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

Had Adelaide not been working on her fourth of fifth glass of champagne she would most certainly not have been approaching so many strangers. But alas, she had purposely lost her nurse somewhere in the crowd and was now free to enjoy herself as much as she could. It was a treat for the young Widow, who had spent that last few months in her Paris apartment after her third husband was sent to the guillotine.

But now all that was forgotten, as the unstable girl was making her way around the ballroom. Unfortunately the fact that she was unstable was the result of her broken mind and not the alcohol. Perhaps that was why the look she wore was a mixture of fear and confusion.

"Pardon me, Mister," she started softly as she passed the gentleman, only to find that her nurse was about ten feet off, with her back to them. Carefully Adelaide turned around quickly to face him, afraid to get any closer and risk exposure to her nurse. "Fancy evening, yes?" she asked the man curiously.

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the_legman
2008-04-20 06:51 pm UTC (link)

The girl was an interesting one to watch; she had a vaguely familiar face that he was sure he could place with a name if given enough time (from the royal court perhaps?) but it was her expression, at odds with the party atmosphere around them, that made her stand out.

Ferrand certainly hadn't expected her to approach but there was the evidence right in front of him. "Madame." He acknowledged her pardon with a bow and a smile, not sure why she'd so quickly spun around (he could hazard a guess going by her lack of a chaperone though). It took him a second to translate what it was she'd said, his never very good English had fallen out of practise in recent years, before he replied. "Yes, but it should expect." That didn't sound quite right. "Mes excuses, Madame. My English is not good." If he was correct in his placing of her, however, it was likely that she spoke French though.

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widow_newbury
2008-04-20 07:12 pm UTC (link)

Adelaide cast a nervous glance back over her shoulder before taking a sip of her champagne. At his words she tilted her head to one side, thinking for a second that perhaps she had drank more champagne than she had thought. But when he apologized she smiled and nodded in understand. "No fear, Monsieur," she replied in French. She had been raised in London, but having been married to a French Aristocrat did give reason for one to speak the language. Her accent was perhaps a bit off when she spoke the words, but they rolled off her tongue anyway, as if she spoke French fluently.

"Excuse my forgetfulness," she said suddenly, still in French. "I am Adelaide Newbury," she said gently, before pausing a moment as she looked up at him. He looked somewhat familiar and so she attempted to make a guess. "I believe my late husband Monsieur Kinsley has pointed you out to me in the past, you are a journalist, yes?" she asked slowly, as it took her a few moments longer to translate her words to French now that she had alcohol in her system and it was also a touchy subject for her to speak of her latest marriage.

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the_legman
2008-04-20 07:43 pm UTC (link)

"Not to worry, Madame Newbury," Ferrand replied with a smile and a shake of his head, his own accent strange because of his origins, "I am not one of those who stands on ceremony." He was quite pleased to learn her name though and finally place why he recognised her; she was the girl some of those at court fancifully called cursed because of her record with husbands.

That he'd been remembered by the late Messire Kingsley was a little surprising and he wasn't quite sure what to make of that news considering they'd not spoken often to each other. Perhaps the man had just been good at names though. "Your husband was correct, of course, I write for the Québec Gazette. Ferrand Duval at your service."

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widow_newbury
2008-04-21 12:06 am UTC (link)

Adelaide glanced past him to make sure her nurse moved on to search for her elsewhere. She then took a final sip from her champagne before placing the empty flute on a tray as a servant stopped near them.

"Ah, yes. Monsieur Duval, I remember now," she said gently, before pausing a moment. She glanced down suddenly in thought. Perhaps several glasses of champagne had not been a wise choice. Blinking a few times she finally looked up. "And what brings you to England?" she asked curiously, suddenly seeming to be fine again.

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the_legman
2008-04-21 04:23 pm UTC (link)

Ferrand watched her carefully; the empty glass she'd given to the servant couldn't have been her first. Still, perhaps it would make her more likely to talk and at least she'd be away from distasteful attentions while he talked to her.

He played with the stem of his own drink, still his first of the night, and smiled wider when she admitted to remembering him. "This magnificent occasion, of course. I've had the pleasure of conversation with the Ambassador before now and I had the great luck of a friend of mine receiving an invitation and she brought me along as her guest." He quickly scanned the crowd now, looking for the woman in question, but she was nowhere to be seen. "And yourself, madame? How are you finding your being home?"

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widow_newbury
2008-04-21 06:53 pm UTC (link)

Adelaide helped herself to another glass of champagne from a tray before turning her attention back to him. She smiled and nodded. "It is always lovely to attend events such as this," she said softly. "And the Ambassador is always a charming host."

She took a sip from her champagne. "I find it dreadful here," she said suddenly. "I much prefer my city-dwelling in Paris over my father's estate," she admitted softly.

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the_legman
2008-04-22 09:48 am UTC (link)

"A necessary virtue, I think," Ferrand replied with a glance over to where the Ambassador was standing across the room, "in a role such as his. Still, I must say I think he has exceeded himself this time." It was a magnificent sight, this grand ball, to those not particularly used to such elegance like Ferrand.

"Even with the troubles as they are?" He enquired, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. "But perhaps there are reasons for it." He finished with a shrug, let her take it as a question if she wished.

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widow_newbury
2008-04-22 09:59 am UTC (link)

Adelaide followed his gaze to the Ambassador and nodded. "Yes, I suppose he has done a lavish job tonight," she said softly.

At his next words she looked over at him, her lifeless eyes meeting his for a moment. "I do not often see the world outside my apartment, Monsieur, as my nurses do not allow it. And while the troubles in France are tragic, I enjoy the memories I shared there with my late husband."

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the_legman
2008-04-22 12:29 pm UTC (link)

"One can only hope that all this effort doesn't go to waste and that relations between your two countries improves, if just a little." Ferrand meets her expressionless eyes for a second before adjusting his gaze to over her shoulder, disturbed slightly by them.

"But then I suppose I am preaching to the choir, madame, seeing how you've already done your part. You and your husband both." He ducks his head and lowers his voice, "My sympathies to you for that; he was a good man."

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widow_newbury
2008-04-22 06:52 pm UTC (link)

"It would be a shame for these problems to drag on any longer than needed and for any more life's to be taken, innocent or not," Adelaide said gently. She kept her hollow gaze upon him for a moment or two longer before looking back down.

"Thank you, monsieur. It is a tragedy how his life was cut short, but I find comfort in knowing he died for something he felt strongly about," she admitted softly.

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the_legman
2008-04-22 07:08 pm UTC (link)

"We shall have to hope the situation resolves itself before too long." By the sounds of things, at least to Ferrand's ears, it seemed unlikely that this would happen. The mutterings sounded too similar to those he'd heard at home before the war to the south. No need to tell people that though; it would only cause panic. "It would be nice to see peace though. I think it could be quite the novelty." He smiled and chuckled, "Perhaps we could turn it into the latest fashion; we'd be guaranteed its success then."

"A noble cause at that. I'm sure the Lord will look favourably on him in the next life." The words couldn't have been much comfort to her, he knew, as she'd probably much prefer to have her husband with her in this life but they were really all he could offer.

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widow_newbury
2008-04-22 08:38 pm UTC (link)

Adelaide smiled, almost eerily. "If only it was that easy to fix the troubles in the world," she said.

Looking down a moment she sighed. "Yes, that is a slight comfort to know." She then looked back up a shook her head slowly. "But enough of this talk," she said gently. "Have you been enjoying London?" she asked curiously. "I find the people here less pleasant than those in Paris, but it is a matter of personal opinion."

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the_legman
2008-04-22 09:15 pm UTC (link)

"With the end of this country's last war not ten years gone it might be this time." He shrugs, he doesn't really believe it himself but there's nothing wrong with letting the fools have their hope while they can.

Ferrand was rather glad of the change of topic, if the truth had to be told, and took a few seconds to think up a response which didn't involve distaste of the state of the place. "I honestly haven't seen that much of it, madame, I spent most of what little time I had before this ball at the Times' offices and journalists, I've found, are much the same the world over. Perhaps you could advise me, as a native, on the places I should see before I return to Paris?"

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widow_newbury
2008-04-23 07:03 pm UTC (link)

Adelaide took a new glass of champagne from a passing servant and drank it silently as she thought. It had been a few years since she had been in London and she had been under the control of her second husband then. She highly doubted he would enjoy the things she had enjoyed before her second marriage, as she had been a young girl then. Looking back up to him she settled her hollow gaze upon him.

"I feel I have been away from my home too long to recall what one would find enjoyment in doing here, monsieur," she said gently. "I find Paris has far more to enjoy than London, unless, of course, you enjoy the rude people and dirt on the streets here." She smiled a little before looking back down and taking a long sip from her drink.

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the_legman
2008-04-25 12:57 am UTC (link)

"Such things, I'm afraid, are everywhere." Even in the relatively new streets of Trois-Rivieres there'd been dirt gathering. He supposed it was one of the inevitabilities of towns and cities - along with noise and close quarters. "No matter though, I'm sure something will come up to occupy the time before the ship sails back to France. I take it you shall be returning there too, Madame?"

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widow_newbury
2008-04-25 05:26 am UTC (link)

"Yes, I suppose you are right, Monsieur Duval," Adelaide agreed gently. For a moment there was a look of sorrow in her once expressionless eyes as she added, "It is a shame that there are less and less beautiful things in the world each day."

At his last question she nodded. "Yes, I intend to return very shortly if all works out," she said. "My father prefers that I spend most of my time in Paris, as he hopes I will find love again," she explained, even though she sounded doubtful about the last part.

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the_legman
2008-04-27 10:21 am UTC (link)

"Not less, I don't think," Ferrand replied slowly after a moment or two's thought, "but perhaps just more spread out. The world is a larger place than it used to be." He should know that more than perhaps anybody else here, having travelled so much of it to make his way here.

"Perhaps you might, Madame," He said with a calm smile, "you are young, after all, and there are many man in Paris." After a second he frowned, the events of the past few months coming to mind, and how could he have forgotten them at all? "Aren't you afraid you might be targeted by the revolutionaries?" She was an aristocrat, if an English one, when all was said and done.

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widow_newbury
2008-04-27 08:05 pm UTC (link)

"Yes, I suppose you are right, Monsieur," Adelaide said gently. For a moment she looked puzzled by his last question, as if this was the first time she was hearing about the revolution. "I leave it to my nurses to worry about that," she said simply. "I do not leave my apartment much and when I do I keep to myself. I do not trouble myself with the horrors that have spread through Paris."

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the_legman
2008-04-29 08:27 pm UTC (link)

"Perhaps then you'll be spared, God willing." He hoped that would be the case as the revolutionaries only seemed to be bothered with the more notable aristos currently and Madame Newbury was only a girl, and one who'd been through enough trouble in her life at that. "Your philosophy might be the best one, when all is said and done, as what can one wish for but a life free of horror and strife?"

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	widow_newbury 2008-04-30 01:55 am UTC (link)
	"Perhaps," Adelaide said softly. It did not matter to her however, as she had already lost enough in the world to not worry too much about her fate. She helped herself to a new glass of champagne as a servant passed by with a tray. (Replies frozen) (Parent)

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