The Great Roxhythe by Georgette Heyer

On Friday, two days after Roxhythe's departure for France, Christopher set out to visit his friend Harcourt at his house in Great Queen Street.

He was pleased to renew the acquaintance, but he could not help feeling that he and Harcourt would now have very little in common. The Country Party was always steadily opposed to the Court Party, and most of its members held the Court and all its ways in abhorrence. Once Christopher had held their views himself but since he had been with Roxhythe he had changed his opinions. His father had always pulled a long face when King Charles was mentioned. He had solemnly warned his sons to have naught to do with the vicious Court and the dissolute King. Christopher had never taken him very seriously; he had abundant trust in Charles' integrity. He thought it impossible that a King should be worthy of suspicion; he laughed at his father's gloomy prognostications. Mr. Dart had prophesied that the King would make a sorry substitute for the Protector. He said over and over again that no Stuart could run straight: they must always choose the crooked path. He warned his sons to trust neither in the King nor in any of those around him. Christopher saw now how wrong he had been; life with Roxhythe had taught him that. He hoped that Harcourt would not inveigh against the Court, for he felt that he could not discuss the matter calmly. Since he had been at Bevan House he had become acquainted with so many courtiers and liked most of them so much, that he could not bear to hear ill spoken of them by the Country Party whose members he had come to consider very worthy but very dull. He hoped, too, that Harcourt would not advise him to quit Roxhythe. From his manner the other day he thought that he would not, but since he had received so many sinister warnings he was ever on his guard.