The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 186: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

168 THE COURT OF LONDON mutual but tacit resolve they had suddenly determined to avoid the topic altogether; and they now looked forward to the happiness that was to be derived from brilliancy of position, rather than from the sweet and unimpaired do- mesticity of the married state. ) Mrs. Arbuthnot and Penelope were staying with Miss Bathurst in Stratton Street; and thus the newly married pair had no one to observe the changing condition of their minds. The servants were of course ignorant that Venetia had passed the greater portion of the night away from home, and thus her honour was likewise safe. In the course of the day two official documents were de- livered at Acacia Cottage. One contained the patent elevating Mr. Horace Sackville to the rank of a baron of the realm, by the style and title of Lord Sackville; the second appointed him to the post of lord steward in the household of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent. The entire fashionable world was struck with astonishment at these announcements, when they appeared in the Gazette, and there was no difficulty in attributing them to the fact that the newly created nobleman possessed as his wife the most beautiful woman in England. But scandal dared not raise its voice too loud, much less openly point a scornful finger at Lord and Lady Sackville, inasmuch as the matri- monial gloss was shed upon whatever amount of frailty there might be in the matter. The consequence was that for several days running Acacia Cottage was crowded with visitors who called to congratulate the noble pair, and the Knightsbridge road was thronged with the carriages of what is called the élite of the aristocracy hastening thither to pay their court to the new lord steward and the prince’s new mistress. At the end of the week Horace and Venetia removed to the apartments which had been provided for them in Carlton House, — the faithful Jessica, Plumpstead, and the serious- looking footman still remaining in their service. EOMmIGDoo (E(0)