Wednesday, 05 December—Upon My Curiosity

I returned to Penworth again as I came from Astley after my second or third stay; if I could remember that Astley is not just occupied by one ghost but two ghosts of Ms Margaret Lennox and Gilbert's grandfather Sir Edward. I never noticed Sir Edward's ghost roaming around Astley till I saw him with Gilbert early in that morning, speaking with him in the drawing room. Upon my curiosity, if I could return to Astley, I must take my ancestor's journal about ghosts and other peculiarities that I had not observed yet heard of. For my dearest beloved Gilbert, I shall come back soon.

Thursday, 14 December—A Visit from The Marquess and Marchioness de Guerre

I first recalled the Marquess and Marchioness staying in Penworth as a young lad, peeking at the drawing room before my dreadful Grandfather punished me for disrupting them that led me to sob after he left. I am glad he is gone; but that old stern baron still roams around Penworth as I felt guilt surrounding my past with the Marquis and his dear wife. Unwanted thoughts took over till a young footman announced their arrival, 'The Marquess and Marchioness de Guerre arrived, my lord.' As he had spoken, I moved to the drawing room upon their gaily presence that relieved me from guilt. 'Oh, 'twas a pleasure to see you, Lord Mousehole, but alas, You'st be grown my dear.' The Marquise greeted me with joy.

'A prodigy? Alas, my daughter awed you, such thing!'

I was flattered upon the portrait of Ganymede displayed in Woodside. The Marquis and his wife are patrons of Gilbert O'Vile and Sir Lawrence Campbell. Mother wasn't vexed with this conversation as they mentioned their daughter deared portrait commissioned by Gilbert.

'But sorry young lord, it seems one of our daughters is planning to betroth a commoner grandson of a mar—' The Marquis apologised for such misunderstanding as he announced a courtship with Benjamin and Lady Désirée.

'Keep it private, my dear!' The Marchioness interrupted her dear husband, as she whispered in French, their mother tongue.

'But I saw them exchanging locks as we did in Versailles!' The Marquess exclaimed. He was such a romantic gentleman upon serving for the late King of France. Mother continued their conversation as I left the drawing room. My sweet blue Bowie approached me to the library. I missed Penworth as I merely missed my dearest pusses.

Tuesday, 19 December—Moving to Bath

It took us a day to arrive in Bath before winter started as The Marquise invited us to her annual ball to Woodside. Mother and Uncle Charles rejected the offer to the ball as they were just busy to be present on a ball; so I decided to represent my own family in the cotillion ball since 'twas my second time to be invited. I must prepare with a stagecoach before I could stay in Woodside as their fellow guest, a young bonafide viscount who is a fellow friend of the Marquis and his wife.

Saturday, 23 December—Stay in Woodside House

'Tis my first stay in Woodside since I have never been hither till now. 'Twasn't much large as Penworth, yet not small as Astley; yet the house was built more recently before the arrival of the French exiled nobles. It has several bedrooms as 'twas a large family since the Marquis has seven children, whom they all went away from Woodside after marriage, except for their two youngest daughters, including Lady Désirée, whom I had been looking for about the situation between her and my dearest friend Benjamin. Before I saw Lady Désirée, I could see a sight of a portrait painting of Ganymede, displayed in the library, as I could see Lady Désirée with a turban, searching for novels she could find as she picked The Italian, a Gothic novel written by Mrs Ann Radcliffe, rumoured to disappeared for more than a decade. She did not acknowledge me as a bonafide friend of her parents as she thought I was just a wealthy commoner scholar who passed by; for which I cannot bear her mere ignorance as I tried to introduce myself as Viscount Mousehole, a bonafide one, as my father went away for war against Napoleon. She ignored me again as I impatiently gave her a stern face till she finally replied as she had not stared at me, 'Your name seems familiar. You must be the viscount that Elinor talked about—her friend.'

Lady Désirée smirked as she started to stare at me as I was taking away my spectacles as she blushed, 'You look more familiar than I could expect! Aren't you the sitter of this painting?' her stare flared to the portrait as I placed my own golden spectacles to my face. 'Yea, Mr Gilbert O'Vile commissioned it by last September for his natal day. He wanted me to be the sitter for this painting; so I have a question, my Lady Désirée, do you adore this painting?'

'I quite adore that, my Lord Mousehole. You look dashing—quite handsome in person and in the portrait. It seems Sir Lawrence adores you as his muse.'

I was confused by her compliment as I mistakenly thought that I was Sir Lawrence's lover which in fact, I am not, for good reasons; yet it just turned out that she just complimented my beauty in this portrait painting and I knew Sir Lawrence long before as a young lad for a portrait with Mother and little mischievous Alexander; the portrait was named Hon. Mary Perkins and sons: Nicholas and Alexander as 'twas displayed in the grand hall of Penworth.

Tuesday, 26 December—Passed in Yesterday's Annual Winter Ball

Mother and Uncle Charles rejected the invitation to a cotillion ball hosted by the Marquis de Guerre. I was fortunate for the Marquis and Marquise as they hosted the annual winter ball as the winter began. I was vexed upon seeing Elinor and her uncle entering the ball as I tried to avoid them before she caught a sight of me; so I remained hidden till I asked Ms Jane Campbell for the dance. Miss Jane Campbell claimed to be a fellow bonafide friend of Lady Désirée de Guerre. She was such a silly lass as I denied for a second dance which would confirm a courtship with someone I barely knew. It seemed Elinor was gossiping about me and Jane as Elinor bragged to Daniel about Jane during their childhood. I did not dance with Jane again since I ne'er intended to betroth her; yet Daniel and Elinor danced twice—it means they might be betrothed. I passed the drawing room as I headed to the dining room. A mysterious lass, whose name I forgot as I remembered her as a lady, followed me as I kept asking for syllabubs and wine for dessert till I passed. I did not remember how it happened till Gilbert told me several people witnessed this situation, especially the Marquis and his wife. Daniel and Elinor handed me a carriage as we returned to Ufton earlier, leaving Gilbert in the ball till dawn. I woke up with a familiar night gown, worn by Peggy. I never expected such thing till I saw Gilbert, sleeping next to me. I merely panicked till Gilbert told me to stop by shutting me with his hand—silencing me as he warned me that Elinor would notice me hither if I kept panicking. I dashed from the bed as I started to dress as a gentleman, taking off Peggy's shifts as I started to put a white shirt and stockings before I lifted my breeches; and I wore my boots for a cold winter day. I added my waistcoat before I buttoned my typical blue coat and placed my spectacles to my face.

I regained one of my memories regarding the ball; and the mysterious lass I encountered was Lady Désirée. She went to Ufton, alone without a chaperone in a riding habit, welcoming her close friend Elinor if everything seemed right about me. Her tone was stern, cold and frigid as snow, as she wanted me to return to Woodside before I could return to Bath with my stagecoach, waiting for me. I finished early breakfast before we headed to Woodside as I put my own longer coat, to protect myself over the frigid day as it took hours to arrive hither in Woodside.

Wednesday, 27 December—A Day after the Situation

Lady Désirée decided to stay in Woodside for the rest of the winter with her younger sister as her parents and I headed to Bath. The stagecoach stopped at Ufton as Elinor and her uncle Gilbert joined into the closed coach. The coach dashed to Bath as I was reunited with Mother and Uncle Charles. I shall thank Mr Matthews for his good patience and his good choice of swift, dashing cattle that never tire till our arrival in Bath.