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CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
A Palmist’s Analysis
of Lillie Langtry’s Hand
The hand would be beautiful, were it not for one defect, the crookedness of the little finger. The long thumb shows strong will, obstinate in youth. She has a perfect passion for power which will later be succeeded by a passion for luxury. A restless disposition is shown and a love of social distinction, the social instinct having increased with gratification. She is a thorough woman of the world…
The Palmist, 1898 Mrs. St. Hill, Editor
Kate had passed an uncomfortable night and morning. She was anxious about the note she had sent to Charles along with Alfred Day’s letter, for Amelia had returned to say that his lordship had been out and the message had been left with Mrs. Hardaway. Kate had heard nothing from Charles, so she could only trust that her message had not somehow been lost or fallen into the wrong hands.
But if Kate was worried, Lillie was obviously much more deeply troubled. The morning post had brought a long letter from Suggie de Bathe-not a reassuring letter, judging from the expression on Lillie’s face when she opened and read it at the breakfast table. In fact, she appeared so distressed that Kate thought she might even confide what her lover had written. But at that moment, Jea
At midmorning, Lillie invited Kate for a tour of the Regal Lodge stables, where she kept the six or seven horses that were not in training with Jack Robinson in Wiltshire. Jea
In the drawing room after luncheon, Lillie flung herself onto the sofa. “What am I to do with that horrid child!” she exclaimed petulantly. “I have apologized as well as I can, offered all the amends I can think of-even given her a horse of her own! And yet nothing satisfies her, nothing at all! What can she want of me?”
Kate felt such a deep surge of indignation that she was struck momentarily dumb. That she could not bear children was a great and lasting heartache, and the idea that a mother could deny her maternity and then wonder why the child was unhappy almost took her breath away.
“I think,” she managed at last, in as even a tone as possible, “that your daughter wants nothing but your public acknowledgment.”
“Acknowledgment!” Lillie cried vexatiously. “If that’s what the child hopes for, she will be sadly disappointed, for that is exactly what I ca
“But why not acknowledge her?” Kate persisted. “It can no longer be a matter of Edward Langtry’s possible intervention in Jea
“It has nothing to do with Jea
“I’m sure you love one another,” Kate remarked, “but is it all that important to be married? You can support yourself without leaning on his social distinction, such as it is. Surely, a woman of your experience of the world-”
“Dearest Beryl,” Lillie said, with the patient air of one explaining something to a small child. “Marriage is not at all important-in fact, it usually gets in the way of satisfying one’s needs and deepest desires. And indeed I can support myself, and I intend to. I am not interested in the de Bathe money, not a bit of it!”
“Well, then,” Kate said, “why not claim Jea
“Marriage is not important,” Lillie said, “except in this instance. Marriage to Suggie offers me something I want much more than mere money. It offers me social distinction, a title, respectability. I love Jea
“No, Aunt Lillie,” a voice said, clear and firm. “You will never publicly acknowledge that you are my mother. I forbid it.”
Kate turned. Jea
“You don’t mean that, Jea
“No!” Jea
“But I want to acknowledge you, Jea
“You want to be Lady de Bathe far more desperately than you want to be my mother,” Jea
And with that, she turned away, picked up her valise and was gone. A moment later, the crunch of wheels was heard in the drive.
Lillie’s eyes were full of what Kate hoped were genuine tears. “Oh, dear,” she said brokenly. “Have I lost her forever? Tell me, Beryl-have I lost her?”
Kate could not answer that question. The natural bond between daughter and mother was incredibly strong. But if a mother refused to acknowledge her child, how could she expect to claim that child’s love? And perhaps it was better for Jea
For a few moments, Lillie sat quietly, the tears streaming down her face. Then she took out a handkerchief and began to dab at her eyes. “I am sure Jea