Mary Grafton

Also known as: Miss Grafton / Miss Mary Grafton · Family: English court · Role: duchess · First appears: Chapter 37

At the Restoration of Charles II in 1648, Mary Grafton’s father returned to England and died soon afterward; Charles II then made her a duchess and endowed her according to her rank. In the English court, she was regarded by Charles II as especially valuable because she had rejected his heart. At Hampton Court, she told Raoul that she might have loved him, but accepted him only as a friend because of his noble and delicate sentiments. She also spoke of her elder sister, Madame de Belliere, who had been married in France and widowed early.

By chapter 37, Duke of Buckingham had acknowledged that his long pursuit of Mary was useless and his wound incurable, while Mary hurriedly refused to go to Lucy Stewart. In chapter 38, Raoul made clear that “charming Miss Grafton is willing to marry him, but he is unwilling.” He nevertheless offered her the king’s diamond, reserving its return if he married in France.

Relationship record

Life events

• Charles II created Mary Grafton a duchess and endowed her according to her rank.(Chapter37)
  • With: Charles II
  • “at the Restoration of King Charles II., my poor father returned to England, where he died almost immediately afterwards; and then the king created me a duchess, and has dowered me according to my rank.”
• Mary Grafton revealed that she might have loved Raoul but accepted him only as a friend.(Chapter37 · 📍 Hampton Court)
  • With: Raoul
  • “because you see that I possibly might have loved you; because you are a gentleman of noble and delicate sentiments; and because, instead of accepting”
• Raoul refuses Mary’s willingness to marry him.(Chapter38)
  • With: Raoul
  • “Because charming Miss Grafton is willing to marry him, but he is unwilling.”
• Raoul offers Mary the king’s diamond, reserving its return if he marries in France.(Chapter38)
  • With: Raoul
  • “the diamond which the king has given me was destined for you,--give me leave to offer it for your acceptance”

Chapter 37

• patron: Charles II (Mary Grafton states that Charles II elevated and endowed her.) “then the king created me a duchess, and has dowered me according to my rank.”
• with Lucy Stewart (Lucy Stewart and Mary Grafton are presented as companions walking together; the relationship is not more specifically classified in the controlled vocabulary.) “Miss Mary Grafton hurriedly said, ‘No, no; I am not going there.’”
• courtship with Duke of Buckingham (Buckingham describes his discontinued pursuit of Mary Grafton.) “Perfectly true, madame; but you will do me the justice to admit that I have long discontinued a useless pursuit, acknowledging that my own wound is incurable.”
• friends with Raoul (Mary explicitly regards Raoul as a friend only.) “For this, I thank you, Monsieur de Bragelonne; you are, indeed, a noble-hearted, noble-minded man, and I regard you all the more for it, as a friend only.”
• courtship with Raoul (Mary acknowledges the possibility of having loved Raoul.) “because you see that I possibly might have loved you”
• siblings with Madame de Belliere (Mary identifies Madame de Belliere as her older sister.) “I have a sister there, my senior by seven or eight years, who was married in France, and was early left a widow; her name is Madame de Belliere.”
• admirer: Charles II (Mary Grafton rejected Charles II's affection.) “as you are the most valuable and precious person in his court, inasmuch as you have rejected his heart”
• admirer: Duke of Buckingham (Buckingham describes his discontinued pursuit of Mary Grafton.) “I have long discontinued a useless pursuit, acknowledging that my own wound is incurable.”

Chapter 38

• courtship with Raoul “Because charming Miss Grafton is willing to marry him, but he is unwilling.”
• courtship with Duke of Buckingham “Sire, I begin by yielding up all claim to Miss Grafton; I pray you follow my example.”
• admired: Raoul “Because charming Miss Grafton is willing to marry him, but he is unwilling.”

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Extracted from the original text of Louise de la Vallière. Made with Rho MD.