| Welcome aboard, me maties! AG is a Pirates of the Caribbean RPG taking place after Curse of the Black Pearl, and incorporating many of the plots of Dead Man's Chest and At World's End, but is not beholden to follow them exactly, or at all. We welcome both Canon characters and Original Characters, and hope you'll consider joining us for some adventure on the high seas. Sign the Articles! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Nadine Brissot; Duchess | |
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| Topic Started: 10 Dec 2007, 09:32 AM (344 Views) | |
| Aztec Gold | 10 Dec 2007, 09:32 AM Post #1 |
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Username: Nadine Brissot How did you find out about AG: ^^ First Name: Nadine Last Name: Brissot (Her mother's name, as she cannot hold the duchy without it.) Nickname: Nadine, Rosalie (her middle name, said only by her father and mother) Age: 20 Sex: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian Country of Birth: France Current Whereabouts: Brissot estate, Port Royal Occupation: Concert violinist, Duchess of Rhône Former Occupation(s): None Parents: Mother: Theresa Brissot, former Duchess of Rhône; Father: James Berkeley, son and heir of Sir William Berekeley, governor of the Virginia Colony and lord of Hanworth Manor. Siblings: Two brothers, both still-born. Children: None Avatar: Mandy Moore Description: Nadine stands just shy of 168 centimeters, with her legs giving her the majority of her height. Like all good people of French ancestry, Nadine has gentle curves and proportioned measurements, but her English heritage cursed her with a smaller bosom than she would have liked. As a musician she hasn't really had any continued strain to cause much muscle to build up, and when she does get the chance to go swimming or on a walk she gets tired easily. Her nose is long, which is the French part of her, but it's round and button shaped, like the English in her. What would have been pale, ivory French skin is a gentle cream, often dotted with freckles depending on how much sun she gets. Her hair is a mousy brown, long and luxurious, something she is glad she inherited from her father; she loves it to be brushed when she is feeling sad, as it makes her feel better. The last feature, and her personal favorite part of her face, are her eyes. They are the deep, Atlantic-blue of French nobility -- a rare trait that can be seen in portraits throughout history -- and are lined with long curly lashes of similar hue to her hair. As a duchess, with proper noble training, she tends to wear the most fashionable dresses of the time, as money and physical form will allow. However, due to her nature and personality, fashionable dresses are not her favored form of clothing. Nadine likes to wear dresses styled in a loose cut so that she is free to move about, her personal favorite being the Renaissance Regency cut. The loose fabric usually drapes freely from under her bosom, allowing her stomach, hips, and legs to be as free as they please. However, Nadine is not often seen in these dresses as it is impolite to wear such things in public, though she has had several made and modified to wear to sociable dinners and events. Likes Nadine enjoys walking on a warm beach with the sand between her toes, and the soft spray washing over her ankles. When she lived in France she enjoyed the winters in Lyon, and being able to build snowmen, but the chance of getting to go back to France is slim to none, not with her situation the way it is. Torrential rain and whipping wind is exciting for Nadine, and she quite enjoys thunderstorms. Soft textures like the fur of rabbits, is something that is very pleasing for Nadine. Reading, drawing, and sweets are also preferred. She also likes paying soft compliments to men and receiving such niceties in return, though it is all for show. Nadine's deep love for Andrei still haunts her, and only recently has she allowed herself the pleasure of returning a glance at a dinner party, or the touch of a man's hand at a ball. Dislikes Nadine dislikes being ill or feeling ill. Sickness is usually associated with death, and one of Nadine's biggest fears is death. Of course, death would be another great adventure, but since she doesn't know what lies beyond her years, she wants to enjoy them while she has them. There are many things that bother Nadine, such as having cold feet or something squishy between her toes. She doesn't enjoy fatty meats or rotten fruit, or bread that has begun to mold. Babies crying, mosquitoes, and not getting proper sleep are also things that Nadine dislikes. Strengths & Weaknesses: Strengths Not all strengths are trumpeted loudly and with pomp, and so are the strengths within Nadine. She tends to be very strong willed and competitive, and will not give up without a fight, be it a duel or a battle of wit and words. Training and grace have granted her superior swordsmanship, and though she learned fencing and not how to wield an actual sword, she can still manage the weight of a sabre (which was once given to her by her instructor when she requested to see one). She learned to fight with the foil, which is more or less a training exercise for light swordsmanship, but after it's development in the 17th century women of noble status could be found jousting one another for sport, since the foil is so light and flexible. She learned it in the same manner some women learn horseback riding, merely for a show of sportsmanship and ability than anything else. Music lessons from her young childhood have left a brilliant violinist in its wake, and Nadine can boast having performed for the royal family of France and having the Queen weep. While she does not have a mathematical or scientific mind per say, she does tend to see things from a strategic and calculated viewpoint, which has proven useful in many battles of wit and chance. Nadine is an excellent chess player because of this, and possesses her grand-père's set of silver and gold pieces, a gift from her father when she bested him eight times in a row when she was 10. Weaknesses Nadine tried her best to please her parents, but as a result formed a bit of a people-pleasing complex. She tries her best to make the people around her happy but tends to forget about herself, which makes her seem as if she is easy to manipulate. She is soft spoken, though speaks up when she feels the need, but mostly keeps to herself when in the company of others. Often she will be forgotten or ignored in this fashion, and she finds it difficult to mention when it occurs. She is physically incapable of defending herself, though her skill with a foil is great. Once when she had drunk too much wine her maid Marianne insisted that Nadine learn to fight, not like a noble, but like a real Frenchwoman. Nadine had been very eager for this idea, but when she made a fist and aimed for Marianne's face, she not only missed the first time, but when she did manage to punch her maid, she felt like she broke her hand. She didn't play for nearly a week, and that made her terribly sad. Oh yes, Nadine feels very lonely without playing her violin, not because she is obsessed with her music, but because when she plays it is almost as if her father is there with her again, and it brings joy to her heart. History: Perhaps it is best to explain the history of Nadine's family and her complicated situation before explaining her chronological history. To begin, her father's side of the family. James Berkeley was the son of Sir William Berkeley, the favorite of King Charles I and appointed governor of Virginia. Sir William was in possession of Hanworth Manor, situated in the south east of Feltham in the London borough of Hounslow. When William was appointed the governorship he brought his wife and servants with him to his large, 2000 acre plantation. He grew cotton and traded slaves to keep up his wealth as he governed, but he was a wise and noble man. He returned to England to fight in the civil war, fighting on the side of the Cavaliers. After a year he returned to Virginia, barely in time to organize a force to put down an uprising against the natives. During this particular uprising the native leader Opechancanough was killed, against William's wishes. He was shortly thereafter forced from his governorship, though he stayed in the colony with his family. About the same time he had intended to claim more land to the north, but he did not allow white settlers to move until negotiations with the natives were settled. After eight years of simply farming the land, William was asked to become the governor again. He was the governor who squashed Bacon's Rebellion and prevented a civil war from happening in the colony, and after he prevented this he retired from his governorship. He married his second wife and James' mother during this period of time, and shortly thereafter James was born. William's first wife was barren, and so brought him neither sons nor daughters in which to leave his lands, trading and merchant companies to, as well as the titles left to him in England. When James was born William was most pleased, though he was on in the years of his life. Shortly after James two girls were born, but William no longer cared about children; he had an heir. It was about this time that he was in the final years of his life, and when James was but 20 his father passed away, back in his manor in England. James, who had gone to school to learn business to run the plantation and spent time learning politics, as well French, German, and Italian, was saddened by his father's death, but deemed himself to follow in his father's footsteps and continue in. It was only a few months that James stayed in London to set his father's affairs in order, and then on a whim he decided to go to Paris, to cheer himself up before he left back to his new estate in America. It was there that he was invited to a grand ball, thrown by the Petit-fils de France (the King's grandson), to which all the nobles of France were invited, as well as the esteemed peerage of England that were in France at the time. James went of course, since one didn't refuse the personal invitation of the Petit-fils de France. It was there that he saw her, the lonely daughter of the Duc de Rhône - Guy [pronounced g-ee] Brissot - who owned the fief and duchy that was a rather large and undeveloped region of France, mostly farming land, with the quiet city of Lyon. She was not the prettiest girl at the ball, to be sure, since she had a very long nose, her eyes were quite close together, and she was relatively short and skinny, but she was charming in such a way that he was taken with her. After several months of convincing her father that he was worthy of his only daughter's hand, he was permitted to wed her. After a very beautiful and small marriage, she continued to live in her father's estate, so James could set his affairs in America and England in order. It was complicated, marrying the heir to a duchy and only being the son of a lord and knight, with your profession being simply the owner of a large plantation and dabbling in political affairs. In European societies none of that mattered, it was all about the land you owned and who your father was. Unfortunately for James, his father had not been in the good graces of the peerage when he died, and so left James in near ruin socially. Fortunately such things were not as important in America. At any rate, once James had moved the head quarters of his business from America (leaving his sister's husband in charge of the plantation, knowing the man to be sound in business practices) and England (having left his mother and his step-father to live in Hanworth manor with the proper accounts to live comfortably) to several offices in Lyon and Marseille, he settled down in his own estate with Theresa, to begin his own family. Because of Guy's favor with the King, and Guy's love of his only son, he made a way for James to receive the title of Duc, so that James would not feel shame in his marriage to Theresa. James was ever so glad for this, and tried his best to give his father-in-law a grandson, but to no avail. Theresa grew with child twice, and both times gave birth to still-born sons. It was very sad, considering that such things happen, but when Nadine was conceived and birthed live, Theresa and James couldn't have been happier. Nadine was born at a small, private church-run hospital in Lyon, under the watchful eye of the nuns. She was a quiet baby, though very much alive, and watched the world around her with eager eyes. When she was two days old she was baptized, and as the nuns sang the hallelujahs around her Nadine watched and sat quiet, seemingly amazed at the sounds put forth by the voices. After a few more days she was taken home with her mother and father, where she was doted upon with much pomp by all in the house, especially her grandfather, who was most pleased that he at least had an heir to his blood line (as he was most worried, since Theresa was nearly an old maid when James expressed an interest in her), but, with only females were carrying on his name, he went to visit the king. He was received most graciously, and when the king heard of his predicament, though he was displeased to keep yet another Duchy in motion. However, Guy was the Duc of a very large fief and a respected Duc, and so the king was obliged to give a signet transferring the peerage from male to female, so that the name Brissot would continue to rule the prosperous lands of Rhône. This deed done, Guy passed away in his sleep when Nadine was only five years old, leaving Theresa as the the Duchess of Rhône and Nadine next in line for the title, should her mother resign her title or pass away. As a baby she stayed in Lyon, with most of her young childhood spent being tutored in music (which she loved most), reading, writing, languages and speaking, with side lessons in numbers, especially additions and subtractions. As she grew, lessons of hospitality, walking, talking, dressing, and manners were taught, as most nobles were well versed in all these things and more, like fencing, needlework, government affairs and trade. From the day she first opened her eyes to the world her mother had called her beautiful, and as each day passed she seemed to grow into the definition more and more. By the time she had blossomed into a young woman at the age of 13, men twice her age and older were questioning her father as to her marriage status, which he was pleased with but politely refused. More than once her father denied rather large dowries, not because he felt his daughter was not worthy of such noble men, and not because the sums they presented were laughable, but because she was precious to him and he was not ready to see her married so young. As the daughter of a Duc and Duchess, Nadine was often invited to the balls of the royal family, and it was on the eve of her fourteenth birthday that she was asked by the Queen to stand up in front of the hall and play a tune. With the kind eyes of her father watching on, as he had always done, she bravely stood in front of the whole court and played the sweetest melody she could conceive, and when she was finished she noticed that the Queen held tears in her eyes as she clapped, as did the King. It was this that started the rumors of her talents throughout the houses of France, and soon there were people all about Lyon, asking to the whereabouts of the lovely violinist Nadine Brissot. This attention suited Nadine fine, but she wasn't allowed to show that she enjoyed all the attention, since it would have been bold of her, instead, she was as humble as she could think to be, which made those around her admire her even more. The young Queen had taken it upon herself to watch the young Brissot grow, having grown fond of the girl's quiet but cheery demeanor, as she said it was the way most girls of the court should behave. She spent quite a good deal of time arranging for the Prince of Germany, Andrei - who was 25 at the time - to meet Nadine, since he was an ambitious young man at the brink of a great military career. Nadine was 16 when she was introduced to him, and though she was not fond of him at first, after nearly a year of many dinners, balls, and talks, she found herself able to love him. Fate would not let the two lovers unite, however, as he was called off to war against the Turks and after a long and tedious campaign, he lost his life. Nadine could not find it within herself to feel anything, be it hate, anger, or sadness, and she could no longer play her violin. At dinners in Paris Nadine would sit quietly by while other girls played music, and while she stayed in the Palace with the Queen, her Majesty noticed how pale Nadine had become, how lifeless she seemed in regular conversation. Now, her Highness knew Nadine well enough, rather, enough to coax her father and mother to a drastic change to help Nadine's pallor and mood. In a quiet but intense conversation she pleaded James and Theresa to take their daughter away from the courts of France for a while, so that she could forget her love and heal her heart, that she might live to play her sweet music. James' advisor's agreed with the Queen's advice, and James yet again took to setting his affairs in order. Not knowing how long of a stay they were going to take in the Caribbean, James and Theresa set their best and most loyal magistrate to tend to the important matters of the duchy. It was a very melancholy Nadine that set foot on the ship bound south, and even after a month at sea she did not seem to be getting any better. It was about September when they entered the Sargasso Sea, which had a seemingly peaceful and tranquil lull settled over it. Nadine did go out on deck more often as the days grew more cool, and could often be found tucked away somewhere reading a book. She was speaking only with her father and mother, never to the servants or sailors. She seemed pleasant enough to her family, anyway, that she was finally starting to smile when her father would ask her something in English but request that the response be in French. It was just about the time that Nadine felt that she was forgetting the tragedies that had befallen her love (though her heart still ached at the thought of him or marriage), when fate played a cruel trick on her. Nadine was reading her book by candlelight in her cabin, quite pleased with the rate at which she had cycled through her library. James and Theresa spoke to their advisers about the state of affairs once they reached Port Royal in less than a month, all very routine conversation for the point in the trip that they were. Little did they know that a water spout was forming off the port bow, creeping up in the still waters as only water can in the Sargasso. Sailors alerted the crew, and the ship was sent into chaos; Nadine rushed out on deck to see what the matter was, her mother and advisers were told to stay inside while her father saw to the matter. Nadine does not recall much of what was shouted, but she does remember the boat was turned so that it would avoid the funnel. The ship's crew was brilliant enough to save the ship from being sucked under, but water that washed aboard the ship from the sharp turn was deep enough and swift enough to pick the frail Nadine off the deck of the ship. James watched as she was swept under water, and without thinking dove in after her. He was able to bring her to the surface, but a hidden undertoe sucked him under as he lifted his precious daughter to the crew's extended hands. A rope was tossed to him, but he was lost. Nadine and her mother sailed to the Port and settled in the estate that James had purchased. There was a time when Nadine and Theresa stayed very much under the radar, with the skilled help of Michel (James advisor for the duration of their stay), so that they could properly mourn their loss. After nearly a year of staying very quietly at the Brissot estate, Theresa was advised to take a husband, and was warned that she might have even waited too long. There were no big dinners for her to find a suitable husband, considering that there was such a small amount of eligible men who were French and high enough in the status to support Nadine and Theresa until they could find a ship to take them back to France. Enter Valentin, the self-proclaimed Marquis of Port Royal; no previous marriages and no legitimate sons or daughters to speak of, no father, no mother, no cousins or uncles or aunts. A lonely, greedy man in a world of unobtainable wealth. Theresa, not knowing that he was not legally a Marquis, decided to marry him, since he seemed to own a large plot of profitable land (being farmed for fruit by the natives of the island) and was charming enough. Little did she know that it was all a facade, a ruse to get into the duchy. Valentin had heard of Nadine through subtle rumors, and wished to exploit the girl's talent, to steal away her inheritance and leave her in ruin. You see, the large estate that he supposedly owned he had actually stolen from a Lord who had not been seen of or heard from in years, and of whom he had then had killed quietly. The poor chap had no family in the Caribbean so to speak, so Valentin's takeover went quite smoothly in his opinion. It was then that he had assumed the title of Marquis, which was a false title. Nadine after meeting him the first time did not understand how someone so stupid could be the Marquis of such a large and successful estate, but through much research after her mother and Valentin were married she discovered the truth about her step-father. Valentin should be explained as well. Yes, he is a stupid man, and not very apt to learn, either. He speaks little English and is subject to fits of jealousy and rage, in which he takes it out on the only person he holds power over, and the source of his jealousy; Nadine. You see, when Theresa remarried she asked Michel for documents to resign her title as Duchess, so that Nadine was the Duchess of Rhône. She also had Michel seal away James' will (something he said was very American of him to do), until Nadine was married, so that her husband would be able to help her daughter deal with the responsibilities of running such a large duchy. (Until then Michel and his business partners, who were loyal to the Brissot family as well as James, would run the Duchy and see to its affairs.) Valentin seemed to think otherwise, however, in that when Nadine was married she would also resign her title, lands, and money and leave it to the only other male member of her family, himself. But, despite his best wishes to see her married off, Nadine would not be married, nor would any man have her after she spoke with them. It was this, along with her fame which had followed her from France, as well as her higher status than him that made him exert his maximum force over her. He would lock her in her room, and never let her leave the estate unless it was to a very important social function, at which he always insisted to attend. (Theresa is often left to her own devices, since Valentin still believes her to be the Duchess, during which time she drinks and lies around thinking of James.) It is for her poor treatment (the servants get treated better than she does), the lack of status recognition, and general dislike that has made Nadine so angry at Valentin, and made it her desire to see him dead. She does not know currently how she will manage to see him hang, but she has started developing plans to expose his false Marquis and the murder of his business parter, as well as arranging a bad business deal that would bankrupt his estate, though, none of these plans are solid. A History of Berthier: When Nadine was just learning to play music she was given a tiny violin that belonged to the master violinist who taught her. As she grew, however, she was given a full size violin that had been passed down in her family for two hundred years, a violin crafted by Andrea Amati and played by many generations of her family and the French nobles. It was a fine instrument to be sure, and it sang with a voice of her ancestors, and she would have continued to play it frequently had she not played for the royal family and so touched the Queen's heart. The Queen knew of a great luthier, an Italian by the name of Antonio Stradivari, and she called upon him to come to France to craft the young violinist an instrument that would surpass all his others in terms of beauty, resonance, and quality. She paid him much for his troubles, and the young Nadine knew not of the Queen's efforts. Many say that Antonio's finest violins were made during the era in which he crafted Nadine's violin, and the Queen herself, having heard Antonio's instruments played by some of the most talented violinists offered by Europe, could afford to say that the one given to Nadine was the finest he ever made. The craftsman was not introduced to Nadine ever, but merely stayed and listened as she played some of the most difficult music composed, playing from Pachelbel to Bach to Jean-Baptiste Lully, as if the songs were composed just for her. She played so sweetly, so tenderly and full of emotion, that Antonio did not hesitate in the Queen's offer. And so work on Berthier began. She was crafted of the finest birch and maple, with an ebony finger board, chin rest, and tuning pegs inladen. The stain given to her was a soft honey color, striped with dark chestnut brown streaks similar to the exotic tigers (this was not purposely done, however, as it was stained this was the color that it took upon itself), with a shine that could rival polished silver. A bow of the same birch was made, and strung with the finest and whitest of horse hairs. It was not a very luxurious looking violin, but it was not for a girl who believed in luxury as most did. For the young woman who delighted more in the music than the appearance, a violin that would sound through the cathedrals and make even those outside weep was for her, a violin that sang out with a sweet voice, almost that of a young girl, was for her. Nadine was presented with the violin on her sixteenth birthday with the court and Andrei looking on, and then she played a joyous song of rejoice on it, and made even Antonio weep with the beauty of it's sound. Over the years Berthier has never really left Nadine's side, and is exalted among all her worldly possessions. She dresses her in green velvet and a case made from ebony itself, so that she is well protected from all elements. Only the finest of rosin is allowed on the bow, and no one but Nadine and her most trusted servants are allowed to handle her directly. The violin of her family was left in France, along with many of her other possessions, and will be played with great zest when Nadine arrives again in France, for longing of a different timbre of instrument. Sample/Past Roleplay: Valentin had not been pleased when Nadine had been invited to a very posh and social gathering and he had not; he had done much trading in the area and was gathering more and more of his own wealth and using less and less of Nadine's. Of course, the instant she was married she inherited everything her father had gained, the house, the money, the ships, as well as his business, as it was the American way to leave possessions to daughters as well as sons. He was sure that she did not know of this, however, and pushed upon her to get married as soon as possible, so that she would go and not ever know of her great loss. Then he would have everything he ever desired, including a very beautiful and powerful wife. Unbeknown to Valentin, Nadine had sat beside her father when he had written his living will, a child, but nonetheless aware of what would come to her upon the event of her father's death, as horrifying a thought as it had been at the time. She had assumed then that he would not leave her until she had already been married and had children of her own, but everything in the world was subject to change, she found. Nadine was not as stupid as Valentin thought she was, nor was she ignorant or deaf; she heard most of his drunken rages about how it was unfair that his step-daughter would have more wealth and fame than he would ever amass. She knew of his plans to marry her away and then seize her possessions, and she knew well his reasons for keeping her inside the estate. Little did he know of her plans; to inform her future-husband of her power and wealth and insist that before he marry her demand to see her father's will, in which case Valentin would lose everything and Nadine would win. Of course, Nadine could not think to throw her mother out on the streets, and she had a plan for that as well. When Valentin thought all was completely and bitterly lost her mother would renounce his religion and demand a divorce, which would completely ruin him. Her mother did not even know of these plans, though, Nadine guessed that her mother was already forming a plan of her own. As per the dinner that Nadine had been invited to, for a good week after the very fine envelope had been delivered to their door and the very elegant invitation pulled out, Valentin would not see her leave her room. Meals had been delivered to her by her servant girl Marianne, but she hadn't even been allowed to use the outhouse, but instead was forced to use her chamber pot. The servants of the house were not Valentin's but Theresa's, and they loved their mistress' daughter deeply and could not stand to see her suffer so at the hands of the greedy lunatic. They knew very well that a Duchess should never even be looked at with a cross thought in mind, and they could not understand why Valentin took it upon himself to abuse her so. As the day of the dinner drew nearer and nearer, Marianne was bold enough to speak to Theresa about Nadine's pallor and how it would be seen by the very powerful people supposed to be at the party. Theresa, who witnessed in pain the suffering of her child, spoke rarely anymore to anyone but Nadine. She too was forced under Valentin's power, since he was a man and quite ready to unleash his hand upon her. She was prohibited to see Nadine when she was locked away, and really it was only when Valentin was out of the house that Theresa was able to speak to her daughter. It was under his better judgment that he allowed her to go shopping and to do things around the town, otherwise the Marines might become curious why the Lady of the house was never seen. It was Theresa who went to Valentin, after he had finished a big meal in the large dining hall, and begged that he at least allow Nadine to come out and sit in the garden for a while, that the other guests at the party would demand to know why she was so pale and wasted-looking. He had relented and permitted Nadine to exit her room the following morning, but did not allow her to be in his sight until the very day of the party. He was still quite beside himself with rage that she was more important than he, and he knew that long after the party she would continue to be locked away in her room. The existence for Nadine was indeed horrible, and she would have welcomed death had she not been so afraid of the unknown. Marianne had come to Nadine's room early that morning, before the sun rose, and woke her lady with a gentle rock. There was a fire going in her fire place, and a table laden heavy with tea, biscuits, cream, jam, and fresh bits of coconut and a slice of sugar cane. Nadine rose happily and shared her breakfast with her maid, who Nadine knew would be ecstatic for the break. When the biscuits had been cleared, Nadine was shown to the very large tub in the house, which was full of steaming hot water and the oil of eucalyptus. Candles were lit all around the tub and a polished copper mirror stood tall in the corner. Nadine got in and washed herself, and Marianne washed Nadine's long hair, being careful not to pull. When all was scrubbed and tubbed, Nadine was wrapped in a very large fluffy towel and taken to her room, where she sat naked in front of the fire so that her hair would dry evenly. By then it was already mid-day and she knew that she must begin the preparations for the evening, or else she would run late and make a mockery of the merits for her invitation. A soft pink dress had been spread out on the bed, and several petticoats were laid beside it. After the petticoats were pulled on over her chemise, Nadine was laced into the delicate dress. The collar did not swoop down terribly low, but it was lined with a white lace that stood against her skin. There was a gentle gold swirl seemingly painted on the fabric, with tiny gold flowers pressed over that. The front of her skirt bloomed out so that a white piece of silk covered in lace showed through, and under that her petticoats showed through. Around the back of the dress the fabric pulled into a scalloped design, so that it flounced backward and out, trailing down gently until the tail of her dress touched the floor. The sleeves were long enough to cover her shoulders but short enough to allow her elbow to bend easily, and the ends of those were lined with a lace identical to her collar. A pair of flat, simple black leather shoes were slipped over her socked feet, and she sat still while her hair was dressed. It was pinned tightly against her head in tiny swirls with bits of curl sticking out of the end. Tiny silk flowers of the same pink as her dress were weaved through her hair in a circlet fashion, so that a few stray curls hung down around her forehead and framed her face. She wore no makeup but a bit of creme on her lips so that they seemed softer than they were. When she was ready, Marianne handed Nadine a pair of soft white gloves that when pulled over her hands came to her wrists and a small pink bag which would hang from her left hand, and then she was ready to go to the dinner. Nadine, before she left her room, was sure to pick up the dark green velvet bag that was lying on its own table next to her bed. The strap went behind her right shoulder and she was completely ready. Of course, before she saw Valentin she would hand it off to a servant to load into their carriage, since it would be inappropriate if he saw her bringing her violin with her. Of course, Nadine had been to many dinners in her time and she knew that oftentimes a bit of music was called for after the food had been served, and she had not played for a real audience in quite some time and was eager to play. And so it was; she and Valentin were bounding along in the carriage, she with a lovely fan in her hand and he with a scowl upon his face, which she knew would be erased the moment they arrived in the Kirke's drive. Their footman and coachman pulled the four grey horses into the circular drive, and the door opened to a warm inviting light. Nadine was helped out first, and all her petticoats and skirts came after, and Valentin jumped down beside her. The coachman was instructed to pull the carriage around to the stable-house, where the horses would be watered and the coach and footman allowed to break until the dinner was over. Valentin rushed ahead of Nadine and dropped the knocker, and the door was promptly opened by a smart-looking butler. His hands were behind his back, and when Valentin tried entering he would not let him pass. "Sir, might I see your invitation?" The butler was quite firm in forbidding Valentin to enter without one. "Je..." Valenin paused, forgetting to speak English. "I do not have one, I am the escort of my daughter, Nadine Brissot." "Please," Nadine said stepping forward. "Excuse the Marquis, Monsieur Étouffe, my father-in-law. He does not know English custom as well as he thinks." She handed the thick paper to the butler, who smiled when he saw her, and opened the door for her, nearly shutting Valentin out. He stepped toward the study, where three people were already standing, and bowed before his master, whom Nadine recognized immediately. Percy Kirke was indeed a handsome man, though there was a cold look in his eyes at the moment, and whether that was from her entering the room or something that had gone on before, she didn't know. "Sir, her Grace the Duchess of Rhône, Nadine Brissot is here, along with her escort, the Marquis Étouffe." With that he left the room, probably to go stand back at the door and wait for more guests to arrive. Nadine gave a very deep curtsy, bowing her head and folding her hands down in her lap. When she rose she noted that Valentin had the decency to bow low as well, especially since he was well below all their stations. She smiled, and stood quietly, waiting to be greeted by her host. |
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7:46 AM Feb 9
