Affaire de Coeur

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Affaire de Coeur Page 5

by Stephanie O’Hanlon


  She decided against wearing a necklace for the night. Instead, her large teardrop-shaped diamond earrings made of dozens of stones hung heavily from her ears. She had her black cloak strewn around her shoulders as she stepped forward, taking a deep breath and letting it out harshly, extremely unimpressed.

  “Are you ready to leave?” I asked, smiling at her.

  She glared at me. “I do not appreciate your little smirk. Yes. I am ready, now.”

  With that, the door was opened, and we made our way out. Colette hopped into the carriage first. We were off in seconds, making our way around the fountain and down the long path on our way to town, to Constanze’s apartments.

  We arrived just at nine, pulling up to the two-story rectangular spectacle. Laughing and clanging champagne glasses filled the air, and an orchestra tried to play above it. Colette and I made our way up the steps to the second floor, where Constanze’s large rooms were located. Two male servants took our cloaks for us.

  Nearly everyone in Paris was there. At least, it looked that way. The peach-colored walls were easily overlooked when you had vibrant orange, yellow, and green gowns shuffling everywhere—all different styles and shades of the colors. I thought I saw a few red and blue gowns popping up here and there as each guest glittered from the candlelight. The men were no exception to the rule of fashion. Whatever color was in vogue, most were adorned in. Either a creamy yellow or orange, though they also were wearing red or green. All their powdered bagwigs of either brown, black, or white sticking out over the women.

  Constanze’s pied-a-terre was five large rooms, all connected in a straight line. I was unsure what the other two rooms were—probably bedchambers—but I knew that the one we were in was a dining room, the middle room. To our left was the parlor and on the right, where the orchestra was, the salon. They, Constanze and her husband, were only staying at the little apartments in town while renovating their manor from top to bottom. I heard that the only reason Constanze tore it apart was because she was simply bored of it.

  Scattered around, with champagne glasses in their hands, the guests laughed and glared across the room, speaking in hushed voices about certain people who were only a few feet away from them.

  Constanze quickly found us, rushing over in her dark green gown, and kissing Colette on each cheek.

  “Oh, darling. How are you? I am so glad you could come!” she called out, obviously drunk.

  Colette nodded, looking around the room through all the people. “Where is everyone? Who is here?”

  Constanze pointed to her left. “I think Yolande is that way, and Vachel is somewhere as well. You will love to see what he has brought with him!” She laughed drunkenly, snorting as she turned, stopping as soon as her eyes fell on me. “Oh, you are here. What an interesting gown,” she slurred, crossing her arm and putting her other hand to her chin. “Where on earth did you get it?”

  I cleared my throat as Colette grabbed a glass of champagne. “My father got it for me in Austria.”

  “Austria?” she called out. “Austria?”

  I nodded, looking to Colette, who smirked at Constanze’s voice.

  “Well, then. No accounting for taste. Oh!” She looked off to a woman who entered the room. “Victoire, darling.” She pushed past me, waddling her way over to the woman, who greeted her much the same as Colette had moments before.

  “It seems in drinking so much, she has lost her ability to glide,” I said, my mouth scrunching to the side in annoyance.

  Colette laughed lightly. “I wonder what she was going on about with Vachel. What he has brought?”

  I shrugged my shoulders, looking about the room. “I don’t see him. I do not even see Étienne. Would he not be here?”

  Colette sipped at her champagne. “I think so. I would assume, actually. Usually if Vachel is at one of these things, Étienne is. I think it is actually because he is afraid that Constanze will spread rumors about him. Most are.”

  “That woman sure has her nose stuck in everyone’s business, doesn’t she?” I laughed, Colette joining me.

  “Oh, come now! She isn’t all that bad, but I do agree. Stanzy has eyes and ears everywhere. That was the point in you speaking to her. Perhaps I should just confront Vachel and get it over with.”

  “Perhaps Étienne was mistaken? Maybe he was not in town, and he heard Vachel incorrectly.”

  Colette smiled lightly, “Yes. I am sure that is it. Now, shall we mingle a little before we seek him out?”

  She placed her glass down, grabbed my hand, and pulled me over to the little area where some of the guests were simply talking and laughing. We did not mingle long with the two gentlemen that had approached us. Colette sneaked off to the table across the way to grab some pastries of some sort, getting distracted as usual.

  I made my way to the corner of the room, sitting down on a little, light blue brocade chair, a glass of spring water in my hand. I never drank. I disliked the taste of alcohol. I disliked drunken people in general, and I certainly did not wish to join them.

  Being drawn to the doorway, I saw a little orchestra in the other room, a handful of men on different instruments, and I smiled as their beautiful music strained to get through to my ears through the chatter.

  I walked into the room, over to the music. I stood and watched, smiling as it was louder and I was able to hear it. I knew it was one of Antonio Vivaldi’s works, as it was extremely bon ton, but I didn’t know which one. It didn’t have the impact a full orchestra would have had, but it was beautiful nonetheless. I am sure that Constanze and her husband could have afforded a full orchestra, afforded a larger pied-a-terre.

  As they finished their set, all of them looked up to me as I clapped lightly, their heads bowing toward me before they began, again.

  My eyes only came away from the orchestra for a moment, looking over to the corner of the room, where I saw none other than Vachel sitting drunkenly on an armchair with a woman on his lap. His relaxed, brown bagwig was torn to the side, his light orange justaucorps and breeches stained, and his eyes glazed over as the woman caressed him and made him laugh loudly.

  My mouth fell open with shock. My hands shook as my heart almost tore out of my chest, and I turned frantically toward the doorway out of the room. I stood up on my toes, looking around for Colette’s powdered violet-burgundy hair. “Colette!”

  I looked around quickly, my eyes tearing over each of the guests, pushing through them in the dining room and even into the parlor, not finding Colette anywhere. I quickly made my way back to the salon, stopping in the middle of the room. My eyes bounced over to Constanze and her friend Yolande giggling a mere three feet away from me and pointing to Colette. She stood with Étienne in the doorway of the dining room, staring at Vachel in the corner of the room.

  My heart stopped in my throat as Colette’s eyes filled with tears. The music stopped as all the guests stared at her. All save for Vachel and the woman on his lap. Colette suddenly tore away from Étienne, stomping across the room over to him, and violently pushing the woman off his lap.

  Vachel’s normally handsome face crossed with fear, suddenly sobering him as he sat up. “Colette!”

  Colette’s hand swung through the air, slapping him across the face repeatedly, until Étienne and I rushed forward, pulling her off him.

  “How could you do this to me?” Her sobs and angered cries filled my ears as the rest of the guests stopped and stared, whispers filling out Colette’s cries.

  “Colette, I—”

  My eyes went back to Vachel, whose lip was torn and bleeding—most likely from Colette’s diamond ring. His face looked completely shocked, little hairs falling into it, and his wig torn to the side.

  Étienne and I tried to hold Colette back as she lunged forward, actually breaking my grip as she turned and grabbed a china set off a little table and threw it at Vachel. I backed up quickly, covering myself as the porcelain exploded into hundreds of pieces. Colette’s angered voice called out, “You bastard! I knew
it!”

  “Colette!” I yelled, covering my mouth as she hit him, pushing Étienne off her once again.

  The chatter came back. Everyone raised their voices and went about their business while Étienne tried to calm Colette down. I knew better. I knew to step away and let her have her it, or else risk falling into the line of attack, which Étienne did. Colette did not hold back when she pushed him away from her. “Don’t give me that!”

  “Mademoiselle Dumont?”

  I turned to the voice to see a pair of large, dark blue eyes—such a dizzying mix of blue and black with light tints of green—staring me in the face. Then, his defined, angular-shaped face came into focus, which had his straight chin sloping back to his jaw in the most attractive way. On top of that, I was struck silent by his soft, deep voice repeating my name.

  “Madeleine, are you all right?” His dark brown eyebrows arched lightly.

  I shook my head. “Yes. I mean, yes.” I quickly nodded my head. I was bewildered by his stunning eyes, a silky strand of dark brown hair falling into them. I quickly averted his stare to his lips, which curved at the corners in a smirk. The top lip was thinner than the bottom, almost looking as if he was pursing his lips to stop from laughing.

  His smile only widened slightly, “We have not been introduced. Your good friend Colette seems to be…detained?”

  I looked back toward her as she grabbed a handful of plates and threw them at the wall, Vachel ducking as the porcelain shattered around him. I frowned lightly. “Yes. So it seems.”

  He smiled, again. “I am the Comte Lucien de Laurent.” He bowed his head lightly, extending his right arm out and pulling the other to his waist, the tips of his large bow and bag holding his hair back poking out.

  As he rose, straightening out his tall, muscular body, I put out my hand nervously. “Madeleine Dumont.”

  He took it gently and kissed the back of it, his eyes keeping a hold of my own. “Yes, I have heard.”

  My face blushed lightly. “Heard of me?”

  There was no chance he could have seen me in the background…all these people. I had not seen him, which was interesting. He was extremely handsome, heartbreakingly beautiful. So much so, I was awestruck, and my body shook.

  “Why yes. I had asked Colette of your name when we were both over by the table, getting champagne. She graciously told me and seemed excited as well. She informed me that you are not courting as well as your favorite color being burgundy.” Again, he flashed his little smirk. A genuine smile, a beautiful smile that made me smile myself. It seemed that his lips naturally sat pursed together to make that shape, which I found extremely attractive.

  “Ah, I see. Did she also mention my favorite dessert or which play I would like to go see in the following weeks?” I looked toward her, watching as Étienne finally pulled her away from Vachel, who was slightly bloody and in tears. It was all information that I knew she would probably blurt out, and I was unimpressed. Though, I couldn’t help flinching as she tore away from Étienne, slapping Vachel across the face once more. Some people continued to stare as she verbally lashed him.

  “Well, no. She did not, but I would assume by looking at you,” he looked me up and down, prompting me to cover my neck and pull my shoulders up into myself. “I would say your favorite dessert is macarons, and you would like to see the symphony, not a play. Perhaps Mozart or Scarlatti. I believe his compositions are favored by the orchestra in town. Hmmm. No, definitely Mozart.”

  My mouth fell open, shocked. “She did tell you!”

  He laughed lightly. “I give you my word, Mademoiselle. She did not. Simply a guess, an observation.”

  “You observed all that by looking at me?” I asked, placing my hand on my chest. The tip of the necklace brushed against my finger. He didn’t know that it wasn’t because of the scandal of his words. I was trying to calm my heart.

  He nodded. “Yes. Does that surprise you?”

  I swallowed hard, nodding lightly, looking this beautiful man over. He was wearing a yellow and gold brocade justaucorps. It was one of the more informal styles that some men preferred, opposed to the extravagant ones with wide skirts that were much like a woman’s redingote. As I understood it, they were used for formal occasions or court functions. Large amounts of lace stuck out of his sleeves, a cravat in place with the collar of his justaucorps stiffly standing up and brushing against his masculine jaw line, not nonexistent like the men in the orchestra and most present.

  He nodded toward Colette. “I see your friend is now calming down.”

  I looked to her. Her hands were over her face, and she broke into tears. I nodded. “I should go over there. Excuse me—”

  “Madeleine,” the Comte’s voice called out, reaching for my hand.

  I turned to him, thinking quickly how I was to address him. “Yes, my lord?”

  “Are you and Colette making an appearance tomorrow night at the Duc de Praslin’s ball?” He stepped toward me.

  I shook my head. “No, I do not believe so.”

  “Well.” He cleared his throat, looking to his glass of champagne. “I see. That is a shame.”

  “Where is Maddy?” Colette’s voice frantically called out.

  I turned back to the Comte, curtseying. “I really must…I just…goodbye.”

  I ran over to Colette, who sat on the floor, sobbing into her hands. I knelt down to her, helping her up. “Come on. We should go home, now. I will get you home.”

  Étienne turned to us, his hand on my back. “Do you need any help?”

  I shook my head, “No, no. You should deal with him. Thank you, Étienne.”

  He nodded, turning back to Vachel, who stood with his back to everyone. His whole body was shaking. Whether from fear or his sobs, I wasn’t sure.

  As I started to lead Colette out, my eyes fell on Constanze and Yolande, who stood in the corner and laughed mercilessly. I knew they had planned this. No doubt about it. They must have been delighted at how much of a success it was. I glared at them, not impressed in the least. Mainly because they had hurt my dearest friend.

  We arrived back after ten. We were barely at the party for more than twenty minutes. Most of the time being in the carriage there and back. I helped Colette up to her room, getting her out of her gown and into a bath.

  I sat on a little blue, velvet chair behind the changing screen in her bedchamber as she soaked in the tub, wearing her bathing gown.

  Colette’s bedchamber was nearly the complete opposite of my own. Mine was feminine and romantic, while hers was seductive and decadent. She had red, Dutch velvet drapes, a silver brocade coverlet, and violet damask chairs. A large vanity sat in the middle of the room with a looking glass that popped up when she made her toilette and couchér.

  The wall behind it had a large ten-foot by ten-foot gilded looking glass. Little silver designs etched up the creamy violet walls as well as silver and white molding.

  Her face was tear-streaked. The rouge was cut through violently and ran only slightly as she held herself tightly in the steaming water.

  “I should have known.” Her voice rose softly.

  Silence filled the room as I looked down into the bath, carefully grabbing water in my hand and pouring it over her shoulder, soaking her bathing gown.

  “I did know, didn’t I?” she asked, keeping her eyes to her knees as they filled with tears.

  I kept silent, helping her once she had finished. The chambermaids bustled in quickly and emptied the tub as I helped Colette into her nightgown and wrung out her damp hair. I then helped her into her bed. Her head hit one of the many pillows around her easily, and her eyes slowly closed.

  I turned to walk away, stopping as her hand reached out and grabbed my own. “Please…Maddy. Stay here.”

  I nodded, sitting at the edge of the bed beside her and holding her hand.

  “Who was he with?” she asked, her eyes tearing up, again.

  I shook my head. “I don’t know, Colette. She left as soon as you pushed he
r to the floor. She ran out as fast as her slippers could carry her. Probably because she was worried about what you would do to her…especially after what you did to Vachel.”

  She smiled lightly, turning her head toward the windows and wiping her face. “I made a fool out of myself, didn’t I?”

  “No. I think Vachel got what was coming to him. He was the one who was humiliated. After all, you caught him.”

  “Yolande and Stanzy are quite pleased,” she said, turning to me.

  I nodded. “Should have known those terrible people only wanted to cause trouble.”

  “They may be terrible, but they are still my friends, Maddy,” she sighed heavily, sitting up on her pillows.

  “Some friends,” I said quietly, looking to my hands.

  Colette frowned, sighing lightly before she looked back to me, catching a thought. “What about that man, the Comte. Did he approach you?”

  “Yes, he…yes, he did.” My face blushed a little.

  “What do you think of him?” she asked, sitting forward. A little smile pulled at her mouth, though her face looked tired, worn.

  I licked my lips, looking down to my hands, again. “He is…I barely know him. We hardly spoke. I just…he is beautiful—”

  “I know!” Colette’s smile got wider. “He approached me while I was getting a glass of champagne and asked me who I was with.”

  “In that time, you somehow mentioned my favorite color being burgundy.” I rolled my eyes.

  She giggled lightly. “I am sorry. I cannot even remember how I worked that in there.”

  I stood up from the bed. “I am going to retire. I shall see you in the morning. I also need a bath.” I walked over to the little hidden door, my hand just above the little latch when Colette softly called my name. I turned to her. “Yes?”

  “You looked very beautiful, tonight. He noticed you for it.”

  I smiled lightly, nodding my head and making my way through the pink and violet little boudoir into my own room where a bath was waiting for me.

  I bathed for a long while, so long that they had to bring a new batch of hot water up. My thoughts the entire time were circling around the Comte Lucien de Laurent and taking my focus away even from washing the pomatum and powder out of my hair.

 

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