fraiche.
The soup had a sweet, delicate flavor.
Catlin
enjoyed the rich food and lovely furnishings. She felt like a princess thrown
into a fairy story.
“I’ve heard
’tis all the fashion now to have a supper served in the French mode, called a
buffet, I believe,” Aelwyd said to Griffin.
He nodded.
“The King was most taken with the customs of his cousin’s court while exiled
there and has adopted many habits of the French.”
“And were
you in exile with his Majesty, Sir Reynolds?” Aelwyd asked.
Catlin
sensed a probing scrutiny beneath her sister’s simple inquiry.
“Yes, Missus.
My father and older brother remained here to protect our estate from Cromwell’s
usurpation, but when I was old enough, I was sent to serve the King.”
“It seems my
loyalty ended up saving my family, as there were plans to bestow the lands upon
another petitioner after the Restoration.”
Catlin
smiled at him. “I think you must have lived a life of adventure, traveling with
his Majesty and seeing the world.”
His smile
disappeared at her words and a flicker of sadness tinged his eyes, but he
recovered quickly. “Of course, everyone knows ’tis better to be a Cavalier and
wander across Europe having adventures then to be tied to a burdensome estate.”
Lord Cranbourne
raised an eyebrow in his friend’s direction, but didn’t respond to the remark.
“I
understand you have plans to leave England and travel to the New World,” Aelwyd
said.
Griffin
nodded at his dinner companions around the table as the silver-plated soup
dishes were removed to be replaced with a salad of pear, apple, and chicory
garnished with slivers of ham. “I am a most fortunate man because my father’s
brother decided to leave England and travel to Virginia when Cromwell seized
the government. He established a successful tobacco plantation there, and
recently bequeathed it to me.” He raised his knife. “I shall be trading my
soldier’s garb for that of a yeoman farmer.”
“It sounds
to me as if you are trading one adventure for another,” Catlin said, “for the
New World is filled with exciting and terrifying things. I’ve heard there are
wild beasts there, and savages who will sneak up on you in the dark of night
and shoot you full of arrows.” She was breathless with excitement at the idea
of actually meeting someone embarking on such an journey. “But I've also heard
many fortunes are being made there.”
Aelwyd
inclined her head at her younger sister, a warning implied with the gesture. “I
suspect Sir Reynolds goes to seek his fortune, not to fight savages nor hunt
wild beasts.”
Griffin gave
them a boyish grin. “I hope to share in the excitement of helping to shape a
new colony, and if I do discover my fortune in America, well, that is the
promise, is it not?”
Aelwyd
shrugged. “From what I’ve read, most of the people who have traveled to
Virginia have found only hard work and pestilence awaiting them.”
Catlin
intervened. “I’ve read a great deal about the colonies in the Tidewater, and I
understand there is a good society of people living there now. There are
churches, a civil government, and many fine homes being built.” She warmed to
her topic, “In fact, I’ve developed a desire to see the colony myself someday.”
Her
pronouncement was followed by several moments of silence from the others at the
table and a troubled frown from her sister.
“All young
women dream of exciting places they cannot possibly travel to, just like dreams
of knights upon white chargers.” Aelwyd sent a dark glower in Griffin’s
direction. “’Tis the innocence of youth that deludes them.”
Griffin
shook his head. “I think it’s a worthy goal, for the men who live in Virginia
have complained of the lack of suitable wives in the colony.” He shot a teasing
smile in Catlin's direction. “A beauty such as Catlin could have her choice of
wealthy and established gentlemen, if she were so inclined.”
“Which she
is
The soup had a sweet, delicate flavor.
Catlin
enjoyed the rich food and lovely furnishings. She felt like a princess thrown
into a fairy story.
“I’ve heard
’tis all the fashion now to have a supper served in the French mode, called a
buffet, I believe,” Aelwyd said to Griffin.
He nodded.
“The King was most taken with the customs of his cousin’s court while exiled
there and has adopted many habits of the French.”
“And were
you in exile with his Majesty, Sir Reynolds?” Aelwyd asked.
Catlin
sensed a probing scrutiny beneath her sister’s simple inquiry.
“Yes, Missus.
My father and older brother remained here to protect our estate from Cromwell’s
usurpation, but when I was old enough, I was sent to serve the King.”
“It seems my
loyalty ended up saving my family, as there were plans to bestow the lands upon
another petitioner after the Restoration.”
Catlin
smiled at him. “I think you must have lived a life of adventure, traveling with
his Majesty and seeing the world.”
His smile
disappeared at her words and a flicker of sadness tinged his eyes, but he
recovered quickly. “Of course, everyone knows ’tis better to be a Cavalier and
wander across Europe having adventures then to be tied to a burdensome estate.”
Lord Cranbourne
raised an eyebrow in his friend’s direction, but didn’t respond to the remark.
“I
understand you have plans to leave England and travel to the New World,” Aelwyd
said.
Griffin
nodded at his dinner companions around the table as the silver-plated soup
dishes were removed to be replaced with a salad of pear, apple, and chicory
garnished with slivers of ham. “I am a most fortunate man because my father’s
brother decided to leave England and travel to Virginia when Cromwell seized
the government. He established a successful tobacco plantation there, and
recently bequeathed it to me.” He raised his knife. “I shall be trading my
soldier’s garb for that of a yeoman farmer.”
“It sounds
to me as if you are trading one adventure for another,” Catlin said, “for the
New World is filled with exciting and terrifying things. I’ve heard there are
wild beasts there, and savages who will sneak up on you in the dark of night
and shoot you full of arrows.” She was breathless with excitement at the idea
of actually meeting someone embarking on such an journey. “But I've also heard
many fortunes are being made there.”
Aelwyd
inclined her head at her younger sister, a warning implied with the gesture. “I
suspect Sir Reynolds goes to seek his fortune, not to fight savages nor hunt
wild beasts.”
Griffin gave
them a boyish grin. “I hope to share in the excitement of helping to shape a
new colony, and if I do discover my fortune in America, well, that is the
promise, is it not?”
Aelwyd
shrugged. “From what I’ve read, most of the people who have traveled to
Virginia have found only hard work and pestilence awaiting them.”
Catlin
intervened. “I’ve read a great deal about the colonies in the Tidewater, and I
understand there is a good society of people living there now. There are
churches, a civil government, and many fine homes being built.” She warmed to
her topic, “In fact, I’ve developed a desire to see the colony myself someday.”
Her
pronouncement was followed by several moments of silence from the others at the
table and a troubled frown from her sister.
“All young
women dream of exciting places they cannot possibly travel to, just like dreams
of knights upon white chargers.” Aelwyd sent a dark glower in Griffin’s
direction. “’Tis the innocence of youth that deludes them.”
Griffin
shook his head. “I think it’s a worthy goal, for the men who live in Virginia
have complained of the lack of suitable wives in the colony.” He shot a teasing
smile in Catlin's direction. “A beauty such as Catlin could have her choice of
wealthy and established gentlemen, if she were so inclined.”
“Which she
is
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