Post by Guest on Nov 10, 2019 19:42:59 GMT
Pillow Talk...
First Voice: So, how do you find working for the Vicomtesse?
Second Voice: My duties are very light really. She has few letters to write, but likes company when she vistits the Ursuline Sisters at St Denis once a month. I'm persona non gratia at the convent, but I've been doing some research for her whilst I wait for her at St.Denis. I ran across a reference to Roland Gorne, Baron de Milly-en-Gâtinai, recently. Relative of yours...?
First Voice: My brother, curse him! He's not only the Baron of Milly now though - he inherited the Vicomté de Graville when our father passed away. Father gave him the Barony - and the title - as soon as he came of age. Being a Baron helped his rise up the military ranks no end.
Second Voice: I take it you and your brother don't get on ?
First Voice: Never speak to each other. It's a long story...
Second Voice: I love long stories...
First Voice: Well, a couple of years ago it became clear that Roland was never going to produce an heir. His wife failed to get pregnant at all over the years and he blamed her for it, driving her into an early grave with his constant disapproval. But the fact is that Roland is...firing blanks, as they say. None of the wild oats he's sown has ever taken root either.
Second Voice: Well, that hardly seems reason to fall out with him. The titles will come to you eventually won't they, with him being so much older ?
First Voice: Yes, I console myself with that thought. No, the reason we fell out is that when it became clear that he was never going to produce an heir, I asked him to let me have Milly - which would otherwise have gone to his eldest son when he came of age, as is the custom. Being a Baron, and having the revenues from a Barony, helped him rise quickly up the military ladder, finishing as a Lieutenant-General, while I'm stuck as a poor Captain with little hope of further advancement. He won't even loan me the 330 livres I'd need to purchase the vacant majority and required horses, dam'n him, and I don't want to fall into the clutches of the Shylocks if I can help it. How did his name come up, by the way?
Second Voice: In the court records at St Denis. He testified at the inquest into the death of a Monsieur Gerard Despard who died in a duel in which your brother served as second, in 1612. Some argument between Monsieur Despard and a man called Henry Highwater, Vicomte de Trouville and eldest son of the Comte de Deaville, which got out of hand, apparently. Did your brother never mention it?
First Voice: No, I was only six at the time. But I did get the story from old Josef, the Highwater coachman, a few years ago. It was soon after I joined the regiment. I was out drinking with the other subalterns when, hearing my name mentioned, this old drunk came over begging for a cognac on the strength of knowing my brother years ago. I bought him a bottle and he started railing on about how badly he's been treated by Highwater (he's the Comte de Deauville now, by the way) and how paltry his severence payment had been when he retired.
Second Voice: And what did Old Josef tell you?
First Voice: Well, keep this to yourself, but apparently it wasn't a duel at all. Highwater knew that this Despard would be visiting his ladylove and blocked the road with his coach to purposely lie in wait. When Despard arrived, they asked for his help to 'repair' the 'broken' coach or something, then once he'd dismounted Josef and Roland held his arms while Highwater ran him through. They they later gave out that he'd been killed in a duel. Highwater's father was a distant cousin and Despard's estate went him. Henry Highwater himself has it now, of course, together with all his father's other holdings.
Second Voice: And what did your brother Roland get out of this ?
First Voice: He owed Highwater 1,000 livres - a gambling debt of some kind. In return for Roland's help Highwater wrote off the debt. At least he learned his lesson there - Roland has never bet more than he can afford to lose ever since.
Second Voice: Isn't that the way to your Barony? Murder, no matter how long ago it was committed, carries a death penalty. Could Old Josef be persuaded to testify?
First Voice: I think he's probably dead by now. Even if he isn't, he'd be unlikely to incriminate himself and how much weight would his word carry against that of two nobles anyway? The chances of conviction would be miniscule, even if he could be persuaded. All it would achieve is the blackening of the family name. No, I'll just have to console myself with the thought that divine retribution prevented Roland from gaining any titles of his own during his military career.
Second Voice: Well, perhaps that's the route you should consider yourself? By the time Roland leaves you the Vicomté and Barony you could be too old to enjoy them. Why not seek a title of your own at the front ?
First Voice: I wish I could ! Unfortunately neither the Colonel nor any of the Squadron Commanders seem inclined to visit the front unless they have to - and the Crown Prince's Cuirassiers haven't been called upon to serve in the Summer Campaign for years, unfortunately.
Second Voice: Well, I hear that the Frontier Cavalry are crying out for good officers. I believe they'll even provide horses, to spare volunteer officers the chance of losing their own in battle. (I'd be happy to stable yours for you while you're away, by the way).
First Voice: That's because their casualties are so high, my Sweet.
Second Voice: Well, its your choice. Although I enjoy your company, Dion, I wouldn't consider settling down with anyone lower than a Baron. Are you saying that I'm not worth dodging a few Spanish bullets for...?
First Voice: No, of course not Helen!
Second Voice: Well, fortune favours the brave, Dion, and just picture the look on Roland's face if you gained the title he's denying you through your own efforts...
First Voice: So, how do you find working for the Vicomtesse?
Second Voice: My duties are very light really. She has few letters to write, but likes company when she vistits the Ursuline Sisters at St Denis once a month. I'm persona non gratia at the convent, but I've been doing some research for her whilst I wait for her at St.Denis. I ran across a reference to Roland Gorne, Baron de Milly-en-Gâtinai, recently. Relative of yours...?
First Voice: My brother, curse him! He's not only the Baron of Milly now though - he inherited the Vicomté de Graville when our father passed away. Father gave him the Barony - and the title - as soon as he came of age. Being a Baron helped his rise up the military ranks no end.
Second Voice: I take it you and your brother don't get on ?
First Voice: Never speak to each other. It's a long story...
Second Voice: I love long stories...
First Voice: Well, a couple of years ago it became clear that Roland was never going to produce an heir. His wife failed to get pregnant at all over the years and he blamed her for it, driving her into an early grave with his constant disapproval. But the fact is that Roland is...firing blanks, as they say. None of the wild oats he's sown has ever taken root either.
Second Voice: Well, that hardly seems reason to fall out with him. The titles will come to you eventually won't they, with him being so much older ?
First Voice: Yes, I console myself with that thought. No, the reason we fell out is that when it became clear that he was never going to produce an heir, I asked him to let me have Milly - which would otherwise have gone to his eldest son when he came of age, as is the custom. Being a Baron, and having the revenues from a Barony, helped him rise quickly up the military ladder, finishing as a Lieutenant-General, while I'm stuck as a poor Captain with little hope of further advancement. He won't even loan me the 330 livres I'd need to purchase the vacant majority and required horses, dam'n him, and I don't want to fall into the clutches of the Shylocks if I can help it. How did his name come up, by the way?
Second Voice: In the court records at St Denis. He testified at the inquest into the death of a Monsieur Gerard Despard who died in a duel in which your brother served as second, in 1612. Some argument between Monsieur Despard and a man called Henry Highwater, Vicomte de Trouville and eldest son of the Comte de Deaville, which got out of hand, apparently. Did your brother never mention it?
First Voice: No, I was only six at the time. But I did get the story from old Josef, the Highwater coachman, a few years ago. It was soon after I joined the regiment. I was out drinking with the other subalterns when, hearing my name mentioned, this old drunk came over begging for a cognac on the strength of knowing my brother years ago. I bought him a bottle and he started railing on about how badly he's been treated by Highwater (he's the Comte de Deauville now, by the way) and how paltry his severence payment had been when he retired.
Second Voice: And what did Old Josef tell you?
First Voice: Well, keep this to yourself, but apparently it wasn't a duel at all. Highwater knew that this Despard would be visiting his ladylove and blocked the road with his coach to purposely lie in wait. When Despard arrived, they asked for his help to 'repair' the 'broken' coach or something, then once he'd dismounted Josef and Roland held his arms while Highwater ran him through. They they later gave out that he'd been killed in a duel. Highwater's father was a distant cousin and Despard's estate went him. Henry Highwater himself has it now, of course, together with all his father's other holdings.
Second Voice: And what did your brother Roland get out of this ?
First Voice: He owed Highwater 1,000 livres - a gambling debt of some kind. In return for Roland's help Highwater wrote off the debt. At least he learned his lesson there - Roland has never bet more than he can afford to lose ever since.
Second Voice: Isn't that the way to your Barony? Murder, no matter how long ago it was committed, carries a death penalty. Could Old Josef be persuaded to testify?
First Voice: I think he's probably dead by now. Even if he isn't, he'd be unlikely to incriminate himself and how much weight would his word carry against that of two nobles anyway? The chances of conviction would be miniscule, even if he could be persuaded. All it would achieve is the blackening of the family name. No, I'll just have to console myself with the thought that divine retribution prevented Roland from gaining any titles of his own during his military career.
Second Voice: Well, perhaps that's the route you should consider yourself? By the time Roland leaves you the Vicomté and Barony you could be too old to enjoy them. Why not seek a title of your own at the front ?
First Voice: I wish I could ! Unfortunately neither the Colonel nor any of the Squadron Commanders seem inclined to visit the front unless they have to - and the Crown Prince's Cuirassiers haven't been called upon to serve in the Summer Campaign for years, unfortunately.
Second Voice: Well, I hear that the Frontier Cavalry are crying out for good officers. I believe they'll even provide horses, to spare volunteer officers the chance of losing their own in battle. (I'd be happy to stable yours for you while you're away, by the way).
First Voice: That's because their casualties are so high, my Sweet.
Second Voice: Well, its your choice. Although I enjoy your company, Dion, I wouldn't consider settling down with anyone lower than a Baron. Are you saying that I'm not worth dodging a few Spanish bullets for...?
First Voice: No, of course not Helen!
Second Voice: Well, fortune favours the brave, Dion, and just picture the look on Roland's face if you gained the title he's denying you through your own efforts...