The Duke of St.
James took everything off his hands: house, furniture, wines, cooks,
servants, horses. Sir Carte was sent in to touch up the gilding and make
a few temporary improvements; and Lady Fitz-pompey pledged herself to
organise the whole establishment ere the full season commenced and the
early Easter had elapsed, which had now arrived.
It had arrived, and the young Duke had departed to his chief family
seat, Hauteville Castle, in Yorkshire. He intended at the same time
to fulfil his long-pledged engagement at Castle Dacre. He arrived at
Hauteville amid the ringing of bells, the roasting of oxen, and the
crackling of bonfires. The Castle, unlike most Yorkshire castles, was a
Gothic edifice, ancient, vast, and strong; but it had received numerous
additions in various styles of architecture, which were at the same time
great sources of convenience and great violations of taste. The young
Duke was seized with a violent desire to live in a genuine Gothic
castle: each day his refined taste was outraged by discovering Roman
windows and Grecian doors. He determined to emulate Windsor, and he sent
for Sir Carte.
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