This Was A Man (38 page)

Virginia visited Perry in hospital every morning, and although he repeatedly told her he was right as rain, the doctors wouldn’t agree to release him until they were
convinced he had fully recovered, and Virginia made it clear, in Matron’s hearing, that he must carry out the doctors’ orders to the letter.

The following day she telephoned each of the duke’s children, repeating the doctors’ diagnosis of a minor heart attack, and as long as he took some exercise and was careful with his
diet, there was no reason to believe he wouldn’t live for many more years. Virginia emphasized that the doctors didn’t feel it was necessary for them to rush home, and looked forward to
seeing them all at Christmas.

A diet of watermelon, boiled fish and green salads with no dressing didn’t improve the duke’s temper, and when he was finally released after a week, Matron presented Virginia with a
list of ‘dos and don’ts’: no sugar, no carbohydrates, no fried food, and only one glass of wine at dinner – which was not to be followed by brandy or a cigar. Just as
important, she explained, was that he should take a walk in the fresh air for an hour a day. Matron gave Virginia a copy of the hospital’s recommended diet, which Virginia promised she would
give to Cook the moment they got home.

Cook never caught sight of Matron’s diet sheet, and allowed the duke to start the day as he always had, with a bowl of porridge and brown sugar, followed by fried eggs, sausages, two
rashers of bacon and baked beans (his favourite), smothered in HP Sauce. This was accompanied by white toast with butter and marmalade and piping hot coffee with two spoonfuls of sugar. He would
then retire to read
The Times
in his study, where a packet of Silk Cut had been left on the armrest of his chair. At around eleven thirty, the butler would bring him a mug of hot chocolate
and a slice of coffee cake, just in case he felt a little peckish, which kept him going until lunch.

Lunch consisted of fish, just as Matron had recommended. However, it wasn’t boiled but fried in batter, with a large bowl of chips near at hand. Chocolate pudding – Matron had made
no mention of chocolate – was rarely turned down by the duke, followed by more coffee and his first cigar of the day.

Virginia allowed him an afternoon siesta, before waking him for a long walk around the estate so he could work up an appetite for his next meal. After he’d changed for dinner, the duke
would enjoy a sherry, perhaps two, before going through to the dining room, where Virginia took a particular interest in selecting the wines that would accompany their meal. Cook was well aware
that the duke liked nothing better than a rare sirloin steak with roast potatoes and all the trimmings. Cook felt it was nothing less than her duty to keep his grace happy, and hadn’t he
always had second helpings of everything?

After dinner, the butler would dutifully pour a balloon of brandy and clip the duke’s Havana cigar before lighting it. When they eventually retired to bed, Virginia did everything in her
power to arouse the duke, and although she rarely succeeded, he always fell asleep exhausted.

Virginia kept to her routine slavishly, indulging her husband’s slightest whim, while appearing to any onlooker to be caring, attentive and devoted. She made no comment when he could no
longer do up the buttons on his trousers, or dozed off for long spells during the afternoon, and told anyone who asked, ‘I’ve never seen him fitter, and it wouldn’t surprise me if
he lived to a hundred,’ although that wasn’t quite what she had in mind.

Virginia spent some considerable time preparing for Perry’s seventy-second birthday. A special occasion, was how she described it to all and sundry, on which the duke
should be allowed, just for once, to indulge himself.

After enjoying a hearty breakfast, Perry went off to shoot pheasants with his pals, carrying his favourite Purdey shotgun under his arm, and a flask of whisky in his hip pocket. He was on top
form that morning and bagged twenty-one birds before returning to the castle, exhausted.

His spirits were lifted by the sight of guinea fowl, sausages, onions, fried potatoes and a jug of thick gravy. Could a man ask for more, he demanded of his chums. They agreed wholeheartedly,
and continually raised their glasses to toast his health. The last of them didn’t depart until dusk, by which time he had fallen asleep.

‘You take such good care of me, old gal,’ he said when Virginia woke him in time to change for dinner. ‘I’m a remarkably lucky man.’

‘Well, it is a special occasion, my darling,’ said Virginia, presenting him with her birthday present. His eyes lit up when he tore off the wrapping paper to discover a box of Romeo
y Julieta cigars.

‘Churchill’s favourites,’ he declared.

‘And he lived to over ninety,’ Virginia reminded him.

During dinner, the duke looked a little tired. However, he managed to finish his blancmange before enjoying a glass of brandy and the first of the Churchill cigars. When they finally climbed the
stairs just after midnight, he had to cling on to the bannister as he struggled to mount each step, his other arm firmly around Virginia’s shoulders.

When they finally reached the bedroom, he only managed a few more paces before collapsing on to the bed. Virginia began to slowly undress him, but he’d fallen asleep before she’d
taken off his shoes.

By the time she had undressed and joined him in bed, he was snoring peacefully. Virginia had never seen him looking so contented. She switched off the light.

When Virginia woke the following morning, she turned over to find the duke still had a smile on his face. She pulled back the curtains, returned to the bedside and took a closer
look. She thought he looked a little pale. She checked his pulse, but couldn’t find it. She sat on the end of the bed and thought carefully about what she should do next.

First, she removed any signs of the cigar and the brandy, replacing them with a bowl of nuts and a carafe of water with a slice of lemon. She opened the window to allow in some fresh air, and
once she had checked the room a second time, she sat down at her dressing table, checked her make-up and composed herself.

Virginia allowed a few moments to go by before she took a deep breath and let out a piercing scream. She then rushed to the door and, for the first time since she’d married Perry, left the
bedroom wearing a dressing gown. She ran down the wide staircase and the moment she saw Lomax, her voice breaking, she said, ‘Call an ambulance. The duke has had another heart
attack.’

The butler immediately picked up the phone in the hall.

Dr Ainsley arrived thirty minutes later, by which time Virginia had dressed and was waiting for him in the hall. She accompanied him to the bedroom. It didn’t take a long examination
before he told the dowager duchess something she already knew.

Virginia broke down in tears and no one was able to console her. However, she did manage to send telegrams to Clarence, Alice and Camilla, after ordering the butler to move the two blue and
white vases from the servants’ corridor and place them in the duke’s bedroom. Lomax was puzzled by the request, and later that evening he said to the housekeeper, ‘She’s not
herself, poor thing.’

The chauffeur was even more puzzled when he was instructed to take the vases down to London and drop them off at Sotheby’s before going on to Heathrow to pick up Clarence and bring him
back to Castle Hertford.

The dowager duchess wore black, a colour that suited her, and over a light breakfast she read the duke’s obituary in
The Times
, which was long on compliments, while being short on
accomplishments. However, there was one sentence that brought a smile to her face:
The thirteenth Duke of Hertford died peacefully in his sleep
.

V
IRGINIA HAD GIVEN
considerable thought to how she should conduct herself during the next few days. Once the family had gone their separate ways after
the funeral, she intended to make some fairly radical changes at Castle Hertford.

The fourteenth duke was the first member of the family to arrive, and Virginia was standing on the top step waiting to greet him. As he walked up the steps, she gave a slight curtsey, to
acknowledge the new order.

‘Virginia, what a sad occasion for all of us,’ said Clarence. ‘But it’s at least a comfort for me to know that you were by his side to the last.’

‘It’s so kind of you to say so, Clarence. What a blessed relief it is that my dear Perry suffered no pain when he passed away.’

‘Yes, I was relieved to hear that Papa died peacefully in his sleep. Let’s be thankful for small mercies.’

‘I hope it won’t be too long before I join him,’ said Virginia, ‘because, like Queen Victoria, I will mourn my dear husband until the day I die.’ The butler and two
footmen appeared and began to unload the car. ‘I’ve put you in your old room for the time being,’ said Virginia. ‘But of course I will move out to the Dower House, just as
soon as my dear Perry has been buried.’

‘There’s no hurry,’ said Clarence. ‘I’ll be returning to my regiment after the funeral, and in any case we’re going to have to rely on you to keep things
ticking over in my absence.’

‘I’ll be happy to do whatever I can. Why don’t we discuss what you have in mind once you’ve unpacked and had something to eat?’

The duke was a few minutes late for lunch, and apologized, explaining that several people had telephoned, requesting to see him urgently.

Virginia could only wonder who had called, but satisfied herself with saying, ‘I thought we should hold the funeral on Thursday, but only if that meets with your approval.’

‘I’m happy to abide by your wishes,’ said the duke. ‘Perhaps you could also give some thought to the order of service, and suggest who you think should be invited to the
reception afterwards?’

‘I’ve already begun working on a list. I’ll let you have it later today.’

‘Thank you, Virginia. I knew I could rely on you. I have some meetings to attend this afternoon, so I hope you’ll be around when Alice arrives.’

‘Of course. And when are you expecting Camilla and her family?’

‘Later this evening, but as I’ll be in Father’s study—’

‘Your study,’ said Virginia quietly.

‘It may take me a little time to get used to that. Would you be kind enough to let me know when Alice arrives?’

Virginia was working on the list of guests she wanted to attend the private reception following the funeral, as well as those she didn’t, when a taxi drew up outside the
castle and Alice stepped out. Once again, she took her place at the top of the steps.

‘Poor Virginia,’ were Alice’s first words as she greeted her. ‘How are you bearing up?’

‘Not well. But everyone’s been so kind and understanding, which has been a great comfort.’

‘Of course they have,’ said Alice. ‘After all, you were his rock and soulmate.’

‘It’s so kind of you to say so,’ said Virginia, as she led Alice up the staircase to the guest bedroom she had chosen for her. ‘I’ll let Clarence know you’re
here.’

She strolled downstairs and went into the duke’s study without knocking, to find Clarence deep in conversation with Mr Moxton, the estate manager. Both men immediately stood as she
entered.