Lady Esmerelda Highgate, Duchess of Kent
Name Given at Birth: Esmerelda Elena Marcona
Nicknames: Mitri
Hometown or where you were born: San Sebastian, Spain. My mother had traveled to Spain to procure spices & I surprised her by being born early. I was a tiny thing, but my mother bound me to her breast & I thrived in her milk and her love.
Current Residence: Highgate Manor, near Maidstone, Kent, England.
Age: Older than the hills & younger than springtime.
Class: A gypsy by birth, but married into nobility & am now regarded as such by most people, though the gypsies still claim me & I do love being with them.
What do you do, your main function in life/society: I am a loving wife & devoted mother & do love to entertain, welcoming many guests to our home. On my husband’s estate I oversee the servants & see to the welfare of those who live in the region. As matriarch of the gypsy clan & gifted with second sight, I am often consulted by members of my family & others who respect my powers.
Have you ever gone skinny-dipping / do you know how to swim: What gypsy hasn’t?
Do you make fun of people: No, I make fun with them.
Favorite Color: Having been named "Esmerelda" by my mother, emerald green has always been my favorite color, though a brilliant jewel of any color can turn my head.
Have you ever committed or been convicted of a crime: Not by gypsy standards.
Closest friends/How did you meet:
My husband, Sir William is kind, generous, tender, witty & my dear companion. In this class society, my husband does not hold himself above me or belittle me as a gypsy, but daily demonstrates that he loves me & enfolds my family as his own. We met at a gypsy revel when my son, Martin, brought him in disguise. It caused quite a scandal when the Duke married a gypsy, but William presented me as if I were the most precious gem in the world. He often calls me "his little emerald" & claims he "found a jewel among the gypsies."
Her Grace, Princess Margaret, eldest sister of King Henry VIII, whom I met only relatively recently since her return from Scotland, has become a dear friend. Though from very different backgrounds, we both experienced the death of a first husband, with a subsequent remarriage (though she has been much less fortunate than I in that respect). She was, of course, a family friend of my husband, & loved to visit Highgate Manor as often as possible in her childhood. In fact, her father, Henry VII, delegated Sir William as the Lord Steward supervising those responsible for Margaret’s education & the operation of her household until her first marriage. It was my husband who did introduce us, knowing we would certainly become friends.
Leonora, my eldest daughter is music, beauty and brilliance in my life. I love her dearly. We are in many ways (but not all) alike. She is a delightful companion, & my world is richer for the time we are able to spend together. It is beyond time that she should be married. She would make someone a wonderful wife & her children would be brilliant. Her brother may yet make a successful match for her. On the other hand, with no mate, Leonora has more freedom & more time to indulge a& support me & to pursue her creative endeavors. (I do prefer her artistic activities to some of the more risky pursuits her brother drags her into.) She is not always as she appears to others, but I believe I do know her well & am so proud to claim her.
My firstborn, Martin, or "the Maestro" as others know him is at one & the same time constant delight & constant worry. He is never out of my thoughts & prayers for the many challenges he undertakes & the roles he plays. I am concerned for his health, & on occasion, his very life because of the risks he takes. It seems he is always just one step ahead of some impending danger; yet, he is clever & always (so far) finds a way to avert disaster. I should not be surprised at this, for it has been his nature since the day he was born. A challenge from the beginning, he managed to turn every escapade, even the naughty ones, into something I could not help laughing about, & escaped much of the punishment he should have had. So many stories I could tell. I am so pleased we have remained close & that he trusts me as a confidante. Our shared gift of second sight binds us in a relationship far beyond that of the usual mother & son. I see his hand in all the world that surrounds me. He is will always be my dear, beloved child.
The Lord Mayor’s wife & I share an unusual friendship. Though she truly does not like gypsies, she has always comported herself with dignity & appropriate deference when in my presence. At home she may have shared her true feelings, but except for one time, I was spared those thoughts. Initially, it was respect for the position of Duchess of Kent, & not me personally that caused her to refrain from caustic comments which certainly could have been my due. Early in our acquaintance, she would gently and with good humor tame my flamboyant gypsy tastes & guide me to behaviors & dress more befitting a woman of my station. More than once she has prevented me from appearing the fool & becoming a laughing stock in Canterbury. Now she & I engage in the gossip of the village, share confidences & enjoy a mutual respect of one another. A gracious hostess, William & I are most blessed when we are in her home. She is one of the reasons I am always happy when we have cause to travel to Canterbury.
Lady Jane Parker was but a child when we first met. I found her picking flowers in the woods near her estate & close to our vardo. I taught her to make a daisy chain for her hair. It has been a delight to watch her grow. It pleases me well that she is now in the queen’s service as one of her chosen ladies. Though I do not have opportunity to see her often, I look forward to her being at the harvest festival. Perhaps we shall have a moment to walk in the gardens. She may even prove useful to me.
One Pillow or two: Two lovely goose down pillows, the gift of my husband’s dear mother plus a tiny pillow filled with herbs to assure pleasant dreams.
Pets: Though I would never claim to own them, the small woodland animals seem very comfortable in my presence and I do enjoy their antics.
Favorite Type of Music: I could listen to Leonora’s harp & voice forever. It does soothe me. In contrast, I am also fond of the drumming of my husband, which kindles my fires.
Hobbies/Pastimes: Beading my gowns & spoiling my grandchildren.
Personal Hygiene: I am always fresh! My thoughtful husband does allow me the bath whenever my heart desires.
Favorite Food: Apple dumplings, especially wonderful when shared.
Are your parents alive, do you get along with them: I never knew my father, as he died from a fall before I was born. My uncles were the men in my life, so I was blessed with many fathers, each with different strengths. My mother birthed me & gave me life all the days she lived. We were very close.
If your parents are dead, when & how did they die: My father’s life was shortened when he fell, hitting his head upon a stone. My mother lived as a widow well into her nineties & passed peacefully.
Favorite place to relax: On a bench beneath the tree in the garden with my beading at hand.
Favorite Holy Day / Why: The yule. The family gathers at Highgate Manor & I am surrounded by my children & grandchildren. For an entire week, we feast, sing & dance. I entertain & am entertained. The manor house is festive with freshly cut greens & the delicious odor of favorite foods is beyond description. Of course, there is also usually a pretty bauble or two from my husband to catch my fancy.
Favorite Drink: A cup of tea is most refreshing.
What's your bedtime: Unless there is a gypsy revel on or a reason to party, I am ready to retire early. A massage is a wonderful relaxation in preparation for sleep.
What, if anything, do you usually wear on your feet: Comfortable shoes. My feet are very tender.
Are you married or single: Married for the second time to the very handsome, very kind, and very, very wealthy Sir William Highgate. My first husband, Radu Boleyn, died in a fire.
Do you have a family / who are they: I claim all gypsies & anyone else who happens to need a mother. I have birthed eleven children, but only eight are still living. Many will be at the harvest faire. I will miss those who are away on "family business." Martin is my dutiful son. He has provided me with grandchildren who are my pride and joy. If he makes matches for his brothers and sisters, these aching arms will again be filled with little ones for me to spoil.
Favorite Entertainment: Jugglers—I’ve been surrounded by them all my life & didn’t know until we were married that it was a secret skill of my present husband. He can be very entertaining.
Favorite Subject in School or Chore growing up: Mathematics—my uncle Arno played thinking games with me & introduced me to the wonder of numbers.
Least Favorite Subject in School or Chore growing up: Wringing the necks of the chickens. I always felt sorry for them. They would look me in the eye—so pitifully, almost pleading.
Favorite Sport: Dancing around a gypsy campfire.
Most Humiliating Moment: Very early in our marriage, when I was new to the role of Duchess of Canterbury, I was somewhat unsure of myself. My husband’s mother was so generous with her love & patient training to help me learn how to be a proper lady. Well, we were at the home of the Lady Mayor, though I never would have been so familiar then as to call her by her given name. She was giving a tea and Mother Highgate & I were among the guests. During the afternoon, Lady Baldwin discovered her brooch was missing & exclaimed, "My brooch! It’s Gone!" Martha Anne, one of her young children responded, "It must be the gypsy! They are always stealing things!" There was dead silence in the room. My face reddened beyond the shade of my gown. Dear Mother Highgate rescued us all by claiming it was an entertainment & the children were now to engage in a treasure hunt to find the hidden brooch. Of course the brooch was found caught beneath the skirts of Lady Baldwin where it had fallen. I believe the child had no idea of what she was saying and was just repeating private comments she had heard at home. Time has softened that moment, & we can laugh about it now, but it was a painful afternoon.
Proudest Moment: When I married Sir William & became Lady Highgate. It was a beautiful & romantic wedding. I was so enfolded with his love & that of his mother. I know that the acceptance of all gypsies has been somewhat eased whenever they are in Canterbury.
Craziest Person or silliest you know: Leonardo da Vinci is always coming up with crazy inventions & then has something funny to say about them. I must admit I am charmed on the rare occasions when he visits our estate.
What do you look for in the opposite sex: One has but to gaze upon my husband to realize the ideal, but he is mine & I’m not sharing.
In our Hierarchical Society everybody has somebody "over" them, Who is your immediate "overlord" Of course I honor & respect my husband. Over him is the King & I do admire him.
Favorite Sport to watch: Kite Flying. If I could, I would soar in the sky with them.
Do you remember your first kiss: Of hey, the first kiss of youth at the gypsy revel when I was sixteen. Then there was the first flaming kiss of my dear husband—such a lover!
Do you keep in touch with your childhood friends: As traveling gypsies, my childhood friends were my family. I have lived long enough to see most of them gone to the Lord, but the friends of my age sustain me & fill me with love. I eagerly await seeing them at the Harvest Faire.
Where is your favorite "Vacation" spot: Anywhere near water.
Have you ever been overseas: Many times—over many seas.
Do you have Dirt/Mud floors or Stone: My husband has provided me with lovely stone floors, many of them carpeted. The upper floor is of finest inlaid wood.
What is your bed made of: It is beautifully carved with a down mattress, like sleeping on a cloud.
How many people sleep in your bed: Just the two of us.
10 Things Everybody Should Know About Me:
1. I have the gift of gypsy sight & have been well trained by my mother.
2. I am well known for my potions. I always carry one about my neck in my treasure box. Though the potion uniquely blesses the one who receives it according to their needs, it must be accepted only if one is willing to fulfill certain demands. Children love to make wishes as they accept the potion.
3. I am fiercely loyal to & protective of my family. You don’t want to bring harm to any of them.
4. I am a storyteller. If you engage me thus, be prepared to sit a spell, as I tend to go on at length & embellish every detail.
5. Traveling is a passion of mine. While I now depend on my children to manage the trade & bring back treasures, I have struck excellent bargains in my day.
6. My arms, my heart & my mind are wide open, always ready to enfold, comfort & nurture anyone who needs support.
7. My dear mother-in-law was a dear, gentle guide as she taught me the ways of nobility. Thanks to her, I can act like a lady when I choose to.
8. I love the new foods I have discovered in my travels & I have many secret recipes.
9. Though I may not recall your name, I will never forget you.
10. I am incurably happy, positive, & optimistic.