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Tweak says, "Glaring is a powerful skill"

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 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)

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