Intrepid Adventurers | Westminster 2pm 30th- Xmas 1677

[Hope]

A Prisoner is taken

After all that Caroline had done for her, Tony too, it was horrid to hear her Charles being so nasty to their patron saint - Frances was embarrassed, flushing a bright red of it all. "I am sorry..." she apologised for her wards ill manners, even as he sent the woman packing. It was then that Caroline gave her her name. And Frances indeed, of sprightly mind, understood. More than that, she was very grateful of it.

 

And so Mark was set free, while Frances forfeited her freedom. There would be a punishment to come, not a beating, she knew, he'd never hit her. Charles would probbly stop her singing lessons or not let her go to the riding class with Anne. It did not mean anything to her, he'd been the one pushing her to act like a lady.

 

So she was marched off outside, and hoisted up to his horse. Charles told her that she was a great disappointment to him, at one time that would have touched her heart and spawned regret. But instead she rolled her eyes and uttered "God you are a prick."

 

Ladies, upsets & beads.

 

"I don’t think you'll be ice skating this winter now." Anne replied, ice skating put great strain on ankles. "There is to be sleigh racing on Saturday I think. Perhaps we can share a carriage for that?"

 

It became very plain that the situation with Frances and Langdon went downhill - and both she and Sophia moved after Caroline. (The stall-holder's mouth dropped open with dismay as one then the other fancy lady just walked off with the merchandise!)

 

"Oh I am so sorry." Anne felt awful, and Caroline was fairly shaking with upset of facing the full force of the Law all by herself. "Were their crimes too great to forgive? What happened? Oh, I am sorry I did not come to help too... I, well, I am not very good when there is shouting to be done." Anne was one of those persons who avoided conflict like the plague.

 

"Is it quite too late, did they all go to jail?" In all the crowds Anne could see none of the prisoners, though the officer that had kept Mark in bounds was now talking to an upset merchant who was pointing in their direction.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Sophia thought that she would be well enough to skate in a few short days and she fully intended to dance at tomorrow's ball. She was too young yet to know her body's limitations, and her impatience didn't help either.

 

Her face lit up at the idea of sleigh races. “Oh! That sounds like fun. I hope ladies are allowed to race. I'm small, I don't weigh very much, and I would be able to sit down. Unless my lord husband decides to attend, we can share a carriage. I doubt that he will. It does not sound like his idea of fun.”

 

Caroline joined them and implied that they had abandoned her. Anne apologized but Sophia met her glare with a grin of confidence. “Remember I asked Lord Langdon if I could speak to him later. Sometimes, the best results can be achieved form behind the scenes.” She fully intended to help Frances and her poor insane mother. She and the girl had at least two things in common … they were both orphans and had (or used to have, in Sophia's case) strict guardians. The wife of the Spanish Ambassador knew well what she was going through.

 

She absently fiddled with the strand of violet beads, waiting for Caroline to answer the Duchess' questions, curious as to what had transpired in her absence. Sophia hoped that Lord Langdon had not sent that boy to prison.

[Hope]

Langdons regimental guard and the bead seller...

 

"I agree with you mam, it's not right, not right at all." Frowning, the man empathised.

 

"Took me hours to thread those beads, this is my livelihood we are talking about, it isnt much but its all I have. And they just waltz off with them like it's nothing" upset, the bead seller sputtered.

 

"But I can hardly accuse, let alone arrest those women of thieving. Do you know who they are. You just don't cross that rank of ladies." He tried reason. "Here, look on the bright side. Think of the marketing opportunity. You'll be the only bead seller in London who can advertise her wares 'As stolen by the Duchess Monmouth, and Baroness Toledo."

 

The bead seller seemed unconvinced, continuing to glare towards the ladies.

[Charles Whitehurst]

OOC~ Charles and Frances continue into a side thread "The Doleful Delinquent"

[Caroline Despanay]

Now Anne wanted to know what all happened to the children? She could have stayed at Caroline's side and learned it for herself inside of flitting off like a butterfly to ogle trinkets at that vendor. Unbelievable!

 

"We did not shout, we did engage in some rather .....intense discussion. He's an ass, that man. But for now, the littlest lad ran off, the guard let the older boy go in return for poor brave Frances to go back with that...that....man," it was all Caroline could do to not pour more invective upon Lord Langon.

 

"This is not over though, that much I can promise you both," Caroline pledged with a steely look in those big blue eyes of hers.

 

As for Sophia's declaration she would talk to Langdon and perhaps have more success with the man, Caroline did not comment but her belief in the value of Sophia's words was gone. She was simply not dependable.

 

Caroline looked past the other ladies and now noticed that one soldier who had only a moment before been securing France's friend was in discussion with a street vendor and they both were looking back - at the ladies? The vendor looked upset. Now what?

 

Glancing at Anne's one hand, and seeing the baubles, Caroline had to ask.

 

"So were those expensive then?" she assumed the Duchess had purchased them.

[Hope]

Anne did know Charles was stubborn, very stubborn, but had not thought him utterly unreasonable when it came to ladies requests. "It sounds like it went from bad to worse..." she replied sympathetically, with a hunch that Caroline must have pressed his buttons wrong to have brought out his worst side.

 

Her eyes then slid towards Sophia who chirped how she could fix it. "But then you'd thought it was fixed already." Anne pointed out, it was plain enough now that Sophia's grasp of the situation was less than realistic.

 

"I think I should be the next one to try." Anne was not happy about it, but her conscience was now burdened. "I could... suggest I mind the girl for a while. It's hardly right for an unmarried man to have a pubescent girl under his care anyhow. I think we all know that that age is difficult under the best of circumstances."

 

Sophia did want to help though, and so Anne suggested, "Perhaps you see if you can find the two boys, and see that they aren't going to freeze to death."

 

"Oh heavens." Anne then gasped, realising that she still held the beads. "I forgot to pay." her hand dipped for her money, but then, hers had been stolen earlier on.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Was Sophia the only one of the ladies who knew that Frances had no choice but to go with her guardian? They had not been orphaned young, so how could they understand? She thought Lord Langdon's ultimatum had been a bit harsh, asking the child to trade her own freedom for her friend's. A better solution would have been to take them all home with him. That was what she would have done.

 

“All I said was that a solution would be reached soon. And it was, though it was not what any of us hoped for. If you do talk to Lord Langdon, perhaps you could suggest that he take the boys in as well. The three children seem very fond of each other and I think Frances would not feel the need to run away if they were all together.

 

“She's not really alone with him. Her mother lives with them too. What I wish to speak to him about involves both of them. I, too, could suggest that he take in the boys.” Her gaze turned to Caroline. “In fact, we all could. How will he be able to resist if the idea comes from three different sources? No child should have to steal to survive.”

 

And she had thought that her life was miserable when she had lived with the Doolittles. At least she had been cared for. Because of the scandal she had caused in Venice, her father could have disowned her instead of arranging for her to begin anew in England.

 

Sophia nodded. There was no chance that she would be able to locate two young boys on the crowded streets if they didn't want to be found, but Karl might have better luck. Anna could be useful too. Sometimes it seemed as if her maidservant knew every commoner in London.

 

Her ice-blue eyes widened when Caroline asked about the beads and she glanced over at the stall where the vendor was speaking with the same guard who had held the boy captive. Looking down at the sparkling strand in her hand, she realized that she had not paid either. And she knew that Anne had been robbed and probably had no money with her.

 

“I will purchase both yours and mine, Your Grace,” she offered with a warm smile. “Consider it a gift from one friend to another."

[Caroline Despanay]

The Duchess now appeared willing to talk to Lord Langdon though if she had as much follow thru as today Caroline was dubious about any success. Same with Sophia now full of ideas, yet when she had her chance to stand with Caroline, she promptly drifted off to ...what, look at baubles too?

 

"The boys are gone and finding them won't be easy. London is a huge place and honestly, ladies, would you even remember their faces?" Caroline left it unsaid that she was the one next to the lads the longest.

 

"But they will endeavor to stay in touch with Frances I would imagine, especially the older one. So I would not worry too much about locating them," Caroline pointed out. Frances was the key.

 

Despite Sophia pointing out the girl was not alone with Langdon in that residence, Caroline sided with Anne on wanting the girl out of there. If nothing else, just to spite that arrogant lord. She despised him now and wanted nothing more than to frustrate any plan of his.

 

Caroline looked back at Sophia, "Pardon me for my growing lack of faith at any joint projects in this matter. But I am fully ready to take on Langdon alone if necessary. I planted a seed of hope in Frances, hinting she should run again and this time find me. I fully intend on taking her in should she reach my door. Rest assured, once I have her, he will not get her back. I have powerful friends and I will appeal to them to help me in this."

 

But other matters interrupted this discussion as it seemed not just the Duchess but also Sophia had not thought to pay the street merchant. Anne no longer had a purse even to fork over any coin from. Fortunately, Sophia offered to pay for both, beating Caroline to the punch as she would have been willing to pay for the Duchess.

[Hope]

Sophia disagreed with her view of what had been said, disallowing Anne any respite from Caroline's scorn.

 

"No, you said that it was all being sorted, or I would have... I would have done something."

Sophia had been so insistant to talk about Bedlam, she'd down played what had been going on with Caroline. But Bedlam was no more interest to the Duchess (which was part in parcel why she'd deferred that discussion, in exchange for an adventure climbing the bell tower instead).

 

Right now however, this entire conversation was precisely the sort that Anne hated; acusations, upset and guilt. Her life had held far too much of that. Far too many years of upset, far too many tears of unhappiness. Her new resolutions in life was to lead the life she wanted – not letting Jemmy, or anyone, take away her happiness.

 

She wished for fun and adventures, not this.

 

And then Caroline was saying she had powerful friends that could help her - did she not know the insult she thus delivered to the Duchess in her midst?

 

"Ladies." She drew herself erect, though her eyes were glassy, "I may not be one of your powerful friends." she stated to Caroline, then to Sophia she said, "Nor counted as friend unless it suits your own interests." between them both she continued, "but I am one of the only... no, I am the only woman at court who promotes daredevil adventure for a woman. And that is worth something."

 

"I do not want any keepsake of today, it's been horrible." Hard to say if it was embarrassment at the humiliation, or anger that was behind her words as she turned to approach the bead seller. She did not have any money on her, but that did not leave her without any means. A card was given, and promise to make good.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

“There was nothing anyone could have done,” Sophia said softly. “If Lord Langdon is Frances' legal guardian, then he has complete control over her, just as Lord Kingston had over me. I understand her situation for I have been there myself. You feel as if you are trapped and that your life is not your own, especially if you were once accustomed to doing as you pleased. My guardians in Venice were not very strict.” Not true, but she couldn't admit that she had stolen what freedoms she'd had.

 

“Lord Langdon should never have made Frances choose between going home with him or having her friend thrown in prison. That was cruel. I still think the best solution is for him to take in the boys as well so that they can all be together.” Her eyes spun to Caroline. “Or you can use your connections to be named her new guardian. Then he will not be able to stop you from taking her from him. If she can't be with her friends, I think she would be happier with a female guardian.

 

“At least you won't bring home any loose women,” she added in an attempt at levity. Always, the peacemaker, she wanted to soothe the feelings of both of her friends.

 

The Duchess seemed offended by both of them. Or did she feel embarrassed because she had not attempted to help the girl and was hiding behind false accusations? Sophia followed her over to the bead seller's stall, twisting the strand of purple and gold beads in her hands.

 

“If you were only my friend when it suited me, would I have braved the pain of an injured ankle to meet with you? I truly enjoy your company, Your Grace, whether we are climbing towers or sipping tea. We are kindred spirits … adventurous and unafraid to take chances or follow our own paths. I thought you felt the same way about me and that we were friends forever.”

 

There was both hurt and confusion in her lyrical voice and she looked every inch like the sixteen-year-old girl she was. Gone was any trace of the confident Ambassador's wife. “Was I wrong?”

[Caroline Despanay]

Now Sophia declared there had been no chance in the first place, that Frances would have to go with Lord Langdon given her situation. Caroline glared at her.

 

"Then why on earth did you agree to go with me to talk with the man? Good heavens!" she rolled her eyes.

 

Sophia now worried about the boys? They were gone, faceless urchins in a sea of commoners that lived in London. They were not going to find them anymore. Caroline dismissed that whimsy with a wave of her hand. Then Sophia brought up Caroline herself taking in the girl.

 

"Oh like I said, I plan on it.....well, I plan on talking to people I know to change the girl's situation. This is injustice and who knows? Maybe even worse goes on inside that house too?"

 

Turned out that whatever had been said by both Sophia and her apparently hurt the Duchess' feelings as the woman looked almost tearful as she chided both ladies. Would that Anne had channeled some of that emotion and anger toward Charles a few minutes earlier and just perhaps the situation would have played out better for poor Frances. Still, Caroline did not want to upset the Duchess.

 

"I apologize, your Grace, and indeed I would welcome your efforts in the upcoming confrontation with Lord Langdon. I realize you feel the same way I do about the poor child," she first addressed Anne about herself, "and I greatly admire you for it."

 

And then she even rose in defense of Sophia too...sort of.

 

"As for Lady Toledo she does speak the truth about the importance of her friendship she has for you. I mean here she is here now willing to climb a tower with you when she would not attend her so called friend's party last night, a much less strenuous event if I may say so. Plus she did make the generous offer to pay for the trinkets, that should be in her favor."

[Hope]

"I think that was before she knew that Charles was her legal guardian." Anne answered Carolines question that was directed at Sophia.

 

All three ladies seemed a bit emotional of what they had just witnessed. However lawfully allowed Charles actions had been, they were not considerate nor kind, only beasts would view it and not be moved!

 

"Surely not worse." Anne uttered, as Caroline thought even worse of Charles. "I think it is a case of his having no idea of how to treat a young girl, she is plainly a handful, and he is just as obviously failing at raising her well."

 

But Caroline. Well Caroline did have a certain repute, a free loving libertine spirit was fine for a fellow adventuress (which was why Anne had invited her) but to raise a girl who might hope to marry well... well not so much the qualification.

 

"He might do better rising the boys, but what if I were to take the girl under my roof? Between us all, we might teach her the arts of a lady." she included Caroline in this, for arts of beguilement was just as essential as any of the rest. Libertine ladies made entire careers from their skill of charming gentlemen.

 

And then it was Caroline defencing Sophia's position, and Anne gave a weak smile and reached to hug Sophia apologetically. "Oh darling, I am sorry, I am just so upset of all of this!" here she turned to embrace Caroline too, "We simply must discover a happily ever after. I shall not sleep tonight, for worrying about it all."

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Sophia was about to tell Caroline that when they had gone to confront Lord Langdon, she had not known that he was the girl's legal guardian, but Anne spoke first. The young Baroness smiled at her gratefully. Did the Duchess also find Carolines' behavior toward her a bit odd?

 

She silently agreed with both ladies that Lord Langdon had no idea how to raise a young girl. Lord Kingston had been every bit as clueless with her, but he had never been cruel. Even when he spanked her, she had deserved it. Sir Cedric had been too busy grieving for his recently deceased wife and taking care of his own daughters to spare much attention for her, leaving Lord Kingston to care for her mostly on his own.

 

“Maybe he should ask Lord Kingston for advice,” she suggested with a hint of a smile. “His charge was a handful as well.”

 

Both Caroline and Anne wanted to take Frances under their roofs. Neither of them seemed interested in Sophia's suggestion that all of the children be raised together, which she still thought was the best solution. She didn't offer to take Frances herself because she knew that Esteban would never approve. Nor would any English courtier, since they were foreigners and representatives of Spain.

 

“I think she would enjoy having three ladies to give her guidance. I know how she feels growing up without a strong female influence in her life." Sophia was only a few years older and she hoped that Frances would come to think of her as a big sister.

 

Her mouth nearly dropped open when Caroline came to her defense. There was a subtle barb in her words, and Sophia felt that she owed her a full explanation as to why she had not attended the party. Yet then, the Duchess enfolded her in a warm embrace, and the petite singer hugged her back.

 

When Anne hugged Caroline, Sophia wrapped her arms around both ladies, careful not to break the strand of beads in her hand. “It is all right. This situation has upset all of us, but together we should be able to help that poor girl. We should get together and make plans that Lord Langdon will not be able to thwart.”

[Caroline Despanay]

The Duchess did not wish to even consider Lord Langdon was anything other than simply misguided and inexperienced in raising a girl. Maybe but there might well be more to it. Langdon acted the role of a bully and a blackmailer to get his way, threatening to toss that boy into a prison to force France's hand in the matter. By now Caroline had worked her sense of justice (or maybe it was revenge) into a real frenzy. This was not over!

 

Anne also stated perhaps she would take in the girl, including Caroline and Sophia in the plan to educate her to become a woman. Caroline was not sure of Anne's ability to follow thru given what had just happened and had zero faith in Sophia.

 

"Your Grace, if you don't take her I will then," Caroline declared.

 

"Lord Kingston ....oh, I do believe I shall enlist his aid in this matter. He has always been so helpful and kind to me," Caroline actually liked that idea of Sophia's.

 

Anne deduced all three of them were upset by what had occurred and gave Sophia a hug, breaking that off to do the same to Caroline who had not expected that gesture but returned it somewhat awkwardly. Sophia joined in too. Caroline was more hard headed about all this. Hugs were fine but that wasn't going to free Frances from Langdon's imprisonment.

 

"Just realize, my dears, that it is going to take more than good intentions to have this turn out favorably, it will need actions to match intent," Caroline pointed out when the hugs were finished.

[Hope]

Anne felt wholly better after her outbursts and subsequent hugs! Wasn't it surprising how therapeutic such things could be. Yet when all was done the problem (as Caroline pointed out) remained.

 

"What ought be done then?"

 

Due to Caroline's forthright and direct manner, the Duchess seemed to direct the question to her first and foremost. Sophia was just so young, barely older than little Frances herself – but you never did know, as the saying went: 'out of the mouth of babes’ and all that.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Sophia was pleased that Caroline appreciated her suggestion about involving Lord Kingston. At least she had done something right today. “I believe my former guardian would take your side. He knows how difficult it is to raise a young girl and he was sharing custody of me with another gentleman who has three daughters. I doubt he would approve of a man raising a teenage girl alone. And as a gentleman of the King, he might be able to bring the problem to the attention of His Majesty, and he could appoint either you or Her Grace as Frances' new guardian.”

 

Caroline seemed to think that Sophia and Anne weren't serious about helping the poor girl. Although the Duchess' question was directed at the Frenchwoman, Sophia answered. “We need to be involved in Frances' life and gain her trust so that she will come to us when she is troubled instead of running away. Even if plans fail to remove her from Lord Langdon's care, we should take turns getting her out of the house and arranging activities for her that will appeal to her interests and her adventurous spirit.”

 

She glanced from one friend to the other. “We all know what is like to be an adventurous woman in a man's world. She could learn much from the three of us.”

[Caroline Despanay]

Hugs all done, the ladies were back to conversation. The topic was of course Frances, the poor prisoner of Lord Langdon. Anne inquired what should be done. Before Caroline could answer Sophia spoke up. She seemed to think Kingston would be a sympathetic ally in this. She also mentioned her past as a ward. Where was all this enthusiasm when Caroline was left to face Langdon by herself.

 

"Lord Kingston is someone who can be relied on," Caroline left it at that.

 

As for trying to involve themselves in France's life, take her out for activities...honestly from what she gleaned from her short and decidedly unsympathetic (also unpleasant) conversation with the man he was unlikely to allow her such things.

 

"As I earlier stated, Frances seemed to understand my intent when I hinted she find me if ever she could manage to leave her current state of imprisonment. I do believe I have won her over and she will try to come to me. Once that happens, I fully intend that Langdon will not get his hands on her any more even if I have to hide her while I intercede on her behalf with allies of mine."

 

Caroline smiled, "Neither of you were at my party but let me just say that His Royal Majesty was most taken with me, we got along famously."

 

She wanted to leave them the impression she might just have the ear of the most powerful one could get.

[Hope]

"That may be true." Anne for her part did not know Francis, "but I don’t know that involving more men in the situation will be productive.

 

Caroline’s seemed the most genteel plan. Despite her own enthusiastic yearning for adventures, Anne did prize the appearance of gentility still. So she nodded to what they came to be settling upon.

 

"That sounds well and fair, and leaves the first initiative to the girl herself. Why if she is truly unhappy, then she shall make her way to your sanctuary Lady Kedishall. And if not, then we might guess this was all merely attention seeking behaviour - which, we cannot rule out entirely either. Yes I think this is the very best plan."

 

And simple to follow too, for essentially it meant they needed to do quite nothing!

 

 

OOC: Which seems to be a fine note to wrap up the thread on, if you want to get in your last posts & close! Thanks your lively participation in this little adventure!

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Anne and Caroline didn't even acknowledge her suggestions, leaving Sophia feeling a bit like chopped liver. They were more concerned with getting Frances away from Lord Langdon than making her situation more bearable. There was a chance that neither of them would be able to assume guardianship of the girl, even if Caroline did have the ear of the King. Lord Langdon, as one of his Life Guards, probably had it as well, and if he had not thought the Earl would be a suitable guardian, he would have chosen someone else.

 

Whether her two friends decided to join her or not, Sophia planned to talk to Lord Langdon about both Frances and her mother, and maybe if she charmed him, he would allow her to spend time with Frances. She understood her situation well, having been in the same place, and could give her advice as well as a listening ear and plenty of fun things to do.

 

“Perhaps we will know more by Saturday.” Sophia's voice was more subdued than usual, although when she smiled at both ladies, it was warm and genuine. “I do hope we can all ride to the sleigh races together.” And hopefully, they could reschedule their tower-climbing adventure, perhaps in the spring when it was warmer.

 

Stepping toward the bead seller, she held out her string of purple and gold beads. “Do you have any more of these?” she asked. “I would like to purchase several more strands if you do.”

 

 

(OOC: ~Finis~ for Sophia. Thanks to all for an enjoyable thread!)

[Caroline Despanay]

So there was no longer to be a climb of this tower? No doubt the unpleasantness with Frances and her jailor guardian had soured things not to mention Sophia showing up in her partly crippled state. No matter, Caroline tried to hide it but she was barely controlling her seething anger at that arrogant redcoated coward who would not even dare bandy words with her.

 

Caroline bid her goodbyes to her two companions and at the mention of sleigh races nodded with a forced smile, "We shall see, my dears. Enjoy the rest of your day, both of you."

 

ooc: I had a blast! Plus future threads no doubt await on this bit of drama. Thanks everyone in the thread.

[Hope]

OOC1: Sophia was able to buy as many strings of glass beads as she fancied.

OOC2: Send me a PM link to any followup threads as and when they come up!