The Coeur Spring Fair was a wonderful event. We spent many happy hours wondering from stall to stall, chatting with friends, enjoying the Dukes wine...Thank you!

After such a pleasant afternoon we were in the mood to visit the rest of the Duchy and set off in a wonderful carriage provided for us by a kind friend.

In the spirit of the day we began a race, determined to prove the speed of our carriage...... true maybe one of our party did get a bit carried away by her competitive instincts, and I personally began to feel nervous when she pulled a pistol out of her Bodice and threatened our coach man. I suspect he may also have felt nervous, as he lost control over the carriage and drove it into the lake.

So there we were...water filling up the coach as it sank deeper into the lake. I could feel my dress shrinking on me as I tried to persuade my friends that this was not a good place to stay. Some discussion ensued as to how we should open the carriage doors without the help of servants, and exactly what I meant by the term Swim.

I somehowsucceededin kicking open the doors, but lost my hat in doing so, and managed to drag the other ladies out of the carriage, persuading them to climb on top of the carriage, while I made for the shore to get help.

With my dress soaked and ruined I managed to call for help, and champagne was immediately sent. Practical help took somewhat longer to materialise but did in the form of a handsome stranger who came to our rescue.

He bravely stripped of his shirt, and I quite forgot about my ruined dress, as he jumped in a handy nearby Gondola, and sailed it to the sunken Carriage.

With the Ladies carefully seated, sipping their champagne in an attempt to overcome the stress of the circumstances, our hero gently rowed them to safety.