Post by Jeanette Livarot on Mar 30, 2021 20:16:29 GMT
"Jeanette!" Bette exclaimed as the carriage door opened.
A young woman of barely twenty years stepped into the early Parisian sun, the rays of morning illuminating the cascade of chestnut curls that had been carefully piled neatly onto the top of her head and pinned aggressively into place. While holding her head high, her hazel eyes belied her unease as she descended the steps of the carriage and took her first steps into her new life.
Jeanette Livarot was just arriving from Normandy after the untimely death of her father earlier in the year, then in the past month, her mother. Due to unwise financial decisions on behalf of her father, there had been little left after selling the family property and settling the debts. It was in Jeanette's best interest to leave the countryside for Paris where her sister already resided with her husband for a fresh start.
"I am so glad you are here," Bette gushed, rushing forward to embrace her younger sister. "I hope the journey has agreed with you."
Jeanette managed a half-smile and pulled from her sister's comforting embrace. "The journey treated me well enough, I have been inspired by the countryside the passed outside the carriage window. I hope I will be able to settle in quickly and begin a new piece inspired by this transition."
"You still insist on spending your time on art? Jeanette, you are far old enough and well bred enough to put aside the whims of childhood and pursue a more comfortable life. You are young, pretty, and well mannered, you are sure to catch the eye of some young man soon enough. Mother was so looking forward to seeing you marry and settle down."
Biting her tongue, Jeanette took the luggage filled mainly with her oil paints and supplies from the hands of the driver and clutched them protectively to her. The only one who had ever supported her passion had been her father and with him gone the rest of the family had doubled their efforts to ensure she felt sufficiently foolish for her love of art. Her sister seemed to especially not understand, she was extremely content to have used her status as a daughter of a Marquise to marry well and settle into a life of a kept woman.
"How is your husband? I hope he does not mind me staying a few days while I settle in."
"He is well and of course we do not mind." Bette gently placed a hand on Jeanette's arm and guided her towards the entrance to the house. "You are my little sister, I could not turn my back on you. I cannot wait to show you around and see what you have been missing from the city life. I understand now why mother was always horribly bored back home, I don't know how she ever accustomed herself to the quiet life after having grown up here."
"She always did seem restless," mademoiselle Livarot admitted. "You are much like her."
"And you took mostly after father," the elder sister replied with a light laugh, "I fear you would have stayed stagnate without fate to push you towards a change. Probably would have been content to paint the birds outside your window every morning and ignore the rest of the world. You and father were both dreamers, but we see where that left him and I will ensure the same fate will not come to you."