberland. Next came the young Earl of Asquith,
William Devereux, followed by the new Earl of Rutland,
Robert Dunsmore and last, but not least Gordon Blunt,
the Earl of Alderney. All of them were dressed in
Parliamentary robes and the coronet of their rank.

The peers lined up in front of the Lord
Chancellor, each of them acutely aware they were
turning their back on the Royal Prince, who yawned in
boredom. The Garter Principle King of Arms presented
the peers Letters Patent, a document issued by the
Sovereign to create a new peerage and Charles handed
over the Writ of Summons, also issued by the sovereign
to command the new peer’s attendance in Parliament.
Charles had spent an inordinate amount of time
collecting the necessary documents for the King to issue
the Letters Patent and he was prodigiously relieved that
the documents had arrived.

Charles kneeled down in front of the Lord
Chancellor and they listened to the Reading Clerk of the
House of Lords, dryly and unemotionally read out the
documents for the House.

‘George the Third, by the grace of God of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain, and of our other
realms and territories, King, defender of the faith. To all
Lords Spiritual and Temporal and all our other
subjects.......’ His voice seemed to drone on and on,
making Kitty yawn almost as much as the Prince Regent
was doing. At one point she wondered if the Prince had
nodded off, as both Alderney and Cumberland
exchanged a look and then glanced behind them. When
they looked forward again, they were both smirking.
‘.........In witness thereof We have caused these Our
Letters to be made Patent. WITNESS Ourself at
Westminster this tenth day of November in the year
Eighteen Hundred and Twelve in Our Reign.’ The Clerks
voice wound down like a squeeze box. There was a
crackle of parchment and the Clerk started again.

‘George the Third by the Grace of God of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain, and of Our other
Realms and Territories, King, Defender of the Faith, To
Our right trusty and well beloved
Charles Stafford
Chevalier Greeting. Whereas by the advice and assent of
Our Council for certain arduous and urgent affairs
concerning Us, the state, and defence of Our United
Kingdom and the Church.......’ Kitty closed her eyes and
hoped she wouldn’t nod off. She stifled another yawn
and Louise giggled beside her.

‘Stop yawning!’ she said firmly. ‘We’ll all be
asleep if you don’t.’ And she nodded down the line to
see Richard’s and David’s head starting to nod. Kitty
sniggered and dug her elbow in her husband’s side.

‘.....And this as you regard Us and Our honour
and the safety and defence of the said Kingdom and
Church and dispatch of the said affairs in nowise do you
omit Witness Ourself at Westminster the Tenth day of
November in the year of Eighteen Hundred and Twelve
in Our Reign.’ The Clerk snapped the parchment and
carelessly rolled it, handing it back to the Lord
Chancellor.

Charles was then asked to take the Oath of
Allegiance and there was a distinct rumble through the
Chamber as an usher coughed in the Prince Regent’s
ear. Prinny, as he was affectionately called by his
subjects, jumped, spluttered and apologized for his lack
of propriety, pulled a snuff box from his waistcoat and
proceeded to take a pinch of snuff, making him sneeze
loudly for at least five minutes.

Charles waited patiently and then made the
pledge and carefully signed the Test Roll, before being
led to the Duke’s bench by the Garter Principle Kings of
Arms. Along with the supporting Dukes, he doffed his
coronet and bowed to the Lord Chancellor three times,
before being escorted back to the Chancellor to shake
hands before Black Rod and the King of Arms led him
from the Chamber.

Kitty’s heart swelled with pride as her newly
coroneted brother, the Duke of Durham, left the
Chamber, but they had to sit through Robert’s
investiture. The Clerk droned and the Prince snoozed,
until the Oath and then Robert was led to the Earl’s
bench for more headwear doffing, before he was
escorted from the Chamber. The Speaker announced a
short break and Kitty stood to ease the aching in her
back.

‘Are you feeling alright?’ Richard asked her as
they turned to leave the regimented seating.
‘Yes, I’m fine.’ She said with a smile.
‘I know you didn’t feel too well this morning.’
Richard said softly as he took her hand and placed it in
the crook of his elbow.
‘It’s nothing.’ She replied evasively as he walked
her slowly from the gallery and started for the stairs. As
they got to the bottom of the staircase, an usher was
waiting to escort them to the Lord’s Dining Room.
As the Usher opened the door for them, the Lord
Chancellor greeted Kitty formally. ‘Countess, it’s an
honour to see you in the House.’
‘Thank you, My Lord. It’s such a pity I cannot sit
in the Chamber, as my rank entitles me to.’ And she
introduced each member of the party, taking her time
over Edward.
‘Your Grace.’ The Lord Chancellor smiled. ‘I look
forward to the day you can take your seat.’ He offered
his hand. Edward bravely took his hand and shook it
firmly, making both Kitty and Victoria smile.
‘Thank you, My Lord.’ Edward replied in his
falsetto voice.
‘The Duke is over by the balcony,’ the Earl of
Eldon pointed, ‘and I have more business in the
Chamber.’ He bowed to the ladies and excused himself.
‘He’s a nice man.’ Edward said innocently
making the whole party laugh.
Kitty turned towards Charles and started across
the Dining Room. ‘You both looked so handsome and
fine!’ she extolled as she stumbled, stopped and Charles
was horrified to see the colour drain completely from
her face.
‘Kitty?’ he said loudly and started forward as her
eyes rolled up in her head and she gracefully collapsed
onto the carpet. ‘Kitty!’ he almost shouted as he and
Richard arrived at the same time.
‘Get out of the way.’ Millicent said harshly as she
delved into her reticule, producing a small bottle made
of blue glass and stoppered with a cork. Millicent bent
down, twitched the cork out of the bottle and held it
under Kitty’s nose. ‘Kitty!’ she said loudly and Kitty took
a deep breath and reared away from the cork.
‘Oh! What is that appalling smell!?’ she said as
she slowly opened her eyes. ‘What am I doing on the
floor?’ she asked indignantly.
Millicent stepped back and indicated for Richard
to help her up. ‘Didn’t anybody else bring some smelling
salts?’ she asked and laughed. ‘I knew you’d need them
today.’ She said to Kitty.
Kitty squirmed and shook her head. ‘Be quiet,
Millicent.’ She said with all the arrogance of her rank as
Richard held her at arms length and looked at her
enquiringly. She smiled coyly. ‘Later, my love. I’ll tell you
all about it, later!’ she said to distract him.
Charles looked over his shoulder and said
harshly ‘If you’re ill, Kitty, I think we should know about
it, after all we’re all friends.’
‘Very well, but I wanted to tell Richard first.’ And
she hooked her hand through his elbow, steering him
away from the others and stepped out onto the terrace
overlooking the Thames. The air was choked with smog
from a million fires and the rotten stench of the river.
Kitty wrinkled her nose at the unpleasant odour.
‘So what is it that you want to tell me first?’
Richard said and looked at her quite coldly.
‘I was going to do this tonight at home, rather
than in such a public place, but I have some good news
for us.’
‘You do? What, how ill you are?’ he asked
harshly.
‘I’m not ill.’ She said softly and looked at her feet
to hide her tears and trepidation. ‘I am with child.’
‘Kitty!’ burst from Richard’s throat as he flung
his arms around her and lifted her off the floor. ‘Oh! My
Love! I’m so proud and happy.’ He settled her back on
her feet and gently stroked her cheek. ‘You are sure?’
‘Positive. I saw a doctor yesterday and he
reckons it will arrive in the summer.’
Historical note:
Hereditary Peers do not have to be introduced
to the house. The ceremony I have plundered for this
story was only performed for new peers and life
peerages created by the Sovereign. Since the House of
Lords Act 1999, peers no longer have to kneel before
the Lord Chancellor and the hat doffing was curtailed.
The Writ of Summons is no longer read out to the
House, but the Clerk still reads the Letters Patent. Peers
no longer sit according to rank, but party.
Due to the Constitutional Reforms Act 2005, The
Lord Chancellor was removed from presiding over the
House and no longer officiates at an Introduction; it is
now taken by the Speaker of the House of Lords instead.

As law and order was so poor in the early
nineteenth century, it’s more than possible that a peer
of the realm could cover up his brothers murderous
acts, simply by changing his identity and sending him to
the army. There was no police force as we know it, only
the Bow Street Runners. But they were few, considering
the population levels in London at that time and they
were very overworked. Without credible witnesses, a
solicitor would not employ a barrister to prosecute
anyone. Most court work was for the lower classes and
transportation the most popular punishment. Having
said that, more than enough peers found themselves
twitching on the gallows at Tyburn!

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