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Love Romances of the Aristocracy by Thornton Hall
page 12 of 321 (03%)
cause, there is no doubt that for a time she lost no opportunity of
throwing her Royal lover and the fair Stuart together. She even looked
on smilingly at a mock marriage, at one of her own entertainments,
between the pair--"with ring and all other ceremonies of church service
and ribands, and a sack-posset in bed, and flinging the stocking,
evincing neither anger nor jealousy, but entering into the diversion
with great spirit."

And not only did she thus trifle with fire; for some months she rarely
saw the King but in Miss Stuart's presence.

"The King," to quote Hamilton again, "who seldom
neglected to visit the Countess before she rose, seldom
failed likewise to find Miss Stuart with her. The most
indifferent objects have charms in a new attachment;
however, the Countess was not jealous of this rival's
appearing with her in such a situation, being confident
that whenever she thought fit, she could triumph over all
the advantages which these opportunities could afford
Miss Stuart."

As a matter of fact Charles's _maitresse en titre_ regarded the
"Mademoiselle" as nothing more dangerous than a pretty, winsome child.
"She is a lovely little thing," she once said patronisingly, "but she is
only a spoiled child, fonder of her toys and games than of the finest
lover in the world." But she was not long left in this unsuspicious
Paradise. There was soon no doubt that the "child" had made a conquest
of the King, and that she, the mother of his children, no longer held
the throne of his heart.

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