taken away, marched from the square, and taken inside the house and locked up! It was left to Roxton’s servants to clear the square of onlookers, and to Martin Ellicott to help me inside, and we followed my brother and Antonia back up to her rooms, where I have been ever since, except now, to write you this letter, to tell you to come home at once!
I cannot lie to you, and you must know for my brother’s sake, that Antonia was close to death and her labor over with so quickly that there is still a small chance of her not recovering from her ordeal. Lucian, she may not return to us. Her infant he breathes and he suckles but he is so very small. I have lit candles and prayed and prayed.
I do not know what will happen to Alston, or to our son. All I do know is that we need you here, that my brother he needs you here. So for God’s sake, get yourself a strong swift horse and ride like the storm which is fast approaching!
Your loving wife,
Estée
T EN
Mr. Martin Ellicott, Esq., Third Hill Residence, Constantinople, to His Grace The Most Noble Duke of Roxton, c/o William Kinloch CDA, His Britannic Majesty’s Embassy, Athens, Greece.
Third Hill Residence, Constantinople
June, 1767
Dear M’sieur le Duc et Mme la Duchesse,
I trust this letter finds Your Graces, Lord Henri-Antoine, Dr. Bailey, and the various members of your travelling party, in excellent health, and enjoying the warmer weather the Mediterranean affords.
Julian and I were overjoyed to read in your most recent missive that you are now only a month away from us. Your imminent arrival reminded us that we have resided in this city for almost three years, when we had planned to stay a mere 12 months. But there is so much to see and do, as you will discover upon your visit, that even after three years we are still uncovering aspects of this city new to us. Not to mention the numerous overnight journeys into the surrounding countryside, by ass or by small boat along the coast, that have taken us to places and sights that are a feast for the senses that, had we been home, could only ever be conjured up in the imagination from readings of the Scriptures.
Before I begin, let me assure Mme la Duchesse that I have managed to secure her desire for a sizeable house close by, a mere ten-minute walk from our own residence. Your party of fifteen will easily be accommodated within its white-washed walls, and this with the complement of some twenty native servants who all have various tasks to do, and who reside within the mansion’s complex of buildings. There is a Syrian native major domo, a M’sieur Anawi, who is fluent not only in several languages common to this part of the world, but his French and Italian are excellent, both being the prime tongues amongst the elite—local and foreign.
The house has an exceedingly pleasant aspect, with views of the surrounding hills and the harbor, and in the afternoon a refreshing sea breeze comes up the rise. All the rooms have cathedral ceilings with large picture windows, no glass, but shutters when needed, and are draped with oriental silks. The floors are marble, which is pleasant and cool underfoot in this warm climate. There is a scattering of sizeable oriental rugs. The ones in your private apartments are woven in brightly-colored silks and are indicative of the area. They were purchased, as you requested, to be taken up and shipped home upon your departure. I only hope that my taste in such furnishings is to your taste. But as you have assured me in the past that this is so, I will own to being proud of the selections I have made on your behalf, Mme la Duchesse.
The main part of the house is built around a large internal courtyard, open to the elements, that has at its center a rectangular bathing pool that is tiled with the most delightful mosaics and is entered at one end by a number of wide shallow steps leading down into the water. All the main public rooms open out onto this area, with its filtered sunlight,
I cannot lie to you, and you must know for my brother’s sake, that Antonia was close to death and her labor over with so quickly that there is still a small chance of her not recovering from her ordeal. Lucian, she may not return to us. Her infant he breathes and he suckles but he is so very small. I have lit candles and prayed and prayed.
I do not know what will happen to Alston, or to our son. All I do know is that we need you here, that my brother he needs you here. So for God’s sake, get yourself a strong swift horse and ride like the storm which is fast approaching!
Your loving wife,
Estée
T EN
Mr. Martin Ellicott, Esq., Third Hill Residence, Constantinople, to His Grace The Most Noble Duke of Roxton, c/o William Kinloch CDA, His Britannic Majesty’s Embassy, Athens, Greece.
Third Hill Residence, Constantinople
June, 1767
Dear M’sieur le Duc et Mme la Duchesse,
I trust this letter finds Your Graces, Lord Henri-Antoine, Dr. Bailey, and the various members of your travelling party, in excellent health, and enjoying the warmer weather the Mediterranean affords.
Julian and I were overjoyed to read in your most recent missive that you are now only a month away from us. Your imminent arrival reminded us that we have resided in this city for almost three years, when we had planned to stay a mere 12 months. But there is so much to see and do, as you will discover upon your visit, that even after three years we are still uncovering aspects of this city new to us. Not to mention the numerous overnight journeys into the surrounding countryside, by ass or by small boat along the coast, that have taken us to places and sights that are a feast for the senses that, had we been home, could only ever be conjured up in the imagination from readings of the Scriptures.
Before I begin, let me assure Mme la Duchesse that I have managed to secure her desire for a sizeable house close by, a mere ten-minute walk from our own residence. Your party of fifteen will easily be accommodated within its white-washed walls, and this with the complement of some twenty native servants who all have various tasks to do, and who reside within the mansion’s complex of buildings. There is a Syrian native major domo, a M’sieur Anawi, who is fluent not only in several languages common to this part of the world, but his French and Italian are excellent, both being the prime tongues amongst the elite—local and foreign.
The house has an exceedingly pleasant aspect, with views of the surrounding hills and the harbor, and in the afternoon a refreshing sea breeze comes up the rise. All the rooms have cathedral ceilings with large picture windows, no glass, but shutters when needed, and are draped with oriental silks. The floors are marble, which is pleasant and cool underfoot in this warm climate. There is a scattering of sizeable oriental rugs. The ones in your private apartments are woven in brightly-colored silks and are indicative of the area. They were purchased, as you requested, to be taken up and shipped home upon your departure. I only hope that my taste in such furnishings is to your taste. But as you have assured me in the past that this is so, I will own to being proud of the selections I have made on your behalf, Mme la Duchesse.
The main part of the house is built around a large internal courtyard, open to the elements, that has at its center a rectangular bathing pool that is tiled with the most delightful mosaics and is entered at one end by a number of wide shallow steps leading down into the water. All the main public rooms open out onto this area, with its filtered sunlight,
Similar Books
Space Station Crisis: Star Challengers Book 2
Kevin J. Anderson, Rebecca Moesta, June Scobee Rodgers
