Palace and Hovel; Or, Phases of London LifeKirwan, Daniel Joseph
History
Palace and Hovel; Or, Phases of London Life
Kirwan, Daniel Joseph
London (England) -- Description and travel; London (England) -- Social life and customs
Henry Bird.--I am butler to Sir C. Mordaunt, and have been in the
service of the family thirty years. Lord Cole, Captain Farquhar,
and Sir F. Johnstone visited Walton Hall. In the autumn of 1867
I accompanied Sir Charles and Lady Mordaunt to Scotland. Captain
Farquhar was staying at the same place, and I noticed that he and her
ladyship were often together. Lady Mordaunt was more frequently with
him than with other people. A few days after we returned to Walton
he came to visit. He was often in her sitting room, generally alone
with her. Sir Charles was frequently out shooting at the time. Jessie
Clarke made a communication to me, and showed me a letter. That was
about ten days after Lady Mordaunt's return to London. It was in
Captain Farquhar's writing. I read it and returned it to Clarke. It
was dated at the Tower, and said, "Darling, I got home here, tired
and weary, as you may suppose. I have read the _Morning Post_, and
have seen that they have inserted my name as Farmer. If they had
inserted it Farquhar, Sir Charles would have been suspicious." There
was also an allusion to having attended a play, and the persons they
had seen there. Clarke did not tell me where she had found it. I
referred to the _Post_ of November 7 and 9, 1867; Sir Charles took
it in. I referred to it before I saw the letter, on account of what
Clarke told me, and I put aside the two papers in my cupboard. On the
7th, among the arrivals at the Palace Hotel, Buckingham-gate, Lady
Mordaunt's name is given, and on the 9th Captain Farmer's. In January,
1868, Captain Farquhar visited Walton, and staid about a week. There
were other visitors, and there was not so much opportunity for him
and Lady Mordaunt to be together. I once found them together in the
billiard-room, standing close together near the billiard-table; they
seemed startled, and I apologised and left. In 1867 and 1868 the
Prince of Wales called at Sir Charles's London house--in 1868 about
once a week; but one week twice. He came about four p.m., and stayed
from one to two hours. I received him. Sir Charles was then at the
House of Commons, or out pigeon-shooting. Lady Mordaunt gave me
directions that when the Prince called no one else was to be admitted.
After Sir Charles left for Norway the Prince took luncheon there once,
with a sister of Lady Mordaunt and a gentleman. The last two went away
together, but the Prince remained about twenty minutes alone with Lady
Mordaunt. Lord Cole visited the house two or three times a week--more
frequently when Sir Charles was out and after he had left for Norway.
Sir Charles was seldom at home in the afternoon. Lord Cole and two
others dined with Lady Mordaunt after Sir Charles's departure. The two
others left about eleven, but Lord Cole stayed in the drawing-room
till about a quarter to one. I knew this by hearing the front door
bang, and by observing that his hat and coat were gone. I went down to
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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