La fleur

-Chapter 2-

'My sincerest apologies, my father had commanded me to interrupt our conversation.'
'Well, what for?' Victoria hesitated to state the real reason as she feared he would be turned off by hearing her father's opinion of his native Russia. 'Well, he is not the kindest of persons in his opinions of Russia.'
'Well, that is nothing to worry about. My father once Vehemently opposed the English and then married an English noblewoman.'
'Why, isn't that curious. I truly hope he will see past his English values and not be biased with his decisions.'
'I believe he will. And maybe your mother will talk some sense into him not to turn down on of the most powerful people in Russia.'

The pair laughed and she walked back downstairs with Ivan and the two bonded once more. They dispersed and Victoria walked to other guests to introduce herself and hopefully make a good impression to the eligible bachelors. While speaking to a friend and feeling delighted she had been able to speak to Ivan again, she had felt that the night had been a complete success. Even her father spoke to Ivan, with trouble of course, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. A guest accidentally knocked over a candle holder Which fell over and lit the curtains they were standing next to ablaze. Her heart stopped beating and her eyes turned wide. It turned silent in her mind, and she froze. The person she was talking to looked at her in confusion and then turned to look behind her. As other guests started to notice and people were yelling to run, chaos broke out. Many people ran to the door to try and escape the fire. Victoria caught a glimpse of Eudoxia's horrified face as she saw her home go up in flames. As everyone had ran out of the home Victoria came to a realisation; Isabella was still inside. Without as second thought Victoria ran back into the home and ran past the flames, she opened Isabella's door and found her peacefully reading in bed. Isabella appeared confused at the sight of her frantic sisters look but as Victoria screamed at her to; 'Get out of bed we have to run!' Isabella immediately jumped out of bed and ran to her sister. Her face turned bright white when she saw the flames illuminating the hallway. She and Victoria tried as fast as possible to run down the stairs, but the air had become almost impossible to breathe in. As Victoria and Isabella struggled to stay conscious, they encountered their biggest problem. The exit to the stairs had gotten almost completely engulfed in flames. The girls had no time and had to make a rash decision. They had no other choice and Isabella charged and ran through the flames as fast as she could. Since Victoria could not see on the other side of the wall of flames, she had no idea if Isabella was okay, she hesitated at first, but eventually she ran through the flames. She was nearly unconscious but used the last energy she had left in her body to run towards her door. As She ran out the door the crowd saw two girls laying on the floor after they had run out of a building. Eudoxia ran over to the girls and sobbed uncontrollably at the thought of being so close to losing her children. Eudoxia had seen her daughter run into a burning building and when she tried to Run after her someone grabbed her hand. Now that she had Isabella and Victoria in her arms again, she would not let them go. In the confusion Victoria had not caught a glimpse of Ivan and she was worrying he was still inside. Luckily for him he had safely escaped the building along with all the other guests. After the fire brigade had been alerted and they had arrived, Victoria and Isabella watched in horror as their beloved home was burning. Victoria felt as if she was that house, slowly and painfully having bits and pieces burn and fall of as the memories go with it. She could barely sleep that night, one of the guests had gracefully offered up their home for the Leicester family to be housed temporarily, and while laying in her bed she could barely close her eyes. Every time she so much as blinked the image of the manor enraged by fire flashed before her eyes. She got out of bed and set behind a bureau. She thought long of what to write when it came to her, she wrote a letter to Mikhail back in Russia, and though it would be weeks till he would receive the news Victoria needed to write someone to keep her mind of the horrific trauma she had gone through.

'My dearest Mikhail,
the most horrid tragedy has just befallen me, as the home where I have grown up and lived all my life, has went up in flames. I simply cannot put into words the hurt I feel in this trying time. I send you this letter to inform you of this tragic news and hope to receive a response as soon as you will be available.
With the kindest Regards, Victoria of Leicester.'

Victoria Put her pen down and sat still for a moment, she laid crying at her bureau for hours as the shock had worn out and the true gravity of the situation had set in. All that she could think of were the memories and how they had been lost, as even though the manor would be rebuilt, to her the house was forever lost. In the meantime, Albert had already set up the restoration of Holkham. And a few days later Eudoxia received a letter from her family members in France. They informed her the family would be welcome to stay in the chateau de Marqueyssac for as long as the construction lasted and would even provide the carriage that would pick them up from the port d'Arcachon. Eudoxia seemed delighted by the news they would be able to stay at the chateau once again, while Albert looked nauseous at the thought of having to speak French again, as though he was fluent, he detested the French and all their traditions. An Englishman through and through Albert thought of the French as cowardly swine and the oldest enemy of the Britons. Victoria, though happy with the fact she would return to her beloved France, was traumatised by the fire as any person would be. She barely spoke and it took weeks for her to start eating again. Isabella, who already had a delicate mental state, was inconsolable. She did not speak, and the slightest sound would send her in to a yelling fit. Albert exclaimed that Isabella was to be put into a mental asylum, an idea Eudoxia was horrified to hear and strongly objected to. The journey to France was a tense one. As the slightest sound would send Isabella into a crying fit, Albert became increasingly more agitated and lost his temper several times. When the family had finally arrived at the boat the chaos had only begun. Father was tense, mother was silent, and Isabella looked shell-shocked. Victoria felt as though she was looking through an inverted mirror. It was a broken family, one characterised by silence and sinister undertones. The boat trip was long. It felt as if it lasted an eternity. While on the boat Victoria started thinking of her days spent in France. When she was younger, she and Isabella would visit the Chateau de Valençay, where they would attend dinner parties and family visits. Her earliest memories were spent there, she now thinks of her mother and Tambov. Since Isabella is to inherit Holkham Hall there could still be a chance for her to move to the French countryside and spend the rest of her days there. these thoughts were interrupted when they finally neared the French coast, Victoria looked at the far away looking island with a gleeful smile. After arriving the carriage ride to the Chateau commenced, the true antagonist of the trip. Albert had lost all his patience and requested a private carriage for him to travel alone in. Eudoxia was shocked by the gesture and looked truly insulted, even if it had nothing to do with her. The journey was long and very tiresome. The three women sat in the carriage in silence for hours until they arrived at the halfway point. Victoria tried to engage in a conversation with her mother, but just like her sister, she did not respond. Victoria tried to block out the visions she had of her burning home, but nothing helped. After the family finally arrived at the home, they were tired beyond belief. It was late in the evening so the family were led to their rooms and Isabella was shocked to see she would be sleeping in the same room as her mother. She would have expected her mother to have made a special request to not be put in the same room as Isabella, but Eudoxia seemed happy to share a room with her daughter. Victoria shared a room with her cousin Charles. She did not know what to make of the combination. Her cousin had shown little interest in her on the last trip to Marqueyssac, he was not yet at the Chateau, so she figured she could have a few nights alone. The dinner that night was awkward, Albert hesitantly started the conversation in French and increasingly became more comfortable with the language he had not spoken in so long. The morning after Eudoxia, Victoria and Marie-Louise, her great aunt, went off for church. The three arrived at a gorgeous chapel close to the Chateau. After service the three had lunch at a café, there they heard the now so common condolences and prayers. Eudoxia thanked Marie for the gracious offer of letting the family stay at the Chateau. The day was nice but after returning to the Chateau Victoria immediately ran to Isabella's room to see how she was doing. She opened the door and Isabella was still sleeping. Victoria was concerned Isabella was not dealing with the fire in a healthy way, but she also could not speak with her about it. She returned to Eudoxia and Marie-Louise who were chatting in the gardens.

'Would you care to join us?', Marie-Louise asked her.
Victoria seemed hesitant but after a stern look from Eudoxia she joined them at the table
'I still could not thank you enough for your generosity, I simply would not know what I would do was I not in this beautiful place. It is quite calming I must say.'
'Oh, you are to kind, I simply did what any family member would do in a time of need and after your last visit I was eager to hear of you and Isabella again. It is such a shame she is feeling unwell.'
'Well not everyone can adjust so easily to sudden changes.' Eudoxia quickly exclaimed before Victoria could say anything and she quickly changed the subject.
'Marie, I simply must ask, who is your gardener the gardens are simply immaculate. How do you keep them so maintained.'
'The secret is my landscaper, Armond, truly the best, he has been landscaping for almost 40 years now and every year he just gets better and better. I will have to set him up with Albert, maybe he can do something about the truly dreadful gardens at Holkham.'

'I have been telling himfor months, but it was simply not important enough to spend money on.'
Victoria sat quietly at the table as the two women continued to gossip aboutAlbert in a conversation that seemingly lasted for hours, and at least tillsupper time as when the conversation reached its climax dinner was ready andthe ladies returned inside. Victoria hoped to see Isabella in the dining room,but all she saw was Albert.
Victoria ran into Henry in the hallway that night, she was surprised to see himas he had been absent in the last few days, but she figured he had probablyjust returned from a trip. He also seemed surprised to see he would be sharinga room with Victoria, but never the less he started off the conversation;

'I am awfully sorry to hear of the fire, how are you doing?'
'Well I seem to be doing fine, but I worry about my sister, Isabella.'
'Is she not alright?'
'No, she seems like she as if she has witnessed a murder, and the slightestsound can send her in to a hysteric fit, I truly don't know what I am to do.'
'Well it looks to me as though you should try and speak to her.'
'But she will not even speak to me.'
'That does not matter, walk with her, sit with her and eventually, I am sure ofit, she will speak.'
'Well, thank you for the advice, I truly hope it works.'

With this information Victoria went over to Isabella chamber, where she wassitting. In her bed. Victoria did not announce her arrival or even sayanything, but simply walked over to Isabella's bedside and smiled at her.Isabella got out of her bed and walked to the gardens, and Victoria quicklyfollowed her. Isabella seemed peaceful walking through the garden. They walkedfor a moment and then sat on a bench looking at the stars. Isabella andVictoria sat in the garden for hours until Isabella finally uttered her firstwords in days;

'Victoria.'
'Yes Isabella?' Victoria quickly answered being delighted her sister wasspeaking to her again.
'Why must he be so cruel? Why must fate be decided be a man so unkind?'
'How could you say such a thing, you must not lose your faith over a singletragedy.'
'Off course not, I am not speaking of the lord.'
'But then who are you referring to.'
'Father.'
'Well he is strict but to call him cruel would be a gross overstate-'
'He is not worth the pain or sorrow. I shouldn't have brought it up.'

Victoria was highly saddened by the conversation. The sister she once knew andloved was gone. What was left of Isabella was a pessimistic girl who looked atthe world as a burden, not a blessing. She went back to her room and practicedher Italian, until she fell asleep at her table.