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only_daughter (only_daughter) wrote in toujoursliberer,
@ 2008-08-08 14:03:00

Entry tags:

patience_hurst, plot

Patience Hurst: Accepting Visitors.
Subject: Accepting Visitors Now
Who: Patience Hurst
Where: The Drawing Room in the Hurst’s house.
Warnings: None.
Open To: Angélique Worthington, Charles Hurst, Lord Hurst, Antoine Laurent, Melisande Auclair, any other upper-class young women or men who would like to visit Patience and make her feel better about herself.

Patience was recovering from her ordeal, resting herself on one of the large armchairs of the family drawing room, pillows pilled under her and her feet up on an ottoman. She had a box of chocolates graciously donated by her brother Crispin and was feeling rather happy with how the whole thing had turned out. True, she was bruised and her pride had suffered a fall. Also she couldn’t imagine going shopping for quite some time without a family member to escort her but there had been some perks.

Why, in that days news paper there had been a mention of her and the vicious attack perpetrated against her. The writer had gone to great lengths to describe her station, her family name – not her father was Lord Hurst and a prominent member of parliament – and that it was telling of today’s society that such a flower of English womanhood was rescued not by an Englishman but by a Frenchman. They did not mention Antoine by name though, which Patience found strange but she supposed there must still be revolutionaries looking for him and to have his name printed in the paper would risk his life.

It was so exciting. Like a good novella.

There was a knock on the door and Patience stirred from her thoughts.
“Who is it?” She called.

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lady_gwendolyn
2008-08-09 02:18 pm UTC (link)

"It's only me, my dear Lady Patience," Lady Gwendolyn called cheerily, nearly whacking the footman out of the way with her fan. Where there was gossip, Lady Gwendolyn was sure to be one of the first on site. "I brought you some trifle to help you get over your ghastly ordeal! Was it really as bad as it said in the papers?"

She handed over a pretty, covered Sevres dish. "It must have been such a terrible, terrible thing to have happen to you, but how ravish there was someone there to save you! Who was this gallant rescuer, my dear?"

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only_daughter
2008-08-09 02:37 pm UTC (link)

Patience settled up straight, trying to decide if she should take her feet off the ottoman so she appeared properly ready to greet visitors, or if she should lay stretched out the way she was and enjoy the glut of sympathy it would not doubt arouse. She choose only to settle back into the pillows, her feet up, hoping she looked utterly fragile.

"Oh, worse! Much worse. They didn't even begin to describe the embarrassment of it all." She said, eyeing the trifle, which she took from Lady Gwendolyn and placed carefully on the table next to her chocolates. "My rescuer? I'm not sure I should say. After all, the papers didn't think it wise to print his name." Patience said carefully. "Although I do agree with the paper that young men could learn a thing or two from him. He was so very brave, apprehending the thief."

She had been good, for a little while at least, not revealing the name but she couldn't stop herself from wanting to tell at least.
"Do you know the Laurent family?" She asked, hoping it would sound as if she was changing subjects and not dropping hints. If Lady Gwendolyn guessed then it was all of her own provocation.

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lady_gwendolyn
2008-08-09 02:47 pm UTC (link)

"Oh, your poor, poor darling!" Lady Gwendolyn exclaimed, seating herself with a little floof of skirts. "My heart bleeds for you, it really does! I could not think of anything at all besides visiting you- indeed, my morning toast and tea turned quite to ashes in my mouth and all that. I dressed and rushed over as soon as cook made up the trifle for you. Trifle always does cheer a person so."

Lady Gwendolyn assumed as innocent an expression as she possibly could and leaned forward. "Oh, but my dear! Newspaper reporters are so terrible at research! They probably forgot to ask the name of your gallant. In any case, I shouldn't breathe a word of it to anyone if you told me- and what?" The Laurent family? She frowned a little, though not enough to form frown lines later in life. "I know of them, of course- they are an emigre family from Nantes, three sons- but I shall not be put off quite so easily! Come, you can trust me."

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	only_daughter 2008-08-09 02:57 pm UTC (link)
	Patience frowned. Maybe she was being too subtle. “Oh I couldn't possibly tell you his name but I could desribe him. He was French, older than me, quite dashing...from Nantes I believe.” She intimated, lowering her voice and raising her eyebrow in what she hoped would be a significant way. It was hardly telling after all. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lady_gwendolyn
2008-08-09 08:19 pm UTC (link)

Ah haaaaaaa. There it was!

Lady Gwendolyn nearly smirked. "From Nantes? Well, well. Older... hm." She flipped through her mental files of gossip. Which of the Laurents were older than Gwendolyn. "I believe the eldest is one Antoine Laurent- quite nearly a dandy! I must say, I do prefer dandies to Macaronis. How does one react when a man wears face paint and lace better than you do? No, no, quiet elegance and an air of aloof mystery is quite preferable. By all accounts Antoine is Quite Responsible and dotes on his younger brother Aimé. There is talk that Aimé has ah... well, suffice to say he is extremely pretty and quite excites the jealousy of ladies everywhere. Antoine, I believe to be more socially ambitious- and acceptable."

Possible match! Possible match! Lady Gwendolyn's gossip senses tingling!

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only_daughter
2008-08-10 05:46 am UTC (link)

Patience's smile widened still and she clapped her hands together delightedly.

"Oh, you guessed!" She said, trying to sound surprised but she was relieved she could finally talk about it. "No, not Aimé. He's always round the house with father, he's like another brother, but Antoine - he was so handsome and so brave. You do think he's acceptable, don't you?"

She paused, smoothing out the skirts of her gown and thinking back to that day, how frightened she had been and how Antoine had come to her aid and simply taken control of everything, made everything right.
“He was magnificent.” She murmured. “And then he escorted me home. I do hope father approves…that is to say he did nothing but bring me home and was a gentleman through and though, but I would like to see him again under more fortuitous circumstances.”

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lady_gwendolyn
2008-08-10 07:38 pm UTC (link)

Lady Gwendolyn grinned back. "Antoine de Laurent- of course with a fortune sadly reduced what with the flight from France but Patience de Laurent! Hot well that sounds!"

Lady Gwendolyn tilted her head to the side, twining a curl of hair around a finger. "Oooh, how perfectly ravish my dear! I would have to be vewy dood to have something half so ravish happen to me, and even then the man would just be a constable." Normal English incapable of expressing her delight, Lady Gwendolyn resorted to Devonshire House Drawl. "Oo wucky childe, oo!"

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only_daughter
2008-08-11 05:59 am UTC (link)

Patience, who had privately thought so herself, smiled widely.
"But fortune isn't everything, is it? I mean title and standing count for a large amount, and father has enough fortune to support a fleet of son-in-laws - not that I'm thinking so far ahead!"

"I wouldn't suggest it as a way of meeting eligible men though, Lady Gwendolyn. I feel the crime rate in London would rise dramatically with young ladies dawdling on street corers, purses out, waiting to be robbed."

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lady_gwendolyn
2008-08-11 01:51 pm UTC (link)

"Oh no, of course fortune isn't everything," Lady Gwendolyn replied, "but someone ought to have one when you go into a marriage. It is very well that you do, then. I must say, his breeding is impeccable; it quite makes up for any deficiencies of fortune. Perhaps I ought to host another salon soon on the French question? Young men from Nantes would have as much to say on it as young Ladies in London."

An unladylike snort of laughter escaped Lady Gwendolyn's lips, and her hands flew up to disguise it as a cough. The attempt was not very successful, as she began to laugh in earnest. "La! I certainly hope there is some handsome young Frenchman here to save me from choking on laughter.

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only_daughter
2008-08-12 06:35 am UTC (link)

"Perhaps you should. I'm sure Monsieur Laurent would have a great deal of intelligent things to say on the subject." Patience said thoughtfully. Unlike Lady Gwendolyn she had little interest in politics, and frankly most of it bored her, but she was sure that a man like Antoine Laurent would speak most eloquently and even she would be enthralled.

Patience laughed too, rather delighted. "I'm afraid I do not hide attractive Frenchmen around the house so I wouldn't know."

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lady_gwendolyn
2008-08-12 07:43 am UTC (link)

"Hm," Lady Gwendolyn said thoughtfully. "I really must, then. Aside from a good round of gossip or a new gown, there is nothing I love better than in helping a match come together. Well, except a Whig majority in Parliament, but that isn't likely to happen when the country's in love with Pitt. Such a cold fish, Pitt! Never smiles, only speaks. And drinks. I heard he downed three bottles of port in one sitting the other day. Most shocking."

She shook her head. "La! How ridiculous of me; I always get so distracted by politics from hat is really important: facilitating a meeting between you and Monsieur de Laurent! About when, do you think, should you be recovered from your dreadful, dreadful ordeal?"

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only_daughter
2008-08-12 07:47 am UTC (link)

Patience only nodded and smiled. She was sure it was terribly important to Lady Gwendolyn but she was much more interested in her match-making.

"By next Tuesday?" She suggested. "Or would that be too short a time? Or two long a time? I wouldn't want anyone to think I'd not been shocked by the experience, but I also wouldn't want them to think I was taking advantage of it for sympathy."

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	lady_gwendolyn 2008-08-12 08:22 am UTC (link)
	"Next Tuesday," Lady Gwendolyn mused. "Next Tuesday... hm. Everyone is off in the country until the start of the Season in November, but I daresay I could scrounge something up. Tuesday it is! Ooh, what shall you wear?" (Reply to this) (Parent)

angedelacour
2008-08-11 01:18 am UTC (link)

Angélique grinned at her cousin as she looked around the room. "Oh, but I was informed that I was seeing a young lady practically near dead of shock and travail! You don't look a thing like that. You look like you were escorted home by Antoine Laurent."

Who, she had been happy to discover, she had remembered rightly. His younger brother was pretty Aimé, who was the one whispered to be had for a price, and Antoine was supposedly the one who did the collecting. Or perhaps the having, if you believed another version. She could hardly wait to tell everyone just how familiar Patience had seemed with this gentleman with such dark gossip surrounding him. Angel didn't wait for her cousin's permission and simply dropped into a seat by Patience's bed.

"You are feeling better, darling, are you not?"

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	only_daughter 2008-08-11 06:11 am UTC (link)
	Patience giggled softly, covering her mouth with a hand. She knew she shouldn’t be so obvious around Angélique who was a dreadful gossip and would probably use any thing Patience said to further her own interests but Patience was too delighted to care. “Much better, yes.” She said, smirking at Angélique. “Didn’t you bring me a get well gift?” (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	angedelacour 2008-08-11 06:26 pm UTC (link)
	Angélique laughed. "Of course. But I shan't give it to you just yet. First, I wanted to ask after your dress for the ball. We haven't had any time to visit properly about it." She wanted to ask about Antoine, but that could wait. It would probably bother Patience not to be asked first about the rest of her encounter with the elder Laurent. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

only_daughter
2008-08-12 06:24 am UTC (link)

Patience was rather surprised that Angélique wanted to discuss dresses rather than the whole affair with the thief but it was one of Patience's favourite subjects, dresses, and so she didn't feel so terrible discuss that first.

"Oh, I thought maybe green. Red looks so forward and I did see a lovely ribbon in a rich forest green that I'd like to wear, but I brought it before I was attached and can't quite bring myself to wear it. So I considered maybe white. I'll have two dresses made and decide for myself on the day. You?"

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