The Lady Coleen Stewart formerly known as Lord Carl Steward III.

After much thought and consideration I must respectfully request you not make any further attempts to correspond with or contact your cousin, my son, the former Lord Francis Lane-Steward III.

The aftermath of THAT incident in London of several weeks past brought shame and misfortune upon my family. My son has been greatly inconvenienced by the *incident* as has the family. We have been forced to name our youngest child Robert as the rightful heir to the title as Francis is no longer fit to...

Propriety prevents me from saying what I would wish to. Be assured I hold you and reckless inclinations entirely at fault for the calamity that has taken my eldest son from me. As a young Lord of 14 full years I would have expected better of you. I blame my son's kind and trusting nature for your ruination of his future.

My beloved wife, Lady Penelope who has raised him as her own since her sister's tragic death while he was yet a babe is heartbroken. She took to her bed in grief and the doctors feared for her health. Only the heroic efforts of her physicians and her own desire to guide her new daughter through these trying times has brought a remission of symptoms. Even now they are concerned of possible relapse of the melancholia. I can scarce contain my anger over this insult to my family.

But as to my son. As you were close I will tell you SHE has taken this unwanted misfortune with the quiet dignity and courage he exhibited as my son. Our consulting Wizards tell us the same as did yours. That she is female to her very being and can never be a man again. Perhaps she may salvage something from this disaster. Her mind remains sharp and she has been blessed with her mother's beauty but it is not the life He should have had by rights. For this I will never forgive you.

You are no longer welcome at our home or on our estate. It is only my sense of honor and the insistence of my daughter, Lady Francis-Elizabeth, that no harm come to you that I have not taken harsher measures. Do not take this as a sign of weakness in my resolve. You are dead to me.

Your late uncle

Lord Francis Lane-Steward II

Dearest Cousin,

Please excuse the informality of this note as I was forced to write it in haste and under the greatest secrecy. If you are reading this then my ladies maid Bessie has proven as clever and resourceful as I had hoped and prayed. A word of caution, never play cards with her. She is a demon at it. Do not let her innocent face fool you.

Do not let my father's bluster distress you. He is of the old school but is not immune to a woman's ways. My mother, Lady Lane-Steward, assures me that with time and patience father's will shall be broken. I look forward to the day we may meet again as friends.

My mother, for I can only think of her as my mother not my step-mother, has proven my loyal ally and may I venture, best girl friend in this matter. You know of her difficulties bearing my youngest brother. She survived due in large part to her stubborn will to live but at the loss of her ability to ever bear children again. As the mother to me and to my three younger brothers she gave birth to she is quietly overjoyed at finally having a daughter.

She tells father she is 'keeping up appearances for my sake' 'in consideration of my fragile state of mind ' or some such rubbish, pardon my use of a vulgarity. In secret she is more my loving older sister than my mother.

She amazes me with her cleverness. The melancholy that forced her to bed was but a ruse to get private time with her new daughter. The way she charmed the physicians into keeping, nay assisting in her ruse was something of legend. The things she has taught me in these few weeks fair have my head spinning. You would do well to learn all you can from the females in your family, my cousin. I hope you have found a confidant as supportive as I have in my mother.

With the good has come some bad. I know well the *miseries* of womanhood. The corset maker is the Devil's disciple, of that I am certain. Who else would claim a device worthy of the torture chambers of the Inquisition is a necessity for a 'proper lady'? The dress fitters and their pins have all but drained me of my life's blood. The abominable liberties they take in measuring me for my unmentionables. I shudder at the thought.

Speaking of blood, I have had THAT proof of womanhood. I am only just recovering from THE CURSE as mother calls it. How any woman can stand it is beyond me. I near took to using tincture of laudanum for the pain. My mother counseled me against that and prescribed rest, warm towels and a long soak in a hot bath to ease the worst of the gripes. They worked wonders. I recommend them highly.

I know not when I can next write you as I fear for my maids safety should father learn of her surreptitious visits to your home. I would meet you at some mutual friend's home but where could we trust word not to get back to my father? How yours can be so tolerant yet mine... Feel free to use my maid to reply or as an intermediary for any future communications but do so sparingly for the sake of us all.

Rest assured I hold no animosity towards you.

Your loving cousin,

Lady Francis-Elizabeth Lane-Stewart

P.S. I got to keep Francis! Sorry, Colleen.

P.P.S. Colleen is a fine name. I was nearly christened Gertrude, for a distant but wealthy great aunt of father's. Mother prevailed.

These two letters are courtesy of John they are wonderful