I can't believe how the time has flown! Already tomorrow shall we be one month closer to the rough winds of May, and I barely have a weekend to myself throughout the whole of April. But that only means joyous things to me as the Duke of Albany travels across the Continent and joins me once again.
Where to begin?
I suppose the artist's eventual repercussions need to be discussed after her ghastly treatment of me, though I do promise that I was swift and only slightly less just than I should have been...
Indeed, I also have the pleasure of sashaying through delightful memories from the weekend. The brunette (of all people) and Armiger surprised me with a visit to the City of a Hundred Spires, and we gossiped, and laughed, and drank to our hearts' content.
Though I suppose, first, I shall quickly skim over my latest rendez vous with the artist.
After I showed my face and was so warmly received by the Duke's family at his home here in Bohemia and managed to waylay the artist ever so briefly, I was surprised to receive an invitation from the painter. She had made it quite clear that she had no interest in painting me ever again, and truly I cannot imagine what else we would say to each other.
So to tea I went. It's normally a fruit tea of sorts in Bohemia, so I had Jeeves bring with us some English tea as I can't stand the boiled citrus fruits that are claimed to be tea! I was right, of course, lemon and apple I think were the combinations on offer, but before I so rudely poured my own tea, the artist asked me if I knew how many paintings she'd done for the Duke.
A silly question, or so I thought, but I did assume I was not the first. I hazarded a guess at two or three, mainly because the Duke had mentioned one or two names to me previously, and as much as an honour it was to be asked, I am not completely naive.
I do wish I'd aimed higher however, as the artist showed me sketches of seventeen other women, all of whom have had their likenesses painted by this artist in some glorified silhouette. I didn't want to rise to the bait, and I casually shrugged it off with a nonchalant, 'everyone has the right to a past,' but I do fear the Duke may have some explaining to do when he returns next week!
According to the artist she doesn't want to have to paint one of the Duke's women more than once, because no woman should have to suffer through that repetition of being marked and tagged more than once. I snidely asked if she'd ever had to do a self portrait for his collection, and she scowled at the insinuation.
Of course the Duke has a past! I have a past and I'm sure he'd be horrified to hear about some of the things I've done in my life. But c'est la vie. We eventually parted ways and I shall make no more contact with her, the artist. She lives a provincial life and she certainly wouldn't have understood the drunken debauchery the brunette, Armiger and I sank into this weekend!
It was an absolute delight to see them, despite being for such a short time. I couldn't remember the last time we three had been all together, especially on the Continent! But we certainly made up for lost time as we partied and danced and laughed our way into the early morn. It was a weekend I shall never forget. I truly adore my friends and was grateful that many conversations were left unsaid as we rekindled our platonic relationships.
I am to travel again this weekend, to the West of Bohemia and visit some more local friends. I'm intrigued as I do love going to places I've never seen before, but am not sure what to expect. No doubt that means an extra suitcase or three, but it would be terribly bad manners to turn up under-dressed!
Keeping busy is keeping me distracted from the words the artist told me, and allows me no time to think of the Duke's absence. I will have him in my arms, to hold (and ask a question or two) in ten days. I am tingling at the very thought!
D. S.
Where to begin?
I suppose the artist's eventual repercussions need to be discussed after her ghastly treatment of me, though I do promise that I was swift and only slightly less just than I should have been...
Indeed, I also have the pleasure of sashaying through delightful memories from the weekend. The brunette (of all people) and Armiger surprised me with a visit to the City of a Hundred Spires, and we gossiped, and laughed, and drank to our hearts' content.
Though I suppose, first, I shall quickly skim over my latest rendez vous with the artist.
After I showed my face and was so warmly received by the Duke's family at his home here in Bohemia and managed to waylay the artist ever so briefly, I was surprised to receive an invitation from the painter. She had made it quite clear that she had no interest in painting me ever again, and truly I cannot imagine what else we would say to each other.
So to tea I went. It's normally a fruit tea of sorts in Bohemia, so I had Jeeves bring with us some English tea as I can't stand the boiled citrus fruits that are claimed to be tea! I was right, of course, lemon and apple I think were the combinations on offer, but before I so rudely poured my own tea, the artist asked me if I knew how many paintings she'd done for the Duke.
A silly question, or so I thought, but I did assume I was not the first. I hazarded a guess at two or three, mainly because the Duke had mentioned one or two names to me previously, and as much as an honour it was to be asked, I am not completely naive.
According to the artist she doesn't want to have to paint one of the Duke's women more than once, because no woman should have to suffer through that repetition of being marked and tagged more than once. I snidely asked if she'd ever had to do a self portrait for his collection, and she scowled at the insinuation.
Of course the Duke has a past! I have a past and I'm sure he'd be horrified to hear about some of the things I've done in my life. But c'est la vie. We eventually parted ways and I shall make no more contact with her, the artist. She lives a provincial life and she certainly wouldn't have understood the drunken debauchery the brunette, Armiger and I sank into this weekend!
It was an absolute delight to see them, despite being for such a short time. I couldn't remember the last time we three had been all together, especially on the Continent! But we certainly made up for lost time as we partied and danced and laughed our way into the early morn. It was a weekend I shall never forget. I truly adore my friends and was grateful that many conversations were left unsaid as we rekindled our platonic relationships.
I am to travel again this weekend, to the West of Bohemia and visit some more local friends. I'm intrigued as I do love going to places I've never seen before, but am not sure what to expect. No doubt that means an extra suitcase or three, but it would be terribly bad manners to turn up under-dressed!
Keeping busy is keeping me distracted from the words the artist told me, and allows me no time to think of the Duke's absence. I will have him in my arms, to hold (and ask a question or two) in ten days. I am tingling at the very thought!
D. S.
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