Read Online A Rather Charming Invitation by C. A. Belmond - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: C. A. Belmond
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queen!”
And so it had come into the eager hands of Leonora, I observed, for she was very proud of it, pointing out this or that particular feature. “ Eh bien ,” she concluded meaningfully, nodding toward Honorine, “perhaps one day our own daughter will be married before this tapestry, if she is lucky enough to be asked by a good man!”
The guests laughed indulgently, and someone slapped Charles on the back. I stole a quick glance at Honorine, who blushed furiously. Behind her, Jeremy raised his eyebrows to warn me, MYOB .
“But in the meantime,” Leonora said calmly, “we have this lovely bride in our midst.” Everyone began chattering all at once, peppering me with happy questions, as we descended the stairs.
“Have you set the date yet?”
“Will it be a very large wedding?”
“Will you be getting married here in Mougins, or in Antibes?” Leonora quickly offered her house for the wedding, basically saying that her château was our château. I was stunned by their warmth and generosity, yet unable to answer their questions about my barely existent wedding details.
“Actually,” Jeremy explained, deftly rescuing me, “we are only now just contemplating our plans.” And he somehow managed to keep the focus on how we were honored by this too-generous offer by Philippe and Leonora.
Then Honorine helped out, whether she intended to or not. She let out a big cat yawn that echoed in the great hall. “Oh, Maman , we are so tired from the airplane, it’s time for bed!” she cried with the charming manner of a little girl. Everyone responded warmly, and, realizing that Jeremy and I, too, must be weary from our travels, they bid us good-night.
Chapter Seven
“ S o, how’s this work?” Jeremy asked teasingly. “We get married under the thing, and then take it home and use it for a bedspread, just like that funny- looking couple tucked up in bed with their little night caps, surrounded by all those weird symbols?”
“Some of those images do look like the ‘bad news’ cards in a tarot deck,” I admitted.
“It might give us nightmares,” he suggested. “Besides, who knows who else slept under it? What if they had bedbugs? Or plague or smallpox? All things considered, I’d rather have a soup tureen, a most useful item.”
“You idiot,” I said, playing along. “We are certainly not going to sleep under this treasure, because you can’t be trusted not to spill your morning coffee and croissant crumbs all over it. But if we lived in olden times, before central heating was invented, believe me, you’d have been eternally grateful for a bedroom tapestry hanging on the wall to keep out the cold drafts. In fact, you’d also be glad to have it there for entertainment, in the days before television!”
“What, people sat around watching tapestries for fun?” Jeremy said in amusement.
“Sure! Louis XIV had his favorite Aesop’s fables all over the draperies in one of his bedrooms. He could lie there and look at them, like watching a cartoon movie,” I said as I climbed into the big bed, which required ascending a small, elaborately embroidered step-stool. “And they put tapestries in waiting rooms, so you could stare at them while waiting to curry favor with some big mucky-muck.”
“I suppose it beats sitting around leafing through old magazines in a doctor’s office,” Jeremy commented. Then, indicating that he understood the significance of Leonora’s offer, he said affectionately, “I like your French folks. They’re beautiful and smart and elegant . . . just like you. And, I’d say they’re totally enchanted with Miss Penny Nichols, too. Very nice of them to offer the tapestry for the wedding. However, I can’t help noticing that everyone is assuming we’ll be married in France.”
“Can you blame them?” I said. “If that were your tapestry, would you ever let it be taken out of the country? They probably want to make sure it’s handled and displayed
And so it had come into the eager hands of Leonora, I observed, for she was very proud of it, pointing out this or that particular feature. “ Eh bien ,” she concluded meaningfully, nodding toward Honorine, “perhaps one day our own daughter will be married before this tapestry, if she is lucky enough to be asked by a good man!”
The guests laughed indulgently, and someone slapped Charles on the back. I stole a quick glance at Honorine, who blushed furiously. Behind her, Jeremy raised his eyebrows to warn me, MYOB .
“But in the meantime,” Leonora said calmly, “we have this lovely bride in our midst.” Everyone began chattering all at once, peppering me with happy questions, as we descended the stairs.
“Have you set the date yet?”
“Will it be a very large wedding?”
“Will you be getting married here in Mougins, or in Antibes?” Leonora quickly offered her house for the wedding, basically saying that her château was our château. I was stunned by their warmth and generosity, yet unable to answer their questions about my barely existent wedding details.
“Actually,” Jeremy explained, deftly rescuing me, “we are only now just contemplating our plans.” And he somehow managed to keep the focus on how we were honored by this too-generous offer by Philippe and Leonora.
Then Honorine helped out, whether she intended to or not. She let out a big cat yawn that echoed in the great hall. “Oh, Maman , we are so tired from the airplane, it’s time for bed!” she cried with the charming manner of a little girl. Everyone responded warmly, and, realizing that Jeremy and I, too, must be weary from our travels, they bid us good-night.
Chapter Seven
“ S o, how’s this work?” Jeremy asked teasingly. “We get married under the thing, and then take it home and use it for a bedspread, just like that funny- looking couple tucked up in bed with their little night caps, surrounded by all those weird symbols?”
“Some of those images do look like the ‘bad news’ cards in a tarot deck,” I admitted.
“It might give us nightmares,” he suggested. “Besides, who knows who else slept under it? What if they had bedbugs? Or plague or smallpox? All things considered, I’d rather have a soup tureen, a most useful item.”
“You idiot,” I said, playing along. “We are certainly not going to sleep under this treasure, because you can’t be trusted not to spill your morning coffee and croissant crumbs all over it. But if we lived in olden times, before central heating was invented, believe me, you’d have been eternally grateful for a bedroom tapestry hanging on the wall to keep out the cold drafts. In fact, you’d also be glad to have it there for entertainment, in the days before television!”
“What, people sat around watching tapestries for fun?” Jeremy said in amusement.
“Sure! Louis XIV had his favorite Aesop’s fables all over the draperies in one of his bedrooms. He could lie there and look at them, like watching a cartoon movie,” I said as I climbed into the big bed, which required ascending a small, elaborately embroidered step-stool. “And they put tapestries in waiting rooms, so you could stare at them while waiting to curry favor with some big mucky-muck.”
“I suppose it beats sitting around leafing through old magazines in a doctor’s office,” Jeremy commented. Then, indicating that he understood the significance of Leonora’s offer, he said affectionately, “I like your French folks. They’re beautiful and smart and elegant . . . just like you. And, I’d say they’re totally enchanted with Miss Penny Nichols, too. Very nice of them to offer the tapestry for the wedding. However, I can’t help noticing that everyone is assuming we’ll be married in France.”
“Can you blame them?” I said. “If that were your tapestry, would you ever let it be taken out of the country? They probably want to make sure it’s handled and displayed
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