Cheeky Actress

We had a bottle there Labor Day weekend...but we never opened it! It's a lovely white wine...very light...a little sweet...great with fruit and cheese! I think it's made in the midwest some where. I will have to ask her.

I'll see if I can't smuggle some Wisconsin cheese (name your favorite) over the border... It will be great with it...I'll have to see if Skittle will bring the Menage a Trois wine!

His words cut her deeply. She knelt next to the bed and inched her way to Captain Sterling’s side. “How can you release me so easily as not to care? Do you not feel anything for me still?" She looked deeply into his face searching there for some answer. "What power does this witch have over you?” She said whispering low, but the words were still heard by Sebastian. But the Captain only closed his eyes, as if to shut Lilly out. His response only drew anger from her. With a deep breath, Lilly drew herself forward and raised her chin. Her eyes became defiant as she focused upon the Captain once more. “So, it is to be the Mistress of this household then?” She said as he tone was short and curt. "Where will she fit in with the London Court? Do you think your father will accept her?! I think not!" She said giggling. “Do you think that she will fill your heart with compassion and love? Is that it?” Now Lilly’s voice rose higher and her tone a bit more demanding as she stood by his bed side. “Very well…be the fool, Captain. What you see before you in this relationship is fool’s love, like a young boy’s fancy. It will soon pass…like all your loves.” She quickly shot Sebastian a look. “The only harm I have ever done was to love you…and now I am cast off like the whore you made me.” She curtsied. “I wish my leave, Sir. I bid you farewell.”

Meats and Cheese?! Aurore...you rock!

I attempted to make something for a sweet after dinner...but ended up making some sort of pudding thing instead....I was trying for a mouse...Sad looking thing really...but it is chocolate...and I can't say no to chocolate in any form! It still tasted good.

"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it." - Oscar Wilde

Cat in the Hat...

A simple stir fry tonight... I'd rather try some of Aurore's Shep Pie instead....Yum!

The conversation soon sounded like a business transaction than a consoling of hearts. She looked over at him with an inquisitive look. “If you please, Captain. I shall keep the boy well and safe as any mother would do. He is our child and therefore, the most important thing we could have ever done for each other. As for the question of you being in control of my life; By God John! You have been in control of my heart ever since the day we met. It is why I am here fighting for my very life. I regret deeply neglecting you and never truly embracing you for the wonderful man you are. I see now that title and money can go so quickly like some fleeting moment in the sun. Truly, I am a fool to have let you think you meant nothing to me. It is only now, at this very moment as I plead for you and our love that I ask of you this one thing…Please do not cast me away..do not end this between us?!” She looked shaken and confused as she fell to her knees. “What must I do to prove to you that I have changed? If you want my heart …I shall give it to you!” She quickly pulled at her bodice, tearing at her chemise as she tried to bare her heart. The tears now came harder and the room’s tone turned uncomfortable for both men. “I am not the she devil you think me to be!” She quickly drew her skirts up and untied the pouch of gold coins from her waist. “Here …take it all…use it for your ship’s refitting. I have no need of it…what do I care for money when you are not here to share it with me or any of life’s pleasures it may bring?” She tossed the pouch onto the bed and continued to weep. “I am sure there is enough there. If you sail back to England…please take me with you for there is nothing here for me now…”

Green Light

Indulge...

Lilly looked over the paperwork penned by the young girl. “I see you have been quite generous, Sir.” She whispered lightly, as to giving thought to the topic at hand. “As for how I plan to raise the boy,…I shall ask you for your advise, Sir. I wish to make sure that he is well educated. But first Hector must stay in hiding until this horrid matter is taken care of. I never planned for this to get so out of hand, Captain….truly.” She looked at Captain Sterling’s face and by his expression could tell that he was concern, but tried not to show it. “As for your Father’s opinions upon this matter, I am sure we will hear enough of it in court gossip.” She then placed down the parchment and looked over at him. The room grew quiet as her breathing became hard and ragged, almost too fearful to ask the pressing question. “Please Sir, if I may sir…what is my fate?”

Torment

Burgundy

First and foremost, know this….I love you. I have never stopped loving you, John. In my heart I could not stop thinking about you. It broke my heart when I turned your proposal of marriage down the second time. Yet, I do have good reason…. It all started the summer you were sent to the Netherlands. Lord Robert Darnly arrived at the Empress’ coffee house making inquiries about me. He had seen my performance in Killingsworth’s play, “The Vicar’s Wife” and was taken by me and my performance that he wished to become my Patron and sponsor me in the fine art of acting. An agreement was drawn up by his lawyer and soon I was performing as Desdemona in Shakespeare’s Othello. Those were happy times, Captain. Shortly thereafter I soon learned that Lord Darnly had more than an interest in my acting ability. Oh at first, he was harmless enough and he was attentive. He would shower me with all sorts of lovely items a lady such as myself would fancy. Then I found out that I was carrying your child and knew that I wouldn’t be able to perform much longer without the whole of London knowing. But before I could gently break the news to Lord Darnly, he found out. One of the dressers in the theater mentioned to him that I ‘no longer fit’ my costumes and I grew ill at all hours. Everything went wrong from that point forward. His temper, his bullying, his threats, they were all aimed at destroying me and those I loved. At first, I thought he was acting very much like a spoiled child, but soon I knew that Lord Darnly was not one to cross. One night he came to my room in a drunken rage. He shouted at me that he owned me, body and soul. I just laughed at him figuring he was just upset. It was then he showed me the contract which I signed five months earlier. I was horrified to find out that I had literally given him everything him…including my freedom! I was nothing but chattel and by law he owned me completely. He also said that if I ever tried to leave him he would find me and do me in!” Lilly turned away for a moment to hold back the tears from her face. She swallowed hard as she tried to continue. “It was that very same night he ‘took what was his’ by force and I swore it would never happen again. I kept my distance as often as I could. Soon the theater season had ended and Lord Darnly traveled out of London with the rest of the court. One of the girl’s in the Empress’ coffee house informed me of a place where I might be able to have the baby. It was north of London and no one but she knew. After I recovered from child birth, I left our babe in the care of the couple who owned the farm, then I traveled back to London and planned my escape. But Darnly and his henchmen followed me. He is like some horrid little terrier that once he sinks his teeth into something he will not let go. I lived in fear these last few days, fearing that Killingsworth would to anything and everything to make me bend to Lord Darnly’s demands…I see that he may have told Killingsworth to do what ever it took to get me back. And now…look at you…” Lilly’s face was now drenched in tears. “You all most lost you life because of me.” She began to whisper in soft sobs. “My intension was to find you out my Sweet, tell you of our son and accept your proposal of marriage. I did not know that you were here in Port Royal when I came. I thought once I established myself here and start performing again, I would then send for you, our boy, and save a little money so we could have a decent life together here. Now you know my tale of woe, Sir…and I am at your mercy…please be kind, John. She said as she wept softly.

Her eyes trailed over him at first. They could not hold back the show of emotion that she still felt for him. She never stopped loving him; she only meant to protect him. “It was never my intent to harm you, John…Captain.” She said quickly correcting herself as to put some distance between the two of them. “I did so to protect you and your family from elements that have now endangered myself as well as you.” She heard the creek of the chair beside her as Sebastian moved forward to listen a bit closer.

Lilly stood there fore a moment. “If you please, I would like to speak first…in all fairness with the situation.” The Captain rested back into his pillow waiting for the flood of words and emotions to come forward.

VW farfanugan

Aurora had instructed the little maid to inform both Lilly and Sabastian that Captain Sterling was ready for his encounter. Lilly stood from her window seat and looked sadly at Sabastian. The rustling of her skirts broke the silence of the air. Slowly Lilly climbed the stairs. It was a fate worse than death, she thought. It was if she herself was on the way to the Tower of London. The feeling of dread could not be shaken. Sabastian was only two steps behind her when the feeling of panic overtook her. She hesitated on the stairs for a moment. It was then she felt Sabastian’s hand touch hers, briefly as to give comfort. It was a weak moment for her, yet the act was tender and well met with kind eyes. She soon found herself in front of the bedroom door. Sabastian took the lead and entered the room before her. She trailed behind slowly and soon found herself standing at the Captain’s bed side. She looked at him and the pain of his condition showed in his face and eyes. Her heart went out to him for she knew that he would have never been such a situation if it were not for her.

Oh darn! I used 1/2 cup of red wine to add flavor to the meat instead. I will have to remember that next time...But I rather drink it than use it on the roast!

False witness

My Dear Husband is coming home from a week long fishing trip in the 'Great White North'. I've decided to fix one of his favorties. Roast Beef with oven roasted potatoes, carrots, peas and corn melody, scratch biscuits with a nice red wine to go with….and after the meal, strawberry/rhubarb pie! I’m just happy to have him home!

She could only smile at his words. She was no fool. Sabastian’s kind attempt of trying to make light of the situation did not go unnoticed. “Oh yes,” she said looking over at him as he smoked his pipe. “The theater. I have played at both the Royal and the Duke’s theater in London. My performances started small, of course, but soon I took the lead…I played such wonderful ladies as Desdemona and Lady Macbeth. The King himself told me that I was ‘quite entertaining’, but I am sure he met my other performances behind bedroom door.” It was then Sabastain’s face acknowledged the small hint of innuendo she offered him. He clearly cleared his throat and shifted position in his chair. She lent forward and looked at him. “Come now, I have only stated what we both know is the truth. I know who I am and where I came from. There is no shame in that.” It was then she went quite as she heard voices from the courtyard. “We all wish to be happy in life, don’t we?” She then turned and looked at him directly. His dark eyes were full and attentive to her movement. “Love is fluid, like the great ocean my sweet Captain sails upon. You can either stay a float or drown in its’ mass bottomless depths. In this vast ocean of life we live in, I fear at this very moment I am drowning, sir…and there is no hope for myself or my son.”

Mistress Lilly watched the Doctor step out of the room in search of the young mistress. She glanced over at Sabastian and gave him a very weak smile. He nodded softly to her as if to assure her of no harm or wrong doing. The mood of the room was turning. She had lost track of time now and the sun slowly was dipping into the afternoon sky. She looked towards the stairwell once more hoping that the Captain would give her some peace to her troubled heart.

Marvel