The Royal House of Ashdown

Sul Sul! I'm Summer (she/hers) and I love telling stories through The Sims (mostly ts4 atm). I'm starting this blog off with a historical save file, following two families, The Ashdowns (the Royals of Henford-on-Bagley, England) and a family of commoners (The Meyers) throughout several time periods: The Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Tudor/Elizabethan eras, the Georgian/Baroque periods, the Rococo, and the Regency, Victorian and Edwardian periods. My sims will be in each era until I grow bored of it and I plan to finish in the 1910s or 20s. As of Nov 2023, we are in the Regency Era.

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Now that Mrs. Downing has passed, Cressida is in charge of managing the household. That, along with motherhood, takes up much of her time, but she manages to plan a tea for the young people. She hopes to match Cassandra with Mr. Kyleson, both because it is an advantageous match and because she'd like to keep him close to her. However, they do not seem to be hitting it off.

Shortly after the tea, she discovers that she is expecting again. She tries to avoid her matrimonial duties whenever possible, but there have been a few times that she did lay with her husband. The baby could be his, or Mr. Kyleson's. Perhaps she would never know.

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With the new privileges that being a married woman permits her, Cressida can move a little more freely and begins to secretly meet up with a local coven to perform magic. At home, they often entertain all the eligible young people who live nearby, including the charming Mr. Kyleson, in hopes of securing a good match for Cassandra.

It doesn't take Cressida long to decide that she wants Mr. Kyleson for herself. She feels guilty at first, but continues to orchestrate clandestine meetings. With a husband who only thinks he loves her, and a mother-in-law who hates her, she needed to get her happiness somewhere else.

And everything was going splendidly until Mrs. Downing came home from a visit unexpectantly early and walked in on them. Cressida insisted that Mr. Kyleson leave as quickly as possible and let her handle the situation.

The altercation becomes passionate quickly. Mrs. Downing says that, scandal be damned, she's ready to tell everyone what a deceiving little harlot Cressida is. Cressida lets out a burst of anger and magic, incinerating her mother-in-law. She has no choice but to feign puzzlement and grief along with the rest of the others when they return. The odd details of Mrs. Downing's mysterious death is kept private among the family.

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Lawrence insists that they host a ball to celebrate the engagement, so that their neighbours see that Cressida is to be respected and accepted as one of them. His mother finally relents, aware that he is right - they must avoid scandal as much as possible. At the ball, Cressida has a wonderful time and meets the handsome and charming Mr. Kyleson, a new resident of Henford-on-Bagley.

Not long after, she and Lawrence are wed. Afterwards, she feels relieved, but lonely in her secret. A few months later, her son is born - Henry Downing, heir to the estate of Harwell.

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It seems that Cressida was truly at point non plus, but she, like several Meyer women before her, is a witch. She has been secretly studying and honing her craft for years. She has practiced little bits of magic - tricks of light and shape and so forth - but has never performed a large piece of work before. However, after a week of deliberation, she decides that now is the time. She works a love spell, crying all the time. She knows that Lawrence will not truly love her, but as her love for him had faded after she saw who we truly was, and she really had no other choice, she performed the spell.

And it worked - Lawrence proposed to her the next evening, in front of his entire family. His father and sisters were shocked and his mama was apoplectic with rage. But Cressida - and her child - were safe.

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Cressida begins a love affair with Lawrence Downing that goes on for several weeks. He continues to make promises that he will marry her, but that he must first figure out how to make his mother accept the match. Cressida more wants to believe him than actually believes him, but she continues to meet up with him, too lovesick at this point to think clearly.

What happened next was inevitable, really. Cressida asks Lawrence to meet with her in her chamber and she tells him that she is with child. It is now imperative that they wed at once!

Lawrence's entire demeanors changes, and so swiftly. His face becomes hard, that ready smile gone.

He is quiet for a moment, but then - "Miss Scott, I appreciate the discomfort of your situation, but I can not take responsibility for this...unfortunate circumstance."

"Discomfort?! I shall be ruined if you do not marry me."

"And I shall be ruined if I do marry you."

"Are you refusing to take responsibility for this child?" she asked angrily.

"I am denying responsibility. There is no way of knowing who fathered this child, if there even is one."

"Lawrence! What are you saying?"

"Oh, I know all the tricks that scheming young governesses play, desperate to elevate their status. I presume you are not to have a child at all. And if you are, how can I know the child is mine? You have likely lain with any number of men."

"Lawrence! How can you say such a thing? You must know there has only been you. I am a lady."

He let out a cold and humourless laugh, nothing like what she'd heard from him before. "How could you be? You went to bed so readily with me, you know I must think you have done it a hundred times before."

With that, he nodded curtly. "I must leave. The longer I remain her, the more your reputation is at stake."

She gaped at him disbelievingly, silent tears falling down her cheeks.

Before he left the room, he turned and said, "You may want to consider taking another post...or finding a husband, before it is too late." With that, he left the room.

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That night, Cressida heard a soft knock at her chamber door and, thinking it to be the housekeeper Mrs. Richards, who promised to come by before bed to chat about the ball, Cressida bid her enter. It was Mr. Downing!

Cressida scrambled up from her seat at the small table and tried to cover herself as best as she could. "Mr. Downing! I am not dressed. This is...this is very inappropriate."

Lawrence sat at the table. He smiled that disarming smile of his. "Cressida...I have never seen you with your hair down before. You're so beautiful."

"You must leave now. Mrs. Richards will be here any moment."

"No, she will not. I met her in the hall and sent her on her way. Told her you were knocked-up from all the excitement tonight and already abed."

"And how did you explain to her what you were doing in this part of the house? Did anyone else see you?"

"How did I explain?! Cressida, this is my house. And no, no one else saw me. Now...I never got my dance." He stood and reached out his hand toward her. "Shall we?"

"Mr. Downing - "

"I told you to call me Lawrence."

"...Lawrence...I..."

Cressida hesitated and, against her better judgment, stood and put her hand in his. They danced to music only they could hear and couldn't stop smiling at one another. What happened next was inevitable, really. He kissed her, gently at first, and then more passionately. She didn't resist and soon began to kiss him back.

Kisses became caresses and caresses became desperate groping.

"Lawrence," she gasped, "We mustn't...we must...I...you want to marry me, do you not?"

He turned his attention from the curve of her neck to her ear. She moaned.

"Lawrence?..." He felt her body stiffen.

He quickly met her eyes. "Of course I will marry you, but I can not wait any longer! I've waited long enough!"

His eyes blazed as he led her to the bed and pulled down the straps of her chemise. She gave herself to him. What else could she do in the throes of such passion?

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Cressida Scott has become governess to Cassandra and Ava, the two daughters of the Downings, a newly wealthy family with a small but splendid estate called Harwell on the outskirts of Henford-on-Bagley.

It doesn't take long for the Downing son, Lawrence, to take notice of Cressida. His attentions begin innocently enough, chatting with her while she goes over the girls' lessons. Then he begins to "accidentally" meet up with them on their walks.

On these walks, Cressida finds that Mr. Downing is every bit the gentleman and something more - warm, charming and considerate. Over time, chatting turns to flirting.

She tries desperately to keep a firm grip on her heart, for she knows he could never marry her. But that task seems more and more impossible as the weeks pass and she realizes she is falling for Mr. Downing - or Lawrence, as he has asked her to call him.

Mrs. Downing begins to keep an eye on Cressida, especially when her son is in conversation with the pretty young governess. Cressida takes notice, but tries to avoid both Lawrence and his formidable mother as much as possible. Sometimes, however, she can not resist answering Lawrence's smiles and compliments with those of her own.

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A few months later, at Cassandra's debutante ball, Cressida has taken her place on a sofa with Cassandra as they wait for enough guests to arrive to allow for dancing. Lawrence approaches the two ladies and smiles.

"How are you enjoying your debut, Cassandra?" he asks his sister, all the while keeping his eyes on Cressida, who glances away and tries to keep her breathing calm.

"Not at all! Where is everyone? Not an eligible gentleman in sight! I shall be sitting here all evening."

Lawrence smiles. "You know how young men are. They are at the club, placing one final bet or finishing up their dinners. They shall be pouring in soon enough. You shall dance all night."

He meets Cressida's eyes. "Miss Scott, may I have the honour of dancing with you first?"

Cressida blushes and looks down in some confusion. She quietly explains that she can't dance.

"Why not?"

"Oh, Law - Mr. Downing - you know why! I'm only here to chaperone Cassandra. Governesses do not dance."

"But you are a gently bred girl, are you not? Why should you not dance?"

"Lawrence!" interjects Cassandra. "Why do you tease Miss Scott so? She is not accustomed to your strange humour. Do you not see that you embarrass her?"

Cressida blushes deeply and lowers her chin a little more.

"Ah!" said Lawrence, "In that case, I do apologize. Well then, Cassandra, would you dance with me? Until a more eligible partner makes his appearance."

"Very well."

Lawrence leads his sister out to the dance floor and Cressida is left sitting on the sofa, more unhappy than ever before.

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The next generation of the Meyer/Scott clan is blessed with a large family. Things continue to go well, until the beautiful and charming Cressida Scott is left penniless when, after the death of their parents, her older brother inherits Longbourn - and gambles it away! She is forced to become a governess for a prominent family.

Back at the palace, the latest king marries. He and his new bride are madly in love, but sadly, it seems that she can not have a child...Should he just let a cousin inherit the crown? Or take matters into his own hands?...

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As they enter the Regency Era, the Meyer family becomes the Scott family. The patriarch becomes the first Meyer male to die without an heir. However, his daughter recently married Mr. Scott, a clergyman, and he is able to inherit Longbourn. They are blessed with beautiful and healthy children and a good life. At the palace, the two princesses age up and begin to look for husbands.

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The royals continue to live their best lives. A new king and queen are married and crowned. At Longbourn, the youngest Meyer daughter is pressured by her treacherous stepmother to marry a man of wealth and status. She finally agrees to marry, but she has a secret related to the mysterious charm that she constantly wear around her neck - she has inherited the family talent of witchcraft. She is soon blessed with a child, as is the new queen.

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Unable to conceive a child with her husband, and worried about the future of the monarchy, the queen takes a lover in desperation. She is soon blessed with a son. Life goes on at the palace.

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Christmas celebrations at the palace, the queen attends to her correspondence, and then attends the opera.

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The Royal Family of the House of Ashdown, 18th century.

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The Royal House of Ashdown, 18th century.

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In the 1700s, the Royal Family live in the extravagant way of the times.

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The Meyers attend a ball at the local assembly rooms and entertain visitors at home.

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The eldest Meyer daughter, Belinda, ages up into a great beauty and her mother has high hopes that she will be the one to elevate the family's status through marriage. She does her best to teach Belinda the things she'll need to know to do well in society.