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Authors: Kathleen Reagan
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also wondering what Gwen’s
reaction was going to be. He and
Gwen had come a great distance in repairing their marriage and he believed that
they were truly happy now; but he had never forgotten that it was John whom she
had been in love with when he met her, and with whom she had been infatuated
for many of the first several years of their marriage. He also could not forget that she was
obviously, despite her attempt to portray otherwise, not a virgin when he
married her. He had always assumed
that his cousin was responsible for that as well and he had hidden his deep
resentment. He did not believe that
his cousin had ever actually betrayed him with his wife after the marriage, but
he had a pretty good idea that it was not without effort on her part. He worried that she might have some
latent resentment and jealousy when it came to his cousin.
Thomas had no need to worry. Once the situation was explained to
her, Gwendolyn was in full support to the union. Eirian was young and not very experienced at hiding her
feelings. It was obvious to both
Thomas and his wife that Eirian was completely in-love with her husband. What did surprise them was the fact
that John could not hide his feelings; in fact, they did not think he was even
aware of them himself.
Thomas and Gwendolyn were settled in
their rooms and the children in the nursery. The little cousins were having a wonderful time
together. Nanny was truly in her element.
Diner that night was the first
formal affair that Eirian had presided over as hostess and she was
nervous. Fortunately, Johane had
trained her staff well and all Eirian had to worry about was the conversation. John and Thomas discussed current
treads in shipping, which was the family business, and Gwen and Eirian the
newest fashions in London. Gwen
described the new fashion fresh from the French courts. The Queen, Henrietta Maria, daughter of
King Henry IV of France, had brought a change to English fashions. Gone were the heavy brocades, metallic
embroidery, ruffs and farthingales. They were replaced with smooth silks and shorter waistlines. The hair was worn in a looser fashion of
curls replacing the more rigid wigs and hairstyle holdovers from the late Queen
Elizabeth’s era. Eirian, as a
newly married lady, was ready to explore the fashions and update her wardrobe
with a more mature look.
The gentlemen retired to the library
for brandy and talk of politics, while the ladies retired to the parlor.
“Eirian dear, I know that you have
suffered a great loss, but I think you have made the right choice with
John. You could not have found a
better man. He will respect you
and protect you with his life. He
was very much in love with your sister, but he will soon come to know how much
he cares for you. I can already
see it even if he cannot.” Gwendolyn had grown up a lot in the last ten years and felt like she
owed a lot to Johane for helping her see just how much her own husband meant to
her. She had turned her life around
and had found true happiness. She
hoped that she could return the favor by helping Eirian to accept her place in
John’s life. She, more than most,
understood the depth of John’s love for his late wife. Johane would be a hard act to follow,
but she believed that if anyone could accomplish it, Eirian could.
In the library, Thomas was bringing
John up to date on the political intrigue in London. It would seem that the King was not making any friends in
Parliament. King Charles had
dismissed Parliament and was running the country without their input believing
that he was divinely ordained to rule the country and that his word was
law. He was attempting to force
Anglican reforms on the church in Scotland and was meeting with great
resistance. The country seemed,
once again, headed for war with Scotland, and civil war if they were not
careful. There was no way that the
King would lose,
reaction was going to be. He and
Gwen had come a great distance in repairing their marriage and he believed that
they were truly happy now; but he had never forgotten that it was John whom she
had been in love with when he met her, and with whom she had been infatuated
for many of the first several years of their marriage. He also could not forget that she was
obviously, despite her attempt to portray otherwise, not a virgin when he
married her. He had always assumed
that his cousin was responsible for that as well and he had hidden his deep
resentment. He did not believe that
his cousin had ever actually betrayed him with his wife after the marriage, but
he had a pretty good idea that it was not without effort on her part. He worried that she might have some
latent resentment and jealousy when it came to his cousin.
Thomas had no need to worry. Once the situation was explained to
her, Gwendolyn was in full support to the union. Eirian was young and not very experienced at hiding her
feelings. It was obvious to both
Thomas and his wife that Eirian was completely in-love with her husband. What did surprise them was the fact
that John could not hide his feelings; in fact, they did not think he was even
aware of them himself.
Thomas and Gwendolyn were settled in
their rooms and the children in the nursery. The little cousins were having a wonderful time
together. Nanny was truly in her element.
Diner that night was the first
formal affair that Eirian had presided over as hostess and she was
nervous. Fortunately, Johane had
trained her staff well and all Eirian had to worry about was the conversation. John and Thomas discussed current
treads in shipping, which was the family business, and Gwen and Eirian the
newest fashions in London. Gwen
described the new fashion fresh from the French courts. The Queen, Henrietta Maria, daughter of
King Henry IV of France, had brought a change to English fashions. Gone were the heavy brocades, metallic
embroidery, ruffs and farthingales. They were replaced with smooth silks and shorter waistlines. The hair was worn in a looser fashion of
curls replacing the more rigid wigs and hairstyle holdovers from the late Queen
Elizabeth’s era. Eirian, as a
newly married lady, was ready to explore the fashions and update her wardrobe
with a more mature look.
The gentlemen retired to the library
for brandy and talk of politics, while the ladies retired to the parlor.
“Eirian dear, I know that you have
suffered a great loss, but I think you have made the right choice with
John. You could not have found a
better man. He will respect you
and protect you with his life. He
was very much in love with your sister, but he will soon come to know how much
he cares for you. I can already
see it even if he cannot.” Gwendolyn had grown up a lot in the last ten years and felt like she
owed a lot to Johane for helping her see just how much her own husband meant to
her. She had turned her life around
and had found true happiness. She
hoped that she could return the favor by helping Eirian to accept her place in
John’s life. She, more than most,
understood the depth of John’s love for his late wife. Johane would be a hard act to follow,
but she believed that if anyone could accomplish it, Eirian could.
In the library, Thomas was bringing
John up to date on the political intrigue in London. It would seem that the King was not making any friends in
Parliament. King Charles had
dismissed Parliament and was running the country without their input believing
that he was divinely ordained to rule the country and that his word was
law. He was attempting to force
Anglican reforms on the church in Scotland and was meeting with great
resistance. The country seemed,
once again, headed for war with Scotland, and civil war if they were not
careful. There was no way that the
King would lose,
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