London,
May 1826
Lady Susan had been asked by the King to join the party representing the crown at the coronation of Nicholas I in Moscow and, knowing that there was likely to be little female companionship to be found during the long sea voyage, she had resolved to invite Charlotte to accompany her. And so, she sat at her bureau and began to pen a letter to Charlotte.
Cambridge,
May 1826
Charlotte was in the breakfast room with her sisters, Anne and Julia, and her nieces enjoying the morning meal as Fellows delivered to them the morning post. While her sisters and Esther, who had been invited to remain at Walcot until her husband returned from his latest trip to Edinburgh for she wished neither to travel such a distance with a new born infant nor to remain in London at a time where she would be very much lacking in good company, were occupied with the society pages, Charlotte's attention was captured by a letter in Lady Susan's hand.
~•~
Dearest Charlotte,
I have been asked by out generous King to join the party that shall represent the Crown at the coronation of Nicholas I, Emperor of Russia which will take place this coming autumn. Knowing politics as I do, I am quite well aware that there is likely to be very little female companionship throughout a journey such as this. I have decided to extend to you an invitation to join me as my companion and I would be delighted if you should accept my offer.
If you will agree to accompany me, I shall send my carriage to collect you on the first day of July and bring you to Town. We shall both need new garments to both keep us warm and to impress other attending dignitaries in the drafty halls of the Russian court in St Petersburg.
The journey to Moscow will be largely by sea to St Petersburg then overland to Moscow itself. The ship we shall travel on will depart on the first day of August and we will expect to arrive in the city a clear week before the coronation ceremony and intend to remain through September complete. We will therefore be unlikely to return to English soil until late October at the soonest, all being well.
I dearly hope you will agree to join us for I am certain I should be terribly lonesome without such good friendship and companionship for long a period.
Ever your friend,
Susan
~•~
Charlotte let her hand, which was holding a loaded fork of kippers, fall back to the table as she processed the contents of this latest correspondence from Lady Susan. Surely her friend could not be serious? It was one thing for Lady Susan to introduce her to some of her own high society acquaintances but to extend an invitation to a royal coronation was surely beyond the realm of possibility.
St Petersburg,
August 1926
Charlotte breathed in the sea air, strolling the deck of their ship and observed the growing mass of the Russian coastline as they approached the port at St Petersburg. The air around her was sharp in its chilliness and she found herself glad to have wrapped her shawl around her shoulders for it muted the bite of the wind. They had been at sea almost a month complete and, though Charlotte had long prided herself on the strength of her own constitution, she found herself greatly anticipating setting her feet once more upon steady ground.
"Quite a sight is it not, Charlotte?" Lady Susan asked as she too ventured outside. Charlotte smiled at her friend and wrapped the thick merino shawl tighter around herself in response.
"It is certainly quite unlike any sight one might gaze upon back home." Charlotte agreed as she turned away from the view. Charlotte linked her arm with Lady Susan's as they made to stroll along the deck before they returned to their quarters to prepare to disembark the ship. "Remind me again who else is expected to be among our party? I know not all of them sailed with us."
Lady Susan smiled indulgingly and proceeded to recount once more who from England would be in attendance at the emperor's coronation, among them to be counted one of the King's many brothers, Viscount Granville, a former British Ambassador to Russia, and his wife Viscountess Granville had sailed with them while Lord Cavendish the Duke of Devonshire and his grandson George Howard Viscount Morpeth had journeyed forth some weeks beforehand. They would be joined upon landing by the current ambassador and from there be escorted from the docks to Embassy Square where they would remain overnight before their departure to Moscow the following morning.
Shortly their stroll on the deck came to an end and they retreated to their cabins as the ship entered the docks. Charlotte, Lady Susan and the other passengers were soon gathered to enter the carriages that would convey them into the city behind their luggage which was already being transported to the Ambassadors quarters ahead of them. Charlotte and Lady Susan found Viscountess Granville's character excellent and her company diverting and so while Viscount Granville and the prince discussed the currant military climate on the continent, the ladies spoke of the festivities to come.
It was not long before the carriage rolled through the gates of the Embassy complex; the door was opened by a footman and the gentlemen helped to hand the ladies down. Charlotte could hardly contain her gasp of delight upon viewing the sprawling manor that lay before them upon raising her head once she had stepped down from the carriage and thanked Lord Granville for his assistance.
The servants were gathered in two lines approaching the steps to the front door and the Ambassador could be seen walking past them to greet the new arrivals. Two other gentlemen could be seen waiting on the lower steps, one older the other younger each sharing a slight resemblance to the other.
The manor itself was an elegant construction of pale stone with dark frames surrounding the many windows, a blueing copper roof and large copper doors. The four-storey construction with two wings stretching out from the older central structure it was an impressive sight to behold. But the most striking thing, Charlotte's mind, were the glimpses of meticulously landscape formal gardens and wild meadows to the rear of the house that could be viewed approaching the gates and stretching as far as the eye could see.
The ambassador had come to a stop in front of them and Charlotte shifted her attention to the man who would be their host for the month to come. Once the initial introductions had been made, the party moved through the lines of servants being made aware of the people they ought to approach for various needs throughout their stay and the ladies were introduced to the maids who had been assigned to meet their personal needs.
Finally, they moved to climb the steps and enter the Ambassador's residence and the group, joined by the two waiting gentlemen made their way through the large doors and into a spacious reception hall from which branched off several formal drawing rooms, dining room and a ballroom. They made their way into one of these drawing rooms once their belongings had been taken by the butler and a footman and situated themselves comfortably among the clusters of chairs and chaises.
Charlotte, who had yet to be introduced to the two unknown gentlemen, though she predicted them to be the duke and Viscount Morpeth, settled on a delicate chaise beside Lady Susan as Lady Granville, who was sat in a chair to her left enquired after everyone's health.
"We are all quite well, Daughter," the duke confirmed with a strained smile that only served to add to the severity of his features. "you, however, have been remiss in introducing us to the young lady beside Lady Worcester." He pointed out, quite rightly, and Lady Granville could be observed catching herself at the oversight.
"But of course, Father, Nephew, may I present to you Miss Charlotte Haywood. Miss Heywood, my father, His Grace Lord Cavendish, the Duke of Devonshire and my nephew, Lord Howard, Viscount Morpeth."
"You must be exceedingly honoured to be here Miss Heywood." The duke condescended as he sneered her name.
Charlotte smiled serenely, determined not to let the man's sour temperament discomfit her and replied that she certainly was honoured. She could see the Viscount stifle a smirk at her response, seeing it for what it was: a challenge disguised as demure agreement.
"Well, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss Heywood. This whole ordeal shall be much pleasanter, I'm sure, knowing that we are not to be surrounded entirely by dull curmudgeons! Do you not agree?"
"I am certain it shall be pleasant regardless of curmudgeons and I cannot claim to know if any of the present company are indeed dull curmudgeons." Charlotte answered without committing to one view or another, avoiding giving offence and she knew that Lady Susan would be smiling at her tact. Which, admittedly, was a newly learnt skill for Charlotte and one which she still found challenging to use.
~•~
The next morning found the party rising earlier than was usually their wont and making ready to depart on the rest of their journey to Moscow. The journey by carriage was anticipated to take some two weeks and all were glad of their foresight in ensuring packing of numerous warm articles of clothing and fur-lined outer garments.
