The Duchess as Pacificator.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXX, Issue VII, 14 February 1903, Page 481

The Duchess as Pacificator.

Success' in life is never a safeguard against suffering; and the Duchess of Kennaquhair, in spite of beauty, rank, and riches, seems in no way exempt from the common lot. Her daughter and son in law. the young Duke and Duchess vf Mayfield, are already beginning to find marriage a failure. Their week-end honeymoon had hardly waned before the first small cloud on the horizon began to make its appearance. They were very young, rather self-willed, and both were equally the spoiled children of fortune. As time went by, the marriage became less and less of a success, and the Duchess of Kennaquhair began to see symptoms of an impending separation. Now, this worldly-wise lady had opinions of her own on the subject of marriage; not perhaps of an exalted nature, but modern and matter-of-fact. She said that women were divided into Amelias and Becky Sharps, but the Beckys always got the best of the bargain. She aeclared that a clever woman can keep au mieux with her husband without ever allowing him to become a bore. After ail, at the worst, he can be treated as a lay figure, since his mere existence suffices. For her the true ideal of married life is to have plenty of money and to be let alone. But she was dead against separations, and had a holy horror of the Divorce Court. “What need?” she would pathetically exclaim, “since a couple need never get in each other’s way. They must, of course, sometimes dine out together, and always take care to be seen at Court entertainments. But what reasonable woman would object?” These are our Duchess’ up-to-date ethics; she despises domestic life, but dreads scandal. She determined, therefore, to hear both sides of the question, and, if possible, put the Mayfield menage to rights again. The young Duchess maintained that she had definite causes of complaint. The Duke of Mayfield was certainly a trifle volage. He kept late hours at Pratt’s, and also at a certain club where they played for the highest of stakes. He insisted on going to every race meeting, and his wife hated racing; he played bridge and baccarat for hours at a stretch, and cards bored her to tears; and this was the last straw—he had taken that artful “snatcher,” Lady Dora Tareham, down to Windsor in his new motor-car.

The young Duke was still much in love with the Duchess, but, all the same, he had a good many grievances on hand. His Eyebright was exacting, not to say jealous; and she was also desperately extravagant. She had ten thousand a year pin-money; surely that ought to suffice? To ask him for another two thousand was certainly playing low down. Then she made a continual fuss about nothing. Why should not a man go racing, or play cards if he liked? And as for Dora Tareham, he only drove her down to Windsor to see her father and mother, who had taken a house there. Really Eyebright ought to know better, etc., etc.

The Duchess of Kennaquhair had a difficult part to play. She had a liking for her daughter (maternal devotion is out of date), and with her son-in-law she always kept on the best of terms.

flirting with him in the prettiest and most permissible manner. But she was equal to the occasion. She asked the young Duke to take her out in his motor, and rat’d him soundly during the drive. She taxed him with neglecting his wife, and told him—as a secret —that F; ebright was badly in love with him. (in their return home she scolded her daughter, calling her a little fool, and telling her that men must be led and not driven. Best of all, she offered to pav her debts—and dill it. The Mayfields learnt their lesson, and are now as happy a couple as there is in London.