He struggled for composure and added, “Because of the ring, the group was also sometimes called the Ordre du Camaïeu, the Order of the Cameo.”
At this point Phoebe started laughing, too.
“It came with a special ceremonial outfit. The historical description is given as an azure velvet coat, lined with crimson satin, ornamented with a cope, which I believe is a cape with a hood, and a mantle, which I think is a cape without a hood, both crimson.
“Under the coat, the knights wore a long violet garment. No further description is available concerning this violet garment, so I must leave that to your imagination.”
“Hmmmm,” Phoebe said. “A purple dress covered with a red hoodie, a red cape, and a blue velvet coat, and a couple of pieces of statement jewelry … and this was for men?”
“It’s France!” he said, throwing his hands in the air. “What can I say? These are my ancestors.”
They were both giggling uncontrollably by this time.
“I’m sure it was a great honor and very stylish in its day,” Phoebe conceded.
They stared at the dancing flames in companionable silence, then Nick said, “Did you know that a single porcupine has an estimated 30,000 quills? They can’t actually shoot them out at their enemies like people used to think. That’s what the near and far motto refers to. No, porcupines jump on you and skewer you.
“The devils fling themselves on you and stab you with their own … selves,” he said. “I guess when you’re packing 30,000 rounds of ammo, it’s no big deal to lose a few hundred on any one opponent. Apparently they’ll grow back.”
“You seem to know an awful lot about porcupines,” Phoebe said, trying to keep a straight face.
“I spent a lot of Christmas holidays here with not much to do. This was the most comfortable room in the house and as you can see there’s a big honking porcupine right there on the mantle, staring you in the face if you’re trying to stay warm.” He sighed, “I was just a little boy, so it was hard to think of anything else really.”
He glanced over at her and they both started laughing again.
* * *
Nick invited her to stay for the Christmas holidays and Phoebe accepted his offer.
“Want some dinner?” he asked.
“Sure,” she said.
“Can you cook?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Can you?”
“Not very well.”
“Any delis nearby?” she asked. “Chinese takeout? Pizza?”
“You’re in France, Phoebe. Even in a little town like this you go to the boulangerie for bread, the patisserie for deserts, the crêmerie for milk, and épicerie for other types of groceries. Since you are vegetarian, we can skip the rest of the places.”
“Well I want tarts and milk. Lots and lots of tarts of all types and plenty of milk, the kind with the cream still in it.”
“Then we’d better make a run into town now before the snow gets too deep,” he said, standing and stretching.
Phoebe followed Nick to the mudroom to retrieve their coats and then out of the château and into the courtyard. She looked around at the heartbreakingly beautiful setting and thought, This is going to be the best Christmas ever.
Dedication
Information about the restoration of Château de Menars, including a touching reluctance to decorate Madame Pompadour’s private rooms, are from a New York Times article about the fascinating owner, Edmond Baysari. All incidents depicted in this book, however, are from my imagination.
Queen Eleanor’s tomb was moved recently in the latest remodeling of Fontevraud Abbey. She’s now beside the husband who imprisoned her and her son Richard is at Henry’s feet. But she’s still reading in bed.
Merci beaucoup to the Government of France for allowing me to make a private tour of the Pavilion Français at Versailles.
The description of Nick’s château is actually of Château Saint-Germain-de-Livet in Liseux, Calvados, Basse Normandie. This tiny place is my favorite château in France.
The fireplace with the Order of the Porcupine is in Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire. Château de Blois bears the prickly royal insignia, too.
Château d’Esclimont is a splendid five-star hotel. It’s the best place I’ve ever stayed in my life. The room service was awe-inspiring and was as described in this novel. I’ve kept a photos of the château on my nightstand ever since.
Thank you to Jennie Shortridge and Matt Gani for the gift of a writing retreat to finish this book in their fabulous house on Queen Anne Hill in Seattle.
Thank you to Margaret Moore and Kim Franklin for a beta read.
Research Resources
The inspiration for the character of J.J. is Jacques Lusseyran. I can’t recommend highly enough Lusseyran’s amazing and deeply moving memoir, And There was Light. Lusseyran became a hero during WWII for acting as a human Rolodex for the names and contact information of the French Resistance. Although his eyes were removed after an accident when he was a child, he had an ability to see that was astonishing. I wrote to a gentleman who knew Lusseyran personally, was a student of his at the University of Hawaii, and was told that when he was introduced to Lusseyran, he felt more seen by the blind man than by any other person in his life.
The description of an esoteric intervention during an attack comes from Anna Samweber’s memoir, Memories of Rudolf Steiner. Ms. Samweber was asked by her employer, Dr. Rudolf Steiner, to take a watch to be repaired. On her way to the repair shop, robbers attacked her. Dr. Steiner had promised Ms. Samweber that would always be available to help her if she should ever need him. She remembered this and cried out for his assistance. Even though he was far away, the attackers went flying backwards and crashed against a wall, enabling her to escape unharmed.
There are two triangular esoteric books in the Manly Palmer Hall Collection at Getty Research Library in Alchemical Texts and at least one in the Vatican. There are others as well, in England and France.
The individuality known as Christian Rosenkreutz [or Rosey Cross, Rosenkreuz, Rosencreuts, etc.] and the relationship between the Count Saint Germain and CR, is clouded in myth, legend, and intentional disinformation. Descriptions of the CR individuality are in The Secret Stream: Christian Rosenkreutz and Rosicrucianism http://www.amazon.com/The-Secret-Stream-Rosenkreutz-Rosicrucianism/dp/0880104759 In addition, there are many books about CR at Amazon.com and ten good ones at http://www.SteinerBooks.com
Several paintings by Rembrandt are thought to depict CR, for example, The Polish Rider, Man in Armor with Helmet and Spear, and Portrait of a Man with Glove.
About the Author
Carolyn is a former U.S. Senate Counsel to the Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on Governmental Affairs. She has degrees from the University of Tennessee in Biomedical Engineering and Law. Carolyn lives on the family farm in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee, with many stray animals.
Carolyn Jourdan - Nurse Phoebe 03 - The School for Psychics Page 18