Imaginary setting: Edwardian/Regency era England, definitely AU.
Lady Natara Mansingh was the victim of aristocracy, but she vowed her daughter would not be.
"Mama!"
Leanne held up her skirt and ran across the meadows to her mother. Her coffee brown hair was trailing freely behind her, long loose from the hair pins that pinned an elaborate hairstyle in place. Her eyes were twinkling with intellect and scrutiny, and her skin was fair – she neither looked too tanned from the sun to be deemed unladylike, nor too pale to be sickly and weak.
The Countess' face lightened up when she saw her free-spirited daughter dashing madly towards her. Ignoring all senses of dignity and etiquette, she opened her arms, and allowed Leanne to give her a fierce and loving hug.
"Mama, where have you been for the past fortnight?" Leanne inquired, after untangling her arms from her mother's lean body.
Natara smiled. Her daughter took after her so well. She remembered that she was young and fearless like Leanne when she was younger – when the world was untainted, when she was protected and shielded from the world's worldly conflicts, disputes and troubles. She had only been sixteen, the same age as Leanne, and everything to her were innocent and dream-like.
"I was visiting a friend in Francis, Leanne. Do you remember Cassandre?" Natara guided Leanne to a bench at the periphery of the meadows, and they both took a seat.
"Do you mean the Duchess of Francis, mama?"
Natara nodded, and Leanne's eyes lit up. "The Duchess is enchanting! Her intelligence is admirable, and she doesn't conform to the unspoken rules of our society. She allows Christine to study in France and Italy instead of being homeschooled here in England, and I have never seen a more open-minded aristocrat! Mama, can you take me to see Her Grace next time?"
"Of course, darling. I imagine you will meet Christine at the presentation ball as well. She will return to England to be presented in front of Queen Eugenie."
"If only! How can I be so foolish? It must have slipped my mind that Christine is only older than me by half a year! When is the presentation ball, may I ask?"
Natara softly laughed. "It is in September, Leanne – four months from now on –"
"And it means dancing lessons, etiquette lessons, painting lessons, and dining at our neighbourhood's houses to brush up myself, I presume?" Leanne let out a soft groan. She loathed rituals and routine with a passion. Dancing, to her, was a sport rather than an act of grace and a display of femininity and delicacy; etiquette was rules she was brought up to abide by, painting was an outlet to the sadness in her life though she didn't have much. Dining at neighbours' houses was socialisation to her, instead of a means to get men to notice her and develop better skills with words.
The Countess smiled wistfully. "Yes, Leanne. I believe, however, with your intelligence, you will be able to master the accomplishments in no time."
"Yes, Mama," Leanne nodded respectfully, sinking into a brief curtsey. "May I be excused?"
"Certainly."
Leanne beamed at her mother, who looked exactly like her, then skipped away with lithe steps. As the smiling mother followed her daughter with her gaze until she disappeared into the castle, she took a dainty sip from the china cup in her hand. The soft scent of Earl Grey wafted up to her nose, allowing herself to indulge in the pleasant odour that slowly seeped over her body.
It had been eighteen years. Eighteen years since she tearfully blessed Tasha's marriage, eighteen years since she married the Earl of Hertfordshire, eighteen years since she realised that a man could only love a woman so much.
And here I am with a small teaser to a story which I've planned for years, even before Cause of Death was discontinued! I have the entire story planned out already, but I lack the motivation (and energy) (and time) to finish it - it won't be all fairytale and butterflies, but this is how I envision the modern couple might end up were it in the Regency era.
Hope you liked this!
Christie x