Timeless Treasures | Friday morning

[Blackguard]

"So I send to the castle then?" the merchant inquired.  He looked at Sophia since her quarters had been mentioned.  The other lady, Caroline, seemed less inclined.  "Just tell me where and which tower and my lads can bring it this evening before dark or in the morning on the morrow."  He needed final instructions and it looked as if he was to bill the husband of the very pregnant blond beauty.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

“That’s fine with me,” Sophia said to Davina. “If the mystery is solved by the end of the season, I would like to use it in my lying-in chamber, since it will fit well on my bed.”

 

Caroline, who had not spoken up since greeting Mistress Wellsley, wished them luck. “You don’t want to help us solve it? We can easily split the cost three ways.” She looked at Davina, hoping that she would agree.

 

The proprietor asked again where he should send it. He seemed quite eager to be rid of it, which struck the blonde Countess as a bit odd.  “Yes, send it to the apartments of the Spanish Ambassador, on the first floor of the Octagonal Tower. Any servant can show you the way. This evening will probably be the best time.”

 

Sophia knew she would be too tired after the yacht race to do much and tomorrow she didn’t plan on staying inside. It wouldn’t be long before she would be confined by four walls for two long months and she wanted to enjoy the outdoors while she could.

[Davina Wellsley]

"I have no objection if Lady Chichester wish's to join - three heads might be better than two!"

She glanced in that lady's direction with a smile.

"Then it is settled. The desk shall go to you and I have doubts that we will solve this by Season's end or your confinement ......"

"I mean we have already been told that no one has been able to solve it in so many years."

Again a look to the shop owner.

"Perhaps his eagerness to part with it stems from that?"

She gave a small sigh.

"Either way we shall have some amusement and if something should be found so much the better."

"If you will send me word when you would like to begin I shall go to you."

There. That was concluded.

But she still had to find a suitable gift since her original thought of buying it by herself was now gone.

Of dear oh dear  .......

[Caroline Despanay]

Sophia now inquired if Caroline might like to go in with the other pair, splitting the expenses three ways. Quite logical, though in all honesty she did not think it all that extravagant a cost for even one to bear. She how had a rich husband, which certainly eased her financial concerns. And Davina had no objections to making it a threesome, not THAT kind of threesome though!

"Very well, I am bored enough a bit of mystery might liven things up," Caroline admitted.

She was however far less enthused of finding out she would need to visit Sophia's Spaniard.

"Will your husband be there, Sophia? If you don't want him to find out, we could keep it at the Chichester estate. My husband is currently on a business venture. Not that he would mind either way," she offered.

 

[Davina Wellsley]

So it seemed that Lady Chichester wished to join in now.

But she spoke of being 'bored' and she but a newly married woman?

This struck her as something not right but it was no business of hers.

She then asked about Lord Toledo and said straight up that the desk should be kept with her because Lord Toledo might find out?

What was going on  ....

"You are indeed welcome to join us Lady Chichester but you are wrong in one thing."

"If this desk is kept by you then that would make Lady Toledo have to travel which, in her current stare, is out of the question."

"And as for Lord Toledo - why might you think that Lady Toledo wants to hide this from him?"

She looked to Sophia first then back to Lady Chichester.

That they were strangers to the other was clear but Davina had no issue with stating the obvious truth regarding the pregnant Countess.

Plus she had all but changed the direction that had been established with the desk and how it was to be managed.

So what, if anything, was being hidden?

[Caroline Despanay]

Davina now declared, "You are indeed welcome to join us Lady Chichester but you are wrong in one thing."

"Oh?" Caroline lifted one eyebrow.

"If this desk is kept by you then that would make Lady Toledo have to travel which, in her current stare, is out of the question."

Caroline smiled, "And yet, here she is standing among us. Shopping."

But then added, "By all means if Lady Toledo feels it would be too much for her, then I completely understand. She can pick where she wants the piece sent."

 

 

[Davina Wellsley]

Davina was not one to back down. Yet she also knew that to try to engage Lady Chichester in this place was not something that she would do.

Despite wanting to.

So she raised one brow slightly and smiled back as the matter was then nodded back to Lady Toledo.

She graced over that tiny snide remark about 'shopping' by not bringing it up.

"Wonderful! How glad I am to know that you are so sensible and solicitous of Lady Toledo's condition."

"Have the desk delivered to Lady Toledo as arranged."

This to the shop owner.

She knew that Lady Toledo would not create a scene and besides having the desk brought to her had been her own idea.

Davina was simply reenforcing that so there could be no complaints.

"We can settle up once we meet."

This to Lady Toledo.

"How exciting! Such a mystery - do you think you might be able to solve it Lady Chichester?"

"Of course it will depend if we meet before your confinement. If not then over Recess I suppose."

The matter was settled and so she would leave it go. But she knew now that Lady Chichester was not one to shy away from plain speech.

Would things bode well or become awkward?

[Blackguard]

Receiving instructions from a lady could be trying; receiving instructions from three was like herding cats.  "Very well, it shall be delivered to Lady Toledo's room in the Castle," the shopkeeper offered quickly, hoping to end the matter.  How were the three to solve the mystery when they could not agree on the destination of the desk?  Somehow, Windsor was important to the mystery because the Bishop had sent it there.  It was no matter to the shopkeeper, he had made a tidy profit.

[Davina Wellsley]

And so it seemed things were finalized and she gave a smile to the other two ladies.

"Let us hope that between the three of us we can solve this. I wonder what we might find inside?'

She would linger with them for just a bit longer than she would excuse herself and get back to searching for anything that will suffice for a gift.

She knew that Lady Toledo would reach out whenever she was ready for them both.

[Caroline Despanay]

So it was that the mystery furniture would be sent then to Lady Toledo's room in the castle. Caroline nodded, it was probably the logical decision given Sophia's current condition.

"Very well, I guess that means I shall have a chance to once again see your husband, I cannot wait," she declared with a fake smile, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Now that that was settled, as urged on earlier, Caroline now decided to reveal an item she was most curious about. A necklace once owned by her mother, yet another mystery because Caroline knew for a fact her father had not presented to her. She would love to find out perhaps where it was purchased and then sleuth some more from there.

She held out the necklace, "I say, my good fellow, have you ever seen this or at least one like this? Might you know who might have made such  a necklace or at the least where such one had been sold?"

It was a shot in the dark of course but it would cost nothing asking.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Caroline agreed to help them solve the mystery and suggested that the desk be sent to the Chichester estate. Sophia knew why. Her friend loathed Spaniards and tried to avoid them whenever possible. Counting the guards and servants, there were quite a few of them at the house they had rented in town, though not in her rooms in the castle.

 

Before she could convey this, Davina pointed out that it would be impossible for Sophia to travel in her condition. Caroline finally agreed. “Yes, have it delivered to me,” she said to the shopkeeper.

 

Though her friend’s sarcasm irritated her a bit, she understood. “My lord husband prefers to stay in our house in town. I doubt you will see him at all.” Should she tell Esteban about the desk? He would notice the new addition, of course, but she didn’t have to mention the secret compartment. It wasn’t unusual for her to buy furniture, paintings, and other decorative items that caught her eye.

 

“It is very exciting.” she remarked. “The secret compartment doesn’t stand a chance. The three of us will find it and the secret it holds. Are both of you free tomorrow afternoon? We can attempt to solve the mystery then.”

[Davina Wellsley]

She turned back as Lady Toledo asked about meeting the next afternoon   .....

"But is the Masque not that night? Time will be needed to prepare and if we find ourselves caught up in this intrigue then we shall have to rush."

"And I have no wish to do that."

She had no intention of telling either of them that she was NOT going. No desire to put on some costume all just to amuse others'.

"And then the Christening is Sunday."

"I fear we shall be out of luck for the coming few days."

"Shall we try for another day then  ........"

She had not thought that Lady Toledo would be so anxious to start.

And what was going on with Lord Toledo anyway?

It was none of her business. Whatever was happening she wanted to stay out of it.

There was enough on her own plate at the moment after all. 

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Sophia hoped to solve the mystery before the end of the season so that she could use the desk while she was in confinement before and after the birth of her child. Maybe she could convince Esteban to let her reimburse Davina and Caroline so she could keep it permanently. She doubted that her friends would be interested it after the secrets it held were discovered.

 

“Are you free on Sunday after the Christening?” The ceremony would probably be rather brief, though there might be a reception afterward.