The Travels of Anadrasata Nearabhigan: Day 42
So, this is Day 42 and there are, I promise, Developments! Yes, I had to consult my timeline and travel times to know when to write this.
This piece runs to 2,189 words, and I hope that you enjoy it.
Index page.
Onnaday, 23 Naisen, 1893 C.E.
Khemaas, 10 Sajibu, 2157 T.M.L.
3 Tlanoluaoy, 26 Kiautl, 6.11.2.1.8.2.18
Dear Journal,
When Nais brought me my warm water this morning, she reminded me that tomorrow is another day of rest so I should not put off doing anything that includes other people doing things for or to help me until tomorrow. She helped me into one of my house gowns, a blue cotton almost the colour I am using for my guardian creatures, and did my hair in a loose-ish local style which although it may look a little matronly to my eye, is also very flattering. Unless my great-aunt and cousins advise against it, I think I will keep using it - what it is to have a variety of hairstyles to choose from!
I reached the bottom of the stairs as Miztli was going out to his club, and so we exchanged morning greetings, to which he added a compliment on my hairstyle and dress. I managed to accept the compliment graciously - I say managed because I have not had much practise at the art.
Matlal also observed that I looked well this morning when I reached the breakfast room. He then persuaded me to try a dish of fish cured in citrus juice, herbs, and spices with my breakfast. As I was alone at the table, except for Matlal and the footman who fetched my tea, I had time to consider whether the particular compliments I have received this morning were due to my new dress's more flattering colour (it is), my more flattering hairstyle, that I am more in the Confederation style today and so more what they are used to, or a combination of all of those things. Cousin Ghrus and Axolin also offered compliments beyond their usual greetings when they arrived, so there is definitely something about my appearance today!
[Matlal was right, I did enjoy the fish thing.]
I tidied up after breakfast and then repaired to the office parlor with my primer, copy book, writing materials, today's paper, and my religious pamphlet. I translated the tart column, three court reports, and two other short articles, then I started in the religious pamphlet, which is in a third font, albeit a very plain one. However, one of the diaries has quite a long passage of Ghaistonyc in it which occupied the last hour of my time. It predates Great-uncle's posting to Tlemutsiko by almost a decade and records his conversation/interaction with someone who seems to have been trying to persuade him into corrupt behaviour. We will need to finish with the passage the day after tomorrow. So far we have this person's position, but not their name. If this person is still alive, then they must be extremely elderly and are surely not still in a position of trust. I am glad that this episode predates Great-uncle's posting here because if it hadn't it might have turned out to be something the Confederation would keep me here for.
I sat between Miztli and Mr Chicmacyeimetetlitecolotl at lunch and I had them explain to me where the various locations in the tart little newspaper columns are, and Miztli said that we should arrange for me to have a tour of the city. That led into me sharing some anecdotes from my city tours on the way here. Mr Chicmacyeimetetlitecolotl expressed surprise that I hadn't had tours in every city I went through so I explained that I travelled by regular passenger ships that stopped just long enough to unload, reload, and refuel, and not by cruise ship. I may have made a comment about the Northern Stars Line at that point. [I still have strong feelings about that incident and I am glad that I didn't know then what I know now the incident.]
Straight after lunch I went back up to my room and changed into my visiting gown (a very flattering golden yellow colour with a deep blue waist sash) and took my embroidery downstairs to work on during Great-aunt's conversational Imperial lesson.
The people who told me that there would be more people in attendance today were right - there were twelve as opposed to last time's six. All of the gentlemen I met last time were present, as were four more gentlemen of various ages and two ladies. One lady, Tepintototl, is stout and middle-aged, while the other, Umexipalli, is a few years older than me and married to a man who is shortly taking up a position at a consulate in the Empire. After the preliminary exchange of greetings, Umexipalli asked me about hiring household servants in the Empire, so I explained how I did it at home and what wages I expected to pay. I pointed out that I lived in a provincial town, not even a provincial capital, and that I would expect wages in a more important town or a city to be larger. She agreed that the same thing applied in the Confederation. I was in the middle of explaining what duties I would expect each type of servant to perform when Cousin Ghrus brought Lord Elnaith bh'Sedloit and another Imperial gentleman into the room.
Of course, Cousin Ghrus introduced Lord Elnaith and the other gentleman, Mr Bhraign dh'Bhraigh of our consulate here, to Great-aunt first, then to the people on either side of her - so the elderly gentleman and Tepintototl. Cousin Ghrus took the seat beside Tepintototl, Mr dh'Bhraigh sat with several acquaintances made through his official duties, and Lord Elnaith came to sit with the group who'd settled around Umexipalli and myself. I made the introductions. When he found out what we were discussing, he helpfully added descriptions of what he expected from a valet and explained how much a gentleman's gentleman might expect to be paid. One of the other men asked whether we expected servants to live in or to come in daily and that was another conversation. Apparently this was so useful to Umexipalli that she asked if it would be alright if she brought a notebook with her next time so that she could make notes.
Lord Elnaith, Mr dh' Bhraigh, and Cousin Ghrus stayed till the end of the hour, and while Mr dh'Bhraigh was making conversation with Great-aunt Giltreeada, Cousin Ghrus told me that he had given Lord Elnaith permission to pay me his addresses. Lord Elnaith and I exchanged courtesies, and he asked whether I would be amenable to taking a walk with him tomorrow afternoon to a park that lies between this house and the consulate. I told him that I would be happy to, but...chaperonage given that it will be my maid's day of rest. Lord Elnaith said that he was happy to know that I now had a maid. Cousin Ghrus said that he saw nothing wrong with the proposed outing but would consult his mother on the chaperonage question. Confederation ideas on the matter are different to Imperial ones, and perhaps I have been too comfortable in Lord Elnaith's company? I am unsure of what will be right in this case.
When consulted, Great-aunt Giltreeada said that she thought a walk to and from the park, in fine weather, and a half hour spent in the park, in full view of anyone who cared to look and avoiding any secret groves, would be acceptable in Tlemutsiko. Lord Elnaith replied, gravely, that he agreed to these conditions. When Great-aunt looked at me, I added that I agreed to them too, and she looked pleased and said that should do nicely.
[Although I have never been courted before, and marriage to Lord Elnaith would be a most advantageous match, I do know what I think of ladies who plan to trap gentlemen into marrying them - and they are not kindly thoughts! Though I am not sure how I would get Lord Elnaith to go anywhere he did not care to - he seems a splendidly substantial gentleman when I allow myself to think about such things.]
Lord Elnaith and Mr dh' Bhraigh left fifteen minutes after the conversational Imperial lesson ended. We have agreed that Lord Elnaith will call for me a little after ten of the clock in the morning, which will give us time for our excursion before lunch. The gentlemen had barely left the house when Great-aunt Giltreeada had Matlal instruct Nais and her maid to meet us in my room.
She then chivvied me upstairs with more vigour that I would of expected from her, and launched immediately into deciding which of my Imperial walking dresses would be touched up a little this afternoon to give it a new look in time for tomorrow morning. Nais and Great-aunt's maid were extremely enthusiastic about this project - perhaps distressingly so from my point of view. I am not entirely sure what the result is going to be....
I arrived with three walking dresses, all of which Lord Elnaith has seen before. Great-aunt and both lady's maids agree that the oldest should be remade before I return home. It is becoming a little worn across the back, I admit, although the skirt is still sound. Nais put it aside so that we can choose a suitable fabric to fashion a suitable bodice and sleeves to go with a remodelled skirt. The newest is one of the outfits I persuaded Tallaig to get me before I left home and is one of the most fashionable garments I own, well, it is back home. Consequently, their attentions focussed on the third gown. It's in a better quality bombazine than I can usually afford, but I got it cheaply because it was mis-dyed - instead of black it has a definite purple tone to it and there was some inconsistency in the colour along the dress length. [My dressmaker achieved a very credible result with it, despite that.] Everyone agreed that it would be lifted by the addition of purple ribbons (or possibly tapes(?)) along the bodice seam lines and to the seam lines of the matching jacket. [I think the matter is out of my hands now and we will see what happens.]
I was teased a little about 'your new suitor' over dinner by a number of my cousins, until, in answer to a direct question from Tehaneume, I confirmed that I've never ha d a suitor before. And that no gentleman has ever asked me to go walking with him before. Axolin, who seems to me to have a very good grasp of the responsibilities of both the head of a household and the head of a family, commented that surely my mother and brother had taken care to introduce me to some suitable gentlemen - and I replied that my potential marriage had not, to my perception, been a priority for either of them. The subject was changed completely to Yeixi who said something about a land dispute near a place called Tehuoxtla which apparently will have value as a legal precedent.
When we withdrew to enjoy our kasoolht without the gentlemen, Great-aunt and Cousin Poktlilui asked me some probing questions about just what I knew about, well, physical relations between men and women, married - or not. In return, I asked questions about the behaviour expected of men and women in the position of Lord Elnaith and myself. [No public displays of affection - but what they call a display of affection - I had to ask if anyone does some of those things in public. Apparently they do, particularly during certain festivals, but it isn't considered to be in good taste.... Both ladies were certain that their daughters hadn't done so while they were living in their parents' homes]
When the gentlemen joined us, Cousin Ghrus and both Axolin and Miztli wanted to know more about Lord Elnaith and what I know about him. I think they wanted to dissect every conversation I have had with him since we first met. Cousin Ghrus apparently agreed with me that he would be a very good match for me, if things progress that way. Cousin Miztli added that he hoped the gentleman realised that I have family who will take up my part if Lord Elnaith trifles with me and bruises my affections. He spoke in a very light tone of voice but somehow managed to make the statement quite ominous.
After I came up to bed and was writing up this journal, I realised that the War of Secession ended in 1862 - thirty-one years ago. My mother would have been a young woman back then, possibly younger than me, and Cousin Ghrus is about her age. I believe that Axolin and Miztli are both older than me, but not by too much. I am wondering when Cousin Ghrus and Cousin Poktlilui were married, and what part Cousin Ghrus, not just Great-uncle, played in the War of Secession? Cousin Mizti, Cousin Ghrus' younger brother, was born after the war and so must be about Axolin's age. Perhaps it's not just Great-uncle's secrets that I have to avoid learning.
Anadrasata Nearabhigan.