Bess’s father actually believes that you will contact him if Charlie should send a message to you. He left you in a far calmer state than our mother left him,” she concluded with a chuckle.
Henry smiled a slow smile. “There is no sense making enemies one does not need,” he said. “Now Welk will return to his wife with a reasonable explanation for his failure to obtain custody of Charlie’s children. The man is a fool to believe our brother would relinquish his offspring to them under any circumstances.” He shrugged. “Where is Mama now?”
“Back in her house, overseeing the repacking of her trunks. She will leave some of her possessions there, I believe, as it is now her home in England. Tell me about Belle Fleurs, Henry. You were there once, I know. Is it big? Is it pretty?” Autumn asked her eldest brother.
“Aye, we were there as children,” he said, “when Mama was attempting to avoid marrying your father because she was annoyed that King James and his wife had ordered it. She had no idea how deeply he loved her and hid us all there until one day he found us.” The Marquis of Westleigh smiled with his memories. “I was close to seven then, and India eight, Fortune five, and Charlie still in nappies. It was long ago, and yet it seems like yesterday,” he chuckled. “What fun we had there! Mama allowed us to run wild, which we did. We almost forgot our native tongue. Then our great-grandmother came, with news that our great-grandfather had died; and close on her heels was your father, whom we quickly began to call Papa, because the truth was, we all wanted a father most desperately.
“Belle Fleurs is small and exquisite. I remember it had wonderful gardens. It is near Archambault, which as you know is the home of our French relations. I do not think Mama’s been back to Belle Fleurs in over thirty years. I know, however, she has always kept staff on to see the place was kept up. I believe India and her family went there one summer, and Charlie took Bess there for their honeymoon. Still, it has been years since the family went to Belle Fleurs for any extended stay. I imagine it will now be your home, Autumn.”
“I will return to England and Scotland when the king is restored,” Autumn said.
“You might wed a Frenchman,” her brother told her “and besides, no matter what Charlie and Mama say, it will take much skill and not just a few years to remove Master Cromwell from his place and restore Charles II to his throne.”
“But the majority of the people hate pocky Cromwell and his minions!” Autumn said.
“The people, dear little sister, have no real power, whatever the politicians may say. The people do what they are convinced to believe is the right thing to do. Power, Autumn, is the headiest aphrodisiac of all. Few can resist its lure. In times past it was the king’s own council who held the greatest power. Today it is the Parliament. England has not had quite its cropful of Master Cromwell and his adherents quite yet. Go to France, dearest sister, and make a new life for yourself. What a wonderful adventure you have ahead of you, Autumn! Do not be afraid of it.”
“But what will become of you, Henry, and the others?” Autumn wondered aloud, with regard to her siblings and their families.
“In Ulster our brothers have married and continue to do what they can to protect their people from Cromwell’s men, although they do little damage in the north. Fortune, Kieran, and their family are safe in Mary’s Land. Charlie has gone to join the king. Patrick will not, I am certain, but rather draw in his Glenkirk people for their own safety’s sake. India and Oxton, like me, will remain on our estates, attempting to remain neutral but doing whatever we must to protect our lands and families. We aren’t important families and with luck will survive this storm intact. And you, darling girl, will go with Mama to France to find your true love, and your fortune.”
Suddenly Autumn
Henry smiled a slow smile. “There is no sense making enemies one does not need,” he said. “Now Welk will return to his wife with a reasonable explanation for his failure to obtain custody of Charlie’s children. The man is a fool to believe our brother would relinquish his offspring to them under any circumstances.” He shrugged. “Where is Mama now?”
“Back in her house, overseeing the repacking of her trunks. She will leave some of her possessions there, I believe, as it is now her home in England. Tell me about Belle Fleurs, Henry. You were there once, I know. Is it big? Is it pretty?” Autumn asked her eldest brother.
“Aye, we were there as children,” he said, “when Mama was attempting to avoid marrying your father because she was annoyed that King James and his wife had ordered it. She had no idea how deeply he loved her and hid us all there until one day he found us.” The Marquis of Westleigh smiled with his memories. “I was close to seven then, and India eight, Fortune five, and Charlie still in nappies. It was long ago, and yet it seems like yesterday,” he chuckled. “What fun we had there! Mama allowed us to run wild, which we did. We almost forgot our native tongue. Then our great-grandmother came, with news that our great-grandfather had died; and close on her heels was your father, whom we quickly began to call Papa, because the truth was, we all wanted a father most desperately.
“Belle Fleurs is small and exquisite. I remember it had wonderful gardens. It is near Archambault, which as you know is the home of our French relations. I do not think Mama’s been back to Belle Fleurs in over thirty years. I know, however, she has always kept staff on to see the place was kept up. I believe India and her family went there one summer, and Charlie took Bess there for their honeymoon. Still, it has been years since the family went to Belle Fleurs for any extended stay. I imagine it will now be your home, Autumn.”
“I will return to England and Scotland when the king is restored,” Autumn said.
“You might wed a Frenchman,” her brother told her “and besides, no matter what Charlie and Mama say, it will take much skill and not just a few years to remove Master Cromwell from his place and restore Charles II to his throne.”
“But the majority of the people hate pocky Cromwell and his minions!” Autumn said.
“The people, dear little sister, have no real power, whatever the politicians may say. The people do what they are convinced to believe is the right thing to do. Power, Autumn, is the headiest aphrodisiac of all. Few can resist its lure. In times past it was the king’s own council who held the greatest power. Today it is the Parliament. England has not had quite its cropful of Master Cromwell and his adherents quite yet. Go to France, dearest sister, and make a new life for yourself. What a wonderful adventure you have ahead of you, Autumn! Do not be afraid of it.”
“But what will become of you, Henry, and the others?” Autumn wondered aloud, with regard to her siblings and their families.
“In Ulster our brothers have married and continue to do what they can to protect their people from Cromwell’s men, although they do little damage in the north. Fortune, Kieran, and their family are safe in Mary’s Land. Charlie has gone to join the king. Patrick will not, I am certain, but rather draw in his Glenkirk people for their own safety’s sake. India and Oxton, like me, will remain on our estates, attempting to remain neutral but doing whatever we must to protect our lands and families. We aren’t important families and with luck will survive this storm intact. And you, darling girl, will go with Mama to France to find your true love, and your fortune.”
Suddenly Autumn
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