Entrance to Mademoiselle Rousseau's chambers

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Having squirreled Sienna from his quarters, Thomas escorts her back to her own chambers at Whitehall. The sun shines in a clear azure sky and the wet ground and trees have retained the fresh scent of the previous night's rain. Unseen, they arrive a short ways on foot in front of the ladies chambers and stand back amid the shrub and ivy, concealing their presence.

"I suppose this is it" Thomas says with a despondent tone in his voice. He takes her arms in his hands. "I shall write you daily and count the days until I may see you again my love".

Thomas can see the desolation in Sienna's eyes. He too feels as profoundly saddened as she, yet he fought not to show it. "Of course they shall, my love" He smiles, trying to lift her spirits. "I promise to tell you everything I am up to, I shan't leave out a single detail. So much so they may put you to sleep, but I shall send them faithfully nonetheless" Thomas reaches out and touches her pretty chin, gently lifting it up.

"This is only the beginning for us, Sienna... just the start... you trust me don't you?"

"You needn't worry about that... I shall return to you as fast as I can darling... I shall let you know well in advance, that we may make plans together" Thomas searches Sienna's eyes for understanding. "I have never done anything harder in my young life... than I am about to do now"

Feeling a lump build in his throat, Thomas looks away for a moment to regain his composure before turning back to her. "Farewell Sienna... not goodbye, never goodbye... just farewell, until next we meet". He lifts her delicate hand to his lips and softly plies it with a kiss, as he did that first day they met not so long ago in the garden.

"Please, my love... I swear~" Thomas' words are interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the pavement path. He deftly gathers Sienna and pulls her deeper into the brush with him and puts his finger to his lips. "Shhhhh... someone's coming" He whispers.

Thomas pokes his head out of the bush, peeking about. "We've not been caught thus far... 'twould be a pity to muck it up now". Sienna's large, brown eyes look up to him. Thomas smiles, enjoying this unexpected moment. Feeling as though he and Sienna were children playing a game of hide and seek.

Thomas creases his brow. "Don't be silly, of course that's not so!... I just don't wish to get you in any kind of trouble just before I'm to leave... how could I live with myself if that were to happen?"

Thomas watches as the footsteps reveal themselves as a detail of palace guard, crossing their path, headed away from them. Relieved, he turns to Sienna and caresses her face."I've not even left yet and already you doubt my affection?" He says with a tone of disappointment.

Thomas realizes his attempt to save Sienna the grief of getting caught with an unfamiliar boy has caused her pain. She needn't say a word as her expression told all. His heart feels heavy and he tries to think of a way to make it up to her... Thinking hard, his mind draws a blank... Just then an unexpected sound fills the air. The loud chime of the chapel bell.

As though a candle had gone off in his mind~illuminating his thoughts, Thomas turns to Sienna. "Of course... it's Sunday morning!" With a look of surprise on her face, he takes her hand, pulling her out from their lush concealment. "Follow me, Sienna... please trust me!"

With Sienna in tow clasping his hand firmly, Thomas rushes down the path. He makes a turn and finds they are in a crowded courtyard. Stopping momentarily to catch his breath, he listens to the tolling of the bell getting louder. "Are you alright?" He says in between breaths. Sienna smiles, looking unsure and nods. "Good... this way, I should think... we must hurry!"

Scampering through the courtyard, brushing past courtiers, servants and guards, Thomas turns to Sienna. "We're nearly there my love!".

At last Thomas and Sienna duck down into a narrow cobblestone street. Emerging out of the other end, they pause and he looks up to a see the chapel edifice before them.  It's stone spires rising into the clear blue sky and bell ringing at a near deafening volume. Barely had they stopped, when once again Thomas dashes for the stairs, Sienna right behind and rushes up them, practically leaping, until he gets to the chapel doors.

Catching their breath, Sienna and Thomas look about to see the crowds converging upon them from all sides. Some faces in the throng familiar, some not. Thomas holds up one hand as the parishioners begin to ascend the steps;

"WAIT!... PLEASE..." he shouts out at them. "I AM THOMAS CULPEPPER OF KENT... AND I AM IN LOVE" he pauses a moment. "...AND I AM MADLY IN LOVE, WITH MADEMOISELLE SIENNA ROUSSEAU!" The mass of people look at one another confused, and mutter to themselves as Thomas turns to Sienna and smiles at her.

"Now my love... everyone knows" he says and takes her in his arms and before the chapel and the crowd below, kisses her with all of the love and passion in his soul. One by one the parishioners begin cheering and applauding. Thomas pays no mind and merely holds her tighter, their kiss lingering on.

As their lips finally part and Sienna makes her request, Thomas becomes acutely aware of the sound of the crowd expressing their delight at his tender  and begun to blush. Beaming, he turns to Sienna;

"That's a splendid idea, anywhere you wish... and quickly, before they mob us!"

"Run away?" Thomas chuckles for a moment before realizing Sienna is quite serious. In the short time he knew her, he'd come to know her as being a highly-spirited, highly-passionate girl. He hadn't met anyone like her before... run off to where? A nearby meadow?.. a picnic beside a stream?... France?

Very well my love, where would you like to go... I am all ears".

A thousand thoughts went through Thomas' mind all at once. With every fiber of his being did he want to forget returning to Kent and spend the entire spring and summer with Sienna. But what of his father and brother? Surely there would be a devil to pay if he simply did not return on time... They would look for him, and woe be to him if actually found! He knew his father's wrath was not an appetizing prospect, on the contrary, 'twas something terrible, to be feared... and yet.

"Very well" Thomas says with a sly grin. "Do you have a horse in the stable?".

"Splendid, my love... let us go then" Thomas looks back over his shoulder at the crowds pouring into the chapel. "I tell you what... why don't you get your mount and meet me just outside of the stables... I shall tender some food and meet you there. Nothing fancy mind you, some bread and cheese from our quarters, but 'twill do... The stables are on the other side of the courtyard, shall I meet you there in say, one hour?"

"I promise, no cheese!" Thomas chuckles and kisses Sienna a last time before parting ways. "One hour!... I promise I shan't tarry". Part of him seeks to make haste, the other not wishing to leave her, Thomas at last retreats slowly retreats backward watching her before turning and hurrying off.