Sather: Not sure what you mean in the first bit? I wanted a Queen because it fitted well with the story, and Queen Caroline is a cool name.
Range: Thanks!
blsteen: It will be a feat, but her dealing with matters makes her reputation justified.
Dewirix: Trust me, I got this event a LOT, but I only included a couple of them. My thoughts are that there's a stable of Miss Feudal Englands somewhere who get married off to Kings!
hoi2geek: Thank you.
I may do so...we'll see how the story turns out whether its feasable.
Avindian: I chose it because that is what Henry IV de Vere would do. He was an intelligent man (high adm), but not very persuasive or firm (low DIP and MIL), so he took the view of toleration. It also forms a good contrast with his grand daughter....
Loki100: Yes, lots going on!
bananafishtoday: THANK YOU!
And yes, she doesn't like Bretons...I wonder why?
Chapter 17 - The Library
24/1/1820
John had gone to the library that night, but after Victoria had left him Tempest appeared and watched him. Uneasy under the steady gaze John had taken the book he wanted and left. Still, he was interested at looking further into the works contained there, and sought the opportunity the next day.
As it turned out he did not get his opportunity until later in the day as her Ladyship left early for business. Later when she returned he had finally gotten permission to go to the library.
“Of course you must go, John,” Lady Mendenhall had said indulgently. “Take as long as you like. You know the way; Victoria is with her family today in Kirkwall.
So John had gone, and this time Tempest had left him alone after a few minutes, returning upstairs to her Mistress.
Now free to browse by himself, John started to look over the books arrayed there. He guessed that over two thousand books were assembled in this room. Some were very old, made of parchment with heavy covers of metal and leather. Others, the majority, were printed, though even here some went back to the 16th century. Systematically going through the shelves one by one yielded some interesting finds. One book caught John’s eye, a rather slim volume entitled ‘Manuscripts and Other Published Works From the De Vere Kings and Queens’. He pulled it down and blew the dust off it. It looked barely used, and was yellowed, having been printed in 1765.
John opened it and flicked through it. Most of it was dull records, exchequer reports and entries from chronicles.
One word caught John’s eye. ‘Mendenhall’
He looked at it. He had turned to the Bishop of Winchester’s account of the fall of France. Having read it in Lady Mendenhall’s book he glanced over it and noticed it was different from how she had quoted it. The original version ran;
When our party arrived at the palace of the King of France we were at first denied entry. The wardens reported that they had been ordered to restrain us entry. Whereupon the Lords Apparent demanded entrance, threatening violence if not commended entry. The Lady Mendenhall spoke with the Castellan, and convinced him of our intent. Whereupon they stood aside, and we entered.
His Majesty Louis, King of France, sat upon his throne, having been told of our coming. He carried with him the ancient Crown of Charlemagne, the symbol of his line.
When we entered at first he spoke most sharply with us, and refused our errand, whereupon her Ladyship bade him look upon the grounds beyond his palace. There, a hundred knights and soldiers of renown waited. Upon being informed by her that Her Majesty had a great army a day from his standing, the King grew much enraged. Casting down the crown at her Ladyship’s feet he cursed her, and the crown was broken. At last, he came forth with us, and his daughter Isabelle and wife Anaïs also.
Thus ended the Kingdom and Realm of France.
John sat back, then looked again at the notes. It was strange that she would edit the passage from the original. Noble families usually delighted in the exploits of their ancestors, so to find it was different here was a surprise indeed. Of course, there was something strange about it, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.
John heard the sound of voices, and slipped the book back. The library had two doors, and he went to the second one and opened it slightly. Down the hall, one of her Ladyship’s soldiers, a cavalry trooper, was talking with Tempest.
“…Anything to report?” she was asking.
“Nothing, Miss. There’s never anything to report. We’re the only people here,” the soldier said in a bored voice.
“Her Ladyship considers it very important. You would do well to remember that. Now, you go get the next watch organised.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the soldier said, seemingly relieved to be getting off his boring duty. He turned and walked back down the hall.
When he was gone Tempest looked around carefully to make sure she wasn’t being observed. John had the door open the barest fraction and was looking at what she was doing from the doorway of the library.
The black woman pulled down on a torch bracket, and a slab of stone swung inwards, offering a small doorway. John stared, but made no sign. A few moments later Tempest returned and pushed the bracket up. The door slid closed, and became indistinguishable from the surrounding wall. With a small box in her hands, Tempest left.
John was tempted just to let the matter go, to return to his books. If he was caught he was sure it would be bad news for him. But just perhaps some of the many oddities would be solved by going and looking.
Slowly, he approached the door, pulled down on the torch, and looked into the darkness. A dark stone stairway yawned before him. Turning back, he grabbed a set of candles from the library and begun his descent….