Elizabeth Patmore's Bedchamber

I guided Victoria and her daughter to my room, in my mind anxious that I should remember the route.

Thankfully, we reached my room. I noticed the door propped open by one of my heavier cases, my maid was hanging my gowns in the large wardrobe. I smiled and gestured for Victoria to enter-glad my room looked presentable for once-the fire warmly glowing.

"Away a while, please," I said to my maid, "I shall call for you later."

I pushed the heavy case with all my strength into the room and the door clicked shut. I smiled at Victoria and sighed, my cheeks flushed with the effort of moving the case, "Tea?"

Victoria and Elizabeth enter the room carrying the last of the luggage from the carriage. "Your Bedchamber looks lovely." she says as she asks the maid politely to hang Mary and Victoria's coats "Tea would be nice"Victoria smiles as she sets Mary down to rest

I smiled and nodded, glancing around the room and unlacing the ribbons of my heavy velvet cloak, "That's because I've not been in it yet. I'm frightfully untidy usually," I said with a chuckle.

I put some water over to boil by the fire, "What of little Mary? I fear I do not know what a little girl should like to warm up."

"Warm water should be alright." Victoria plopped down with exhaustion the sofa "Does England please you so far?"

I nodded and quickly set about making a pot of teas, setting aside the smallest cup I had with clear, warm water for Mary.

I chuckled and poured Victoria's tea, "After living here all my life I can categorically say that it bores me. I yearn to travel. Have you ever been outside of England?"

Victoria fed the warm water to Mary with a spoon when Elizabeth set the small cup down "England has bore you that quick? Have you seen all of England when you were younger?" She looks up back at her "I traveled to Italy just recently. The gardens are stunning in the Spring."

I shrugged and sat near, "I have little strayed out my sleepy little hamlet. I think Kent is as far as I have been."

I chuckled, "You must think me awfully sheltered and boring."

"Not at all." Victoria fed the warm water to Mary until she turns her head in refusal "I married the Duke of Somerset and I haven't seen Somerset. The only place I've seen is Suffolk." She sets the cup aside "I would love to see every place in the world before I leave this earth."

I raised my brows, "What a pity! Perhaps you could go in the summer? I'm sure the people of Somerset would be glad to see their Dukes wife and his darling little girl."

I chuckled and added playfully," At least Somerset is a start to every place in the world."

"Have you been to Oxfordshire? I heard it's wonderful there." Victoria kept an eye on Mary while she explored around the room "I took great interest of maps from my mother's library when I was a girl."

I nodded," Only place I've really been. I live on the outskirts of Bampton. Oue manor is about a twenty minute walk of undisturbed pastures and trees before you get to the restless village. It's a lovely place."

I smiled, "For me I enjoyed reading travellers journals. My father had so many and had travelled to so many places before I came along. My favourite one was a man's account of travelling to the far east."

"Traveling seems to intrigue us both." Victoria chuckles a bit "Your father sounds like an interesting man. I hope you don't mind telling me more about him."

I smiled and sighed wistfully, "Gone now too. Far, " I cleared my throat as my voice broke a little, "Far too soon."

"He was not a soldier, but a scholar. He never fought and never did I hear an angry word uttered by him. He had such a rich mind and his heart was golden. He travelled across Europe with his cousin, a Scottish man; they eventually reached as far as Jerusalem. The stories he would tell! When I was younger he embellished his tales with magical meetings with fairies and nymphs-fawns and other fantastical creatures. I loved him so very dearly. He was the best man I knew."

"You were lucky girl to have a man like him to call father." Victoria felt a tug on her skirts and picked Mary up without breaking eye contact with Elizabeth "At a young age, I only grew up with a mother."

I shrugged, "I miss my mother earnestly but she died when I was young-around eight. So I do not have much of a memory to grieve over. I suppose your father was at court when you grew up?"

"I suppose. When my husband left for France, mother sent me a letter saying that I have a father here at court." Victoria will always remember that day "I always wondered why she never told me as a child."

I nodded, was she illegitimate? I did not think it would be appropriate to ask, "How glad you must have been...to be reunited! I'm sure he's very proud of you."

"He is. My father didn't know that he had a daughter until I came to court." Victoria could still hear the questions that people always ask "Are you the Duke of Suffolk's daughter?" in her head from the first day at court "Would you like to come along with me on my next journey to Italy? I know this is sudden but, I would like to have a lady to keep me company."

I fluttered my lashes in shock, "I'd absolutely love nothing more! I promise you-I shall be a perfect travelling companion!"

I grinned, "When do you next plan to go?"

"That I don't know of. My Italian friend invited my husband and I to dine with him and his lover." Mary wined to get down so, Victoria put the toddler down to crawl again "His lover is also a good friend of mine." She takes a few sips of her tea and gets up to walk around "You can also meet my other daughter that has the same like you." Victoria says as she spots herself in a mirror to fix her hair

I smiled, "I'm so grateful to you. I swear you are the first person I have properly spoken to. You are entirely kind."

I paused and glanced at my dress, brushing my hand against the fabric, "I hear Italy sells some of the best silks-an excuse for a trip if any!"

I giggled and twisted a lock of hair around my index finger.

"I was about to wait until we knew each other fully but, I just thought it would be a friendly invite you in case the dinner party is sooner than I expect." Victoria looks back Elizabeth "If England is no longer to my liking, I shall like to live there." She looks at Elizabeth's dress for a moment "You have heard correctly. We shall find some dresses that are to your liking."

I smiled, "Where abouts in Italy would you reside? Do you speak Italian?"

"Hopefully in Tuscany. I would adore to have a view of the local garden." Victoria says with a grin "I am a bit rusty and I would like to refresh. I also heard that there are handsome and eligible gentleman in Italy."