Page:The Ladies' Cabinet of Fashion, Music & Romance 1832.pdf/121

Rh royal descent : and to live in a style worthy of her great ancestry, the coffers of the elder Boardman (John still being a gentleman, without profession,) were subject to constant and enormous drafts. The " West India plantation and the negroes to match, " turned out, like many other great fortunes, of a mortgaged estate, which the broken fortunes of her father had secretly involved, previous to his demise, for nearly as much as it was worth ; and Thomas, too, forsooth, must draw upon 66 the counting-house" for supplies to support himself and heiress.

It was the wonted practice of the Boardmans to visit the metropolis during the fashionable season. While there, amid the gay scenes of the following winter, Josephine became acquainted with a nobleman, who cognominated' himself, the Duke de Rouen, the reputed descendant of a family of high pedigree in France. " Jose" was delighted with the duke, and the duke was enamoured of " Jose," and the wedding took place with great pomp and parade, at the elegant mansion in " Crescent-place, " which Mr. Boardman had taken pains to furnish in a style of magnificence worthy the royal rank of its future occupant.

It was about this time, that "the pressure in the money market' commenced . Harry, " the merchant and millionaire ,' was deep in the exporting line of British manufactures. He had sent off great amounts of goods -there was no sale -and what was worse, the American merchant, who had been giving him acceptances, could not pay them, and his drafts came back protested. He had been largely concerned in cotton, and the article was down in the market. His " India Rubber Stock," though very elastic, was " no bite; " and in this state of things, it seemed quite natural that Harry Boardman, " the millionaire," should prove the extent of his operations, by failing for four hundred thousand pounds, bringing in his father, as the endorser of his bills, for nearly half the amount.

When the news reached "Grove Hall," the Boardmans gave, the next night after, a fête of extra magnificence, probably on the principle of the banker, who had always gone on foot, until his credit was doubted, when he added a splendid carriage and servants in livery to his establishment. All the world were at this superb flare-up ; and among the number was a rich and very respectable French family. They were invited, out of especial respect to the Duke, and were presented with the ceremony becoming his high rank and royal extraction. But their astonishment can alone be imagined by the reader, when they recognised in the pretended Dake the eloped son