Conversations at the Coachhouse

Posted on Tue Jul 16th, 2024 @ 4:09pm by Lord Louis Battersly Earl of Marnemouth & Lord Fredrick Battersly
Edited on on Tue Jul 16th, 2024 @ 4:12pm

1,068 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Death of a Monarch
Location: Coachhouse, Thrushstone Park
Timeline: 23 January 1901, 0900 Hours

Fred was fairly quiet as they both walked on to where the horses and coaches were housed. Something else was bothering him too, in addition to the imminent ‘word’ Louis was clearly planning to have with him.

“Do you really think Mama is a little better?” he asked. He might have been away for a long time but he knew his mother and the parent he had come back to was not as she had been when he had left last. He wondered how bad her illness really was.

Louis walked alongside his younger brother, matching his stride and silence. He contemplated saying something now…but the timing felt off. He told himself that saying something now, on the heels of his father’s remarks, would not be well received by the younger Battersly. But then he was spared the conversation as Fred asked about their mother.

“I don’t know…Father has kept much of Mother’s condition from us - me included,” Louis confided. His father had informed Louis that his mother was facing a serious illness, but the scope of it had been kept from his knowledge for the most part.

Louis looked out over the grounds as servants went about their duties. It seemed his idea for a ride was off after all…

“I’ll be honest, Fred…I don’t like not knowing. Not because it means Father’s controlling something else…but because it’s a thorn in my flesh that I can’t dig out, you see?”

“Yeah,” Freddie said, patting his brother's shoulder, “I'm worried too. But to be fair he never tells me much of anything, so if you're not in the know it's serious. Perhaps this trip to the capital is not a good idea for Mama,” he mused.

Louis nodded as he listened to the intelligence in his brother’s voice. Maybe he had done some growing up since leaving for London. Louis made a note to remember that Fred wasn’t a child anymore.

“I dare say it is a fairly bad idea, Fred. I think it could be disastrous…I feel that’s why Bab…I mean, Grandmother has become involved,” Louis reasoned. He looked out across the grounds and felt struck by the sorrow of the moments.

"You can call her babushka. You don't have to act on formality when its just us," Fred said. "I agree I think she's just as concerned."

Fred rarely spoke any Russian phrases. Not because he didn't want too but because he had struggled as a kid and Grandmama just came easier to say. Then he had fallen into that pattern. His brother had always taken to languages easier Fred acknowledged. He was happy for him. Another useful trait for the heir to have.

"Oh a new stable hand," he said invertedly changing the subject as a man walked up to them. "My lord, Master Fredrick. What can we do for you?"

Louis smiled at his brother’s insight. Why do I feel I have to be formal with Fred…he’s my brother, after all, he chided himself mentally.

Plus, Baba Katya had encouraged him and the other children to use her mother tongue freely when in her presence. Louis suspected it was her way of preserving her heritage without being rebellious.

“Good morning. We’ll need the family coach brought around to the front of the house,” Louis said, noting that, as Fred pointed out, this lad was new to the household.

As the hand trotted off to see to the orders, Louis turned to Fred in all earnestness.

“Fred…I’m not one to go meddling in someone’s affairs. Mother’s condition, judging by everyone’s actions, is, I suspect, far worse than they’ve let on. But we need to show Father as much support as we are able to. It’s not like him to snap at your heels like he did…a sign of the stress and worry about Mother, I suppose,” Louis explained.

Fred nodded. "Indeed lets put it down to that. I just," he cleared his throat, "Wasn't expecting it. I mean I've only just returned. Hes not seen me in forever. I thought everyone would be happy to have me back. I missed all of you. But instead, he's stressed and Mothers barely been down at all. But you are right. Mothers illness is clearly serious and he'd dealing with things best he can."

He decided to tackle the lecture too. Might as well while they had a rare "brother to brother" talk. It was probably best to get it out of the road rather than have it ruin a perfectly good not to mention long train ride they were about to embark on.

"And yes I drink more than I used too, probably too much than I should. That said I recognise now is not the appropriate time so I will tone it down out of respect for everyone and the mourning period," he nodded at his eldest brother.

Louis smiled warmly at his brother’s display of insight and maturity. That was exactly what Louis was going to ask of him…but his younger brother was certainly full of surprises.

“Ah…chalk it up to youthful indiscretion, Fred,” Louis said when his brother mentioned the drinking.

“Whether he’s capable of showing it or not at this moment, Father has missed you while you were away,” Louis offered after a moment. “We all have, for that matter.”

Louis turned and looked to the stables, a twinge of pain creasing his otherwise handsome features. He winced and reached up to his left shoulder, gently massaging the now-healed wound.

"I thought you were well again?" Fred asked noticing his rubbing where he had been injured. Did he had a further family member to worry about?

Louis sighed deeply as the moment of pain passed. He looked up and saw the expression on his brother’s face.

“It has it’s moments,” he started to reply to Fred’s concerned comment. However, he held any further explanation as the coaches began rolling up to them, ready to carry the family to the train station.

"You can tell me about it on the train," Fred said simply.

Louis smiled warmly and nodded to his brother. The pair climbed aboard the coaches and rode to the front of Thrushstone in silence.

 

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