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19 March 1910 — Rome | |
Saturday. 19th [March 1910]. I was dressing this morning when there came a great knock at my door. I hastened to slip on a dressing gown & on opening found Marchesa Villamarina & Marchesa Trotti there looking pale & breathless. They said Nous avons de très marvaises nouvelles de S.A. La Duchesse de Gènes, à Turin, S.M.—part dans une denué heures. Se vous voutez la voie et la saluer avant son depart depechez vous de descendre.” Here was a shock! They rushed off—I flew to complete my toilette & hurried down– On the way I met men carrying plants to decorate the reception room where there was to have been a concert. All was changed. The Queen soon appeared dressed in a thick grey tailor made suit—with a thick fur jacket a little sealskin fur cap with a grey gauze veil tied over it. She looked pale & agitated—but was exteriorly calm. She said the news of the Dss was so bad that she feared everything—she stood a few minutes waiting to be called down to the carriage. She said she had spoken on the telephone to Queen Eleanor and could hear by her voice that she was crying & felt much about it. In about 10 minutes it was announced that all was ready & she went down stairs followed by Mme Trotti & myself to the Marchesa Villamarina’s apartment where on the terrace was the motor waiting. Ct Guiccioli arrived breathless to see her off. The secretaries of the household gathered round & kissed her hand. She kissed Mme Trotti & myself clasping me in her arm with a hug. We were both of us too upset to speak—& she got into the motor car. The Equerry got into the inner seat, Marchesa Villamarina came last out of her rooms & sat by his side. Mimi gave some last directions & got in on the left of the Queen who gave me a last kiss in the carriage. The officer chauffeur saluted, took his place in the front outside—& they were gone. One felt almost giddy by the suddenness of it all & there was a great blank left. Ct Guiccioli & Mme Trotti began to discuss whether the Queen could catch up a train & where the former said he would leave by the usual train at 2 p.m. & he thought he would arrive at Turin at the same time as the Queen. We agreed to lunch together at the Palace & afterwards to go our separate ways. Mme Trotti to join her family at Hotel Savoy, I to H. Angleterre. As soon as I got back to my rooms I had a visit from Marchese Cassis & his wife bringing with them Carry Eden who is staying with them on a visit. I told them they had come just in time to see the last of my grandeur & that I was going to the hotel. They invited me to dine this evening wh I did. Baker packed my things & joined me at the hotel in the afternoon. We lunched in the big library near my rooms, Guiccioli, Mme Trotti & I & afterwards I walked off to the hotel, secured my rooms & set a while with the Franquevilles who had a sitting room. At 3.30 walked to Villa Malta but found no one in. There were 3 ladies at the Cassis’ dining, friends & relations of theirs. I returned early to bed. | |
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