While in London
I:
Monday, December 13, 2004: London, UK
I take a deep breath and rap on the
door firmly.
"Simkins..." She is rightfully shocked.
I bow.
"Your Ladyship."
She has not laid eyes on me for at least a year, longer even. She does not know how to react.
"What...why...are you here?"
Confusion turns to hostility. "Did that son of a bitch send you here?"
"No," I declare firmly. "That son of a bitch did not send me here. But if I may suggest your Ladyship, the doorstep of your abode is not the place to be discussing such matters."
"Of course. Come in, please."
I gladly accept as I step into her home. I enter a warm household; that I could sense immediately. Christmas is everywhere. He - who is now absent from my former master - is everywhere in this house as well. I remove my overcoat and smile as she takes me to her living room. A small Christmas tree sits, lit brightly, decorated with ornaments I recognize from the Estate in Wessex. Some were presents from him. Light reflects off the jewels that are incrusted in some of them.
The greatest jewel of all sits happily on the floor with some blocks. He turns and sees me enter.
"Simkinsssssss!!"
My soul is rejouvenated. I see what I am fighting for. "Well hello there Master Edward."
I squat down slowly - dear Lord how slowly! - as he comes to my arms and gives me a warm hug.
The innocence of youth. I see before my eyes what I once saw. Now it is gone.
"Happy Christmas to you...are you ready for Saint Nicholas?"
Edward nods enthusiastically.
"What did you ask for?"
"I asked for Playstation and a new car."
Playstation? I look at Stephanie with a confused expression. She rolls her eyes at her son.
"I see, well, if you're a good chap Saint Nicholas will bring them to you."
Edward's eyes glow with excitement.
"And I asked for a big gold belt like Daddy has!"
I look at Stephanie again. She sighs heavily.
"Come on Eddie...why don't you go to the other room and see what your cousin is up to..."
Edward hugs me again as he scampers out of the room.
"My niece is here, he's been tormenting her all day, but at least we can have a little privacy now."
I slowly - dear Lord how slowly! - pull myself up. I'll be sore all day now. Damn old age.
"Can I get you something."
Yes, dear God, yes.
"A little scotch would be wonderful, thank you my Lady."
I take a seat on the couch and rest myself. I soak up the atmosphere as she hands me a generous glass.
"Thank you, your Ladyship."
Stephanie takes a seat beside me with what smells like cognac. We each sip. Now the questions will commence. I eagerly await them.
And I eagerly await to question her.
"Please, you're not in my employ anymore - it's Stephanie."
I force a smile past my lips.
"Nor am I in his employ any longer."
Her expression sours. "What do you mean. He didn't...did..."
She stops herself halfway.
I see her mutter the word "asshole" under her breath.
"Why."
"Because I spoke out against his fiancée."
Her breathing accelerates. Her lips tense.
"I have no regrets. Nor will I have any," I declare.
"I won't relate to you my feelings about her," as she stares into her cognac.
There is no need for words.
"What about your feelings for him," I dare.
Her eyes dart up to mine. I know not if I see love...or pity.
"All I've heard from Edward for the past two weeks is 'When is Daddy coming for Christmas.' It breaks my heart."
And mine.
"I did not invision this as the way he was to grow up. I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss him. But he changed. I changed."
She shakes her head, and takes another sip. She chuckles to herself and smiles brightly at me.
"But you haven't. Need a wife?"
I have not blushed in years as much as I do at this moment.
"Well...needless to say these last few months have been fairly dreary for me."
I never married...something I regret now. And as tempting as her offer is, my duty is to the House of Lancaster. I am married to it, and nothing more.
"How about a more reasonable offer then."
"Your Ladyship?"
"But first..."
She shifts and turns to be directly.
"Stop calling me that. And second. Answer me this. Why are you here. For what reason."
Now it is I who sighs heavily.
I search my mind. How can I phrase this. The only way I can.
"I need your help. To save him."
Silence.
"You know what that bastard did to me. How he ruined our marriage."
Let he who is without sin...
"You certainly have your own foibles as well. Monsieur Bourbon?"
Why I am defending him.
Yet she averts her eyes. The mention of the man she perhaps, and I say perhaps had an ilicit affair with, simply because I do not know, brings a sense of guilt to her. That much I can sense without question.
"Neither of us were perfect. But he has his own life now. I have my own. I don't see what good it'll do me to entangle myself in his affairs again."
It is clear now that I cannot win her over.
Not yet.
"I understand. But, please, consider it..."
She doesn't say anything.
I finish my scotch.
"Now. What of this offer."
"Oh yes." She returns to a more pleasant state.
"I am in need of a new household assistant." Her Ladyship flashes her gorgeous smile.
Robert Lancaster was the stupidest son of a bitch on earth for leaving this Aphrodite.
And needless to say, I accept her offer.
Now the real work commences.
"Simkins..." She is rightfully shocked.
I bow.
"Your Ladyship."
She has not laid eyes on me for at least a year, longer even. She does not know how to react.
"What...why...are you here?"
Confusion turns to hostility. "Did that son of a bitch send you here?"
"No," I declare firmly. "That son of a bitch did not send me here. But if I may suggest your Ladyship, the doorstep of your abode is not the place to be discussing such matters."
"Of course. Come in, please."
I gladly accept as I step into her home. I enter a warm household; that I could sense immediately. Christmas is everywhere. He - who is now absent from my former master - is everywhere in this house as well. I remove my overcoat and smile as she takes me to her living room. A small Christmas tree sits, lit brightly, decorated with ornaments I recognize from the Estate in Wessex. Some were presents from him. Light reflects off the jewels that are incrusted in some of them.
The greatest jewel of all sits happily on the floor with some blocks. He turns and sees me enter.
"Simkinsssssss!!"
My soul is rejouvenated. I see what I am fighting for. "Well hello there Master Edward."
I squat down slowly - dear Lord how slowly! - as he comes to my arms and gives me a warm hug.
The innocence of youth. I see before my eyes what I once saw. Now it is gone.
"Happy Christmas to you...are you ready for Saint Nicholas?"
Edward nods enthusiastically.
"What did you ask for?"
"I asked for Playstation and a new car."
Playstation? I look at Stephanie with a confused expression. She rolls her eyes at her son.
"I see, well, if you're a good chap Saint Nicholas will bring them to you."
Edward's eyes glow with excitement.
"And I asked for a big gold belt like Daddy has!"
I look at Stephanie again. She sighs heavily.
"Come on Eddie...why don't you go to the other room and see what your cousin is up to..."
Edward hugs me again as he scampers out of the room.
"My niece is here, he's been tormenting her all day, but at least we can have a little privacy now."
I slowly - dear Lord how slowly! - pull myself up. I'll be sore all day now. Damn old age.
"Can I get you something."
Yes, dear God, yes.
"A little scotch would be wonderful, thank you my Lady."
I take a seat on the couch and rest myself. I soak up the atmosphere as she hands me a generous glass.
"Thank you, your Ladyship."
Stephanie takes a seat beside me with what smells like cognac. We each sip. Now the questions will commence. I eagerly await them.
And I eagerly await to question her.
"Please, you're not in my employ anymore - it's Stephanie."
I force a smile past my lips.
"Nor am I in his employ any longer."
Her expression sours. "What do you mean. He didn't...did..."
She stops herself halfway.
I see her mutter the word "asshole" under her breath.
"Why."
"Because I spoke out against his fiancée."
Her breathing accelerates. Her lips tense.
"I have no regrets. Nor will I have any," I declare.
"I won't relate to you my feelings about her," as she stares into her cognac.
There is no need for words.
"What about your feelings for him," I dare.
Her eyes dart up to mine. I know not if I see love...or pity.
"All I've heard from Edward for the past two weeks is 'When is Daddy coming for Christmas.' It breaks my heart."
And mine.
"I did not invision this as the way he was to grow up. I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss him. But he changed. I changed."
She shakes her head, and takes another sip. She chuckles to herself and smiles brightly at me.
"But you haven't. Need a wife?"
I have not blushed in years as much as I do at this moment.
"Well...needless to say these last few months have been fairly dreary for me."
I never married...something I regret now. And as tempting as her offer is, my duty is to the House of Lancaster. I am married to it, and nothing more.
"How about a more reasonable offer then."
"Your Ladyship?"
"But first..."
She shifts and turns to be directly.
"Stop calling me that. And second. Answer me this. Why are you here. For what reason."
Now it is I who sighs heavily.
I search my mind. How can I phrase this. The only way I can.
"I need your help. To save him."
Silence.
"You know what that bastard did to me. How he ruined our marriage."
Let he who is without sin...
"You certainly have your own foibles as well. Monsieur Bourbon?"
Why I am defending him.
Yet she averts her eyes. The mention of the man she perhaps, and I say perhaps had an ilicit affair with, simply because I do not know, brings a sense of guilt to her. That much I can sense without question.
"Neither of us were perfect. But he has his own life now. I have my own. I don't see what good it'll do me to entangle myself in his affairs again."
It is clear now that I cannot win her over.
Not yet.
"I understand. But, please, consider it..."
She doesn't say anything.
I finish my scotch.
"Now. What of this offer."
"Oh yes." She returns to a more pleasant state.
"I am in need of a new household assistant." Her Ladyship flashes her gorgeous smile.
Robert Lancaster was the stupidest son of a bitch on earth for leaving this Aphrodite.
And needless to say, I accept her offer.
Now the real work commences.