Visiting the Bride to be | Sunday 18th, late afternoon

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

 

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Apartment of Lord & Lady Chichester

The apartment is small, but comfortable, with two rooms. There is a living room, with a small seating arrangement near the hearth and a table. A pair of windows is set into the south wall, overlooking the Long Walk and Castle Hill. A small carved walnut table and chair set rests between the windows while a small door, hidden behind a wine-colored curtain with thick tassels, beside the fireplace opens into a little closet. Candelabras rest on the table and mantel, casting long shadows over the polished wood of the floor.

In the next room a large walnut bed resting against the east wall. The bed is hung with wine-colored velvet, the fabric trimmed with gold tassels. Across from the bed is a stone hearth whose crackling fire keeps the chill at bay. Small silver bells have been affixed to the edges of the mantel with silver satin bows and to the tie backs of the drapes and bed curtains. A pair of windows is set into the south wall, overlooking the Long Walk and Castle Hill. A small carved walnut table and chair set rests between the windows while a small door, hidden behind a wine-colored curtain with thick tassels, beside the fireplace opens into a little closet. Candelabras rest on the table and mantel, casting long shadows over the polished wood of the floor.

The door opens into a narrow corridor that opens into the apartment’s drawing room. The room is furnished simply but elegantly in shades of pale green. A bank of windows along the south wall offers a view of the Long Walk and Castle Hill, letting in prodigious amounts of sunlight on a clear day. A carved rosewood writing table is placed against the windows while a handful of straight-backed chairs, cushioned in matching shades of green, are dotted throughout the room. Along the west wall is a deep-set stone fireplace that crackles merrily at all times to ward off the cold: it is draped with a swath of royal blue velvet, a wreath of seasonal flowers gracing the center of the swathe. An iron chandelier hangs from the ceiling, the light glinting off of the polished wood floors. Silver bows and bells adorn the tiebacks of the drapes..

 

 

 

Nicolette wore a pretty day dress in yellow cotton that was embroidered with flowers of the field, with a length of green velvet ribbon used as a belt.  Threaded through her belt was a chatelaine (only recently recieved from her mother).    The dress was one she'd ordered from personal preferences rather than on fashion plates advice, though still exquisitely sewn by the Dukes sewing masters, the overall look was fresh and simply country.  So much so that she had playfully aquired a strand of wheat as a hair ornament. 

The french mademoiselle carried a basket with gifts of two bottles, one small and one regular, and with a broad smile upon her face in anticipation of seeing her best lady friend Caroline. 

 

*knock knock knock* 

 

[Caroline Despanay]

A servant, though not Caroline's usual dour Irish veteran fellow, answered the knock and immediately ushered Nicci into Caroline's presence.

"Oh, mon dieu! Nicci! I am so delighted to see you again!" Caroline stood up having tossed aside  a book she had been attempting to read (for it was one of George's and while he was a man of science, she found the subject boring) and rushed up to her French best friend in all the world.

There followed a hug, so much of one Nicci almost lost grip on the basket she had brought. Probably the more usual French greeting of faux kisses on each cheek might have been better, certainly more proper. But they were in private quarters, the servant having beaten a quick retreat much to Caroline's silent approval.

"I tried to approach and talk to you at the bonfire. But you were, as so usual for you, the center of attention. All those poor menfolk entranced by your looks and charm. And need I even add........ boldness," Caroline grinned.

Edited February 26 by Caroline Despanay

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

"Shhh!" Nicci laughed with delight at Caroline’s exuberance of embraces and compliments, and returned her squeeze with equal measure,  "I was too occupied during the bon fire, you are correct - thank you for being the dear friend you are and not objecting.  It's so rare I get to see the English King when others are around. I did not dare seem inattentive to his eyes, nor anyone else’s." 

But fortunately Caroline understood the challenges of the situation, she was a truly rare sort of friend.  

Looking around the room for somewhere to place her basket then, Nicci announced to the accompaniment of the clink of bottle, "But I had to see you before you are married, and I brought a bottle with me so we can celebrate. And also, a tonic, for on you wedding day, a little laudanum will ease any nerves."  She smiled broadly as she said this, for thinking that it was likely excitement rather than trepidation that her friend was feeling.  This was not Caroline’s first, and so she entered it with eyes open, and freely of her own choice. 

"Have I told you how happy I am for you Caroline, oh I am sure that I have, but I want to say it again. It must feel just wonderful to have the security of a contract." 

 

[Caroline Despanay]

"No, of course I would not expect you to do anything other than devote your full attentions upon him. I was glad for you actually," Caroline had always hoped Nicci would some day have her lofty dreams come true. It did seem possible now too.

"Laudanum?  Is that not to dull the pain? My marriage is not a painful thing, my dear one, but a joyous occasion. And you certainly know I am not a virgin."

Nicci opened the bottle as she once more expressed her joy and approval of Caroline's latest...adventure. For that was what this was going to be. Her second marriage but this time it would work out  - well happily it was to be hoped.

"Ah yes, security....that is important, is it not," Caroline nodded, "It was truly amazing how fast we both came to the same realization - that we would make good partners. And I am telling you , my dear, I mean to make this work. I want to be a supportive wife and ...oh yes, I want to provide George with an heir...mayhaps more than one even!"

 

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

"It's a curall tonic, good for quite anything really and certainly bridal nerves." Nicci smiled with the widely accepted belief that tincture of poppies brought general well being to so many of the minor ails.  

Glasses filled the ladies happily settled to chairs, with Nicolette pleased to see that her friend was in high spirits.  "Dont tell me that you are peas in a pod!" she laughed cheerily, lifting her glass to offer a toast.

"To the soon to be Countess, may your days be full, may your troubles be interesting and may your happiness know no equal in all of England."  *clink*  And she took a full slip of the French wine (from a lesser known grower from near her home town.) 

"So babies are to be your focus do you think?"  Raising an eyebrow she remembered a conversation had a long time ago, when Caroline had admitted she was a virgin still. Though that was not the case now.  "So that shall keep you busy for a bit of the time, but what other things shall you fill your days with if you plan not to be throwing wild parties for all the libertines of court?"

Nicci could not imagine Caroline truly 'settling down'.

 

[Caroline Despanay]

Laudanum for bridal nerves, that was more amusing than anything to Caroline.

"But I do not have bridal nerves, I am positively looking forward to it and to my new life. Thank you, dearest Nicci, but I shall pass on your kind offer. Now........perhaps when I am with child and about to give birth, I might swallow some to keep down my screaming," she smiled.

"I've been married before but giving birth will be a new experience. And I have heard far too many awful stories about it. But it a necessary duty of a wife and so be it."

Wine was poured then.

"I do not quite know. I would still like to at least attend some of the parties. I shall dearly miss that. But - and do not laugh - I honestly want to remain faithful to George. If I have a baby it must be his not someone I rolled under the covers with in drunken orgy."

 

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

Nicci did not mind her friend passing on the tonic, but laughed with surprise as she jumped to talk of Child birth. "Sacre!  I pray you shall not be challenged by labour too soon!  But when you are I shall be sure to have my family help you.  In France, one of my relatives is a doctor with a secret device.  It is known to save lives of the Mother and Baby both. We will have him sent for." 

Her Cousin Louis had had such foresight for Lisa's birthing, and by accounts, had saved her life thereby.

Settling down with their glasses, the girls fell into comfortable conversation, and Caroline expanded on her new thoughts on her life direction.  Taking a sip of her wine, Nicci nodded her head.  "I can understand this, it is the same as how I want to only have The English Kings baby. I shall not risk it being anything other." That said, Nicci had never really been a libertine.  

"There seems an honour to it," she mused, "and it is a gift to the child we might carry, that it will know who is it's father."

"Though I shall stop comparing myself to you at that point, for I am hardly walking down an isle in a few days time." she flashed a smile, "Perhaps your new husband will go with you to the libertine sets parties - its not like there is an actual ban on married couples attending. Although, you may well be the first." 

[Caroline Despanay]

"A secret device? Now that sounds intriguing...also a bit frightening. But then I am a soldier's daughter and I refuse to frighten easily," Caroline replied.

Nicci was excited about having the King's baby, Caroline nodded, "And if you do...or rather when you do, you will go down in history then. It makes one think!"

Of course Nicci was right, they were ahead of themselves with all this talk of royal babies. But Caroline sincerely hoped Nicci's dreams would come true. She only wanted what was best for her dearest friend. The conversation moved then to another future topic - would George possibly accompany her to libertine parties?

"We have discussed it....a little. George has admitted to me that he is not the outgoing party type. And I am thinking some of the outlandish behavior that goes on in those events might be rather intimidating or even unpleasant for the man. But we shall cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Oh Nicci, I am a greedy young lady. I want both life styles - faithful marriage and wild celebrations. And I am not sure I can have both," she sighed.

 

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

"I've heard that he makes everyone vow to silence to what it is, which is understandable I suppose, he is becoming quite a rich man because of its exclusivity." Nicci finished her drink upon that topic, which was frankly the most terrifying feature of life in their age.  More woman died in childbirth than men on battle fields.  

"More?" she refilled Caroline’s glass, then her own in quick succession.

"My child will be given a title, there is plenty of precedent for that, why even the Orange sellers son is an Earl. And she has a house."  These were the sorts of things she only shared with Caroline. The pair were quite plain with each other, and never judged eithers desires and ambition.

 "Oh well that shall be tricky then." Nicci nodded hearing that Caroline’s intended was not the sort for wild parties. "I am sure you shall find some sort of compromise, if he is a reasonable man. Perhaps he can wait outside for you in his carriage, he can read the newspaper?" While she tired to keep a plain face at the suggestion, it was no use, and she burst into laughter.  "No, but truly you shall need to convert him into a more frolicsome lifestyle, that shall be the better thing that if he lures you into the boredom!"