Scents and Sensibility | Friday September 16th, mid afternoon

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Sophia sighed. “God has already given me so much … beauty, a lovely singing voice, and an enviable position at court. Perhaps happiness in my marriage is too much to ask.”

 

Her mood brightened a bit when Darlene agreed to give her the backdrop. “Could you have it sent here? I think I would like to put it in my confinement room so that it will baffle Lord Toledo. He will wonder what it is and why I want it there. I think I shall like gazing at it when I’m stuck in bed. Oh, how I wish you could visit me during that time, but you will be back at your estate by then.  At least you can come by and see the room. It is almost ready now.”

 

Sophia was fairly certain that Esteban would call her bluff if she implied she knew his secrets. She was an accomplished actress herself thanks to her illicit opera career in Venice. Yet what if her husband had no secrets? Or they were the kind that would get her killed? The only way she could use Darlene’s idea was to have indisputable proof that he was doing something either scandalous or illegal.

 

“Definitely something to think about,” she agreed. “I suppose he does have some good traits. He isn’t cruel to me and we travel a lot. I was always against marrying a gentleman who would never let me leave England to visit other countries. He also doesn’t curtail my spending, as long as it’s within reason.” Sophia imagined that he would not let her buy so much if Juan was not paying for it.

 

Her friend accepted her apology but offered no explanation as to what the misunderstanding entailed. After paying for her purchases (and managing not to wince at the price of the two perfumes), she took the wrapped package the shopkeeper handed her.

 

“Let’s talk about happier things. I do hope there will be some exciting events this season. I have heard that there will be a carnival in town next week. That should be a thrilling experience. Perhaps we can go together, if you don’t have other plans and my lord husband doesn’t insist on coming with me.”

[Darlene Hamilton]

"Your confinement room? Are you going to stay on in Windsor and have your baby here." Darlene quizzed, usually ladies had their babies in the sanctuary of their home estates. But then, Sophia was the Ambassadors wife, so they didn’t actually have a English country home.

"But yes I shall write to my brother and ask him to send it wherever you want.  It ought only take a few weeks to arrange.... when are you going into confinement? I have nothing else planned, so I surely can attend you at that time." She softly said.  It reminded her of how someone had once told her that she might become a governess. At the time she'd been upset hat the suggestion. It seemed like an end of life. But these days... perhaps that was the best future she could hope for - minding someone else’s children.

Inside Darlene wept for the loss of all she'd ever imagined she had had. 

Their purchases were made, and they were loosed back out into the sunshine to head towards the bakery.  “A carnival," That was definitely the sort of place her old self would have adored. "I wonder what shows they shall have?" at this stage Darlene had not decided to hang up her colours completely, though her mood was still muted. "I wonder if there shall be a fortune teller again, there was one at the winter faire some seasons ago, but I did not get a chance to see them." 

 

[Sophia de la Cerda]

“Yes, we will be staying here in the house we rented in town,” Sophia confirmed. “I don’t know why my lord husband chose Windsor instead of buying an estate in the country. Maybe because there are physicians here if I should need one or because he knew court would be held here and didn’t want me to travel too far. It is a nice house, and the room I have chosen is quite pretty.”

 

Her eyes lit up when Darlene said she would visit. “If you are with me, my confinement might even be enjoyable. The baby should be born in a little under two months. If it keeps growing at this rate, I will be unable to leave the house in a matter of weeks. My belly seems to get larger by the day.”

 

It took a few moments to adjust her eyes to the sunlight after they stepped out of the shop. “All the usual acts, I assume. I remember attending carnivals in Germany as a child. They were quite thrilling. They all have fortune tellers. Do you believe that they can really predict the future? I have been skeptical of them since I didn’t grow up to marry a Prince like one of them claimed I would.” Sophia had fallen in love with a Prince, but she doubted they would ever be able to marry.

[Darlene Hamilton]

"Well that makes sense, and Windsor is small enough you wont suffer miasmas such as in the city." Darlene nodded, Toledo’s reasoning seemed very fine, what with the convenience of a town midwife and doctor nearby.  

"I would like that very much Sophia, last recess I found horribly gloomy and boring, but your company shall surely help me keep better spirits.  Just so long as you don’t plan to have anyone such as Lord Langdon to visit."  Darlene did not always remember what she'd told who, and she could not remember just now if she'd revealed Charles to Sophia as her secret fiancée.  But in any case, if she was going to stay recess with the Toledo’s, then they were going to become the very closest of friends. So Darlene saw nothing wrong with letting that (dead) cat out of the bag. 

Opening her parasol, Darlene directed the shade so they could both share it as they walked.  "Carnival fortune tellers are often times not so authentic, those people catch the falling leaves from a tree - they are not the full source drawn up from the very roots.  I usually get my advice from the Count Florenzi, do you know him?  He is a grand mystical tree, and if you listen to Lady Ablemarle for more than ten minutes you might be convinced of his truth." 

Darlene was pretty sure that she had suggested Sophia to attend the Seance, but had Elizabeth come up with a reason that it was not a good idea.  It might have been that Sophia was foreign.  Darlene had thought she was Italian, but right now she mentioned Germany "But are you actually English?"  she asked with a higher level of importance to her tone.   

Edited April 17, 2023 by Darlene Hamilton

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Sophia had been hoping that Juan would have instructed Esteban to buy a lovely estate in the country for their child to grow up on, but he had not done so. Maybe he was waiting to make sure both she and the child were healthy first. Or perhaps he would give them an estate close to Madrid, as they would be spending the majority of the year in Spain once she and the baby were able to travel. She feared that he would want his child to stay there even while she and Esteban went to England a few times a year. In truth, it might be the best arrangement. They certainly couldn’t bring their son or daughter to court, but if it traveled with them, at least she would be able to visit a few times. Though if the baby switch worked, which was still a plan she was not fond of, she might have a child to visit in each country.

 

Her blue eyes lit up when Darlene mentioned staying. “Will you remain here the entire time? I will be so happy if you do. You probably want your own place in town, but we have an extra bedroom if you would like to stay in the house.” If her friend took her up on her offer, maybe she would be able to discover any secrets that Esteban might have, though Sophia would never ask her to spy for her.

 

She would also need to reveal her own secret, but that was not something she could do it in town where anybody could hear. It might be better to wait until she was secluded in confinement. She didn’t think that Darlene would be horrified by her situation, and she trusted that she would keep her own council.

 

“Lord Langdon?” Surprise colored Sophia’s lyrical voice. “I hardly know him. I only remember meeting him once and he was bullying some street urchins. I don’t think my lord husband is acquainted with him either. Did he harass you too?”

 

Darlene seemed to be a bit more superstitious than Sophia. She wasn’t certain that the future could be predicted but she was open to the idea that it might be possible. “I do not know Lady Abermarle or Count Florenzi, but they both sound like interesting people. I would enjoy meeting them. Florenzi sounds Italian. Is that where he is from?”

 

She smiled when Darlene asked if she was English. “I’m not sure what nationality I am anymore. I was born German, but so was the Queen and she’s now English. Although I am Spanish by marriage, I don’t feel like a Spaniard. I am English and Italian by choice, as I am happiest in those two countries. I have made myself a home in both of them and speak their languages nearly as well as my own.”

 

[Darlene Hamilton]

 

 

 

"Hmm..." Darlene worried at her fingernail wondering how she could spin it to Elizabeth to make it sound like Sophia was English, when she was, well not.  The edges of a memory told her that the Duchess had declared Sophia as foreign already, so a fib would be neccessary rather than just omission of a fact. "Well that is a shame, perhaps I can introduce you to him separately then... or perhaps I can introduce you to the Duchess. She is hosting an evening you see. But I an not quite at liberty to choose the guest list myself.

There had been a time when Darlene would have just invited whoever she wanted. But she had changed. 

"Lord Langdon was my secret fiancée, I must have told you I had a secret fiancée, surely? Anyhow, he did not want me to tell everyone, he wanted people to guess. But, then in the end, it was all a lie. Rather than making our plans public at the end of the season, he told me he had multiple lovers in order to force me to break it all off. 

"Yes, so it hardly surprise me if he brutalises Orphans also, he's not at all the gentle kind of man you might think." Darlene hated to even think about Charles, for her feelings for him were still too intense.  Her eyes glassed and she looked away. Taking a moment. Composing herself.

“Only as long as you’d like me to stay, I shan’t be a bother, if you want time just to yourself.” She softly said as she understood that Sophia needed private time also.  The birth of a baby was special, and besides, it might conjure difficult feelings for herself to witness it all being so above board.

“And I have my place in London of course, so, it’s not like I have no where to go.” She touched Sophia’s hand, “Besides, perhaps Count Fiorenzi shall have guidance for me. Perhaps he shall recommendation some other place I ought to be. Perhaps I ought travel to the Colonies again.”

 

 

 

OOC: we should probably wrap up our thread and move ourselves forwards in time – perhaps they can catch up again ‘next week’.  Thanks for a fine thread, Darlene needed this!  

 

[Sophia de la Cerda]

“If there are few events this season, you can always introduce me to them at the christening. Everyone will most likely be there. If the Duchess likes me, maybe she will invite me to her party, and perhaps even ask me to sing.” If Sophia had known that the Lady Abermarle was planning a séance, she would have immediately declined. She didn’t believe that it was possible to communicate with the dead, but if she wasn’t pregnant, she would have gone out of curiosity. Now she would be afraid that, if spirits were indeed real, one might try to possess her unborn child.

 

Her eyes widened at Darlene's revelation. She had been secretly betrothed to Lord Langdon? The petite Countess wished she had been told sooner. She might have been able to spare her friend the heartbreak she must have experienced when he had persuaded her to break up with him, for she would have warned her against him. He had probably just wanted a fling and had never planned to marry her at all. And he had treated those other lovers he had spoken of the same way, if they had existed at all. Then again, Darlene was quite smart. If he had fooled her, than he could definitely fool less intelligent ladies.

 

Sophia could tell by the way she averted her eyes that Lord Langdon had hurt Darlene dreadfully. Her heart went out to her. “If I ever see him again, I will kick him in the …” She struggled to find an inoffensive word for ‘balls.’ “I shall kick him in his naughty bits.” Hopefully, Darlene would understand what she meant.

 

“You will never be a bother,” she assured the other lady. “And, of course, we will both need time to ourselves occasionally.” Sophia hoped that Darlene did not go back to the colonies. She had found in her a kindred spirit and didn’t want to lose such a dear friend. Approaching the bakery, she looked forward to further conversation on this first lovely morning of the season.

 

(OOC: ~Finis? )