To Duke Newcastle-upon-tyne, arrives 30th- Xmas 1677

[George Hardwick III]

George found it a natural thing to follow his friend Beverly's advice, for one he did not want to lead Frances on if a future was impossible, and for another he would temper his own hopes to reality. This was the Cavendish family, one of the greatest families of England.

 

 

A heavily embossed envelope arrived with gilt crusted edges, addressed in an elegant script. It's sealing wax of a cinnamon brown bore Chichester’s seal. With the letter was a bottle of 25yr old scotch, tag attatched read "Compliments of the Season"

 

29th

 

To Henry Howard Senior

Duke Newcastle-upon-tyne

 

Your Grace,

 

I George Chichester, Earl Chichester of West Sussex, had the pleasant fortune of meeting your charming daughter yesterday just passed. Lady Francis was in the Portrait gallery, where she was admiring her ancestors. As a man of the Arts myself, I took pause to appreciate the work with her, and came to discover high regard for her scholarly views and fine intellect, aspects of her nature that I am certain you are most proud of - and worthily so. These are such fine qualities, rare as prized jewels.

 

I shall not escape your attention, as a man of intellect yourself, that as an unmarried man and Earl no less, wish to plot a path for the future. I wish to be honest with you, to say that a hope has risen to my heart, that my duty to might also become my greatest joy.

 

Yet there is only so much a pen may express upon a page. So it is a request a meeting perchance an interview, in which I might put forth the recommendations of my character in person, in which I might petition for permission to call upon your Daughter, with the noblest of intentions.

 

Your Servant

G Hardwick III

 

[Blackguard]

The Duchess had been the most distraught by receipt of the letter. As the head of the Order of St. George, she was vehement against Catholics and began raising one objection after another. The Duke had assured her that he would give Frances to no Catholic but that he needed to reply to the Earl's inquiry and gift.

 

A reply was sent the next day.

 

Lord Chichester,

 

Thank you for the holiday gift and the kind words about my daughter. She is indeed a treasure to us. I am happy to meet with you, given your honorable intentions, but I feel I must disclose that my daughters will be wed only in the embrace of the Church of England to a proper Anglican husband. Your understanding is appreciated. My family wishes yours a joyous new year.

 

Sincerely,

Newcastle

 

A bottle of fine brandy was returned with the letter.

[George Hardwick III]

Chichester was a man of some sensitivity, not blind to subtler details. He understood that the return of gift was an answer, even before he opened the letter. Reading the letter then, he appreciated the mans decorum in reply, an entirely polite rebuttal.

 

This was why Beverly's advice had been wise, and why he was sensible to not accept Frances own claim that he need not talk to her parents about it! As sober as she had been, she was still a foolish woman, and negligent to the way things needed to be done.

 

George picked up his quill, to form his counter.

 

For of course the Dukes letter had been directed at the man George had been, not this newly converted to Anglicanism version.

 

In symbolism of the change, George set his cook to work, and with his reply a box of cookies arrived.

 

 

Your Grace,

Then this newly converted dicple of the Anglican church looks forward to speaking to you anon, perhaps at the forthcoming New Years celebration if not sooner.

 

I have had the scotch made into brownies for your enjoyment. As Aristotle said, 'The whole is greater than the sum of the parts'. Like these cookies I would approach you transformed of life’s experiences, having learnt and grown, the sum of many parts now transformed, in petition of your favour.

 

God Bless you and yours

G.H

Chichester