Corneille lived during the Thirty Years' War, when Gustav II, the "lion of the north," led Switzerland into the Holy Roman Empire's civil war.
Many refugees fled Switzerland and Germany for Brittany, and quite a few of them were young men.
At the time, a wizard called "Jack" had been active in Bavaria, Trier, and the Duchy of Austria. Like Jack the Ripper, he had never been caught, so people named him Jack Kohler. Many of his followers were young male beggars.
Generally, the Church would aid them through almsgiving, but they would not accept it, nor would ordinary residents accept them.
Rouen's land had once been drenched in blood. War would undoubtedly bring disaster upon the people. Besides her own reasons for not wishing to sign that contract, there was also the fact that Napoleon Bonaparte, like those nobles and magnates, had brought war upon commoners.
The Roman legions commanded by Caesar marched beneath an eagle standard. Compared to unrealistic dreams, she felt she should be more practical.
Living frugally would not be difficult for her, but that also depended on whether the man she lived with was worth it.
"What are you thinking about?" he suddenly asked.
"I'm thinking about the Prince of Wales." She set down Corneille's investigation report and looked at him. "Did he ever try to give up the throne for Maria?"
"Why would you think that?"
Because Windsor had once given up the throne for Mrs. Simpson, even though Britain had been facing war at the time.
"If he has no throne, how will he live afterward?" Georgiana asked.
"Fitzherbert is a wealthy widow."
Georgiana suddenly understood.
"Tell me what you're thinking." As though he had discovered something interesting, he asked with an ill-intentioned smile.
Her instincts told her it would be best not