English Pairings

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I have been on an extended stay in England-I may have to relocate there in the future-it's all so civilized, and even with the civil unrest over the summer-I saw none of it.
Things did get a little hot-both of the places stayed were rife with affairs-Yes, adultery.
It's there too-yet somehow it is so civilized.

In one case I breathed a huge sigh of relief -the couple was able to patch thing up and are more in love than ever-in fact I think it really strengthened the marriage-and there were children involved, and a butler, and a National Trust property at stake.

The other-as I expected-was bound to end tragically. The husband was a psychiatrist and when the affair ended with his wife's old school chum he put and end to it all.
So heartbreaking-but it had to end badly- Noel Coward was the husband-enough said.

Both affairs I will say were done with the utmost elegance-Interiors superb. Costumes superb. I could live happily ever after in either set up.

Victor Rhyall- the Earl was adorable-I just couldn't figure out what Hilary saw in Robert Mitchum Charles Delacro-sure he was rich- an oil man, but money isn't everything-and I could only imagine his house looked nothing like Victor's (that's what he prefers to be called by his friends).


The Public Rooms -

No, I did not get to sleep in the State Room.

The Private Rooms-

I loved this room -it was my favorite of them all.

Lady Rhyall even had a start up in growing and selling mushrooms -fully supported by darling Victor. She was rather frazzled through the entire thing- most embarrassing -an outing where she wore two different shoes. Victor just smiled lovingly at all of her little oddities saying If you can't be Chic- Be odd.

He was  very cool headed throughout the whole sorted thing and there were more than a few distractions. It seems Hilary's old friend Hattie was in love with Victor at some point and when she came down while Hil was in town I was worried Victor might be weak. But No- he resisted Hattie's allure.

Her clothes by Dior, No less.

but-really not all that suited to the life of a Lady-I much preferred Hil's Hardy Amies wardrobe.

Anyway- there's more-Much More----
A Duel. A Wild Mink Coat. Noel Coward-again. Hardy Amies and Christian Dior. Enough clever repartee-and then there's Cary Grant- the Earl.

There can be no doubt Chris and Barbara Faber had a good marriage- perfect one would think-but appearances are deceptive.
It wasn't perfect and Lenora saw it  right away.

Though Lenora's wardrobe-all Molyneux- was enviable, I could never feel for her or wish for any of the things she had gained in her lucrative divorce.
Sympathy-No, not for Lenora.

of course- the frustration with Chris- the famous psychiatrist Dr. Faber-so precise in his own advice to his patients- of course he could take none of his own.
Barbara's expectation that Chris would come back if she gave him enough space was badly done.
Sadly his return was due to Lenora's rejection rather than his "coming to his senses."
He never did get as he referred to it "acclimatized" to his return to his work and life- but in his best Noel Coward imitation he tells her-

The fact that my life has been wrecked on your loveliness isn't your fault.

I don't think she will forget that- for a long time -Nor the outcome of the movie affair.

The Moral of the Story- Well who am I- A Single Woman- to give advice to happily married couples-
but Beware of old girlfriends wearing Couture.





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