InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "nevermore"

Jocelyn Wolfe (lotusmisplaced) wrote in toujoursliberer,
@ 2008-05-27 16:11:00

Entry tags:

aime_laurent, jocelyn_wolfe

Subject: Jocelyn tires of life at home, and ventures out seeking a day of adventure.
Where: Streets of London
Who: Jocelyn Wolfe
Warnings: None
Open to: Anyone in London

Women here had told her that a good wife looked after things at home while her husband was away. That was not a concept that was difficult for Jayanti to understand; after all, the same thing was very much true in India. There was, unfortunately, little for Jayanti to watch over while Mr. Wolfe was away, and she tired of watching the few servants her husband could afford scuttle around the house as if they were trying to avoid her. Jayanti was sure that they still weren't entirely used to her presence, though she had been the head of this house for about a year. Perhaps it was her heritage. Jayanti did not like to this of herself as one who was discriminated against, but so many of the more common Englishfolk gawked at her while she walked the streets, and occassionally a few of the newer servants still stared. She was more than aware that she was something of an oddity, perhaps a sort of...exotic treasure, but rather than feeling subconscious she used it to command authority while he husband was away.

Imperiously, the bored Jayanti announced that she was heading out for the day, and that they were not to mention her excursion at all to her husband. She did not know how her husband would feel about her leaving the home unattended, and she doubted any of the help would mention a thing. She was intimidating, after all.

The streets here were not as glamourous as she expected, but she had long since grown accostumed to their quaint charm. She already knew her way around the streets near her home, though she was not wise enough to navigate herself home from the depths of London. Today, though, she was feeling particularly bored, and consequentially doubly adventurous, so she determindedly made her way deeper into the city, farther and farther away from the neighbourhood she knew. With any luck, she'd stumble upon something, or someone interesting enough to hold her interest for a long while.

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tigersatthegate
2008-05-27 10:00 pm UTC (link)

Aimé had taken a longer walk than usual, but he'd gone down a street he'd never walked before and found himself in a part of London he had never been down before. He walked a little faster, pulling the collar of his coat up - he wasn't sure why he did it, but it seemed like a simple way to protect himself.

There was a young woman across the street from him. She looked almost as out of place as he felt. She was quite beautiful but utterly unlike anyone else he had seen before, at least, dressed as well as she was. In France they had had Indian servants and mistresses, the novelty of them had always been a great draw. He felt rather ashamed of that now.

"Miss," He called, hurrying across the road. She probably lived around here, or would at least know where they were if she spoke English. "Miss, can you tell me which street I'm on?"

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lotusmisplaced
2008-05-27 11:35 pm UTC (link)

Jayanti spun around quickly, unaware that there was someone behind her. She had not honestly been very startled by the man's presence, but for the sake of her adventure she decided to enhance her own naivete. After all, if she just turned around and calmly addressed the man, the exchange would not last very long. Instead, she prepared her response carefully, as if she was some sort of actress. Her response to him would be more of a display than a mere exchange, more of a performance than a simple answering of a question. Jayanti had not spoken very much to any European besides her husband and the help while she had been living in England. Carrying on her own conversation was a bit of an adventure, especially since the man seemed to be quite urbane...and seemingly spoke with a French accent.

"Oh!" She responded, with an aire of distraction. "I am not so sure of the names. I only know how to get back the way I came, and even now I'm not so sure of that." While she was speaking the truth, she was exaggerating her tone slightly, hopefully enough to draw the man into deeper conversation. "Why? Is there somewhere in particular you need to go?"

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tigersatthegate
2008-05-28 09:53 am UTC (link)

Aimé glanced up and down the street, growing more uneasy now the lady didn't know where they were either. They were the only people in the street so there was hardly anyone else he could ask.

"No, I just have never been down this way before. I wanted the vary my walk and took a new direction and I find myself quite lost, I tried retracing my steps but it led me here, not towards home." He paused, unsure if he was not making himself sound utterly spoiled and useless. "I haven't been in England for very long. I don't know my way around yet. My family rents Oxsridge House on Barkley Street.

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lotusmisplaced
2008-05-28 08:27 pm UTC (link)

"Oh...I am sorry. I wish I could help you. I sympathise. I am fairly new to London as well." She frowned, genuinely concerned that this man would be lost in the maze of streets due to her own ignorance. "Perhaps I could help you, but I cannot think of how I can. Do you know in which direction is your home?" She doubted there was any way she could help at all, but she wanted to be friendly, and perhaps force her presence on this stranger for as long as she could.

"Are the streets here very different from the streets back...back whereever it is you come from?" She assumed he was French, as she could hear something of an accent in his voice. "In India, streets are not this way. They are a lot less...organised. More cluttered and uncivilized." London, at least the few blocks of London she had seen so far, seemed to be quite hospitable and not particularly dirty. It was very unlike the crowded, rank streets of the cities in her own country.

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tigersatthegate
2008-05-28 10:24 pm UTC (link)

Aimé looked up and down the street again, trying to hazard a guess. He thought it was back towards the west, but he had wondered so far it could be in any direction. "I think back that way." He said, pointing towards the way he had come and the tops of the houses.

"I didn't really go out into the streets terribly often, Madam, I lived in Paris and there wasn't really call for it. We went everywhere in a carriage so I never had to learn."

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lotusmisplaced
2008-05-28 10:53 pm UTC (link)

"Paris!" Jocelyn gasped, her eyes widening with excitement. "I hear that is a very, very beautiful city, sir, whyever did you leave it? London is a beautiful city in its own right, but it is no Paris, sir, no Paris at all. I've heard such wonderful things about Paris, I've always wanted to go, but my husband hasn't taken me there yet." In her enthusiasm, she gestured wildly, and seemed to have forgotten why she had been speaking to the young man in the first place. "I hear, though, that many people are leaving. There are some problems, there, I believe. My husband has mentioned something about it to friends of his, but I can't seem to understand it all." She spoke with a slight sigh, her voice almost bird-like as her words flew rapidly from her mouth. In her excitement, more of her accent was heard than she would have liked.

"But yes, sir," she added quickly, as if she had just remembered, "Your house, it is over there, you think!" She pointed grandly in that direction before starting to walk towards where he had mentioned his house being. "I'm sure, we will walk that way, and you will find something familiar along the way."

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tigersatthegate
2008-05-29 07:18 pm UTC (link)

He smiled, a little bemused that anyone could have missed the reason why they had fled France. "People, my family included, are leaving in fear of their lives, Madam. We face imprisonment and even execution." He said, talking about it now feeling as if Paris and the danger they had faced were only words. "Your husband? What does he do?"

He offered her his arm. "Shall I escort you, Madam? When we find it I will have a carriage bring you home."

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lotusmisplaced
2008-06-02 12:34 am UTC (link)

Jocelyn paused, completely taken aback by the tactlessness of her ignorance. She could not believe she had asked such a question! Surely the man must think she was pitifully ignorant now, it was surprising that he even wanted to continue speaking with her. She reminded herself to pay more attention to her husband when he spoke about such things. She may not find it particularly interesting but she was determined to no longer seem so ignorant. If she was going to converse with these Europeans, she should at least be knowledgable.

"I am so sorry sir, I did not know that Paris was in that state! I am so very sorry for the discomfort it might have caused to you to think--- Oh I am so sorry, sir, so very sorry!" She spoke hurriedly and brought her hands to her face, wanting to hide her face in embarassment. She did not, though. It would be terribly improper. "But why," she continued, after a pause, "would your family be in danger? You seem like a very respectable person, sir, and not the sort that deserves execution."

She took his arm gingerly, her silly question having knocked her off her element. "My husand," she replied "is a merchant for the East India Trading Company. For now, he has returned to England. I do not know when he will be leaving again."

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tigersatthegate
2008-06-02 03:57 am UTC (link)

Aimé laughed at her question, surprised by it and generally humoured by the irony. "Oh, Madam, that is quite the reason. There is a rebellion, an uprising from below and if one has a title, or lands, or something to ally you to the monarchy you are very much in danger."

"A merchant? Do you know by any chance if he knows of a man named Mercedes Dupont?" Aimé asked, unable to help himself. "He is a merchant, quite a good one too. I am sure he and your husband must have met at some point. He did spend some time in India for a while."

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lotusmisplaced
2008-06-03 01:33 am UTC (link)

"Excuse me for being so...bold, perhaps, but...why are they rebelling? What has happened to give them license to kill? Not that there is every an excuse...but I am curious..." Europeans are very strange. Never would she have heard of such a thing in India. There, the poor knew their place, and would be terrified to violate that place. Such strange customs, these Europeans had.

"Perhaps, I do not know. I find my husband's business to be very tiresome, so I do not pay attention. Why? Is he someone you know? I could enquire if you would like."

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	tigersatthegate 2008-06-03 09:23 am UTC (link)
	Aimé paused, surprised by the question. He knew the reasons, vaguely, but to him they meant very little in comparison to his life. "I am not entirely sure, Madam. I think it began over something to do with food - there wasn't enough, I believe and spiraled into what is happening now." "Oh, yes. I do know him. He is...was...a merchant my family used." (Reply to this) (Parent)