| General Fiction posted July 23, 2018 | Chapters: |
...16 17 -18- 19... 
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Chapter in the book
A chapter in the book Briarly Hall
A-wooing !
by zanya
| Background Lady Betsey receives a letter from her daughter Lady Mathilde in London advising her of her upcoming marriage to Marquis Gregoire. |
Lady Betsey watched Giovanni play with the wooden abacus. Morning dawned with an autumnal chill. Mrs Goodwood bustled through the nursery door. Giovanni ran to meet her.
As Lady Betsey sat at the breakfast table, Butler Eames placed a letter next to the silver teapot of Earl Grey.
Opening it, she recognised her daughter Mathilde's distinctive handwriting.
From darling Mathilde, she thought.
Lady Betsey perused every word carefully.
September 16 1923
My Dearest Mama,
I hope this finds you well.
Life is busy here in London, working for the Suffragette sisters. What an achievement for the Sisterhood! Generations of women to come will reap the harvest of our endeavours.
Despite winning the franchise, there remains legal hurdles to surmount in order to establish rights.
Enough of that Mama.
On a personal note, Marquis Gregoire and I are officially bethrothed and will quietly celebrate our nuptials on September 26. We agreed a brief period of courtship, exchanging kisses and caresses during our love idyll. Marquis Gregoire has won my heart forever. He is truly adept in the art of wooing!
Our wedding banns have now been posted.
As we are in early middle age, Gregoire being forty and me being thirty -five, we will marry in a simple Church service. Our local vicar, Dr Westwood, will pronounce us man and wife.
A Suffragette sister, Elspeth, is to be my witness and Gregoire's elder brother, James, will be his witness.
I trust, darling Mama, the sound of wedding bells will be music for your motherly ears!
Gregoire's papa, Lord Charlois, is not so keen on an activist, or rather anarchist daughter -in-law, as he sometimes terms it!
Gregoire, on the other hand, believes times are changing and feminine power is in the ascendant. He dares to hope Britain may have a woman Prime Minister one day. A trifle far fetched perhaps !
Would you like to be present in London for our nuptials, Mama, in ten days time?
Perhaps you will advise Papa, in France, of our impending union ?
I hope and pray to be with child soon. Gregoire is longing for fatherhood and looking forward to playing his part in bringing it about. How naughty of me Mama !
HIs older brother, James, is father to a daughter, Beatrice, thereby creating succession problems for the estate. Damned English succession law. Is this another one for the Sisterhood to fight ?
I had hoped, Papa, following all his years as an influential Parlementarian, would have spearheaded that change.
Mama, is Giovanni still in residence at Briarly ? Surely not?
Mama, how I long to have you with us to witness our union in matrimony.
Be sure to wear your indigo ensemble and your green hat with the peacock's feather.
With all my love Mama.
Your loving daughter
Mathilde.
Lady Betsey read and reread the contents, hardly daring to believe it, 'nuptials', 'pray to be with child'.
She hurried from the breakfast room, to her boudoir, to find the hat with the peacock's feather.
.
As Lady Betsey sat at the breakfast table, Butler Eames placed a letter next to the silver teapot of Earl Grey.
Opening it, she recognised her daughter Mathilde's distinctive handwriting.
From darling Mathilde, she thought.
Lady Betsey perused every word carefully.
September 16 1923
My Dearest Mama,
I hope this finds you well.
Life is busy here in London, working for the Suffragette sisters. What an achievement for the Sisterhood! Generations of women to come will reap the harvest of our endeavours.
Despite winning the franchise, there remains legal hurdles to surmount in order to establish rights.
Enough of that Mama.
On a personal note, Marquis Gregoire and I are officially bethrothed and will quietly celebrate our nuptials on September 26. We agreed a brief period of courtship, exchanging kisses and caresses during our love idyll. Marquis Gregoire has won my heart forever. He is truly adept in the art of wooing!
Our wedding banns have now been posted.
As we are in early middle age, Gregoire being forty and me being thirty -five, we will marry in a simple Church service. Our local vicar, Dr Westwood, will pronounce us man and wife.
A Suffragette sister, Elspeth, is to be my witness and Gregoire's elder brother, James, will be his witness.
I trust, darling Mama, the sound of wedding bells will be music for your motherly ears!
Gregoire's papa, Lord Charlois, is not so keen on an activist, or rather anarchist daughter -in-law, as he sometimes terms it!
Gregoire, on the other hand, believes times are changing and feminine power is in the ascendant. He dares to hope Britain may have a woman Prime Minister one day. A trifle far fetched perhaps !
Would you like to be present in London for our nuptials, Mama, in ten days time?
Perhaps you will advise Papa, in France, of our impending union ?
I hope and pray to be with child soon. Gregoire is longing for fatherhood and looking forward to playing his part in bringing it about. How naughty of me Mama !
HIs older brother, James, is father to a daughter, Beatrice, thereby creating succession problems for the estate. Damned English succession law. Is this another one for the Sisterhood to fight ?
I had hoped, Papa, following all his years as an influential Parlementarian, would have spearheaded that change.
Mama, is Giovanni still in residence at Briarly ? Surely not?
Mama, how I long to have you with us to witness our union in matrimony.
Be sure to wear your indigo ensemble and your green hat with the peacock's feather.
With all my love Mama.
Your loving daughter
Mathilde.
Lady Betsey read and reread the contents, hardly daring to believe it, 'nuptials', 'pray to be with child'.
She hurried from the breakfast room, to her boudoir, to find the hat with the peacock's feather.
.
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