Diary of Kieran Selkirk March 7, 1774
Tonight, I attended a magnificent ball at Catherine’s Winter Palace, a feast for all the senses. Sparkling light, crystal and silver, savory food, music and dancing, a common occurrence for a monarch, perhaps, but a unique experience for a farmboy from Virginia.
But the joy of tonight’s luxuries has already begun to dim. Tonight, the difficulty of my mission also became clear. Catherine’s favourite, Potemkin, will be one obstacle. Her gauntlet of court women, the provers, will be another. |