innovate-issue-005

25th January 1856It is a sad irony that today marks forty years since I first met with, and danced with Louise. Thisafternoon at 3pm, the frigate Constantine put into Boma, bearing news from home, and the commandthat Hermione return to London and take up her work under Lord Caithness. She will leave in twoweeks when the Constantine returns North.10th February 1856Two days late, the Constantine set sail, bearing my Hermione away from here. I will be bereft andalone. Perhaps it is time I married, or at least got myself a native woman as half a dozen or more otherambassadors have done. But I find it sits ill within me.6th June 1856There is growing murmuring among the aristocracy, that the king is giving too much away, that witheach decree he promulgates giving wide-ranging pensions, or unemployment benefits , or safetyregulations to be overseen by inspectors, he is destroying the monarchy and with it their own power.4th March 1857The king is dead. When I first heard, I feared the worst. Over the last twelve-month decree upondecree has determined maximum working hours, safety regulations, and wage regulations. Thatgrowing opposition within the court had coalesced into an alliance was well known. I could not butfear that they had acted. But apparently I was wrong.Crown Prince Baudoin, now king of course, summoned the ships' doctors from the frigate HMSCalliope, the raider USS Miquelon and the Prussian merchantman Seeadler . No doubt fearing thathis father's death, and his own assumption of power, might be declared suspicious he gave the threedoctors free reign and this evening we hear they each delivered their independent report - the old kingdied of natural causes.14th February 1858Father is dead... He was almost ninety and one should not be surprised, but I am more upset that I canmanage. The worst thing is that the news reached me by private packet, paid for by Mother andcaptained by Leander Dudley, Hermione's brother, my own nephew. That was in itself good, but newsthis far South means that six weeks have gone since the events of which they tell, and Father is longsince buried even now, and would be long since by the time I could return to London.I am a duke, well pending the arrival of the Letters Patent that is, but one can hardly imagine ascenario in which Her Majesty will not issue them. I received Leander well, as much for his sister, asfor mine. He is a calm and steady lad, and his ship will return within a fortnight. I send letters toMother, and to Sophie for form. It is another world now, and I cannot but wish I would spend it withHermione at my side.