The night was closing in, enveloping the grounds in shadows as she had a final glance through the window to the fountain. "Mlle?" The servants voice stirred her from deep thoughts of sorrow. "MMM?" she replied, reclining her head to the side to look on him "ah yes Claude, that will be all, have the valet prepare the carraige for the morning and do feel free to take the rest of the evening off" she replied, watching him bow and leave the room, eyes wandering down his back as she remebered the amusing evenings here in her fathers estate with her servants, drinking and gamling amoungst other things that is frowned upon by society. But alas, Versailles had changed too much in recent weeks, and so had her family dynamics. Trailing her fingers along the dust sheets that now covered most of the furniture in the house, she made her way to her small desk, and sitting, began to write to her dear brother.

"My dearest Louis, I am setting forth for Melioria this morn to be with you in our grief, and should arrive sometime at weeks end. I have closed down my small tailors stall in Versailles and have instructed him to set forth immediatly for Melioria to prepare for my stay. I look forward to being in your company once again, like in childhood, all but for our dear sister Isabelle. The house is prepared for departure in view of a long stay away, and the servants given the choice to join us. I hope the messenger greets you hastily and finds you well, all my love, Amelie X "

Sighing she settled the quill back in the ink well and sealed the envelope with the Tancarville stamp, perching it on the desk for Claude to collect, and having one last glance around the room where she was raised smiling sadly, as she closed the door with a soft "Goodbye"

Most treasured brother Louis,

It was most joyful to spent the summer with you in Melioria, and i am almost regretful that i had to leave early for my hunting holiday with the Marquis.

I arrived back in court yesterday, rather reluctantly leaving the Marquis estate, and already have resumed the motions of stiff etiquette in public apperances. I must say, it was a joy to spend time with you in your frequented taverns and casinos, i felt for the first time in a long time, carefree and relaxed and i see now why you enjoy Melioria so much even at the expense of leaving your wife here in Versailles. You don't seem however to be lonley of female attention, but i shall not judge, for in my eyes you can do no wrong.

I do hope however, that you will return soon, for i fear, although i love her dearly as a sister, your wife is intent on my sentance to a convent. I fear she does over-react, for the time spent with her brother the comte was innocent, as for that servant, well you know how i love the sport of "heart trifling"- i learned from the best afterall. I do however find myself at a loss of apetite for the sport with Francois, he has had a certain effect on me, and i fear the tables have been cruely turned upon me as i fall deeper in affections for him.

Last night i spent the lonley hours tossing and turning until finally i found myself in the servant quarters, insisting upon a gamble. I have to say, i found their reactions quite amusing, as they scurried around upon my entrance trying to make themselfs useful. They were quite suprised when i sat casually at their table, producing a bottle of wine and the card set you gifted me. The night however was a joy, to let my mask slip, and i am more hopeful now at the prospect of my return to Chateux Lavadieu that i will not be fumbling around fathers estate alone.

I pray it will not be too long before you visit with dear Angelique- you must rember to keep your wife happy dear, perhaps a diamond would cheer her?

Regretfully i must leave now for Le petite Croissant - i have relocated my tailor, and i fear that if I dont keep check on him, he will delve too much into the bottle and creativity shall ceise. Afterall, one must never appear too casual, in public, we do have the Tancarville name to uphold.

Your dearest Amelie. x

You can take the girl outa sl but you can't take the sl out the girl! Especially when it comes to building

My 2 hour lego house ^^ totally architectrually sound by using staggered brickwork- all bricks are connected to each other not just staked up so you can poke a wobbly wall in with your finger!, colour co-ordinated with castle detailing around the doors and windows, and with an inbuilt fireplace and fire sourround! Phew! If anyones that intrested, or if i'm bored i just may recreate it in sl! hehe.

Anyway thats my silly blog. I have the building bug =p

So today, i found a magnificent baroque/french style hideaway, right on my front door step- so to speak- in the most unlikely places (i would have thought) of South Lanarkshire, greater Glasgow, Scotland.

My boyfriend had been nagging me for months to go for a walk in the country park and we finally went today. Well, boy am i glad i agreed! Driving up the drive i saw the sign "Chtellerault" said "oh thats french!" and was then faced with the imposing and beautiful manour house dating from 1773.

Heres some pics i took (from a crappy iphone, next visit will be with some serious photography equip to do it justice (and some awesome textures for sl!)

Brief History: (by wikipedia)

Chatelherault Country Park is a country park in Hamilton, south lanarkshire, Scotland. Its name is derived from the French town of Chtellerault , the title Duc de Chtellerault being held by the Duke of Hamilton.The country park is centred on the former hunting lodge of the now demolished Hamilton Palace. The lodge was designed by William Adam who favoured baroque and pavilion architecture, and was completed in 1734. It comprises two pavilions linked by a gateway. The north facade was visible from the palace and forms the front of the building. To the rear are formal parterre gardens. The buildings provided kennels, stables and accommodation for hunting parties returning from the woodlands to the south. Adam jokingly referred to his creation as 'The Dogg Kennel'. An avenue of lime trees linked the lodge and the palace, formerly located in Hamilton.

So who lived in a house like this?

James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran (15151575) (also Duke of Chtellerault in the French nobility from 1548 until 1559).

Arran joined the pro-French faction, consenting to the marriage of the Queen to the French Dauphin, later Francis II of France .This led to the seven-year war with England now called the rough wooling which was declared on 20 December 1543. In 1548 the Queen of Scots went to live in the French court. For his work on negotiating her marriage, Hamilton was created Duke of Chtellerault , and made a knight of the order of St Micheal.

In 1554, Arran surrendered the regency to Mary of Guise, Queen Mary's mother. Hamilton gave up the Regency on the condition that he would be next in line after the Queen, if she died childless. But the Scottish succession had been secretly promised to France. In the first months of the Scottish Reformation, Hamilton continued to support Mary of Guise. He changed allegiance again in August 1559, joining the Protestant Lords of congregation to oppose the regency of Mary of Guise, and lost his French dukedom as a result. After the death of Guise, Hamilton persuaded the Parliament of Scotland to back a plan to marry his son James to Elizabeth 1 of England ^, and then after the death of Francis II of France in 1560 he attempted, without success, to arrange for James to marry the young widowed Queen Mary.

After Mary married Lord Danley in 1565 he withdrew to his estates in France. In 1569, he returned to Scotland and was imprisoned until, in 1573, he agreed to recognize Mary's infant James as King of Scotland.

So, all in all a great find today, i hope to re-create this estate in SL soon!