Mystique | post-gifting continuation- Xmas 1677

[Francis Kirke]

(OOC - Francis has some thoughts  so I'm going to let him PC a bit this round LOL)

 

Francis was content to play his role of filling glasses, listening to the conversation intently despite seeming not to, for there was a lot of remembering things that went into his duties for the King. 

 

And then it happened. Now months into his duties, he noticed the shift of posture, tone, and language immediately. After many evenings with the King and observations of his master's private affairs with women, it was enough to give him pause. And so quickly! Something quite personal. All out of an innocent question.

 

He froze with the carafe, wearing his own look of surprise evidenced by his raised brows. Then he reanimated and put it back where it had been. He turned back around in time for the King's question, and the look that he also received. He shook his head just slightly negatively. No special knowledge had come from him, nor from the Duke that he knew. Something Nicci then affirmed by saying Buckingham left out such details. Francis did not know much what to make of the significance of playing, but it was significant.

 

 

[Defiance]

The King smiled and nodded. Every now and again there was a pleasant surprise from Buckingham, instead of some form of shock. That, or George was leaving many details of this drama to the boy. Or some combination of both. 

 

"I think you may find my hands too large for those particular desires," the King answered her with a boom of a laugh, as she came close and attempted to put the little instruments onto his fingers. It was quite comical really. He heard a ghost of a snicker from Kingston and chuckled at the cub without bothering to look that way. Not wanting to take his attention from Envy, he said across his shoulder, "You know, Kingston, you're not supposed to laugh at the King." There was a smile on his face that Nicolette could see. He did so enjoy tormenting all his younger gentlemen. "If you wish to fit those on me, we shall have to put one on each pinky finger." He snorted in amusement.

 

Licking his lips, Charles replied, "I have oft been praised for nimble fingers, but rarely from those who have heard me play the guitar." With a nod, he said, "Strings are a wanderer's instrument...and the storyteller's."

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

And then the nakedness of the moment was gone again, and the King was making jest, then poking fun at Francis.   It had been enough for Nicolette to know she wanted more such moment, she wanted to disarm him entirely.  And perhaps if she had enough times with him she might manage to do so...

With an exaggerated sigh she gave up trying to fit the finger cymbals on him , slipping the fastenings over her own instead.  *ting ting* And she was grinning again, "Then tonight I shall add another title to my repertoire; Lady Melody, which is quite the prettiest of those I've had to date."  she tinged her bells and made a sweeping motion with her arms, flicking a look towards Frances as well as she thought to dance for both men’s appreciation. 

It was a curious situation perhaps. for on a number of occasions Nicolette fully believed herself to be in love with Francis, a thought that usually implied a measure of exclusivity.  And yet here she was courting another right before, him, indeed, with Francis silent encouragement. Stranger still, she was feeling a little... like she might be falling in love with The King also! 

Nicci laughed lightly at his way of revealing her guess was incorrect, his wit was excellent. "Hmm... well it could not be the trumpet, who would wish upon themselves the cliche to 'blow their own'?!  -- Although your lips do look that they might be dexterous as well."  

[Defiance]

The King leaned against the mantel, enjoying the feeling of standing for the moment and quite relaxed. 

 

"Perhaps you shall discover that as well," the King replied of the dexterity of his lips. "But...your initial guess was correct. My musical instrument of choice is guitar. Compliments about my fingers simply usually are not generated from hearing me play that particular instrument," he added, raising his glass to his lips again. "And no horns either, for that is an instrument played for kings, not by them!" He chuckled, "It is very difficult to look regal whilst inflating ones cheeks and producing flatulence into a mouthpiece."

 

"But I play others, just nothing so tiny. I am not usually so ungallant as to ask a lady to play herself." He grinned 

 

 

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

"Aha!" Nicolette laughed, upon hearing her mistake, which actually meant her first guess had been right!   Which also meant that he had attributed the qualities of being a wanderer and storyteller.  She sought out his eyes then, and smiling said. "The storyteller, the traveling minstrel,  embraces the world around him.  It is that spirit in you that permeates your court, that makes your people so unique - adventure is also at your heart yes?"  

It was so very different to the way of Versailles, where social exclusion was the norm and foreigners viewed with contempt.  

But there was a change in CR's conversation, one that she perceived plainly, would encourage though with coy.  "Your Royal Majesty!" she grinned with the tease, "you propose that I would make a fine trumpeter?!"  Blowing the royal horn was possible, but in her view something more for whores than mistresses. 

Nicci begun her dance of veils *ting*  with slow movements of wafting veils, punctuating each turn with a ting of cymbals. "I am hardly alone, nor you not playing also..." she breathed, with a flair of eyes turned and moving her hand to side slid from bust to hip, guiding his eyes to appreciate her form.  *ting* 

[Defiance]

"Freedom, or the illusion of it, so perhaps I am telling stories to myself," the king responded with his trademark, good-natured chuckle. Warm and robust, if only for his size. A large man did few things by small measures. "That itself is an adventure when you are king, surrounded by people with few lone moments." Trying to find some freedom was a constant struggle. 

 

"Never!" he replied as she asked if he was insinuating she would be a good trumpeteer. "Simply that it is no instrument for me!" 

 

His Majesty was a sexual being, but not everything had to be so. He knew why she had come, but he might agree with her sentiment that one treated whores differently than ladies of quality. 

 

As she tinged and moved, his eyes surely followed with appreciation in the firelight and candlelight. The bling of what she was wearing complimented the veils and cymbals well. With a smile, he finally sat down in a chaise to watch.

 

"I would be too distracted to play any just accompaniment," he said, reclining one arm across his chest lightly.

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

"Then you are more than storyteller, you are a playwright.  The artist who weaves thoughts hopes and dreams into glimpsed reality that squeaks the limelit floorboards..." he revealed much to her, this woman who relied upon empathy to understand the world, now saw life as a royal could be a very populated lonely place.  He could have anything, just anything he wanted, yet found the ever so humble quiet and hush moments, elusive.

"Oo!" she lifted her toe, "is that a squeak now?" she smiled again and continued her movements...

"I was but teasing you." she giggled as he nobly protested, defended his words upon trumpets.  He reclined, and she moved closer to waft a veil, upon the airs movement he received also her fragrance of rose and lavender. 

Picking up an edge of one veil she held it up, "These are the theatre curtains..."  she breathed, "what story would you have of it? A tale from the Decameron perhaps, or perhaps some other entirely new?"  

 

Edited December 19, 2018 by Nicolette Vauquelin

[Defiance]

Charles smiled. Buckingham surely knew his requirements for witty women. He could not handle any more with tears or the debts of small countries. The lady did not disappoint. 

 

"You are a lyrical lady, I think," he replied. 

 

"Too many varied tales in the Decameron. I should not like to risk any tragedies," he added, with a chuckle. "I prefer comedy, wit, or satire on the stage!" He took another sip of his drink, chest rumbling with amusement. "You have delighted me with novelty all season, and you have now your private stage. What shall make others most Envious I wonder? If that is your inspiration for this most enchanting journey..."

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

"Lyrical?" She tipped her head, enjoying the feeling that his compliment gave her.  It also occurred to her that he was getting to know her, perceiving aspects of her nature quite as intently as she looked to know who he was.    "A musician and a lyricist - it that even a word? - It makes me wonder if we could compose songs together."

Not that she'd ever thought to compose anything melodic before, but now he'd seeded the thought, it appealed.  

She would agree that the Decameron was too Italian.  "True, myself I enjoy Moliere far more." was her reply upon the greats of theatre...

Moving her veil, that itself was see through, she peeked over the edge to him then quickly 'hid' back behind it... a filmy charade of peek a boo.  Yet his words called to another part of her, did he realise, or was it all in her own mind.  Letting the veil fall she moved closer and spoke soft.  "It is not others I am thinking of at all, especially not in this quiet stillness together I have so long desired. Even the novelty of games grow tired.  Savouring this very moment is far preferable."  Her expression was still warm but somewhat sobered, and meeting his eyes she gazed within. Her own breath held as she attended to hearing his own in and ex haleration . 

Edited December 19, 2018 by Nicolette Vauquelin

[Defiance]

"That was our moniker for you, was it not!" the King accused himself, and then chuckled for his forgetting. "For if I recall correctly, your first missives were signed by your very apropros initials."

 

He raised a brow at her with a knowing grin. He reached out and wrapped an arm around her to pull her next to him on the chaise. 

 

"But we already know we enjoy each other in the wildness of parties and the fun of games, do we not?" he asked, rhetorically, in agreement. 

 

"If your smile did not betray you, I think that your kiss would. I think that is a veil I should like taken away."

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

"I cannot even brag of the nomdeplume!" Nicci replied with a grin, "I was unaware of it while signing - only upon your reply I realised the play! Why had I realised I would have signed off something entirely more... breathless."    Those had been some racy letters, quickening the royal breath had been her purpose. 

She responded with a nod as he drew her closer,  sinking to sit alongside recline upon the chaise - it was a happiness to hear of his fondness for the games they had till now played.  Her hand was tempted to touch his forehead, and that preciely what Nicolette did, brushing back his hair with a smoothing hand.   "Is my kiss so recognisable?" still wearing the jewelled mask her eyes sparkled as they looked through, and she bent to kiss - lips finding his, at first tentative and tender, receptive to his claiming of a confirmation. 

 

[Defiance]

"Surely you can, for it was built into your name already. We only voiced how it sounds when read aloud and it was simply meant to be so," the King replied.

 

"Have your discoveries not told you that everyone has not just a different kiss..." he drew closer. "But a different scent..." there was a tickle of breath against her neck. "Different lips and softness....and a different taste." He met her kiss, sampling only at first and then delving deeper into the delights of dancing with her tongue. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer against him. There was a rumble of enjoyment to seek but not rush. 

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

"Of themselves a person can be blind to the simplest truths..."  she replied softly.  It was a well enough known theory, yet mesmerising in his speaking it Nicolette sweetly marvelled enjoying the sensation of falling, falling, within this lovers trance.   

Her fingertips lingered there, and she kissed - her own parfum of lavender and roses mingling with his cologne, the taste of his wine accenting the blood orange, delights splashing through closed eyes. His arms were strong drawing her closer, and her weight shifted atop him, arms sliding around his neck.  Lips pleasured upon his, and feeling passions deepening joyfulness bubbled up and as they broke apart she giggled – returning lips to his face to placed a dozen kisses all over, "Your kiss is the very earth beneath the stars!" she whispered before pressing mouth to his more heavily seeking more.   

[Defiance]

An honest giggle was a very sweet sound. Sweeter, perhaps, than the kiss and that was a difficult feat. Exciting a man sexually was not all that cryptic of an endeavor, but making him feel good, making him chuckle was far more difficult. 

 

As her lips pressed in for more, no encouragement was needed to deepen the quest of the kiss. One of his large hands cupped the side of her face, the other moving down to tease the curve of her breast, thankful that there was no elaborate costume or dress to break the stride of exploration.

 

"What shall I discover behind these veils," he said, plucking one away, as he lowered his mouth to her neck.

[Francis Kirke]

For his part, Francis slipped into the next room as the King pulled Nicci closer. They would surely not need him for any of this, he knew well-enough. With the table beside the chaise holding their glasses and a decanter, there was little else he could supply. It was time for him to sit just outside the cracked door and play dice with one of the grooms, or read a book. He would send someone in to put a few more logs on the fire in a little bit, but he knew it was already about to get warmer in there!

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

Lips occupied, her mind was absorbed -  so she was not immediately aware that Francis left.  That was not to say she had forgotten all about him however.  It was a sort of erotic that the man who had prepared her for this very scene now watched over it.  Her giggles, her groans and sighs - Francis already knew each of these sounds in person - he had been the first to coax them from her lips. 

Mmm... with a nasal sound Nicolette's tongue flickered it's dance, then aware of the roving touch.  CR plucked a veil away (the motion was a small triumph in itself!) and the masked girl pushed her fingers through his scalp as a shiver of goosbumps tingled up her arm to where he kissed her throat. 

Spine arching that soft and full breast pressed into his hand she crooned, "Discover away - at will!" encouraging, "do discoveries always delight of their adventurers like this" Her fingers tightened in his hair. 

Edited January 2, 2019 by Nicolette Vauquelin

[Defiance]

The King did not notice Kingston leave at all. His mind was quite far from such things at the moment. Instead he was enjoying the feeling of her skin and the sounds of her satisfaction at his explorations. 

 

"Not always quite this much," the King replied. It was quite believable too, as his hand traveled down the outside of her leg, kissing her again as he tested the feel of her curves. 

 

His hand reached for yet another veil.

 

"I have not discovered anything of comparable value tonight," he added, of his presents. Experiences were far more valuable to him when as King he could have most things. Her pleasant distraction had lasted the entire season and promised into beyond, and that was far more valuable than something gifted to him. 

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

A thousand tingling sensations radiated from his touch, it was exciting, more so for the marvel of his station.  His exploration gave her a freedom to do a little herself, fingers sliding down around his jaw and down to shirt – feeling his form beneath.

“I’ve heard it said that life’s greatest joys are experiences, not things.” She breathed. It was a saying popular amidst the poorer classes, but perhaps the wealthy saw some truth in it too?

He pulled another scarf free, and she secretly crowed with joy!  Those scarves had been hastily tucked in things, superficial really, almost figurative even. Scarf from sleeve and one from neckline were now removed, leaving but three more tucked in around her petticoat waistband (one of which was caught under her knee so that it was practically releasing itself.)

Her hand pressed back up his torso and slid with increased firmness over his shoulder and down arm.  “I feel so wicked to indulge myself so, like, there should be some official requiring a stamp duty!” she jested through excited breaths, hitching herself higher as she’d started to slip from their spot.

[Defiance]

The King gave her shoulder a playful bite and then chuckled warmly enough to vibrate against her. "There is my mark of payment for the wicked indulgence!"

 

Although her hands had traveled his body before, as he very well knew, there was a new excitement to the privacy of it. After a boring night of barely moving, it did not take very much encouragement to stoke Charles' passion; he was known as an insatiable man. He was already hard. 

 

"I hope that I shan't need too look for it to recognize you next time?" he reached up to take off the mask.

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

"Ouah!" Surprised called out, breaking into a laugh as she needled his ribs in return!  Rough housing was unexpected and amusing, "There had best not be a mark left - how shall I wear sleeveless ball gowns!" chuckles lapsed as this increased physicality spurred her to pulling his shirt front open, and pushing herself back she admired.  "Dishevelle does suit you."  Holding her mask yet in place.

she smiled, enjoying his continued rove of hands... she lifted her hands and removing clips shook down her hair.  In a husky tone she supposed, "Perhaps you shall never find me again... tonight may be a single night of wonder." 

Nicci suffered no delusion that he didnt actually know exactly who she was, but this was the game they played, and playing into it was the Kings novelty.

 

 

Edited January 15, 2019 by Nicolette Vauquelin

[Defiance]

"A very good thing there shan't be any balls before the end of Christmastide," he chuckled. "And the chill in the air can be a great excuse for the addition of fancy bits of this and that." 

 

He smirked as she pulled open his shirt. It then fell down one shoulder, leaving open a great gap of chest, nipple, & ribs. 

 

"Ahhh, but wouldn't that be a shame after all the lengths you have gone through! Your desires in your missives betray that possibility. I shall see you again, I am quite sure, but shall you tease me of it eternally?" He ran a finger down the side of her neck. "I should like to see your face the first time we are to be together or do you intend to only entice me tonight, hmm?" 

 

Yet another of the veils was delicately plucked away.

 

 

 

 

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

"And I do love fancy bits of this and that…” she responded warmly, then using her recently freed and 'fancy' hair pin (well it was Lisa’s really) to trace a design over his bared chest.  “You put your seal upon me, so now I shall write a contact upon you.” She played.  Grazing the tip in a loop around his nipple, then bending she retraced the same trail with her tongue…  

“Or perhaps a treaty, one of love.” It was fun to use such official words for sweet nothings, or at least she enjoyed it a great deal.  And he seemed content to indulge her, reaching she pushed the other side of his shirt down too, and smiled with darkened eyes. 

She wanted this so bad!   It was Buckingham’s and Francis advice to prolong the games that had her resist giving into her (urgent!) desires.  Yet this next time she refrained, she felt the King’s impatience (or excitement) was also challenged, though he relayed that information gently still.  “No, not eternally…” she replied, her heartbeat raced at this point of turning.  Oh he’d looked at her before, any number of times, but this was their game of seduction, this was entirely different than courts day to day.  

The softest tug, and another veil fell away, the knowledge sending tingles up her spine

Tilting her head into his hand as he traced a line up her neck, “So long have I yearned for it, now the moment is upon us, 'revelation' nearly frightens me.” She breathed, sliding her hands over his torso, and wanting what was to come.  That warm frustration down there knew he more than capable to satisfy it. 

“But I am ready.” She asked in a whisper, this time with no coy as her mask was removed.

[Defiance]

"Oh but you shall have them," he told her. Pretty gifts were the currency of every mistress. 

 

"Not eternally, but then how might one get out of this purgatory, hmm?" he asked, his deep voice quiet for how close they were together. There was a pleasing rumble to it. 

 

However, it seemed that she would pull him out of it herself. A fallen angel of rescue perhaps. 

 

When the mask pulled away, he feigned surprise. Brown eyes widened, he chuckled with pleasure, and he even made a little gesture with his hands.

 

"Do not hide such beauty," he whispered when he leaned forward. He might have said such to a lady before, but he matched it with a deep, distracting kiss.

 

"Now I can see you," he added, upon stopping for a breath. "And now that Envy's mask is away, what do her most intimate friends call her?"

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

"The offering of your name?"  she whispered the 'toll' she would have extracted.  She wanted to call him Charles, which was certainly not something she would do if not endorsed by the King himself.  Tearing back his clothing was one thing to do without asking, but discarding honorifics was quite different!  

Yah or Nay, she progressed.

The Mask was removed, and the release from it's enclosure felt good.  He feigned surprise - she grinned of it, then leaning into his welcome kiss.  At last her face unimpeded against his.  "Nicci..." she told, pressing into another kiss. 

[Defiance]

"Such a request," he teased. One that was simple enough, for in private he did not enjoy all the obsequiousness. 

 

She had been taking the mask off either way, and he grinned unrepentant and said, "What a pleasure to finally meet you, Nicci. And I, I am Charles." He  took her hand and gave it a kiss as if it was their very first introduction.

 

And soon after more veils and obstructions were removed on both, though neither could much tell between the fire and body heat. At some point more logs had been added. By whom or when, neither had noticed.

 

(OOC - Zip us as far forward as you wish to go. I've leave you creative latitude for what happens or just bring us to the next point you want to play out  )

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

Mlle. Vauqueline’s journal had so many special moments carefully described in exacting detail; such as her first meeting of Cousin Louis and his wife Lisa, how their reserve had not lasted so very long till she’d melted it away.  And the day she’d met St.A and C what each had been wearing and the décor of the room they had stood in.  Word for word citation of the remarkable conversation she’d had with the Duke on the Dancefloor. A list of books and preferable reading order that had been recommended to her by Lord Maldon.   A blow by blow detailing of her Samphire collection excursion with Lord Dundarg.  A careful recording of each Duchesses dress at the Christmas Ball. Yes it was her habit to detail very carefully moments that awed and marvelled her mind, days and times that she recorded to keep alive in her mind forever more.   

Yet for this date she wrote but 4 words, “And I am Charles”  there placing a scrap of veil between the pages.  

Those were the most remarkable words ever.  She, a poor French girl, had been given the King of England Scotland, Ireland and a little bit of France, Defender of the Faith etc … most private name to use.

“Charles…” Nicolette repeated, celebrating and with a single intention of just how to do so! Her lips met his, excitement united and desire devoured them both.  It was everything she’d imagined, it was wild, there were cries of surprise and sometimes laughter, growls of encouragement, it was sometimes downright uncomfortable, other times bursting through the clouds of heaven. But most of all it was utterly now.

Till she lay panting, a gleam of energies moisture upon her face, feeling completely and utterly sated, chest heaving as she regained breath.  Slowly it dawned on her that there were more logs on the fire than there had been before – not sure how she felt about that, she shifted herself to lounge arms legs across the King form.  “I’d say it was very nice to meet you too Charles…yes, absolutely lovely.”

Her hand slid down to keep a tender hold of that most lovely tool, enjoying the dreamy soft moment without any cares, just bodies that had loved well.   

Edited January 20, 2019 by Nicolette Vauquelin

[Defiance]

His Majesty had found some energy after a long, boring evening to have some fun with his new...correspondent. For no lady had ever attempted to woo him in such an amusing way, and that on its own was quite a valuable thing. Many ladies had wanted to make their mark on him in his bed, many, many, many, but they had never come up with something so clever as to distract him from the duties of Christmastide. It was his least favourite time of the year in most ways. It preceded a most unwelcome anniversary as well. 

 

Now, though, he was smiling and taking deep, relaxed breaths. Knowing it would soon get cold after their exertion, he pulled up a blanket to cover them.

 

His laughter was deep and warm, rumbling against her as she indicated her pleasure at his acquaintance.

 

"Best introduction of the season!" He chuckled a bit more. "In a season of many introductions of all kinds, and the only honest one, perhaps." 

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

His simple motion of drawing the blanket about them, warmed her heart as much as her body.  “After so much excitement, it’s perfectly blissful to find myself in a snuggle with you.”

“Only ‘perhaps?’ ” she chuckled, the offence entirely ‘mock’, for she was elated with the praise within his couched sentiment.   

“Mmm… but do you know, I think I wish to continue my letters, it would amuse me to be so overt to the gentlmen of your bedchamber." would it amuse him too?  With the deed behind them, letters would become a brag as much as anything else. "Why, am feeling inspired to compose the next right now.” 

She closed her eyes, imagining her pen.

“ ‘To Dearest Charles’ – That is how would begin– ‘There are sometimes I wish I could write bawdy verse, for our meeting could be described with eyebrow raising, spine tingling and irreverent words!   But instead I must say that I am so pleased that I managed such patience. For I consider myself extremely patient to have conducted such an education in prepare.  If I were more lady I might not admit that the educating was rather delightful in itself, for in him was an echo of your grace and cheer – though now that I am graduated I have little desire to return to my tutor.  You have spoilt me Charles.”

She gave a happy sigh, and nestled a little closer still- the notorious chill of grand buildings was indeed pressing in.  

“There is only one thing that could make my life more complete.” Said she.  

Edited January 22, 2019 by Nicolette Vauquelin

[Defiance]

"The only honest one with this kind of intimacy," Charles corrected, running his hand up and down her arm. In a sea of interactions of the regular variety, he assumed at least one other must also be honest. Even being the cynic in his secret mind, he allowed for that. 

 

Chuckling with a nice rumble, he said, "I would like that, and my gentlemen were always eager to know when the next missive might come and if they would be there to overhear it when Kingston arrived or to hear snippets about it later."  He rumbled more. "I think they were all quite jealous of the letters, for what man can confess to have received such."

 

If it ever got out, more ladies would try it, but the seconds were never as good as the originals. At court, it was all much the same. Someone would achieve success for something, and then someone else would try right after by the same mechanism. 

 

"Ha! Well, he is just a cub by comparison. Give him a decade or so, and he will learn a few things more!" The king smiled. The boy had done his duties well with George's help. "None shall spoil you more after," he also promised. He knew the value of the famed royal scepter. 

 

"If your life were complete what excitement would there be day to day?" he teased before giving in and saying, "What is this one thing?"

 

 

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

"Brutal honesty is what tingles the senses in affairs of the heart.”  She agreed, and inspired by it, she mused “do you think truth is the same as honesty? Truth is good, and beneficial always surely, but honesty. La, I think you have put finger on the most desirable.  Both to give and receive. In my letters, I tried to be more honest of my thoughts than I could hardly bare, and it was most exciting for that case.  You know me French, how easily we drape artifice. But I loved the discarding, it was an exposure of a mental sort!"

His stroke of his arm was likely unconsciously done, it felt nice.  Smiling as he agreed to more letters she whispered, “Envy’s accounts of our exploits will set their ears to burn.”  She was perhaps developing a taste for exhibitionism, though right now laid like this she appeared the sweetest kitten.  

Was it imagination, or did that sceptre even twitch within her hand as he bragged of it. “You might remind me again soon…” Nicolette was hopeful of further bout, fingertips moving a little she kept her interest known.  The legend of his cock had its own appeal also, moreso once sampled, and he knew as much already.

It was a quieter wish she wanted to express right now however, tentatively posed so he’d ask directly, he did so, but with royal magnanimity to include details of an entire perfect day. “Aha!” she chuckled surprised, “I was hoping to beg one thing; that you let me hear you play the guitar.  I had not wanted to ask before, when the dear cub was right there, lest you not inclined. For if one thing I have learnt, it is the grace in the House of Stuart towards ladies.  But I don’t want to press upon your gentlemanly goodness to comply.  Only if you are happy to.  I shall understand if you prefer not.”  Nicci could well understand if a person who lived such a public life, kept some things as intensely private.

“But now that you ask, I am fond of simple adventres too, such as walk within the gardens selecting leaves for my collection.  Did you know of my interest in herbalry?   I try not to bore people by talking of it often.  Laughter, games and surprises, I love those, both giving and receiving.” She grinned. “But I know what you are really asking Charles, so here is my answer: a message to come and see you is what would complete my day.”  

Edited January 24, 2019 by Nicolette Vauquelin