The Travels of Anadrasata Nearabhigan: Day 43
Day 43 and events move on, despite it being a local day of rest. There is even a backstory reveal.
It felt like it took ages to type this installment out, and it turned out to be 3,148 words so maybe it did. I hope that you all enjoy it.
Index page.
Thuwnday, 24 Naisen, 1893 C.E.
Rebi, 11 Sajibu, 2157 T.M.L.
4 Tlanoluaoy, 27 Kiautl, 6.11.2.1.8.2.19
Dear Journal,
Nais brought me my warm water this morning and then helped me into my newly refurbished walking dress. She and the other ladies' maids have done a wonderful job with the purple tape additions to my walking dress and its jacket. The effect is reminiscent of the military detailing that is sometimes fashionable at home, but different - some of the curves and angles obviously are taken from something else. The overall effect is very pleasing, and I thanked her for her hard work and asked her to pass on my thanks to the other two maids. Nais assured me that their motivations, all three of them, had been to make sure that I did myself and the household credit when I am seen out and about with a gentleman of Lord Elnaith's prominence. I insisted on passing on my thanks.
Breakfast was the same delicious porridge as we had on Naiphday. Great-aunt and Cousin Poktlilui both commented favourably on the refurbishment of my walking dress, and I conveyed that I had asked Nais to pass on my thanks to their maids for their assistance.
Cousin Miztli has acquired a slight limp and a sore hand overnight.
I asked Cousin Yeixi if he could explain, in simple terms, the land dispute that was discussed last night. It had sounded interesting, but I didn't understand enough of what was being said to follow the discussion. It seems that during the Occupation (his term) a parcel of land in the stewardship of a local noble but owned by a neighbouring religious establishment was seized by the governor's office when the owning temple was razed and granted to an Imperial adventurer/younger son. [Payment by the younger son to the governor's office of a dubious status may have occurred.] The younger son then married the only daughter of the local noble and had his interest in the land included as part of the dowry in the marriage contract. [One hopes the lady was willing and that the younger son was a good and kind husband.] The razed temple was not replaced by an Imperial church because it was one of a number of temples destroyed in the locality and it was judged that fewer churches than that were needed. After the War of Secession, the temple site was recovered and the temple was rebuilt. The younger son's descendant then rendered unto the restored temple what it was owed in the original stewardship agreement. The priests are happy, the temple is funded, everyone agrees that the younger son's family are excellent and responsible stewards of the land in their care, so everyone is happy. No. The heirs of the local noble through his sons are now trying to claim the stewardship rights back, despite the contract that transferred them and the lapsed period of time. The basis of their claim is coercion relating to the terms of the marriage contract, and their contention is that any contract in that time period between an Imperial party and a local party must be assumed to have been agreed under a coercive influence by the Imperial party. A lot of contracts could be affected by this decision, and not just real estate ones. I can understand the interest.
After breakfast I filled in the time by writing out a list of things I mean to do but haven't done yet. I feel that there are a number of tasks that I haven't made certain to do. These are:
- buy more hairpins and some hair combs
- visit Lord Itztlacotiuh's temple for personal patron purposes
- visit the town hall to update my records
- look at refurbishing my oldest walking dress and evening gowns
- look over and possibly refresh my morning gowns - I have them with me but haven't worn them since I left home, because walking dress has been the appropriate garment for daywear since then.
When I think about it, my oldest walking dress and morning gown date back to when we came out of mourning dress - so they're nine years old and they were remade from older dresses. [Four women and girls needing new wardrobes at once is a serious undertaking and some of those fabrics were so beautiful - it was a sensible choice.] I remember thinking that my brown striped ensemble was so smart, but if I am honest with myself, the fabric has worn thin across the top back and the only thing that has kept it decent this last winter is my careful use of the jacket that goes with the dress, my pelisse, and various shawls. We should check the state of the jacket as well.
The weather is pleasant this morning, so I should only need to wear my jacket. A parasol might be appropriate - if I owned one. I don't because I usually go out with my hands full to do the marketing and rely on a sturdy, sensible bonnet.
Dear Journal,
I have been for a walk with a gentleman. Lord Elnaith called for me at the agreed time, came in and spoke politely with Cousin Ghrus and Cousin Poktlilui while I was coming downstairs, and was introduced to Cousin Miztli. When I arrived Cousin Miztli and Lord Elnaith were telling each other very politely that they had heard of each other. They were very polite to each other - it rather reminded me of two dogs meeting each other for the first time and deciding whether they were going to fight it out. Matlal then handed me one of my new straw hats, I put it on, and we set off.
Lord Elnaith bade me take his arm, and remarked upon the pleasantness of the weather. That led into why his invitation to an afternoon walk had turned into a morning excursion - Great-aunt was of the opinion that today's weather would start fine and pleasant but would come on to rain after lunch. Hoping for a pleasant excursion, Lord Elnaith had offered to change his timings. I agreed that a walk in the sun seemed a better plan than one in the rain. I think I observed that this was the first time I'd left the house on foot since I arrived and then we talked about the local carriages and the animals that pull them until we reached the park.
Most of the people already there seemed to be family groups of children with the supervision of one or two adults and were engaged in energy burning activities like ball games and tag. When we were some distance from everyone else, Lord Elnaith asked me how I was finding my visit with my cousins. I told him that everyone has been very kind, which is true, and that the help my Great-aunt needed was with transcribing my Great-uncle's diaries because her eyesight is no longer what it was and Great-uncle has written everything, regardless of language, in Ghaistonyc letters.
He asked if that meant that it wasn't actually in Ghaistonyc. I told him that so far it is mainly in Imperial with some Ghaistonyc. I added that the clerks doing the transcription have begun at the beginning, so they can adjust to the changes in Great-uncle's writing over time. I added that I hoped to be replaced by Confederation language scholars and on my way home before they reached the volumes covering Great-uncle's posting here.
Lord Elnaith asked why, and so I told him about Cousin Ghrus' explanation of what would happen if I came into possession of information that the Confederation's government didn't want to share. Having started, I confessed that although I consider myself to be a loyal Imperial citizen and subject, if my circumstances truly were what I believed then to be when I left home, or if I still believed them to be what I thought they were then, Cousin Ghrus' "threat" would have been very tempting. An amiable and amicable husband, a household of my own, a modest country estate, and the chance and hope of children was such an improvement in my prospects that I might almost have begged to be compromised. Lord Elnaith was sympathetic and said only the most foolishly oblivious or the unworldly idealists would have faulted me for that. He added that it was a good thing that I had become aware of my true circumstances, and that I had an acceptable Imperial suitor. [He managed to utter the second part of that sentence with a straight face and not to sound as if he valued himself beyond common coinage.]
Mind you, I took the opportunity to ask why he had formally asked to court me - it's a very...rarefied and uncommon thing to do, after all. In reply he told me that he isn't certain how such things are done in the Confederation, and this made his intentions clear. Plus, if there was going to be a problem with my family here, then he would have early notice of it. Also, some of his family does count as rarefied circles and the practice isn't unknown of to them.
I also told him that I am sensible of the honour he is doing me [a trite phrase more often seen in melodramas than real life, but applicable here, I feel] but why me? He took a moment before he answered, I suspect he didn't expect me to ask him that, and he had multiple reasons. Although he first scraped an acquaintance with me due to his assigned duties, he soon came to both like my personality and appearance, and to appreciate both my personal dignity under pressure and that I didn't pursue the single gentlemen I met in search of a husband, which would have been understandable in what I believed to be my circumstances, but conducted myself in a friendly but not encroaching or overly encouraging manner. He also liked that I seemed to treat my time on each ship as if i was part of a travelling house party. He also pointed out that practicalities for him as a younger son with no expectation of an inheritance of any size and currently living on an allowance from his father and his stipend from the Throne - I am a considerable heiress who might be tempted by his connections and, perhaps, his personal address. He also noted that once I return home and my circumstances become more widely known, I was likely to be sought out by a large number of personable local gentlemen, whom I might favour over him.
I admitted that I had always thought him a personable gentleman with excellent address and manners - and that it had never occurred to me that any of the gentlemen I was meeting, himself included, would have that sort of interest in me. Most of them were well above my touch after all, so I ignored that and concentrated on being pleasant company and enjoying the trip. His connections are very impressive and I noted that it is not just his family connections - and recalled that he was considered for an important legal position in the Inquiry in Amnestri. [He pointed out that as a potential witness he could not have accepted the appointment, and I reiterated that they had thought well enough of him to ask.] I also noted that if the considerations of his person, personality, and other personal charms had not inclined me to look upon him favourably, then there was also the consideration that I would be doing my extended family, including my unmarried siblings, a disservice if I rejected a gentleman of his connections. Also, by attaching himself to me, he would be saving me from the attentions of the brothers dh'Ghaikhain, and Sir Alphard dh'Bhaikh.
Lord Elnaith interrupted me at that point to ask who these gentlemen are, and I had to explain that they are notorious fortune hunters back home, known to be desperate for funds. Lord Elnaith said gravely that he was glad to be of service in this matter.
We then turned around and walked back through the park, taking notice of the unfamiliar plants this time, and he walked me back to my cousins' house. He came inside with me and asked if I would come driving with him tomorrow afternoon. I explained that I have some errands to run, including a visit to the administrative offices to update my personal details in their records, and suggested that he might like to accompany me if he had not already registered his address. He agreed and, with Cousin Ghrus' approval, he arranged to collect me after lunch.
After Lord Elnaith departed, we went in for lunch, more delicious soup that we served ourselves. And straight after lunch Cousin Ghrus took me into his office with Cousin Poktlilui and asked me some questions about my walk and conversation with Lord Elnaith. I skimmed over the details but said that Lord Elnaith and I had discussed what we found attractive about the other. [Cousin Ghrus tried to ask for details but Cousin Poktlilui growled at him and he stopped.] I did repeat my point about doing my family a disservice if a dismissed a man of his connections, and both of them nodded. I also brought up that under other circumstances Cousin Ghrus' “threat” on my arrival would have been considered to be a generous offer by me - and Cousin Poktlilui told her husband that they were going to talk about that later. It was Cousin Poktlilui who told me that I was doing just as I ought, thanked me for my time, and shoved me out the office door before closing it firmly behind me.
I went upstairs, got my embroidery, and spent the rest of my afternoon in the best working light stitching guardian beasts around the sides of a tablecloth. The rain poured down outside, and I was glad to be indoors.
Dinner was stew again - this one had a grain in it that I didn't recognise, and I asked my cousins about it while they asked me what I knew about Lord Elnaith. I explained that I had met him on my journey here from home, and that he and his friend, Half-Colonel dh'Khaitheer had been very kind when someone on the Pearlish Star had been rude to me. That had led into the fact that he had been in the Army, that he was at least considered for a counsel's position with the Inquiry in Amnestri (and that led into a long discussion on what the Inquiry was about - the incident with the Empress Mhaihild didn't make nearly as much of a stir here as it did back home it seems.] I finished up by pointing out that not only is Lord Elnaith an Imperial kinsman, he's an Imperial official so if they would prefer that the Empire not hear of something, then perhaps not mention it to him. Tehaneume asked which branch of the Imperial government he worked for, so I explained the difference between an Imperial official and an Imperial government official, after which someone commented that he really did have good connections, didn't he.? Miztli, grinning again (! he doesn't do it often so it's worth taking notice when he does) commented on Lord Elnaith's having been an Army Major, and Axolin got a thoughtful expression that lasted to the end of the meal. [I do wonder how much more they learnt tonight about Lord Elnaith over and above what they gleaned last night. Perhaps the rest of our cousins asked slightly different questions?]
While we drank our kasoolht, Great-aunt Giltreeada asked me some question that obviously led on from my comment last night that my marriage had never been a priority to my brother and mother - concentrating on my m other's role in the business. When the gentlemen joined us she announced that she had decided that it was time to share the story of her youngest sister with the younger members of the family. (She may have glanced significantly at me when she said this.) We all settled in to listen, and I rather thought she was going to talk about my grandmother, although I was vaguely surprised she didn't say "my younger sister."
Great-aunt Giltreeeada started by saying that she was born the eldest of three sisters. [This surprised me - I can't remember hearing of a third sister, but Grandmother died when I was eight so the subject may not have come up when I was present or I may simply not remember it.] Her sisters were Annasenala (my grandmother) and Khaidhala, our great-aunt. Great-aunt Giltreeada added, rather dryly, that we could tell from those names that Great-grandmama Zhaitheign (and possibly Great-grandpapa) had been enamoured of the Haidhgharodh novels. [Mother never let any of us read those, even when Father was still alive. I now wonder if it was not for the reasons I have always assumed.] After Great-grandpapa died, Great-grandmama cast herself into the role of a forlorn, widowed Haidhgharodhian matriarch and decided that her youngest daughter, Great-aunt Khaidhala, would fill the role of spinster daughter/lady-in-waiting. Meanwhile, Giltreeada and Annasenala married and started having children. Tragically, Khaidhala was killed in a street accident when she was twenty-two; it involved a heavily laden cart, a broken axle, and a spilt load. Khaidhala was so badly injured that she was identified by her dress and the contents of her reticule. Great-grandmama made the aftermath of the funeral most memorable by demanding to know which of her two married daughters would be returning home to look after her - both of them, and their husbands, refused. Annasenala did visit regularly because she lived nearby, but Great-uncle made sure to get postings far away from his mother-in-law.
Great-aunt Giltreeada added, rather wistfully, that she sometimes liked to think that her youngest sister had swapped reticules with the actual victim and gone off to have a life of her own. Much less wistfully she said it seemed that my mother had absorbed some of her grandmother's attitudes and it was a very good thing that I had come to visit them. She added that she had no idea what her mother's reaction would have been if an Imperial kinsman had shown an interest in Great-aunt Khaidhala.
We finished the evening with a Confederation board game that involved building quarters of a town by buying pieces for it with tokens gained by landing on spaces as you move around the board. You can either win singularly by having everything the town needs in your own quarter or co-operatively by having everything the town needs spread out across the quarters.
I should probably write to my siblings with the tale of our Great-aunt Khaidhala.
Anadrasata Nearabhigan