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Léon Belmont (ex_the_ambas216) wrote in toujoursliberer,
@ 2008-03-28 07:54:00

Entry tags:

ambassadors_ball, leon_belmont

An Invitation to the French Ambassador's Ball
Subject: The Ambassadors Ball
Where: The French Embassy
Who: Léon Belmont, the French Ambassador to the English court
Warnings: none as yet
Open to: All (all players may attend either as invited guests of the ambassador, as servants or guests of those invited, as staff, or as gate-crashers.)

The ballroom of the Embassy was already growing busy, and when Citizen Belmont paused for a moment besides one of the large windows, he could see yet more carriages pulling up outside, wreathed in the mist blowing in from the river.

The quartet had been playing now for a good half an hour, new French tunes as well as those the English favoured. His staff was busy handing out good French wine, and then refilling those glasses when they were drained.

It was going to be a good evening, and not only in the eyes of the party-goers. With some of England’s most prominent aristos on the guest list, and some than some newly arrived French nationals, tonight would be a night of information gathering, of sizing up the opposition, and perhaps even ensuring some of those French escapees were returned to face justice.

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ofthemasses
2008-04-20 05:34 pm UTC (link)

It was an art.

Knowing just how much fuss to make, knowing when to turn and begin to storm off, muttering about how "Father will hear about this," the names to drop...

It was an art.

An art that, once again, Bartholomew had used to his own advantage in order to gain admittance to the party that he most certainly had not been invited to. Once in, however, he blended in. A gentleman had found his set of silver utensils gone three days ago, taken by an opportunistic young man who had gained admittance from a weak-willed, easily wooed maid, to pay for the clothing.

It was not long before Bartholomew had found a tray with glasses of champagne, and he picked one up with all the refinement a young man dressed as he was should have. One could not accuse him of not looking the part of, at least, a merchant's son.

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ex_the_ambas216
2008-04-20 05:54 pm UTC (link)

As the host, Léon had thought, for the first part of the evening at least, he recognised all of his guests, or at least knew of them and could identify them by reputation. This young man he could not. Perhaps a paramour of one of the other guests, it was possible, as he had said his guests could bring another guest if they so wished.

But still, he did not like the fact he could not identify the young man enjoying the wine and champagne that flowed so freely.

"Good evening, Monsieur." The Ambassador said with a small incline of his head as he approached the young man. "I do not believe we have been introduced as yet. I am Léon Belmont, the host this evening."

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ofthemasses
2008-04-20 06:04 pm UTC (link)

Bartholomew gave a bow at the waist, slight but more than he received, that fit the position he was playing at tonight. A thousand rather undignified curses went through his mind at that introduction, but he kept that small smile on his features.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Monsieur." The last word was not butchered, but it was said in a very English way. The way of someone trying to say it correctly but not having the full exposure to allow it to roll off the tongue simply. "I have heard so many things about you." Calm, casual, even if he only knew scarce information. "My name is Bartholomew Heyward."

He did not say who he had come with, why he was here. It could be counted as simple oversight, but, really, he was banking on an old, tried and true method. 'If you act like you belong, no one will question it.' It was not always effective, but it had worked more often than not. And, really, if he was thrown out, or even if he was handed over to the law for trespassing... It wasn't anything that hadn't happened before! Well worth that risk to slip in and out of much of the high society tonight, seeking to help himself by finding potential sources of income and possibly even, due to the nationality of many involved, being able to have something to write to his friend in France about.

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ex_the_ambas216
2008-04-20 06:35 pm UTC (link)

"Ah, Mister Heywood. A pleasure." He nodded, still wearing a smile. "I trust you are enjoying yourself this evening? The wine is to your liking?" Léon asks, before glancing about the room. "I hope they are only good things, Mister Heywood, of course. But in England, who knows?" He adds, turning back and offering another thin smile. "We French are never very popular. And now less so than ever."

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ofthemasses
2008-04-20 07:04 pm UTC (link)

"Simply divine," the young man replied, raising the champagne glass slightly, in the fashion of a modest toast, before taking a sip from it again.

"If I had heard only good things, sir, I would be quite worried indeed," he added, smiling a faint bit again. "The French are not often popular because the general public of the English has very poor taste. I, on the other hand, tend to rather enjoy the company of most of those from France I meet."

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	ex_the_ambas216 2008-04-20 07:38 pm UTC (link)
	Léon smiled widely, tipping his head again in a small bow of thanks. "I'm glad you like it." Léon raised an eyebrow again, and smiled, pulling a thick, black-wrapped cigarette from his pocket, lighting it and holding it between his lips. "A wealthy Englishman with revolutionary leanings, Monsieur? What an interesting man you are." (Replies frozen) (Parent) (Thread)

	tigersatthegate 2008-04-20 07:21 pm UTC (link)
	"It does appear so, yes." Aimé agreed. "Heyward? I've not heard of you before. What does your family do?" (Replies frozen) (Parent) (Thread)