Mind Clearing-after supper, Sept 15th

[Francis Kirke]

Francis laughed at her characterization of the Duke's actions. Buckingham could be quite mercurial and flighty; one needed to also keep his attention. His uncle had many interests politically, personally, and socially. He also was one who expected loyalty and a degree of reverence to his greatness in return; he was fairly vain, as most dukes and princes. 

 

"It does not?" he tittered some with good nature. "And how long have you been at court? My first lesson before coming, other than my mother trying to remind me of things I thought I still remembered and knew, was to pay my respects to those connected to the family and to gift amply."

 

He had stood on those two things for quite some time before Buckingham had taken him under his wing. Francis was probably lucky that his first season involved an attack on water! That was something he knew a thing or two about!

 

"You are already ahead of the game, my lady," he assured her. "You have His Majesty's child, a title, sisters to marry to create alliances. You need only use them and solidify them."

[Catriona MacGregor]

Cat remembered her arrival.  "When I came to court, my accent was only slightly better than my brother's is now.  I wasn't given real lessons before coming.  I simply barged in, wanting only control of my sisters.  Then I had to find a way out of being Lauderdale's" (the sneer was vocal when she said that name) "mistress and getting the girls removed from the Court of Wards.  I didn't have half a clue what was to be in store for me after those issues were solved."  She let go of Francis' arm and plopped down on the throne of fall.

 

As Francis began listing off all she had, the mention of sisters and marrying them off for alliances released a small scoff and a muttered "Or just to get one off my hands" before she nodded.  "Aye, I have quite a bit to work with.  I just have to figure out how to do so.  I'm a giver, not a taker.  It is going to take a lot of practice."

[Francis Kirke]

"Yech, well, that would be a death sentence," Francis said in return, scrunching up his nose. "Most any other duke would have done better," he added, with a hint of a snicker. Lauderdale certainly was not the cream of the crop.

 

"It sounds to me you navigated it well." She had her sisters, and she had been the King's rather than Lauderdale's, and His Majesty's gifts were lifelong. At least for the King's life, and he was yet young. 

 

"Forgive me, but I think you would allow me to speak frankly," he gave a pause to allow her to protest, but he did not expect it. She was no delicate, naïve lady. "I would not speak of family matters without your leave. It isn't my place, but as a friend I should like to be of help, at least in advice."

[Catriona MacGregor]

"Aye," she agreed to the assessment of having to be Lauderdale's mistress.  The man needed to go join her father for a nice long sink in the Devil's lava pool.  Just a short thousand year dunking.  And if there happened to be flesh eating beasties in it, well...  

 

He likely wouldn't see it, but her brow rose as she replied, "Do you think I often tell my story to people I don't trust?  I think of you as my friend and hope you feel the same way.  Any advice would be welcome."  Of course, whether she took it or not she took the advice would have to be seen.  "I forget I'm just turning 20 and not an old maid with years of wisdom."

[Francis Kirke]

Francis smiled and nodded. It was always safer to ask first where family was concerned in his experience. Even with their friends, many wished some things private.

 

"Well...if you are to head your house as seems a special purview of Scottish ladies and especially with His Majesty's blessing...then you must think - at least a little - like a man. Like a man with all sorts of daggers to employ," he added with a wry grin. "Your sisters are pretty and should not have issues finding a match. The eldest of them seems a bit of a handful. I was there when she came upon HIs Majesty in the park to ask clemency for that unfortunate fellow, and the King had me escort her to your brother. I do not recall where you were at the time. If I know a thing about wards or young people in general, from having youth on my crews, it's that they will run amuck if given the chance and get into all sorts of trouble, and the younger will follow the older, but you are far more intelligent than they are. See the trouble before they find it."

[Catriona MacGregor]

Cat was quiet as Francis spoke.  She was the head of household because she decided she was.  There were distant relatives of her mother's on the Isle of Skye.  The girls had spent some time up there when she was just settling into her role as mistress and then as a wife to Adam.  He had tried to help with the girls, but ultimately, she was in charge.  Acting as her father's hostess at a young age, then married off, widowed, once again acting as the head of household after her mother's death in her father's stead before his death and after.  And while many may have become control freaks, never letting anyone have any freedom of thought, she was the opposite.  She had grown up too fast and she didn't want her sisters to be like her.  

 

Think like a man.  Easier said than done unless one was, in fact, a man.  She opted not to rehash old wounds in regards to sending Fiona to Douglas instead of herself.  "Unfortunately, I can't get in front of the trouble Fiona has fallen into again.  And to be honest, and I can't believe these words are coming out of my mouth, if someone asked for her hand, so long as they have a pulse, I might just say yes."  She took a deep breath.  "I was forced into a marriage with a man my father's age when I was 14.  I was already good with a blade, so I was able to protect myself.  But I promised myself I would never force any of the girls into a marriage.  That vow is going to be broken and..." she trailed off before speaking again, "I'm not sorry about it."  She had given Fiona so many chances and her sister kept flinging it back into her face.  She couldn't go through this another time, much less two more.   "You do realize that goes against every instinct I have."  

[Francis Kirke]

Francis nodded. It was clear she was bothered, and even Francis - who was pretty good with ladies - was not clairvoyant with them. He did not know the magic words to say or how to comfort the particular problem.

 

When she expounded that she could not get in front of the trouble with the eldest, again, Francis raised a brow only wondering what it could be considering her display in front of the King at that picnic. He sat down next to her on the grass, mindful not to sit too close that if anyone happened by it would seem like a liaison. 

 

"Part of being in charge is dealing with the difficulties of it," he said. "There are duties of being in charge of someone's welfare that are oft unsavory. Do you think I have never felt badly over birching my young cousin who is my ward? Do you think I have never thought that there were times in my youth where I behaved just as badly? But his now is not the only thing I have to think about, it is his future, the man I wish him to be one day, and that can involve many difficult things and feelings to make sure that he has a good life." He paused and thought for a moment and said, "There are times for being as a friend, a mentor, and then there are times where he needs to remember who is master. It gets easier with time."

 

He had been Tom's father-figure for a long time now. His own father had been killed at war when Tom was only ten. He was now - what - sixteen or seventeen? 

 

"Sometimes you must deal harshly with the elder so that the younger ones do not follow suit. You can take care to find a man who will be decent, even if it is not what she would want. If what you are worried about is what I think you are worried about, it is best to find a match before she ruins herself and there is no match to be had that wouldn't be far beneath her." 

 

He had been in that position too, with Sophia. His tribulations there had been significant. Her marriage had not been optimal, but at least the Duke of Cumberland had agreed with him and given him leave to forgive himself for the foreign Catholic aspect of it in order to save the girl from herself. 

 

Fiona had already had one scandal, with a traitor. She had only herself to thank for that and the publicity of her actions. 

 

"You love your sister. That is your instinct. Sometimes love must be tough. For the better."

[Catriona MacGregor]

There was absolutely nothing Cat could say in argument with what Francis said.  It was the honest truth.  And indeed, she was silent as it seeped into area of her mind where she fought against having to be tough against the girls.  They were not her.  They hadn't gone through the tempering she had gone through.  Oh, she was glad that they would never have to go through what she had.  But the world wasn't sunshine and candy.  Especially at court.  She had given Fiona chance after chance, but her sister spit in her face this time.  She heaved a deep sigh.

 

"If I need someone to tie her up nice and tight, can I call on you?  I'm sure your sailing knots will keep her locked down."

[Francis Kirke]

The bark of a laugh that escaped Francis echoed through the area. Tie her sister up with sailing knots! What might they say about him then!

 

"I have faith in you," he replied instead. "You will find a way. Use your power to deprive her of things that make her behavior possible. She would not be the first young lady locked in a room with a guard outside the door, I would imagine." 

 

Then he added, "I've found the whole spare the rod concept to be quite true in a myriad of ways, especially with certain types of misbehavior...It has multiple purposes, for nobody wants someone to see their striped up arse cheeks...but perhaps that only works on boys." He had not waited long enough before marrying the girl off to see if the spanking had worked on Sophia.

 

Once upon a time, he might have suggested to have her brother take some responsibility for the sister's actions, but considering Francis had once given Dundarg the benefit of doubt and asked the man on his honor to guard Sophia's virtue and he had done the exact opposite one breath later, he did not see that as a viable option.

 

"Do you have an elder uncle in the remote Highlands surrounded by nothing but cattle where she could be sent?" he asked with a cheeky chuckle. "A match with someone who is not a courtier might be optimal." There were plenty of lordlings and country gentlemen who did not come to London, and he was sure there were likely even more of those in Scotland.

[Catriona MacGregor]

A small smile slid on her lips for a moment at Francis' laugh.  "What would really punish her is getting a lawyer and disputing my father's will, leaving Lochend and the title to Fiona instead of me, the first legitimate born.  It isn't as if she's taken any interest in the running of place."  Oh, wouldn't she throw the biggest temper tantrum.  She might just go ahead and do that.  At Fiona's age, she had already had the running of her first husband's home before his brother inherited and then had run Lochend after her mother's then father's death.  

 

"Aye, our mother's uncle lives on the Isle of Skye, but the last time I sent them up there, Fiona somehow escaped and ended up in London, begging for some bastard's life," she replied.  "If I could just find some old man to marry her, once he dies, she can act as she wants.  And she won't be my problem again."  Ah, blissful dreams.  

[Francis Kirke]

"I do not confess to know much about Scottish affairs," he said as a preamble. "But it seems in many cases not even a will could legally skip a firstborn in favor of a younger sibling for a peerage." He did know that titles in Scotland, at least some, could pass to a woman, but it had always seemed to him that they went to the eldest. It would not particularly surprise him if he had it wrong, though. He was lucky to fully understand English affairs

 

"Oh, well, I suppose that would not work if she has escaped once. Or greater care would need to be taken. Doors do lock. Stable hands can be told not to ready horses or coaches. But it does seem like the best course of action is to find her a marriage quickly and absolve yourself of responsibility."

[Catriona MacGregor]

It wasn't so much the title that really bothered her.  It was the land and the people who worked that land that concerned Cat.  She had tried to get Fiona to work with the steward, to take an interest in her inheritance.  She knew, without a doubt, if she suddenly washed her hands of Lochend, Fiona wouldn't really care, so long as money was still coming in for her to play with.  It probably didn't help that upon their father's death, she immediately took over.  Fiona was too young.  Cat should have been too young, but she had managed her first husband's affairs until he died and his younger brother took over, so managing another didn't seem so strange.

 

"Oh, doors are locked and the guards have specific duties in regards to Fiona.  But yes, getting her wed is the best solution, since we can no longer pay off nunneries to take annoying siblings, being not Catholic and all."  

[Francis Kirke]

"I confess to being no match-maker," he began. "You said you did not wish His Majesty involved, but he could contrive a marriage, though she might not like the specifics of it. She could thank herself for her own behavior if that is the case. Young ladies do not have the benefit of idiocies of youth that young gentlemen enjoy. I am sure she was aware of that and that she chose not to listen. You are a good sister."

 

Francis did not know what else to say of her troubles. 

 

"If there is anything I might do, you will let me know? Even if it to mention something to His Majesty? I shan't as you've asked me not to, but I can if you change your mind. I attend Saturday into Sunday, and the King oft wishes my company on his walks in the early mornings for my long legs and ability to keep pace to deter pestering courtiers who don't have half his stride. I have noticed it is sometimes better if the royal mind is prepped for such matters." He let out a soft chuckle. The King was known for avoiding unpleasant matters and it was better to soften things before springing them on him. Francis was lacking many skills as one of the Gentlemen of the Bedchamber, particularly in politics, but his master used him for his strengths and those were with entertainments and dealing with ladies. 

[Catriona MacGregor]

Cat chuckled at the mention of a matchmaker.  "Douglas has already introduced me to Lady Cordelia Lucas, who seems to fashion herself a matchmaker.  I tried to make it obvious I am not in need of such a service, but Fiona and my brother are fair game."  She had no problem throwing her elder brother to the wedding wolves.  He had slyly tried to do the same to her.  Husband number 3 could wait.

 

"You are too good of a friend," she said after a long moment.  "It has been mentioned that I am not good at taking offered help, but this time, I think I'm going to do just that.  You really don't mind?"  She was really, really, really bad at asking for favors.  The Scot had stood on her own for too many years and was terribly rusty at it.

[Francis Kirke]

"No, I do not mind at all. It is expected of me as part of my duties, so it is only that much easier when it is also on request of a friend," he added with a smile. 

 

"And you will find your way with your sisters. You are not a lady to be trifled with. When they need direction, you must lead. You can also be a good sister by being firm as much as by being loving and accepting. You will find your balance. Do not hesitate to do what you must, if only for your own sanity and what is best for everyone." 

 

He held a hand out to her to help her up gallantly, "Do you wish me to escort you inside or shall you continue your walk with your guard back there?"

[Catriona MacGregor]

Cat took Francis' hand as there truly was no way to gracefully stand up in the fashion of the day.  "I should probably head back to the house and the female horde.  Thank you so much for the lending of your ear and your wise council.  I am so blessed in the friends I have here."  She paused, then added, "I shall have the markets scoured for figs.  You shall have your tarts.  But yes, take me back to Fretting Freddy."  Indeed, the guard was not inside the castle, but waiting outside the grotto.