Queen of Air and Darkness (III)
The Ferronnière headdress spread across Europe through gifts from monarchs and women's dowries.
Northern France was populated mainly by Germanic peoples, while the south was influenced by Roman and Italian culture.
After draining the Champagne in her hand, Georgiana took another glass from a passing waiter's tray. The fruity wine made her feel much better, though she had to be careful. Even Champagne could get one drunk.
After the opening dance, the young people began dancing in pairs on the floor. Alice, who managed Georgiana's jewelry, was dancing with Henry Petty.
Naturally, a ball hosted by merchants would have "foreign friends." Though Henry Petty was the heir to a marquis, he was still only a lord, so it was hardly strange for him to appear at a "commoner's" ball like this.
On the surface, it truly looked like an age of peace and prosperity.
She took another sip.
No matter how terrible a peace might be, peace benefited women. Yet this peace would not last. That did not depend on the will of women, nor on the will of any individual man.
If sea trade ceased to be profitable, then there would be no point in France maintaining peace with Britain.
Perhaps men did not enjoy cooking, but once they chose to make a profession of being chefs, they were more focused than women. Most top French chefs were men as well.
Needlework was women's work, but once men chose tailoring as a profession, most master tailors were men too.
In any case, their wholehearted attitude toward doing something was completely different from being half-hearted. Who said men were always careless? When they were serious, they could be very meticulous. The drawings Leque had shown her earlier had been exquisitely detailed.
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