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Lord Tobias Hurst, Duke of Devon (lord_hurst) wrote in toujoursliberer,
@ 2008-08-08 21:41:00

Entry tags:

aime_laurent, antoine_laurent, beatrice_stanley, beth_downing, constance_mosley, demetri_blake, georgina_rochester, gwendolyn_linley, harry_fisher, jacques_belmont, katerina_ashcroft, marie_hardwick, melisande_auclair, nell_abbot, patience_hurst, piper, plot, rupert_aveline, sergius_petrov, slater, thaddeus_chadwick, theodore_berteaut, thérèse_du_labarre, tobias_hurst, vivian_thorpe

Lord Hurst: A Ball In His Honour
Item: An invitation sent out by Lord Hurst to many of those in the upper portion of society
Who: Lord Hurst on behalf of Sergius Petrov
Warnings: TBA
Open to: All of the nobility, friends of the Hurst family, those being blackmailed by Sergius, plus Constance, Slater, and Harry.

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lost_romance
2008-08-16 01:10 pm UTC (link)

Louisa wished not for the first time that she drank. It would be so much easier to have this sort of confrontation if she could hide behind a glass and its content. She couldn't even have a fan and behave like a coquettish young lady, fluttering and hiding her blushes.

"I believe the human form is beautiful, but when shared between a husband and wife in the privacy of a marriage, not displayed on someone's wall for any man to see." She said stiffly. "Where does he get his models? I cannot imagine any lady of virtue would pose for him, which suggests he must be taking advantage of women who's financial situation would leave them open to such an idea."

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ex_rakehell186
2008-08-16 01:39 pm UTC (link)

Since when had marriage come to mean privacy? but he was much too smart to say that aloud in front of this woman. "Nudity is just one's state of being, no reason to hide it away, Madam. Had the Lord wanted us to be always covered he would make sure every child was born fully clothed, and if you will remember it was not until Adam and Eve sinned that they thought to cover themselves. It is an innocent thing unless the mind twists it differently."

He wanted to run, actually rather frightened by this woman. "He paints women of all sorts, those of high and low stature, even a few Vicars wives and a nun. It is all very respectfully done and no woman has ever been forced to remove her clothes."

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lost_romance
2008-08-16 01:50 pm UTC (link)

"But, you must agree then, if there is now sin in the world then nudity can no longer be considered innocent." Louisa said sternly. She was rather surprised the woman he mentioned would choose to pose for such an art form but not as shocked as she might be. She knew all too well that giddy youth or the hedonism of passion often made a girl regret in the morning what she’d done the night before. One or more of the heroines of her books had almost been brought low, or had friends or sisters who had, by dashing rouges such as the painter Antony patronised.

"There are ways to force a woman to remove her clothing that have nothing to do with physical violence, sir. Financial pressure, or maybe the pressure of a husband is often enough to convince a woman to do something she ought not." Louisa said, another though having struck her. "And if you're painter is so enamoured of the human body why does he not paint men as well? Or simply clothed people, much can be done with the complexion of the face and the play of light and shadow across the face."

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ex_rakehell186
2008-08-16 02:02 pm UTC (link)

"Men are mostly straight lines and hard edges, Callum sees little or no beauty in such things. Or at least that is what he as told me. And he has done a great many other subjects over the years, he has even painted me when we were lads, fully clothed of course. But as it has been explained to me, the artistic temperament has it's phases, and for now he is in a particular phase. He wants to show the heart and soul of his subjects and he cannot do that when they have clothes or any other such things to hide behind."

"I assure you, Madam, no pressure is ever put upon the models and, truth be known, most of them are not paid for their time so they have no obligation to Mr. Young." oh but he was feeling so very small in that moment.

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lost_romance
2008-08-16 02:15 pm UTC (link)

“The heart and soul of a subject should be evident in the eyes, I have always thought, rather than the flesh.” Louisa said, tone clipped. “Artistic temperament is used so often to allow a multitude of sins I have found.”

“Not paid? I think you miss understand the obligation put upon young women quite often – to drink, to accept offers of engagement from undesirable men, to maintain friendships only for the social connections they bring, to conform to their husband’s desires. Just because the question of payment is taken out of the equation doesn’t mean there is no obligation – spoken or unspoken.”

“I am willing to admit there may be women who posed happily for Mr. Young. I have heard talk that Lord Chadwick’s wife, Sarah, was one. I’m not sure I would be happy though to praise an unfaithful wife who abandoned her husband and children because she was content to take off her clothes for your artist.”

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ex_rakehell186
2008-08-16 02:27 pm UTC (link)

"Perhaps you should be speaking to the artist himself, then?" he knew he was being weak and cowardly, but this woman was intimidating and it seem to him that she would not him be. 'Callum' was better at handling her sort anyway, he was really beginning to think the man needed a raise. "He is my very close friend, we are like brothers so I am apt to support him in what ever he may choose to do. And surely he can answer your questions better than I ever could."

Poor Antony, always crumbling in the face of displeasure and disapproval.

Oh he remembered Sarah, she had shoved her hand down his trousers before he even got her to his little studio. Only afterwords, when it actually came time to paint her, she finally shared with him the story of her life and what she had done. He wanted to point out to this woman that she might feel differently if she spoke to her, but he was nowhere near brave enough to say that.

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lost_romance
2008-08-16 02:34 pm UTC (link)

"It is a credit to you, my Lord, that you support your friend but it does your reputation no good. Maybe you should have words with him too?" She asked, a little overwhelmed by her own thoughts. She'd not really meant to be so forcefully in her opinions, especially not to an Earl but she felt that she had had to say something. "Maybe a meeting would be a good idea. I would like to hear what answers he has."

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ex_rakehell186
2008-08-16 03:06 pm UTC (link)

"He would hardly heed me, but I trust him enough not to completely ruin my reputation." he was always the hardest on himself of course, but in the end his love of art won out every time.

He nodded, seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. "Wonderful, I shall set something up then, I did not bring him with me tonight as he is working on his latest masterpiece, but I will certainly have a word with him tomorrow." he did not bring 'Callum' with him that night as his scottish brogue was too heavy to be hidden, and Antony was trying to get by with not attracting too much attention.

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