Marcus left for London after the wedding, Frances with her family was leaving after two days.
Marcus kept running through the moments he spent with Frances, on his way back to London. She wore a peacock blue dress and looked like a picture of beauty during the wedding. Marcus danced with her thrice, damn the gossip for all he cared.
Marcus and Prince Philip frequently meet for hunting trips in Richmond Park. Deer hunting was one of their favourite sports.
Marcus bought spiced gooseberries for the Prince, knowing the prince liked Indian food.
'This is exceptional!' remarked the Prince.
'It was introduced to me by a lovely lady,' said Marcus with a wink.
Though Marcus and Prince Philip did not have the friendship Marcus has with Antony, he and Prince were trusted confidants. Marcus didn't realise he was speaking to him about Frances for a long time until he saw the Prince grinning at him.
'I must meet this young lady, who seems to have charmed you. How about lunch in two days,' said Prince Philip.
Marcus didn't know or didn't want to know how serious he was about Frances. But found no way to decline the invitation without insulting the Prince.
Chestnut House was frantic, when a royal invitation arrived for Frances inviting her for a formal lunch. A note arrived from Marcus shortly after, informing he would escort her and would pick her up by 12 noon.
Frances didn't have any formal gown. She never attended Queen Charlotte's debutante ball held each year, as she didn't have any sponsor. It was difficult to get a proper gown in two days, so they decided to go with Amelia Smith's debutante dress.
Frances had endless instruction and rehearsals on how to talk, sit, eat and not to do anything which she normally did. Sitting with a hoop was particularly difficult, she managed to topple the chair multiple times and once whacked her mother with the hoop.
Wretched day finally arrived, Mrs. Sophia Hill wanted Frances to skip her breakfast, but Frances refused saying, 'It will not do if I faint mama.'
'You won't faint from skipping a single meal,' retorted Mrs. Sophia.
But Frances went ahead and had her food with extra helpings. When she got dressed, she felt as though her backbone would snap under all the pressure. She thought bitterly that she should have listened to mother. It was extremely uncomfortable with a bloated stomach and she had a hard time breathing.
Frances could only inhale half the air needed and that never reached her lungs, which she was sure must have been squeezed to half its size. She was forced to wear a wig and she had to control her hand hard not to scratch it.
Marcus arrived to collect Frances. Before leaving, Mrs. Sophia whispered something to Frances to which Frances replied, 'I will take care.'
Marcus was sure it was advice not to behave the way Frances usually did.
It was with some difficulty Frances got into the carriage. She tried to climb into the carriage with repeated failure as she couldn't get her foot past the hoop.
Marcus on her fifth attempt, simply carried her and deposited her inside the carriage. He bid his farewell to Mrs. Hill and climbed in after her and sat on the opposite side, there was clearly no space left from her dress.
'I look hideous, don't I?' asked Frances.
'No, you look lovely,' Marcus said, but Frances was sure he was just telling just to patronise her.
They were having lunch at the South Wing of Windsor Castle. Frances couldn't contain her eyes as they drove through the long walk leading to South Wing.
Marcus helped her climb down and they headed to the first floor through the South Wing. Frances and Marcus were assured a large sitting room lavishly decorated. They were joined by Prince Philip shortly, accompanied by Princess Charlotte. Marcus bowed, while Frances curtsied.
Dinner was served in a formal dining room, the dinner table was decorated with several candelabras, flower arrangements and a large fruit display. It also had several plates of toast, muffins, meat, pork, and fish. Frances mouth began to water seeing all those food
Frances was helped to her chair by a footman. To her great relief she didn't blunder and managed to sit with her hoops, without an incident.
Prince Philip and Marcus chatted amiably. Soup was served. The Dining etiquette was if you need something, you should ask the footman who is waiting on you. And ofcourse Frances never had anyone wait on her, just stretched and stood on her toes to reach out for a toast which she thought would go well with her soup.
In the process, she managed to upset her chair with her hoop. With a loud crash the chair toppled back. Frances was embarrassed, mumbling repeated apologies as she tried to sit down on the chair which was retrieved and held by a footman.
In her mortification, she forgot she was wearing a hoop and should think and sit, she sat without thinking. Flump, her hoop pressed the wrong way her whole dress sprang forward. Flump another crash, but Fances couldn't see anything, the wretched dress was blocking her view. She was sure she was giving everyone a good look at her underwear.
Frances stood up with some difficulty, this wretched dress was good 2 feet flared from her body in all directions. When she looked up, her embarrassment changed to mortifiction, she had toppled a candelabra in the process and the table cloth was on fire. She hurried to the cup filled with water, but it only made it worse. She had heard the saying 'add fuel to the fire,' but this was too much. She had quite literally added fuel to the fire.
Marcus cried out 'Frances' and made towards her. Now she has done it. Before leaving, her mother asked her to be careful, and she set fire inside the palace. She didn't know what the punishment was for setting fire, surely it is an offense. Frances cringed as Marcus came near.
Marcus on reaching her side, set about stepping on her dress. She looked down and saw she had managed to set fire to her dress too. The dress was so far away, she couldn't even feel the heat.
But the fire was spreading rapidly, smouldering her dress laces. With quick movement, Frances had to give Marcus credit, he had managed to undress her. He pulled her out as the dress with the hoop and corset fell to the floor.
She was in her shimmy. Marcus removed his coat and helped her inside. She couldn't help feeling a little satisfied as she saw the offensive dress smolder. But it was not long-lived, the fire at the dining table was another story. Several guards congregated and evacuated the Prince and the Princess, while footmen tried to put out the fire.
It took several minutes to put out the fire. Frances had managed to completely wreck the room. She didn't even have the strength to apologize, surely no apology could repair the damage she caused.
Marcus held Frances by shoulder reassuringly. He apologized on her behalf, she could do nothing but look around dejectedly.
Prince Philip and Princess Charlotte grinned at each other as though enjoying a private joke. They accepted the apology, saying no permanent damage was done.
Princess Charlotte ordered a maid to escort Frances to her private chamber. Frances found she couldn't walk on her own, the Princess herself held Frances arms and guided to her chamber. A royal physician was summoned to check on Frances.
A maid bought a new dress for her to change into and mercifully it was like her normal dress, though more prettier and well fashioned. She changed into her new dress and a maid did her hair as somewhere in the mayhem the wig had fallen off.
Princess Charlotte walked in with a small box and said 'I have a gift for you.' The Princess opened the box, revealing a beautiful emerald earring. Frances said sadly, 'How can I possibly accept this, when I managed to burn your house.'
'Prince Philip wanted to redecorate the room for a long time, you just helped him speed it up,' she said with a twinkle in her eye. The maid helped Frances put on the new earrings.
They made their way to the secondary dining room to finish their lunch. Marcus was waiting there, he came to her side immediately and pulled her aside. 'Are you alright,' he enquired.
'Yes,' mumbled Frances.
'You didn't get any wounds, I enquired the royal physician. He recommends rest. If you want to leave now, we can go,' he said with concern edged all over his face.
Frances replied, 'I'm really alright, let's have lunch before we leave.'
Frances sighed in relief as the carriage left Windsor Castle. Seeing Marcus looking at her she said, 'I shouldn't be happy all things considered, but am happy that I am out of that hoop and wig.' Marcus smiled.
'I'm sorry, I embarrassed you today,' she apologized again.
He put a finger to her mouth with a 'shh.' Frances' face fell, Marcus immediately put his arms around her shoulder and asked
'What happened? Does it hurt somewhere?'
'How am I going to explain it to my mother? It's going to be a nightmare,' she said with a shudder.
'Don't worry I will take care,' he said, gently squeezing her shoulder.
Frances looked up to thank him, but her words were lost, as she gazed into his eyes. He seemed similarly transfixed.
Slowly Marcus cupped her cheeks and brought his lips down to meet her. He was achingly gentle. First Frances didn't know what to do, and then her inexperienced lips mimicked Marcus and started moving. She was kissing him back. His tongue gently nudged her mouth, she opened her mouth allowing his entrance, his tongue darted in tasting her. She let out a moan of pleasure. Marcus lifted her off the seat and brought her to his lap. They broke apart only after reaching Chestnut House.
Frances got out with reluctance, she didn't want to part with Marcus. She wanted something, even though she didn't know what she wanted, she was sure Marcus could give it to her.
Marcus concocted a story in which a footman accidentally ruined her dress with soup and Princess Charlotte very kindly offered to replace it with one of her own. Marcus also said that it was an exhausting day for Frances and that she should rest. He gave directions to a hand maid to help her to the bed before leaving. To her immense relief her mother and Aunt accepted the story.
Dinner that night, she was bombarded with every single detail from the palace to the Princess. When she lay in bed that night, all she could think of was Marcus. Marcus had kissed her on the lips, but she felt the kiss all over her body.
*** Have you been to London? Well I have in google maps ;)
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