"Expectations" (Book 2), by Gratiana Lovelace (2018-2019), (Completed)

Ch. 3--Lady Madeline's Diary Entries

"Expectations" (Book 2)-- Ch. 3: Lady Madeline's Diary Entries, December 09, 2018 by Gratiana Lovelace (Post #1194)
(an original Regency romance copyrighted by Gratiana Lovelace, 2018 - 2019; all rights reserved); [(1) story cover art, left]


[As is my custom, from time to time I will illustrate my story with my ideal cast consisting of (in order of appearance/mention in this chapter): Lady Madeline Blount Countess of Sussex portrayed by Kate Winslet, and her husband Lord Christian Blount Earl of Sussex portrayed by Richard Armitage.]

Author's story content and serializing scheduling notes: For the most part, my ratings for the chapters will be PG-13-for romantic interludes and dramatic moments. If you are unable or unwilling to attend a movie with these ratings, then please do not read that chapter. This is my disclaimer. And I always put the previous chapter's brief recap at the top of the next chapter. Also, I hope to post weekly on Sundays.

"Expectations" (Book 2)-Chapter 3: Lady Madeline's Diary Entries

After another half of an hour of her sister-in-law Lady Elizabeth coaxing Lady Madeline to sip her ginger tea every few moments of the morning of their first full day at the Sussex Hall Dower House in late May 1816, Lady Madeline had started to feel slightly better-less nauseous. So Lady Elizabeth left her to attend to ... whatever Lady Elizabeth attends to most mornings. Then Lady Madeline pulls the bell rope for Trask to arrange a bath for her-which always makes her feel better.

Then after luxuriating in her bath and dressing for the morning, Lady Madeline begins to feel more the thing. So she finally contemplates what she might ask Cook to send her to nibble on before their now usual late luncheon. Today, sautéed tomato slices sprinkled with brown sugar are her latest inspiration. And afterward, she feels almost ready to begin her day.

Resting comfortably now this much later morning-almost mid day--in what she can finally appreciate as her beautiful bed chamber sanctuary of pale green striped silk moire wall coverings [(2) below], and accented with pleasing decorations incorporating patterns of pale ivory, pale pink, pale green, and pale lavender purple flowers accenting the bedding, with the furniture in the Country French style.

Lady Madeline's countenance is still a little pale as well. Of course, her being nearly three months pregnant with her dearest husband Lord Christian Arthur Owen Blount the Earl of Sussex' baby is the cause of her morning sickness while carrying their first child. Yet, Lady Madeline has not, as of yet, informed her husband of their happy news. That he has not guessed is possibly due to his rank as an Earl, and that gentleman do not usually concern themselves with such things-that is, after the important bit.

And Lady Madeline wonders if her husband even remembers when his late mother was enceinte with his younger sister Lady Elizabeth? With Lady Elizabeth being nearly fifteen years his junior, Lord Christian would have been attending school at Eton during most of that time-and he likely only found out that he had a baby sister when he returned home at the end of the term, for the Summer months holiday. Naturally, such events as impending births are hardly a topic for polite conversation. Though the well bred promulgated presumption that babies come into being without some means of effecting their existence does seem rather a silly polite societal guideline.

Relaxed after her nibbling and such, Lady Madeline turns to gaze upon a modestly sized ivory colored leather covered volume with its titling embossed in gold upon it stating the name of the owner and diarist as Lady Madeline Lucretia Sinclair Blount the Countess of Sussex's Diary. The oft turned to diary [(3) below] lies on Lady Madeline's Sussex Hall Dower house temporary country home bed chamber's bedside nightstand waiting to receive its latest installment of lady Madeline's bucolic existence in the very English countryside as the recently minted Countess of Sussex.