A 19th century London courtesan agrees to a phony courtship with a navy captain and finds herself negotiating uncharted territory outside the boudoir.
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The year is eighteen-t...
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~ Wednesday Feb 10, 1813 ~
It was said that time healed all wounds, but nearly a fortnight had passed and the captain remained at the forefront of my mind. I had purposefully kept my distance to test this theory. We had seen each other only thrice during that time. Twice during our visits to Reverend Lawtey's parish, and once when I was invited to take Alice shopping.
We did, however, keep our communication open through missives. I enjoyed Jules's unfiltered banter, which seemed to flow easily through his quill. As of his last letter, he reported that his commanding officer was pressing him to decide which commission he would take; Chatham or the war in America. I had become rather skilled at reading between the lines, and I could tell he was hoping I would give him a solid reason to choose Chatham.
In turn, I reported the victories made with regards to the cause. Mister Morrisey had accepted my proposal to offer lowered carriage rates for disabled soldiers of war, and I hosted Mister Merriweather's journalist brother in my home. After providing him the details of my case, he was so impressed with my interview that he encouraged me to consider editorial writing as a hobby. The article was printed nearly a week past and the chronicle was still receiving testimonials of support, relayed to me through the paymaster secretary.
Although I had yet to hear a word from the palace, I was not holding my breath on that. And the earl's invitation to visit loomed close. So close, in fact, I was just packing the benefactor agreement he insisted I bring when the coach arrived to carry me to Oxford. I prayed the earl would be able to control his urges during my visit, or I feared my strategy to befriend the countess would be ruined.
As a matter of course, I enlisted a chaperone for my visit, and the most obvious choice was Clementine Price. She and I had not caught up since her visit with the German ambassador. However, it turned out she was more interested in learning all she could about the state of my relationship with Captain Thompson.
"What does the captain think about the earl becoming your patron?" she asked.
"As I told you, his first reaction was to propose marriage. But his missives do not contain mention of the earl. Although, his impatience was clearly discernable in his most recent correspondence."
"Have you found peace since keeping some physical distance between you and the captain?"
I let go of a sigh. I knew whatever I said she would see the truth anyway. "No. My feelings for him have not diminished. And his face appears in my head at the most inopportune times."
"Indeed?" Her smile held enough understanding that I did not feel foolish for admitting my failings. "And what of Alice? How has she and Lord Kingsley been getting on?"
"Incredibly well, according to Alice. I recently took her shopping to fill her wardrobe with clothing appropriate for a noble's intended. Although, the process was somewhat awkward, given that her ankle is still mending."
