1793
dearest Marriette
How are you? I am well. I am writing this from Aunt Millecent's town house in Portsmouth . She bid me to see her; she is very lonely, and I don't think she approves of me staying at Kerriton Heights whilst Father is at sea. To-morrow I shall go see my dearest friend, Davy Williams aboard the good ship Dantinia, no doubt he will of changed from when I last saw him.
The weather is the average of English weather at the beginning of the year; cloudy skies, rain, and sometimes even Snow. Oh how I miss France! The serenity, the language, the idiotic kings.
France should just execute Louis for treason. Why not? The English did it.
Father has decided that he does not approve of the name Chere maman gave me, Morgianette . Though he calls me Miss Morgan in private, I am to be introduced at court as Gloria Britannia... his wife, Madame Hammond has chosen it.
Have you heard from our Sister Minnette recently? She is in Paris, doing prosperous work for an organisation . I hate to think.....
Yesterday I started thinking about Chere Maman and Father. How they met though they were separated by oceans, how they loved each other though he was married and she was but a kitchen maid, how I was stolen away from my fate with you to live a false life as another woman's daughter.....How could they have kept this affair, knowing that it would make us foundlings? Is love so quick and passionate? How I am curious. Not saying I'd want to fall in Love though. It looks a bit daunting.
Do you have a sweetheart yet? I have not. You should have by now with a face as pretty as yours! I count myself fortunate not to, mind you, as I am taught that love does not pay bills, or change views, of lift your position in life in any other way from our dear but heart broken father.
Are you taught the same?
Respondes-vous, si vous plait
Mms. Morgianette De Paviel, or should that be Miss Gloria Britannia Hammond?
My Dear Sister,
I hope you are as well as the last time we communicated. I myself am coping; the infernal Marquis is rude and vulgar as ever, I wish I could be with you at this time of great hardship in France, for you are such a comfort to me.
How are you enjoying Portsmouth? All those fine sailors and marines, I am sure you are in your element!
You must not talk so of our King. However true it may be, it is traitorous talk and would cost lives if discovered. I had no idea the English had done it to. How that turns the tables!
You talk of love, dear Morgan. I thought you did not believe in it , or was I mistaken?
To your question of a sweetheart of mine, I will have to say that he is yet to appear. I survive with the hope that I will find a caring French man who will comfort and protect me. Unless I move to England, I will do all I can not to love an English man. I would not want to end my life in the torment that Chere Maman faced, for she loved Father so deeply, even at the bitter end, which you must count yourself fortunate to have missed, God bless her soul.
Minnette, as I have recently found out, is working to overthrow our King. Will she not rest till she his hung, drawn and quartered? Honestly, the girl drives me to despair.
Morgan, I hope that one day I will be able to come and live with you and Father, if you are not married of course. I am desperately lonely without family, and France is driving me to an early grave.
Love
Marriette
Oh, my dear Marriette, what a despair I am in! Father has chosen me to marry one, and I have recently found myself in affection for a man!
The man who holds my love is a Mr. Archibald Kennedy. He is little more than a midshipman, 3rd son of Lord Kennedy of the Shire of Gloucester. The man my father wishes me to marry is the Earl of Edrington, also known as Major Edrington. He has an estate, a fabulous town house, and money. He is reputed to be dashing, something that my dear Archie can not claim to be, yet the thought of marrying such a man fills me with anguish!
I did not believe I could ever feel this strongly about anyone, but I do, oh how I do, but It will never have a chance to blossom into love! Oh what a despair!
Respondes-vous
Miss Morgan
My Dearest Marriette
We are almost there. The trial has begun and we shall execute the king within weeks.
Oh how I have longed for this moment! The moment when we shall finally make the nobles pay for what they have done to us. When we have finished with then here, we shall move into England... We shall rescue Morgianette from her fate as Gloria Britannia, we shall take her away from her false English life. She shall be with us once more, and we can wash away the aristocratic blood from our souls forever. Vive le Republique!
You may say I am predicting success too soon, but we are so close, ma petite soeur! Soon, we will be free! You shall be liberated from Le Marquis, & I shall no longer be hunted down for "mistreating him". I wish I could tell Mms. Morgan about our victory...
Do not write back to me, it is not safe. Burn this letter as soon as you have read it. People are watching, mon amie.
We are so close!
Respondez-vous
Minnette
My Dearest Morgan
You must forget this Archie. As a woman of the aristocracy you must sacrifice your life for your family... Even if it does hurt.
Minnette says that the work is progressing very well. Your Archie and Major Edrington may be forced into battle... the widows allowance will be substantially better from a major than a midshipman...
In times such as these we must be practical, Miss Morgan. Love will leave you cold in war. A good marriage will keep you from harm when your husband is not there to protect you.
Please be prudent in this.
Love
Marriette
Chere Marriette,
Major Edrington and I are due to be married at the end of the month.
I know I have made the right decision, though it took much courage to refuse dear sweet Archie's proposal when it came. He is such a handsome boy, so kind and caring, whereas the Major (whose name I found out today is Courtenay) barely speaks any words to me, and none of them are romantic ones. Courtenay is thirty-eight, a dashing man as I have been told, with a soft voice that makes me feel at ease with the match when he is there... however, when I am left with Mme Hammond to discuss what I shall do in my married life, the subjects that arise petrify me. I shall have to lie with this man, bare his children... such thoughts make me weep with fear and long for dear Archie.
However, as you do say, with the impending disaster neither of them are safe. Courtenay will at least leave me with at least Ł 400 a year at the time of his death, whereas I doubt I would have had Ł 20 off my dear sweet boy.
I have made the noble decision. I shall venture into the noble life.
Love
Morgan
Marriette
Remember this day, Marie. Remember this year, 1795. We have overthrown the King and Queen.
We are free from their oppressive rule, Mariette!!!! I can write to Morgan without fear, for we, the people of France can be heard. No longer shall we starve, no longer shall we be used as slaves, no longer shall we be treated with the respect of cattle as we bravely face our endless misery. We have the King's head. We are free, Marie!
I am so happy with this news. We shall create an equal world for ourselves, a world where we are self-sufficient, a world with no powers, no rulers, only the people. Myself and little Pierre will no longer be looked on as the cast-offs of the aristocracy, for I swear I shall kill the infernal Marquis who abused me so.
Vive le Republique, Citizen!
Minnie
Chere Minnette
No doubt dear Marriette will have told you about my marriage. I must admit, married life suits me rather well, and I have found myself a rather pleasing husband.
But here comes my confession, and I can say I am not ashamed in the slightest... on the third day of my marriage, my husband had to leave for London... I took the liberty to travel the hours ride down to Portsmouth.... and I bedded my own Archie! It does feel rather wicked, having taken a lover so early on in my marriage, but I do not suppose it shall matter, as my poor boy is surely doomed to die fighting against our noble cause.
Fancy that? A little republican girl, married to an aristo! Tis all tres amusant, when you think about it.
Respondez-vous, citizen!
Morgianette
Chere Minnette
The Marquis has fled! he has taken the Marquise and they have sought refuge in Britain. I am relieved at least that I no longer have to serve him, but I am worried of what might happen if he meets Morgianette at court. Would he dare unmask her? I hate to think.
Respondez-vous
Marie
Chere Marriette
I am living the good life here in England. I have Servants on my hand all the time, I have an adoring husband who buys me good things, and I have a lover who keeps the nights warm for me, though now I fear he has left for sea. He will not last long. At least I shall know it is one less soldier opposing my sister.
I thought the prospect of losing Archie would affect me more than it has. However, now I have Courtenay to care for my every need the thought of heartache seems less important. I see I am turning into a cold-blooded royalist as we speak.
I hope I find you well. How I wish I could have you with me, safe in England... but the only way to have you with me without alerting suspicion would be to have you as my Ladies Maid. You have only just escaped oppression, and I would not have you step into it again.
Love
Morgan
Chere Morgan
I am pleased to hear that you have balanced out your life. Now that the Marquis has fled to England, you must be on your guard, ma cherie. You cannot be too careful.
Pierre is becoming a true revolutionary. He is eight now, and a fine young star, singing our anthem with a true sparkle. His father would be disgusted!
I am sorry that we are separated so. You with your aristocratic lifestyle, seeing yourself in every maid who attends you... me as the maid, seeing the enemy as all aristocrats, when my own sister is one! But the DePaviel family defy the rules. We shall never be separated, not by class, nor war, nor sea, nor land.
Respondez-vous, ma soeur cadette!
Minn.
Minn,
I have seen the Marquis in London. He did not say anything to Courtenay, but I could see it in his eyes that he knew me.
We met at the officers ball in London. I was there on Courtenay's arm when le Marquis came to talk to us. He talked about the natural order of life, and I made silly comments to keep the men thinking they were superior. Then that damned Marquis said to me "Of course, a widely travelled Lady as yourself would have come in contact with the French and the peasants. You will agree with me that they are ignorant animals fit only for the places god gave them?" I could have struck him then, but I was forced to agree with him! Odious man.
Respondez-vous
Morgan
To Gloria Britannia, Countess of Edrington
Oh, how grand your title sounds! I have heard of your encounter with the marquis. Be careful. He is, for all his faults, a cunning man, and If he plans to expose you he will do so in the worst possible fashion.. Remember, he will ask after Minnette. Deny all correspondence with her. Burn her letters. We cannot be too cautious, for once our letters are discovered she will surely die, either at the hand of the Royalists for her crimes, or at the Republicans for contact with the enemy- you.
I hate to be so blunt, but I feel I have no choice. I could not bear losing my last hopes, my sisters.
Love
Marie
Chere Marie
The Queen has been killed. We are going to repair the wrongs our ancestors endured.
Have you heard of poor Morgan's encounter with the enemy? She seems most shaken. We must try and help her, for if Courtenay found out her personage she would surely be out on the streets. Damn that man. He has caused our family enough suffering; he "gave" Chere Maman to our father, he left me a fallen woman with child at the age of thirteen, he has beat you and forced you into a life of servitude... will he not relent until he has destroyed pretty miss Morgan too?
Today was Pierre's eighth birthday. He sang out in the streets, celebrating his special day. He is every bit a DePaviel.
Minn.
Chere Marie
Le Marquis came to visit me privately today. I was shaking with fear as he entered. He told me how much I had grown since my days en France, told me how beautiful I had become and all....
Then he told me straight that he would not mention any of my past as long as I told him where Minnette and Pierre were. I did as we had said, and told him that I had not been in correspondence with Minn. since she fled the town seven years ago. He then told me he knew I was writing to France as the maid had told him for three guineas. I had to tell him I wrote to you, for he knows that you still serve at his house. I told him I had stopped writing as soon as this terrible war had started, as my husband would not agree to it. I only wish I could convince myself that he believed me.
Love
Morgan
Minnette
La Marquise has returned to the house. I trust you will inform the army.
She has set us all up in our old positions and is making demands of all of us. George has a mind to kill her right now, but I think that seeing her on trial will prove more rewarding.
I feel like a cold-blooded killer... but when I think of how that woman has treated me, how that family has misused us... La Marquise was the one who told father he should take away our dear Morgianette. She only offered because there were no jobs left around the house for her to fill. She tore up our family so that she did not have a "useless being" around her property. She is a cold now as she ever was, and I shall be glad to see her headless.
Respondez-vous
Marriette
Morgianette
The Marquise is dead. The republican army seized her from the town, gave her a trial and executed her for crimes against the people. We can thank our dear prudent sister for that.
I have news regarding our Father. His ship has been damaged off the coast of Brittany. Many of his men have been captured, but he has not been. He is safely being transported to Gibraltar. No doubt you must be glad to hear this.
Our nest victim is to be le Marquis. Marriette aided me in the last, now it is your turn, Mms. Morgan. Do what you can.
Love
Minn.
My dearest Minn.,
What you ask of me is impossible! I cannot do as you ask, as it would almost definitely lead to my downfall!
All I can realistically do is try and tempt the Marquis back to France. If we can get him back into Moucouton maybe we can force action.
I am sorry I cannot do more
Love
Morgan
Gloria,
Oh, my dearest Morgan, I cannot tell you how much Moucouton sparkles now that the enemy is gone! This petite village that once I found cold and uninviting has become so dear to me!
In absence of you and Minn., I have found myself a new family. I now teach the young children. I love them dearly, and they are so eager to learn what I teach! I teach them how to read, how to write, what the world looks like- I have even started teaching a few of the older students how to read and write English! I have finally found my happiness in the world.
Love
Marie