A Visit From A Friend | Thursday afternoon

[Sophia de la Cerda]

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he has somebody searching for a suitable estate. He’s very overprotective or me now and doesn’t want to add to my anxiety. Even if he does find one, I couldn’t take a look at it. Traveling is very uncomfortable for me now and I doubt it’s good for the baby either.” Sophia tilted her head to the side. “It’s strange but I trust him to do the right thing, despite the fact that we rarely speak to each other. I know he doesn’t love me and I don’t love him, but we do respect each other.”

 

She suspected that Esteban only respected her because Juan would be displeased if he didn’t. Sophia did have faith in him, for she knew that he would do absolutely anything to please his master in this or any other matter.  Sometimes she wondered if he would jump off a cliff if Juan told him to do it.

 

Lady Frances was adamant about staying in England. She had no idea what she was missing by choosing not to travel to other countries, but it was possible that she wouldn’t enjoy it even if she did. Everyone was different. Some were struck by wanderlust and others were happy staying in one place all their lives.

 

“I can see how hosting their Majesties would be both a great honor and a drain on one’s finances.” She wondered why the King and Queen didn’t pay their own expenses and why they brought their entire court along. “Your lord father is a wise man. I’ve never been on a progress so I have no idea what it’s like. Maybe that’s a good thing.”

 

Lady Frances’ compliment made her smile. “Thank you. I’m never bored at court, but it seems to me that it would be dull living in the country. What is there to do, besides riding horses and reading?  Even that would get old after awhile.”

[Raconteur]

"I hope that whatever place is found is will be a good environment for the child to grow in - being outside and about Nature is Beneficial so I've been told. And I know from experience how that lifestyle can be."

"But of course you can not go! Why all that jostling about and the bad road conditions  ...... "

"What if you suddenly had the baby in a coach!"

The mention of husband and wife not speaking seemed so odd to her but she did not comment back. Instead she voiced thought on the subject of 'Progress'.

"Progress usually happen in the Spring and then in the Summer - both times are used to leave so that cleaning can be done - like new rushes on the floors and vermin caught and killed that type of things."

"And to escape the City if any bad airs are about or some pestilence."

"A specific Courtier is then 'favored' by the Monarch and the number of days chosen. Next is the numbers of retainers and you are right it can number hundreds for all the Peer's must have servants and those servants have servants ...."

"Plus all the cooks and other service people  ..."

"If the Monarch intends to keep traveling then it is onto the next Courtier and the process repeats itself."

"Entertainments of all kinds that will amuse have to be planned out and then executed. And believe me one can only see how many plays or masques before it becomes tiresome!"

"And there are never enough rooms in a house so barns are converted and tents are put up in fields to house everyone. And every spare room at inns is taken up."

"That is why some go bankrupt for all the expenses of being 'favored' by a Monarch. The monies needed are not provided by the Crown. Nor is one compensated for all the loss."

"I think one should experience a Progress at least once the better to appreciate the pleasures of staying behind!"

"As to country living - there too I think you are best to experience it for yourself - and it may not suit at all."

"I think that your temperament is too Social to rusticate in the countryside for too long! But a week or so would be nothing."

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Sophia nodded. “So do I. There was a lot of land around our castle, including a forest where I often went riding. And the gardens were extensive. It was on the estate that I learned so much about cats. It's called Katzenberg, and people often dumped unwanted felines on our property. Maybe as a joke, I don’t know. I was allowed to help take care of them. They did their job well and I can’t remember seeing a single rat while I was growing up.” The estate’s caretakers had looked after the cats since her father’s death. It would be a great place for her child to be raised, though she was certain that Juan had no intention of letting his son or daughter live in Germany.

 

But if the baby wasn’t his, maybe it could stay there with the family she and Henry placed it with. Yet something else Sophia needed to discuss with him. Unfortunately, she was being watched so closely that she couldn’t even send Anna to Molly with a message that she wanted to talk to him. The best chance she had was at the masque, where he would be disguised.  She hoped that he would seek her out.

 

She listened avidly as Lady Frances described the reasons and circumstances of a progress. It seemed like far more trouble than it was worth to uproot the entire court and go to a courtier’s country estate. She wondered if the chosen lord could refuse. Probably not.

 

Once again. she was glad that she had married a foreigner. Esteban would never be called upon to host a progress, so she didn’t have to worry about going bankrupt. Ambassadors were apparently not included on the guest list either, though that was likely because they went back to their own countries when progresses were being held. Sophia doubted she would ever experience one herself. Nor did she wish to.

 

“I adore plays, masques, and other forms of entertainment. I can’t imagine I would ever find such things boring. But staying in a tent?” She wrinkled her nose. “No thank you. That’s far too primitive for me, though it might be preferable to being stuffed into a cramped room, perhaps with strangers.” Sophia surmised that Lady Frances’ family enjoyed some of the best accommodations available and never had to live in a tent.

 

“I suppose I will experience the quietness and slow pace of the country when my child moves to the place whee he or she will grow up. I will be staying for a while to make certain that the attendants and staff can meet my high standards.  How long that will be, I don’t know.”

 

[Raconteur]

"So then you DO know of the benefits a countryside beginning then!"

She was glad that there was at least something that could be shared with her friend. Most of what she speaks of Frances had no knowledge of art had ever heard about. 

"Well to be honest not EVERY Courtier is required to go on Progress - but the whole point in doing so is to be as close to the Monarch as possible."

"In the hopes that some of their golden dust might fall upon you and could even lead to land grants or positions or even spouses."

"Plus it offers the Monarch the rare chance to actually see who is Ambitious and who is will to go broke for their sake."

"It all comes back to Politics."

"Yes well you are Talented in that regard so of course you would not be bored."

"But I would wager that even you would stifle a yawn at having to sit thru yet again another version of some Shakespeare Play or some Grecian Masque that was just performed but a few days past!"

She edged a bit closed and lowered her voice so she wouldn't be overheard 

"I have brought you a few things that I was told shall be of great help to you   ....."

She had another smaller bundle that she had kept out of sight till now. It was just plain fabric without any fuss.

"Here  .... Let me show you  ..... And I also have something that I have written of what my very old wet nurse said I must pass onto you and she is very wise ..."

She had cleared a space on the table as she was speaking and carefully unrolled the bundle.

Sophia would see  ....

A long feather that was to have the edges burnt and then held under her nose so that she will sneeze thus pushing the baby out faster

A small dagger to be placed under the mattress in which she lays to cut the pain of delivery

What was written  ...

they must draw three crosses on the door of the newborn rooms. this is so that the child will be safe from hexes once they outgrew the marks - this should be done at the place they will reside  ..... a broom must be stood upside down outside the birthing place door as this will keep Evil from that place.... If possible the child must not be born on a friday midnight or during chime hours as they will be able to see ghosts  ...... the time of the day of birth will determine the length of the childs life - their lifespan will be shortened the later they were born in the day  ..... if the child is born 'in the caul' then it must be kept as it will make them immune from drowning .... if it is lost then the child will become a wanderer .... by keeping the caul safe it will pass on eloquence making the child more popular in Political circles (if a boy)  ...... birthmarks are the fault of the mother  ... it will be said that she looked too hard at something or been frightened by it  .... such a happening would have been imprinted on the growing baby  ..... other ailments might be explained by a particular animal crossing her path while pregnant   ..... you must take great care to NOT let your baby look into a mirror before the baby reaches its first year  .... to do so will have them grow up full of themselves ..... after the child is born the midwife must RAISE IT UP so that its first movements after birth are upwards  .... standing on a stool is acceptable as is taking the baby to a higher floor  ...... the placenta must be burned on a fire  .... the number of 'pops' it makes when burning indicates how many more children she will have  ...... 

"I must say in all honesty that as I wrote what she was telling I found myself filled with goosebumps  .... I mean how is one supposed to remember ..... and what if you do not follow what is said then will the child be in danger  ... or what if you are in danger  ...."

That by simply saying those words aloud to a first time soon to be mother might well scare her so badly that she panics even more never crossed Frances mind. After all EVERYONE was superstitious about all manner of things and thus what was being told must surely be Truthful. How could it not if such sayings had been passed down from generations to women just like the two of them? 

"I do not know if this will aid you but I shall Pray it does."

She sat back with a small sigh and smiled across at her friend.

"The next time we meet you shall have a child!"

"Shall we have more tea  ......"

She asked but did not really want it for herself. Maybe she should think about leaving soon as she did not want to over-tire her friend and thus by accident make the baby come early.

And she was more than ready to take her leave from all this talk about babies and what to do or not do  .... she was not even married and yet here she was speaking out loud on such things!

Her mother would be horrified.

 

 

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Sophia nodded. “The countryside is the best place for a child to grow up. They can explore nature and experience things that they would be deprived of if they were raised in a city. I also think being away from their parents for much of the year is good for them. My father was off on business a lot, and I didn’t see him very often. When he returned, I cherished every moment I spent with him. Perhaps absence really does make the heart grow fonder.

 

“When I moved to Venice when I was eleven, I missed the freedom I had when I lived in the country. I had to follow specific rules and always be on my best behavior. I was no longer able to run barefoot through fields of flowers or ride my horse at breakneck speed. But I adjusted and came to love city life.”

 

Sophia imagined that there was a lot of competition between courtiers during Progresses. The entire purpose of court was to be close to the King, and he would be more approachable in an informal setting. Perhaps she would get bored sitting through the same plays over and over again. Luckily, she would probably never have to go on one.

 

Her eyes widened when Lady Frances said she had another gift for her, this one from her ancient wet nurse. She watched as her friend unrolled the bundle she had produced and lay a feather and a small dagger on the table. The reasoning for those two items was quite interesting. She wondered if it would work.

 

As for the letter, Sophia found it more amusing than horrifying. What did you do when your baby decided to come at one of the times that were not recommended? Try to delay its birth? She seriously doubted that every child born during the last hour of the day died young. If Spaniards believed the part about the birthmarks, she would tell Esteban that he had scared her if her child had one. Then the blame would be on him. Having been called vainglorious more times than she could count, she wondered if she had looked in a mirror before her first birthday.

 

Though she didn’t believe any of it, now that she had read it, she wouldn’t be able to get it out of her mind. And certainly there could be no harm in heeding some of the advice. Maybe she would show the note to the midwife to find out what she thought. The petite Countess was not superstitious but she was not stupid enough to scoff at old wives’ tales either.

 

“Thank you, Lady Frances,” she said sincerely. “I never heard about any of this. It will be useful.”

 

Sophia grinned at her friend’s comment. “Next season I will. We may see each other at court events before then. I won’t be bringing the baby to court, of course, but I will invite you to visit when he or she is settled in the country.”

 

She didn’t want more tea either and sensed that Frances was ready to leave. “I’m feeling a bit tired and feel like lying down for a bit. But thank you for coming, Lady Frances. I have enjoyed our conversation immensely.”

 

(OOC: -finis?)

 

 

[Raconteur]

Lady Toledo then examined the objects then the letter.

Actually Frances was a bit unnerved by that entire thing - it was on a topic that she had no experience in and so could only Hope that what was writ was actual advice that would be useful for her friend in her confinement. Did she herself believe in  ...... Of course! These matters were indeed a thing that only those privy to having children would know and so the reasonings had to have an element of truth to them.

Lady Toledo was gracious in the receiving and so Frances gave a little sigh of relief.

"Will you send me word once your child is born? Not right after of course but over the thirty days before you are 'Churched' so that I know you and the child are well."

"I should like that."

Said in reference to a visit to see the child. But not really sure as to how that would be managed.

She had guessed right and so she made ready to take her leave. She bade Lady Toledo to not rise and she could have a servant show her out.

Some formality was set aside as she broke a bit of Protocol and went to her friend to give her a quick embrace and a whispered

"Take Care! I shall Pray for your safe delivery."

(fin)

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Lady Frances seemed more affected by this last gift than Sophia did. Then again, she had never given birth (and wasn’t even married yet) so reading and discussing such things must be awkward for her. The English also struck Sophia as more superstitious than Germans. Germans were known for being practical but they had their old wives’ tales too.

 

“Of course I’ll let you know when my child is born,” she said to her friend’s request. She imagined she would be writing quite a few letters announcing the birth while still in confinement, including a very long one to Juan. He would want to know everything about his first and long-awaited child. Hopefully he would visit after she was churched. Or even before. They could meet secretly in the small garden attached to her confinement chamber.

 

Sophia didn’t know why Lady Frances couldn’t visit as long as she was chaperoned and her parents allowed it. She planned to invite Darlene and Caroline too. Caroline’s husband would probably accompany her since he and Esteban were friends.

 

The two ladies said their farewells. The young Countess was surprised when Frances hugged her and she returned it sincerely. She thanked her for her prayers and her gifts and then asked Anna to see her to the door. It had been a lovely afternoon.

 

~finis~