Adina Gillespie
Some things belong on paper, others in life. It?s a blessed fool who can?t tell the difference.
Maid of the manor
Posts: 320
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Post by Adina Gillespie on Dec 10, 2012 20:11:55 GMT -5
Adina reached out a shaking hand to Christine, still gasping as if unable to breathe. In fact, she could barely draw breath! One of her corset strings had gotten caught upon one of the lower hooks of the coat rack. When she had fallen to her knees, the string pulled taut and tightened the corset around her waist. It was only when she had tried to move back to the door did the string come loose. It was still, however, so tight around her midsection that the other strings had not relaxed after being released. It was not just her fear that had made her short of breath, but her corset! Oh, how she hated the cursed thing! It was always too tight and the strings were not the correct length! Why did she even bother wearing the thing?!
She felt like a fish out of water, gasping weakly for air just when she heard Emilie calling for help. She nearly blacked out just as she felt someone pick her up and carry her up the stairs. She could not see who it was, but the voice was so familiar... "Erik," She whispered softly, her body convulsing as she gasped again and again. She struggled to move her arms to her stomach to point to the damned corset, the culprit in this situation!
As Erik gently placed her on the settee, her hands continued to try and motion to her corset. "Get it off," She gasped again. "Le corseté... Get it off of me, please..."
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Post by ladybarbossa on Dec 10, 2012 23:18:50 GMT -5
Taking hold of Adina's violently trembling hand and moved to her side in an effort to at least attempt to comfort. Hopefully her call to Erik and her Husband would bring help soon for the struggling young woman.
Looking up to see Lenoir approach and scoop her up in his arms, almost slightly jealous but at this time that was barely fleeting. The concern for the young Maid was genuine, nodding as he mentioned the couch and then requested a compress. With that Emilie made haste to obtain or create the hot compress that Erik asked for.
Rather somewhat ignoring the others as she took the compress to Lenoir as he remained at Adina's side, moving up to his side, "Here," placing a hand upon his shoulder as she gave him the compress. Gazing at the red-head with concern. "Will she be alright?"
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anastasia
Senior Member
Making a point is a matter of opinion. I'd rather make a difference
With me? Expect the unexpected!
Posts: 285
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Post by anastasia on Dec 10, 2012 23:59:10 GMT -5
"Awesome. Thanks," having replied to Adina as she made way to get the aprons. Having explained to Christine Emilie her plans of what to make, she turned to start work on the Christmas cookies as that most likely will take a little bit of time since the batter had to set in the chill of the refrigerator. As she started with the first set of ingredients, she heard the banging like the others did but saw Emilie and Lenoir moving to where it was coming from after she heard a woman's voice yell for Raoul and Erik. Focusing on her task that is until she was distracted by the sight of Lenoir carrying Adina to somewhere else and Emilie rushing about to get something. Stunning she watched and felt a slight twinge of jealousy that melted quickly into a restrained annoyance. She had to toss it all out quickly because it would not be nice to be upset with someone for she didn't know the situation other than the redhead was in distress.
Glancing over at Lu then at Edouard, after looking back the direction that Emilie and Lenoir disappeared to with Adina. "hmm,' and continued to mix up the cookie batter in the massive bowl before sticking it in the frig, then took a towel to wipe off her hands as she stared at the doorway that the others disappeared through. Glancing at Lu, "I'll be right back," after taking a glass and filled it up with water and followed Emilie and Lenoir to see them both over Adina. Raising her brows at the little bit of drama and moved to Emilie to give her the glass of water. "Here. Might help," looking blankly at Adina. Not sure what to think other than so much for help for the moment.
After a moment, Ana then turned around and went back into the kitchen and continued to mix up the holiday treats. "Lu? Can you help me out? Looks like we are down a couple helping hands," trying not to sound annoyed and keeping herself busy. She had to move back over to the CD player and replayed all the songs that started with Judy Garland's "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas".
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Post by Christine Lucinda Dallas on Dec 11, 2012 22:40:51 GMT -5
Lu had stayed in the kitchen, not knowing what to do really. Ana was still there and Edouard, still sitting on a kitchen chair and still drinking, rather oblivious to what was going on. Ana seemed a bit disgusted with the situation for everyone ran off at the same time. Lu said nothing at this point, simply observing. She didn't know anyone really well enough to say much to them. She had hoped that this would be a time to see who the other people in the manor were and perhaps make friends. She might as well, because Gunner didn't seem to be around and she didn't feel like being by herself all the day long.
Then Ana left the room too with a glass of water. Lu sat down at the table, across from the Vicomte. She didn't like him. He was annoying. That's why she thought that other night that she could shake him down. But Lenoir had retrieved the watch for him. She wondered why he annoyed her. Perhaps it was the very little respect he showed to his wife or anyone else. Lenoir frightened her a bit with his manner and his strange eyes that could pierce through you. But he seemed all right today.
She wondered why de Chagny didn't come to the aid of Adina as everyone else did. She leaned across the table. "Hey Mister dee Chagnee, whay ain't you helpin' the lady?" She pronounced the Ch in de Chagny as if it were the first two letters of cheese. Ain't you got no manners?" She pulled her chair closer to him and bumped him on purpose, as she pulled his wallet from his pocket. "Oh sorry," she smiled. He hadn't noticed. She sat down again on the chair, pushing it a bit further away from the Vicomte. He looked at her curiously and she looked at him. He wasn't bad looking at all. A little short, but rather handsome. Not her type though. She had retreated to the other side of the table and she pretended to pick up something from the floor. It was of course the stolen wallet.
"Oh my, look what I found." She held up the wallet then proceeded to go through it in front of him. "Let's see what do we have here?" She pulled out a few bills and then found two pictures tucked away. When she looked at them she found a photograph of his wife Emilie and a young boy. "That your son?" she said showing the picture to him.
Then she heard Ana come back and she shoved the wallet back at Edouard. She had put the pictures back in the wallet, but had pocketed the bills. She was sure he hadn't even noticed that. He only looked a little confused.
Ana came back, seemingly still a bit annoyed that her crew had abandoned ship. Ana asked her if she would help out and she smiled and said she would. She put on one of the aprons that Adina had been holding when she was brought up the stairs again. "What happened to her?" she whispered to Ana, meaning the little maid, Adina. Then she made a gesture toward Edouard. "Does he have to be here?" Lu stood next to Ana and watched what she was doing. "What you want me to do to help?"
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Raoul Edouard de Chagny
You need the man you knew back here beside you?
You need the man you knew back here beside you?
Posts: 365
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Post by Raoul Edouard de Chagny on Dec 11, 2012 22:58:20 GMT -5
Edouard watched everything going on in the kitchen. He liked watching the ladies doing whatever it was they were doing. He was enjoying his drink and he presently found another bottle of brandy in the liquor cabinet. He brought it back to the table. He wondered what Lenoir was doing in the kitchen. Men shouldn't invade a woman's kitchen. Well, yes he was a man, but he was making no pretense of helping. He wondered if Lenoir would like to go drinking with him again some time. Edouard had had a really good time that night. Especially since it was Lenoir that was making a fool of himself.
Then suddenly, after Adina had gone down the stairs, there was some pounding at the door. Who would be pounding on the door from the cellar? He saw everyone rush over there and he wondered what the fuss was about. Most of them left except Ana and Lu. He didn't know either of them really except by sight.
Finally Ana left the room too and Ana came over and sat down with him at the table. "Care for a drink, Mademoiselle?" She shook her head and said something to him, but the only thing that seemed to sink in was that she mispronounced his name terribly. He said slowly and tried to make the words distinct. "It's de Chagny. I am Le Vicomte Raoul Edouard de Chagny." She looked at him blankly and nodded. Then it seemed only a matter of a few seconds and suddenly she had his wallet in her hands and was pulling everything out of it. He was alarmed.
"Give that back!" he shouted after she found his family pictures. Then Ana came back and asked Lu to help. He watched her put on an apron. That girl was an odd one all right.
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anastasia
Senior Member
Making a point is a matter of opinion. I'd rather make a difference
With me? Expect the unexpected!
Posts: 285
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Post by anastasia on Dec 12, 2012 20:30:25 GMT -5
Not really shrugging as she strode from the CD Player to the counter where the items for the fruit cake rested, "Not sure. Anxiety attack mos likely from the looks of it," sounding rather wry but trying to be a bit more concerned. Trying being the key word. The Holidays in her opinion should be a peaceful and joyous time. So far it was starting to feel like A Christmas Carol.
Glancing up and over at Edoaurd as he apparently got another bottle of brandy. Raising her brow with a very stifled sigh, "Doesn't have to be but if he wants to, he can. Either way," and with a wrinkle of her face, quirking of her mouth she strode over to Edouard and snatched the bottle from his hands with a slight little blank stare, "He'll be put to work. And don't drink all the liquer otherwise we won't have any for what I have in mind for Christmas, Mister de Chagny!" Her voice was a mix of gentle but stiffly firm while keeping a hard gaze upon him. She wanted to still look warm but also be intimidating. "Besides, you've had more than enough for the day!" Walking back over to the fruit cake ingredients and glanced at the bottle, "good selection though." And set the bottle down next to the two bottles of rum and the other bottle that Lenoir had picked earlier. She looked up at Edouard and smiled, "How's about an egg nog or maybe a glass... of milk?" Smirking even moreso knowing there was always a joke behind just having a glass of milk for alcoholics. It was like having watered down beer! The turned to Lu, "can you find another big bowl, and start mixing up the batter for another fruit cake. That one will be the one with brandy in it. Thanks." While mixing up, as she glanced over from time to time at the recipe, following the instructions.
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Raoul Edouard de Chagny
You need the man you knew back here beside you?
You need the man you knew back here beside you?
Posts: 365
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Post by Raoul Edouard de Chagny on Dec 13, 2012 20:45:12 GMT -5
Edouard sat down and poured himself a glass of the brandy he had found in the cabinet. He put the cork back in the bottle and was still holding it when Ana, the strange and forward modern woman came over and snatched it from his grasp. He frowned but let it go, pushing the full glass just out of her reach. Both the American women were quite rude and forward. He couldn't say he liked either one, in the least.
"Mademoiselle, you do know that this brandy is a very fine, old vintage, too good to be wasted on mere baking. This brandy is made for drinking and savouring." However, he made no move to recover the bottle. He sipped at his drink and sulked a bit. When Ana said Edouard had had enough to drink for the day, he glared at her. "I shall be the judge of that!" he said, noticeably slurring his words. How dare this woman tell him what to do! This mere American woman...how dare she tell a member of the French nobility what to do!
Then Ana said she would put Edouard to work. He glared at her again. "Mademoiselle, I am a member of the French aristocracy. One does not put the nobility to work! Indeed! Ignorant American!" He paused. "And furthermore, I consider Christophe de Chagny a fool for procuring a job. A job! Can you imagine? A Vicomte! The boy is probably too young to appreciate his nobility. Or, alternatively, he must have been brought up atrociously." Edouard continued to sip on his drink. He muttered to himself. "Ignorant fool..."
Then the rude American offered him milk...of all things. "Milk does not sit well with me, Mademoiselle." he said, glaring at her again. If she said one more rude comment, he was considering leaving the kitchen. That is, if he could stand up. He wasn't sure about that.
Then Ana drew his attention to the other woman in the room. Lu, her name was. The other rude American. And that one wasn't even very good looking. She was somewhat unkempt and wore men's trousers, of all things. And she had stolen his wallet, too! He wondered how she had taken it; he hadn't seen her do it. But at least she had given it back; it was important to Edouard; it held the pictures of his family. He patted his coat to make sure it was in the inner pocket.
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Post by ladybarbossa on Dec 13, 2012 22:23:28 GMT -5
The concern grew upon Christine Emilie's face as the redhead woman gasped and begged for the stays to be removed. So, without a thought but in dire action, she drew beside the woman, nearly nudging Lenoir out of the way-" Pardon," and her finger then, with a mother's sort of behavior began to remove whatever bodice the young woman was wearing then with expert fingers, the nails worked loose the 'knot' and loosened each lacing swiftly and with ease. It was like watching a weaver move at inhuman speed with a loom.
With the same skill, she loosened the ties of the shoulder straps then was able to slide the stay from her torso when she lifted Adina up just ever so slightly. With a sight of relief she gazed down at Adina with slight curiosity. "Better?" And offered her the glass of water. Wondering what ever in the world had sent this poor woman into a fit of sorts.
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Adina Gillespie
Some things belong on paper, others in life. It?s a blessed fool who can?t tell the difference.
Maid of the manor
Posts: 320
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Post by Adina Gillespie on Dec 14, 2012 20:25:08 GMT -5
She turned her head away from Lenoir; she did not want him to see her like this as Christine tugged and loosened the stays. She felt naked now that her corset had been removed and her shawl had fallen from her shoulders to reveal her old, faint scars. She sat up and panted softly, a bit of a deep flush rose in her already pink cheeks.
Adina looked up at Christine Emilie and nodded, sheepishly looking down at the floor. She snatched up her shawl and wrapped it tightly around her exposed shoulders before taking the glass of water. "M-Merci, madam. I feel much better... I must have had an fit of sorts. Felt hard to breath and my head began to spin. Something happened and I must have gotten my stays caught on some sort of latch. I apologize for causing you any trouble."
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Erik Lenoir
Hide your face, so the world will never find you...
Hide your face so the world will never find you...
Posts: 1,241
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Dec 14, 2012 22:41:47 GMT -5
Erik moved away a bit when Emilie undid the stays for Adina. He hadn't really understood what it was that was wrong. When he saw what Emilie was about to do, he turned away so he would not embarrass Adina. When she was finished, he brought back the warm compress for her head. "I don't know if you need this..."
"Did you want me to bring you back to your suite?" he asked Adina. "Although it would be very lovely if you stayed here. I was about to make hot apple cider for all of us while we are working. Perhaps you'd like to rest here for a few moments..."
"Christine, did you wish to stay with her or did you want me to return to the kitchen?" Erik was wondering what Edouard was up to in the kitchen.
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Post by Christine Lucinda Dallas on Dec 15, 2012 17:14:20 GMT -5
Lu giggled when she saw the Vicomte sulking. He was rather fun to tease. He went on some rant about fine brandy and she smirked. She didn't think he had much of a sense of humour at least, not now, not that she could see. She wondered how his wife could put up with the fellow. What could she possibly have seen in him to make her marry him? Well, it didn't matter. She wasn't stuck with that character. Which made her yearn to see Gunner again. Where was he? But she put the thoughts out of her mind. He would be here soon, she hoped.
She hoped she would be accepted by the ladies at the mansion, since it looked as if she would be here for some time. Perhaps in the spring she could find a way to leave. But it would be nice to be with this substitute family at least for the holidays. It really seemed like a family...
Ana asked her to get a big bowl and start mixing the ingredients for the fruit cake. "Yes, Ma'am. I'll be delighted." She glanced at the recipe and went to find some of the ingredients.
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Post by ladybarbossa on Dec 18, 2012 23:40:35 GMT -5
The Vicomtesse nodded and smiled warmly towards Adina, all in an effort to help calm her. "Of course, " she said gently.
Emilie nodded, "I'll stay with her," and holds her hand out for the compress. Even if she didn't need it, it was still a good thing to have it. Wanting so much for Adina to be comfortable. "Unless she wishes to go rest?" Looking at Adina. Sitting down next to Adina as she looked between the red-head and Lenoir.
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Adina Gillespie
Some things belong on paper, others in life. It?s a blessed fool who can?t tell the difference.
Maid of the manor
Posts: 320
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Post by Adina Gillespie on Dec 19, 2012 10:02:02 GMT -5
The shaken maid looked at the compress then back to Lenoir and nodded. "No, but thank-you, Erik. I'm sure I will be alright now that I can catch my breath." She tried to force a small laugh, but it seemed to come naturally instead of forced. She was so glad that Lenoir was there; he had been so kind to her and she was grateful for that.
She looked over to Christine Emilie and gestured 'no' with her hand. "I will take the compress but I feel much better now. Merci, madam." She gently took the compress from the kind woman and touched it to the side of her neck where her carotid artery was before placing it on her forehead. It was still rather warm; it felt good. She looked up at Lneoir and smiled at him. She finally stood up, her other hand holding her shawl around her shoulders to keep bother her scars hidden as well as her own modesty, and moved from the settee. She hated feeling like this, so scared of her past. She did not want to be held back any longer. Now she was determined to help and keep busy this lovely season.
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anastasia
Senior Member
Making a point is a matter of opinion. I'd rather make a difference
With me? Expect the unexpected!
Posts: 285
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Post by anastasia on Dec 21, 2012 21:53:59 GMT -5
She wasn't about to be thrown off by the brazen man who seemed to think it was absolute fine to drink before noon! Setting the bottle down then glance back at him, "Oh, yes. I can see that. You are completely capable of making very good judgement being drunk already," being rather sarcastic with a slight scowl at him but keeping a decent tone to her voice. Trying to get back into mixing the ingredients with Lu, she stopped and looked up at Raoul Edouard. "There are plenty of Royalty in this world who work! Crown Prince William and his new bride, Kate Middleton work; he's in the Royal Air Force Search and Rescue. Kate is a Doctor. William's dad, Prince Charles owns and runs an organic farm. Those are just three out of hundreds of Royals in this world who at least do something with their status." Trying not to raise her voice but she was being bold with making a point. "If I had your position, you damn well better believe I would work it for all it's worth!" She didn't know who this Raoul Christophe was but- "If this Raoul Christophe is using his political influence to an advantage then all the power to him." Rolling her eyes slightly wondering if he was using 'I'm allergic to dairy' card. "Are you allergic to dairy?"
Then looked over at Lucinda, "How ya doing, Lu?"
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Raoul Edouard de Chagny
You need the man you knew back here beside you?
You need the man you knew back here beside you?
Posts: 365
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Post by Raoul Edouard de Chagny on Dec 27, 2012 17:39:02 GMT -5
Edouard was beginning to think that this Ana woman was the rudest person in the world. Well, perhaps the American western woman with the untidy hair would give her a run for her money in that regard. She was saying something to him about being drunk before noon time. Edouard looked at her and said, "And who made the rules about what time one can and cannot drink? I think it completely absurd."
She brought up the fact that some "Royals" as she put it were working people just like the rest of the world nowadays. "Oh? Well, bully for them. Obviously idiots who don't know how to deal with their nobility." This woman was putting Edouard in rather a dark mood. How dare she insult him like this? He took another sip of his fast-waning glass of brandy. "And what makes you think you know anything about nobility, Miss Know-Everything American? How dare you insult my position."
Then she asked him about milk of all things. He was slurring his words, so he spoke much slower to try to speak distinctly, without much success. "Milk? Milk? Yes, I said it does not sit well with me. Perhaps I should have said, the thought of it d0es not sit well with me. It is quite nasty in taste." Was she going to continue to be rude to him?"
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