Summer Stories, 08/10, 4PM, OPEN

[Mirtel Hardwick]

Reception Room in South Tower
Through a door in the quadrangle’s stone faced entry room, there is a cozy little parlor where residents can gather and socialize, or perhaps rest before or after climbing the tower stairs. The walls were left white, but painted with a beautiful garden scene, depicting a frolicsome forest scene involving satyrs and nymphs. There are several overstuffed chairs gathered close to the fireplace and a cabinet of liquor. For the wedding, the parlor has been decorated with seasonal bouquets, bows of silver and royal blue, and a pair of taxidermy doves that seem to have been frozen mid-takeoff from the end table near the cabinet.

Mirtel had arrived at Windsor a couple of days early to oversee the last preparations of the Queen’s Suite for its new occupant and had thus had plenty of time to already settle into her room in the apartment she would be sharing with her brother. So it was that while most other courtiers would only be arriving and then having to sepnd time settling in while the maids would be unpacking, Mirtel could afford herself the luxury of relaxing in the reception room.

Mirtel Christabel settled in comfortably in one of the overstuffed chairs, idly smoothing the skirts of her dusky pink dress, embroidered by numerous burgundy roses and adorned by delicate lace. “La! Come now, Leo, settle down,” she coaxed her pup, who was happily bouncing around the room. All the training that had been done over the summer really had paid off, Mirtel Christabel acknowledge with a small smile as the large Leonerger simply barked once before rushing over to settle his head on Mirtel Christabel’s knees. “Good boy,” Mirtel praised, finding just the right spots where to scratch her large dog for a few moments before her most faithful guardian lay down before her feet for an afternoon nap.

Half-singing a cheerfully little melody to herself, Mirtel Christabel picked up her cup of tea and curiously settled in to see which courtiers would be the first arrive, surely everyone would have many of interesting stories to tell of the summer now that the court was once again gathering in one place to celebrate the happy occurrence of a royal wedding.

[Heather O`Roarke]

Carrying a little black book, with a quill sticking whimsically from it, the Countess Atherstone walked into the reception room. At first she did not notice Mirtel. Heather was instead paying attention to her surroundings. Every swirl, every corner was eyed speculatively. Was there a hint of a servants corridor, a secret tunnel? So far the room didn't reveal its secret and she sighed in slight disappointment.

It was then that she noticed her dear friend, quietly sipping tea in a corner. "Lady Mirtel, why, I do believe I haven't seen you in months!" the redhead cried happily, approaching her friend "No, no, do not get up," she insisted while giving air kisses "Instead pour me a glass of tea and tell me how you've been."

[Mirtel Hardwick]

Leo gave a quiet bark to direct her mistress’ attention from the display of rose-petals to the new arrival. The training Mirtel had sought out for her pup during the summer shows its first fruits however as rather than jumping to his feet to bound over to Heather and quite potentially bowl the lady over, for Leo had also grown in size during the summer, the large Leonberger yawned sleepily, before settling his head back on his paws, following Heather’s progress through the room only with his eyes.

“Countess Atherstone!” Mirtel Christabel beamed happily at Heather as the redhead joined her. “La! I am so pleased to see you, it feels like a small age since we last saw! Ah, but you look as radiant as always!” Of course there had been correspondence over the summer, but a letter could never replace a face to face conversation. “Yes, do come and sit. I am certain we have plenty to catch up on,” Mirtel Christabel chattered, quickly pouring Heather a cup of tea, while skilfully avoiding any unbecoming clinks of porcelain against porcelain, “I thought to try the tea in those charming welcoming hampers in the rooms for once. I’ve had to run around for a couple of days, I did arrive in Windsor a couple of days beforehand, and thus sticked to the herbal tea Sir James recommended to make my ankle feel more at ease should I have to move around a lot.”

“Yes, I believe I didn’t see you around in London much over the summer. I heard you had taken a trip to Bath I believe it was? Sounds like a lovely place,” Mirtel Christabel mused with a happy little sight.

[Heather O`Roarke]

"Oh, you should visit Bath," Heather agreed after sharing airkisses with her delightfully innocent friend, and settling herself down, absent mindedly patting Leo. She had left Busby at home and now regretted the decision, but Jo had grown so attached to him.

Accepting a cup from Mirtel, Heather raised it to her lips and blew carefully at the steam "Yes, an interesting way of promoting some companies in London, don't you think? Quite clever." She sipped the hot brew.

Putting down the cup on the saucer Heather smiled in memory "Where was I? Oh, yes, Bath. Delightful place. Built by the Romans you see. The hot wells smell somewhat peculiar but once you are used to that, the steam is quite relaxing for the muscles and the mosaics among other things give such a lovely view. Entrancing really, with a few little waterfalls and fountains. They accompanied it with harp music at some point which of course immediately made me think of you."

[Mirtel Hardwick]

Mirtel Christabel beamed proudly as Leo obediently rose to sit up so that Heather might easier pet him. “I got some training for my dear pup over the summer, he listens so much better now,” she told Heather with a bright smile, well pleased to see the large Leonberger act so obediently. “With so many courtiers gone from London, the Master of Hounds made some time to give me some tips and help me a bit with Leo’s training.”

“La! Yes, it was interesting, although I am a bit worried about the tea. Sir Isaac did not seem very fond of the shop,” Mirtel Christabel mused thoughtfully. In fact, Newton had suspected that just like coffee shops had appearantly became centers of malcontention; Lady Alyth’s teashop might become fuelled with strife against the royal couple as well. Ah, but that was a most disturbing thought. “I wonder if all the hampers might be similar though? There was a rather horrible dome-fronted pendant in mine as well I have always thought there to be something a bit disturbing about supposed jewellery that has bits of human in it,” she confessed with a delicate shudder. Besides she was yet to see any lady with “hair spun of gold” and thus frowned upon the practice of bits of other humans being worn. “It is so barbaric, don’t you think?”

“Romans? And harp music! Oh, it sounds absolutely marvellous!” Mirtel responded, although it was hard to say which impressed her more, the Roman constructions or harp music. “And small waterfalls? Did you have mayn outings while near bath? Or do you mean the waterfalls are bult into the buildings themselves? Did you stay in Bath for long? You must have so many adventures to share from Bath! I have never been there myself, but your description is making me want to go when I next get the chance. Ah, there are so dreadfully few places I have seen, you must really think me such a backwards country bumpkin! But I was most glad when I learned that we are practically neighbours here in Windsor."

[Heather O`Roarke]

"Did he now?" Heather asked rhetorically, with faint disapproval "He was not very fond of Busby I recall." In fact that is how she had met Templeton, a brief but pleasant interlude that had gone haywire over the Kings jealousy. She did not share those details, but did wonder upon the man's credentials on caring for pups.

Heather took a careful sip of her tea "I tend to think coffee is more masculine, so it probably attracts the malcontents much more than does tea," she commented idly, staying away from personal comment on Catriona. No doubt the lady was filling everybody's ears with pouts and drama about Heather's attitude, but really, the redhead was beyond caring. It was not her problem. "No doubt the lady Alyth's fame, and His Majesty's patronage, will make the business into a success ere long."

A little laugh drew forth from Heather, teasing "Here now, lady Mirtel, I thought it was the Catholics that carried around bits and pieces of their saints, is this not true? What is the difference between say a lock of hair from a lover, and the heart of a saint?"

[Mirtel Hardwick]

“Oh yes, how is Busby doing? Is he all grown up already? I believe Leo finally grew into his full size over summer,” Mirtel Christabel chattered cheerfully. She was fond of animals and had mat Heather’s pet dog previously as well. “And Princeton. I remember how impressive he looked when you showed him to me. He is a marvellous steed, isn’t he?”

“La! I like coffee,” Mirtel Christabel thought out loud. “I liked the richness of the flavour. It had a subtle sort of strength to it. I found it most pleasing with a bit of sugar stirred in. Adding milk seemed to ruin the taste somehow though.” Mirtel Christabel preferred her coffee black without a drop of milk, it being the sharpness of the taste of roasted coffee beans that she liked.

Mirtel Christabel gave a delicate little shudder at the thought of having a bone, from a saint or not, hanging around her neck. “That sounds so gruesome. Saints should be allowed to rest in peace in a church as well. There are other things that could be worn instead. La! I must say that those pendants, lockets I think they are called?, scared me quite a bit as well. It’s as if there’s always someone observing you with an evil eye.” In theory such painted eyes were supposed to be romantic she guessed, but she had never been able to see that aspect of such a trinket. What was so romantic or charming in a single eye? Unless of course you were in love with a one-eyed pirate, which was bound to bring along problems of it’s own. But if you were to carry around a token of someone, why not have a small miniature already? For there was no such thing as a forbidden romance, only shamefulness. One person being ashamed of another, or both ashamed of each other, and that’s why they have to hide.

[Heather O`Roarke]

Heather laughed "Busby is all grown up but to the horror of my servants often forgets how large he has become, bumping into things. I really shouldn't let him in the house any more, but he's so adorable and one of my most faithful friends. I was sad to leave him in Chelsea." She sipped her tea. "Princeton, yes, I 'm thinking of presenting a number of paintings of horses, and I might as well start with him, now he can still be admired in his full glory. He shall be a father again soon. That is, soon enough. So will Marino."

The redheaded Countess leaned forward and admitted "He was recommended to me by the steward of the Duke of York, who helped me select the best mounts for my breeding programme upon the Duke's insistence. His help has been invaluable. Perhaps I ought to present His Grace with the first of such paintings. Do you think it is something your brother might be interested in? How is he by the way? We have not seen each other since that unfortunate accident. Fully recovered I hope?" Heather didn't reference Mina even if she privately thought that the Earl had shown a most romantic despair after the death of his fiancée. It did much to recommend him to the storytelling romantic she was.

"Oh, I must insist on both cream and sugar," Heather admitted with a laugh "It is a trifle too bitter for me otherwise. That is how I like my coca as well. I have a horrible sweet tooth."

Mirtel's observation on the pendant surprised her "Really, why? I thought it was so romantic. I might consider putting something in it. Well, not an eye obviously." She chuckled at that mental picture. "A lock of hair perhaps, or perhaps a braid, intertwining the hair of two loved ones." There, now that was not a bad idea. Heather set to pondering whose hair would deserve to be thus braided, but despite trying to force a picture of York, the faces of Douglas and John stubbornly danced before her eyes. Maybe not.

[Mirtel Hardwick]

“La! The servants are sometimes nervous around Leo as well, although he has learned to judge his bulk and strength better. The training over summer really helped. But I know just what you mean. I wouldn’t bear to part from Leo for long,” Mirtel Christabel responded with a fond smile to Leo. Perhaps it was a bit unorthodox to have the dog follow her to as many locations as Leo did, but she couldn’t bear part with him. After all, George had also trusted Leo to become her guardian and protector for the times he oculdn’t be there as he had said when gifting Leo to her. Besides some other ladies spoiled their lap dogs far worse.

“Oh, a series of paintings of the horses sounds marvellous! It would be a wonderful display of your stables and the horses are very beautiful. I shall certainly tell George that you wish to paint these. Ah, but have you seen my brothers paintings before? He’s really talented. There’s one he did some years ago, a painting of a forest clearing, hanging in princess Karoline’s drawing room,” Mirtel Christabel enthused over her brother talents and skills with a proud smile. “La! But do tell me more of your project. Are you focusing on breedin some specific breed or purely racehorses? Or will you also be looking into other matters? I would like to visit your stables if possible one day after the wedding season is over.”

Mirtel Christabel smiled and thought about it. Somehow that lingering taste that coffee left was exactly what had charmed her. The feeling of almost bitterness in which you then discovered the piece of sugar. “I liked it just that. Ah, but I did enjoy cocoa as well. And chocolate. Both have a marvellous taste? You can’t help but want another piece. I was quite taken aback by it really.”

[Heather O`Roarke]

"You are most welcome to visit O'Roarke Hall," Heather replied warmly "There has been restructuring and building activities all summer under the guidance of master Wren. I suspect it won't be truly finished till Spring '77."

Upon her horses she mused "It would be marvellous to breed a true Arabian line, but it is almost impossible to do, what with so few mares available. At the moment His Majesty's mare is one of the few in England and one must be careful of constant inbreeding. I might ask the assistance of Captain FitzJames and his black stallion though, to add something extra in the mix. Ah, but the goal is to breed some of the finest characteristics of the Arabians into the thorougbreds. With the guidance of the Duke of York I have selected some excellent mares and a stallion. Marino. You might have seen him race last May." Heather's green eyes twinkled for she was sure that Mirtel had not recognized her.

OOC: Shall we draw this delightful thread to an end? My apologies for the wait!