Play@YSDC

Story raised her own eyebrow, nodding ever so slightly as well.

“Is this some eyebrow waggling competition I don’t know about?” Elizabeth asks her friends. She tries to watch Diego without him noticing.

“Just communicating in Delphonese,” chuckles Brook.

She leans forward and whispers, “so your admirer doesn’t overhear us…”

“Oh lord. Is it that obvious?” Elizabeth fans herself. “I must say, it’s getting rather warm in here. I wish I could get some fresh air.”

Jacques:

Jacques happily but politely devours bread, soup, and roast pork, with the air of a man constantly surprised that food can taste good.

“He’s not bad looking,” Brook grins.

She stops at urging Elizabeth to ‘go for it’, remembering just in time that she hails from the 1950’s and is more prim and proper than noughtie’s girls.

“If you’re into him, see if he makes the next move.”

Jacques:

Jacques holds a glass of the Duc's red to his nose and inhales deeply and happily. But he drinks with practised slowness, as it would be unbecoming to fall under the grape's influence and make an idiot of himself.

Jacques:

Jacques looks over to Bianca with a friendly expression. "Mme Bianca, I hope you have been having a pleasant morning?"

“He’s probably just interested in my duchy back in Narnia.” Elizabeth whispers back. “If he knew I was actually just a school teacher from Edinburgh...”
She takes a big gulp of wine to hide her nervousness.
“Do you think he is here with that evil-looking priest?”

“I haven’t met that guy yet,” replies Brook, sneaking a look to see just how evil the priest looks.

Bianca turned to look back at Jacques, smiling at him and holding her fan so that only he could see. "Thank you, Chevalier, I am much refreshed," she said. "I have had a pleasant enough morning. And yourself?"

When Brook looked at the priest, he looked back at her with his piercing gaze, and it did give her the willies. It was as though he was searching her soul for every secret sin.

The priest definitely gave off an evil vibe. Diego made it a point not to look at him, and it was clear that Diego was terrified of him for some reason.

Jacques:

With open-faced honesty, Jacques smiles ruefully and admits, "Well, I did get into an argument with the chap who vouched for my alleged thief. Probably not my finest hour."

"Fortunately, I had to take my grumpy war horse for a morning ride, before he took it into his head to eat a stable boy. The Duc has most fine splendid grounds and they cheered me no end."

"So now you find me happy as ever. But I trust our fellow guests have been keeping you amused?"

Gui watched Jacques engaged in conversation with Bianca with some disquiet. Concentrating, he tried to listen in the their conversation…

Jacques and Bianca were speaking loudly enough for Gui to overhear without difficulty, but there was no way he could see through her fan to observe her facial expressions.

"Ah, yes," said Bianca. "You meet the most fascinating people at these events - yourself included. I'd love to hear more about your horse. He sounds ferocious."

“I’m getting serious Spanish Inquisition vibes from that guy,” whispers Brook, shuddering. “No wonder Diego looks nervous.”

Jacques:

Jacques gives a snort of laughter. "Buttons? The horse is a grumpy bully, but fiercely brave on the field of battle, and always courteous with beautiful ladies. Or at least I hope so."

"You are most welcome to meet him anytime, although I am sure Venice has horses at least as fierce. Let me bribe him into pleasantness first with some fruit though."

He lowers his voice to a more private level. "One person I have not met yet is that Don Diego gentleman at the other end of the table. Do you know of him, Mme Bianca?"

"I have heard of him," replied Bianca. "Don Diego Vega de Almeida de la Cruz is a half-Spanish, half-Portuguese noble. I don't know much else about him. I would like to get to know him better, but he currently has his eyes set on another." She glanced at Elizabeth over the top of her fan. "Buttons is a chivalrous horse, from what little I've seen of him when I went to the stable. My own horse, Luciana, gets along well with him. She is as strong as she is beautiful. I think they would make a lovely couple. Just imagine what magnificent foals they could have!"

Bianca's Know roll about Diego:
d%

“Senor Diego does look unsettled.” Elizabeth agrees with Brooke. “Maybe I can ask him about it after lunch. If I was to choose a likely candidate for chaos and disaster, it would be that creepy priest.”

Gui could only watch the shy glances and furtive whispering. Frustratingly, none of it was aimed in his direction. He glanced at Jacques and Bianca who were now talking about breeding horses, of all things! What a dullard! He was surprised that he hadn’t put Bianca to sleep…