Affaire de Coeur

by Stephanie O’Hanlon

  “But, I would never—”

  “Exactly. I know you would not,” he said slowly, reiterating his point.

  My shoulders slumped as my sobs finally died off within me. “I…I know you would not. I just…I don’t know,” I crossed my arms defiantly, like a child would. “I hate them.”

  He smirked, the one corner of his mouth turning down as he suppressed a laugh. “I know you do.”

  “They think they can just…that they can have anyone and do with them as they please. They just… and the awful things they say! They are terrible people!” I fumed, my face turning red in anger.

  He raised my chin up. “I know, my love. I know. Why do you let it worry you? I will always come back to you.”

  I sighed, looking into his entrancing eyes, keeping my complete attention. More so than any book possibly could. I nodded. “I am being silly, aren’t I?”

  He shook his head. “No, not at all. It is completely understandable, and you are right. Perhaps I should have been clearer of where I was going this evening. In fact, I will have my valet copy my itinerary from now on, just for you. You will know my every move throughout the day and how to reach me if need be.”

  “No, no.” I took a deep breath. “You don’t need to do anything of the sort. I suppose that I am just jealous, because I don’t get to spend time with you during the day, anymore. I am jealous of everyone, Yolande, your grandmother, your valet…the King and Dauphin.”

  He smiled. “Ah, I see. Well, how about on Tuesday, I stop by for croquet and Wednesday for dinner?”

  I wiped my face with both my hands, smiling uncontrollably. “Really?”

  “Yes, of course. It is no trouble, and even if it was, I would move the very mountains to spend more time with you.”

  I frowned, wiping at my eyes once more and making sure all the tears were gone. “I know, and I am sorry. I just…my jealousy consumes me.”

  He smiled again, delighted in it. “There is no need for an apology. So, Tuesday croquet, and Wednesday dinner?”

  I nodded. “Yes. That works perfectly, as Colette wanted me to send you a letter anyway and invite you to visit. I slipped slightly, today.”

  His face went serious, his eyes focusing on me. “Oh?”

  “Yes. Don’t worry. It is not too bad. She just knows that I still have feelings for you,” I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, running my hand up his neck. “I was quite taken aback by the news of you visiting upon Yolande. I did not have time to brace myself.”

  He nodded slowly, “Ah, I see. Well, then the blame is on me.”

  I nodded. “As it should.” I smiled as I looked over to the clock. My eyes widened as I pointed toward my bed. “You better hide. Brielle will be here any moment.”

  He sat on the bed as I closed the drapes around him, turning just as Brielle opened the door. Predictable, dependable as usual.

  She curtsied. “Are you ready to make your couchér, Mademoiselle?”

  I smiled, nodding. I thought the entire time of how silly I was to question Lucien or have any doubt of him staying with me. I knew he would never leave me for Yolande…so, why did it bother me so much that she still tried?

  As I stood in my nightgown, I looked in the vanity’s looking glass to the room around me. Brielle ran my brush through my hair carefully, pulling the curls straight for only a moment before they bounced back up silkily into perfect waves.

  If only this look was in style, I thought. Though, I enjoyed dressing up far too much, and in the heat that was sure to come back, I was happy to have my hair piled atop my head.

  When she finished, she set the brush down and turned to me, standing before me. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

  “No, thank you.”

  She curtsied low before she turned and disappeared out the door, closing it behind her, prompting me to scurry toward it and lock it.

  I turned just as the drapes on the bed rustled. Walking over with a smile on my face and opening them, I looked inside to find Lucien not there. I pouted, looking around the room. “Lucien?”

  He suddenly came up behind me, grabbing me, and picking me up in his arms. A large smile was on his face as he swung me over to the bed, a scream being thankfully suppressed in my throat. He got on top of me, his bare back under my hands, as he was now down to only his breeches, leaning down to me and kissing me playfully on the neck and down my shoulder.

  “Now,” he began, “are we done with our temper tantrum, Mademoiselle?”

  I laughed, covering my face, which turned scarlet. He didn’t hesitate to grab at my wrists to try and pull them away, but was unable to do so as I had them firmly in place. He then playfully pulled me down off the pillows and to the middle of the bed with him, laughing himself as I giggled, though I quickly stopped, looking to the door. “Shhh! We must be quiet. Do you want to get caught?”

  He smiled playfully, his arms on either side of me. “Hmmm, I suppose not.”

  I nodded as I stroked his face and hair, which was loose around him. “I thought not.”

  “What would you say to staying at my manor?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

  My eyes widened. “Your manor?”

  He smiled. “Yes. Grandma-ma is visiting with her dear friend in Paris and will be there until the end of the week.” He leaned down and began slowly and softly kissing my neck, coming up between kisses. “I could order the servants away. We would have the whole manor to ourselves to be as loud as we wish.”

  I closed my eyes, sighing in contentment. “I would love to. It would be wonderful, but it is not easy for me to sneak out of here. You know that. It is one thing for you to sneak into my bedroom. Your Grandma-ma sleeps soundly and does not even notice you are gone. I am easily found out here. This is not even my home, Lucien.”

  I stroked his face lightly, lovingly, as he frowned. “I suppose.” He let his head rest on my shoulder, his hand on my hip. “What about Rose? Could you not get her to help you plan a little performance and that you are going to stay at her manor and simply go to mine, instead?”

  I frowned. “I wish I could, but Colette would be angered with me if I went somewhere without her, especially to Rose’s.”

  He sighed, nodding. “You are right.”

  “Are you getting tired of running around?” I asked. My smile that I had before disappeared on me.

  He looked up at me. “Well, not in the way that you think. It would be nice to just visit upon you whenever I wished and not worrying about who will see us and causing a crazed ruckus.”

  “Hmmm, I know. At least this way, the only thing that people are talking about is you visiting here. They must think that the Marquis is trying to get on your good side, so he can get in with the King, put the Du Lorme’s in favor at court. At least, I hope that is what they think.”

  “Are you not worried about what they say of Colette? That they may think I am here so that the Marquis can have Colette in my favor?”

  I shook my head. “Surprisingly, no. Everyone is bustling about with word of Colette and the Chevalier. One would think that it would be old news by now. Then, there is that bit about her, Armand, and Étienne. She has her hands full with that situation. I do not envy her.”

  He smiled, looking into my eyes. He took a moment before his voice rose. “What if you were to marry me?”

  My eyes widened, looking to him seriously. “What?”

  “Does that frighten you so?” He almost laughed at the look on my face.

  I shook my head. “Of course not. I just…never really thought about it. I am usually concerned with the time I get to see you. I get concerned that someone will finally break through the door and find us.

  “Well, that way, we would not need to run around in secret. We would have our own home, filled with whatever you desired, and you would have the immediate title of Comtesse. No one would be able to touch us.”

  “Except for the fact that you married a commoner who only wants your money.” I sighed, rolling m
y eyes. “I thought that was the rumor we were trying to escape?”

  “I thought we were trying to escape rumors in general? It is no one else’s business but our own what we do behind closed doors, and even then, when we go out for an evening, we shouldn’t be worried about what anyone else has to say about us.”

  “We have not been out for an evening, so there is that small blessing, at least,” I added, looking over his shoulder as I stroked down his arm.

  “That is another thing. I would like to take you places, but right now, we cannot. This is just like when I wanted to kiss you for the first time…absolutely frustrating.” He groaned, laying down and resting his head back on my shoulder.

  “So, you think marriage is the answer?” I asked, looking up to the ceiling.

  “No.” He sighed, burying his head into me. “I would just like to marry you. Dress you in fine silks, except in our bedroom, of course. Lay you down on a bed of satin with Dutch velvet draping the room, the finest perfumes and slippers. Come home from hunting to see you sitting in our salon, feet up, reading a book, or playing your harpsichord. I would have Armand give you lessons, if you wish.”

  I smiled, trying to imagine everything that Lucien could see before him. “You would spoil me? Turn me into one of those brats?”

  He kissed my neck, and a smile pulled at the sides of his mouth. “Of course. I would not have it any other way.”

  “Then, people would need to know about us,” I pointed out, wrapping my arms around his neck. “What about the wedding? We would need to invite all those horrid people because of stature.”

  “Ah, but then we would never have to see them, again. We will be busy with married life, perhaps even travelling.”

  My nose scrunched up—I didn’t like the thought of travelling. I liked France, I loved Paris, and I didn’t want to leave.

  “But,” he said, sitting up and grabbing hold of me roughly as he lay on top of me, “for now, we will do what we normally do. For now.” He reiterated, looking down at me, and taking a moment before he leaned down to me and brushed his lips softly against my own.

  In all honesty, I didn’t mind what we normally did. As long as I was with Lucien, I was perfectly content.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Lucien and I sat on the stone terrace at the marble table, a smirk present on his face as he cleared his throat and a cup of coffee before him.

  “What?” I asked, bringing my cup up to my lips.

  He smiled. “No, nothing. It just has been a while since I have seen you in the light of day. I almost forgot how beautiful you are in the sunlight.”

  I smiled back at him, understanding completely what he meant. How long it had been since he saw the sun on my gown? I looked down to my robe à la Française, the white of it blinding from the sun bouncing off of it. Even the green leaves patterned all over it reflected the sun painfully.

  I loved how Lucien dressed to match—wearing a light green justaucorps, matching silk breeches, and a cream-colored waistcoat. The wind startled the bow on the bag in his hair, making it twitch from behind him.

  I never realized how much I preferred his casual justaucorps to his more formal ones—the way the collar upturned stiffly and brushed against his masculine jaw line. I also adored how the more formal justaucorps flounced out. They were so over the top and theatrical.

  I pulled my shawl up around me—a lacy white thing matching the bountiful lace on my gown and around my sleeves. The wind blew on my neck and made me shiver slightly. “I think we are doing quite well at this.” I reached forward, picking a violet macaron from the plate in front of us. The large, colorful Gerbera daisies on the table matched in violets, pinks, and yellows.

  Lucien nodded. “Yes. Though, we have no audience, now. Do we? Where is Colette?”

  I shrugged as I bit carefully and daintily into the pastry. “She may still be making her toilette. She often takes her sweet time when expecting Armand.”

  “Ah, yes.” He sat back comfortably. “How are things in that situation?”

  I rolled my eyes. “I have no clue. Sometimes, I think they are already married, the way they bicker.”

  “Are they not officially courting, yet?”

  I shook my head, biting into the crisp shell of the macaron once more. The creamy center accompanied it, sinfully.

  “Maddy!”

  Colette’s voice called out, making my whole body jump as I put the macaron on my saucer. I wiped the crumbs from my hands as she walked out onto the terrace, stopping as her eyes fell on Lucien. A large orange, floppy daisy in her hand matched her gown.

  “Ah, Comte.” She looked to me, stunned. “Well, well. We have not seen you around here as of late. You are well?”

  Lucien smiled to her. “I am quite well. Yes, I had missed the beautiful scenery around here and our croquet games. I decided I needed to make more time for it.”

  Colette twisted the daisy in her hand, “Ah. So, you have been busy, no doubt?”

  “Yes, I have.” He nodded lightly, holding onto the handle of his teacup.

  “With a lady, I have heard. Though, which one, no one can tell me.” She kept her cat eyes on him. That seduction I knew all too well reeked off her. Was she actually going to be able to seduce Lucien into telling her that I am his lady?

  He looked at her, and his right eyebrow raised just as his chin did. He seemed completely aware of what she was getting at. “Yes, indeed. With a lady. She requests to remain anonymous, as I wish to keep her. I do not need any more drama around my personal life than already present.”

  “Oh, come now.” Colette smiled slyly. “Well, all right. If no names, what is she like? Please, you can at least tell us that much. Maddy and I are dying to know, aren’t we?”

  Lucien looked to me as I smiled, shrugging my shoulders.

  He nodded, looking into my eyes for one fleeting moment before he looked back to her. “All right, seems admirable. She does not garner the attention that I do, thankfully. She is a reserved person—one who keeps to herself—but I have it on good authority that she often entertains with high society. Though, in my opinion, she is above them.”

  “Anyone we know?” Colette’s face had a serene look to it, and her green eyes glinted in the light as she pulled the stem of the daisy through her fingers.

  “Ah, that would be saying too much.” Lucien smiled, eyeing her as he pointed.

  “All right.” She stepped forward, thoroughly enjoying this little game. She was even smiling.

  I, on the other hand, was on the edge of my seat, wondering what Lucien could possibly say next.

  She smiled at him. “Please, go on. Tell us more. Tell us what you will.”

  Lucien looked to me for a moment, again. His dark eyes filled with something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

  He took a breath before he continued. “She is beautiful, though no one really knows it. I am actually quite sure even she underestimates her beauty.”

  He sat forward, his broad shoulders tensing under his justaucorps and sending a thrill through me to my toes.

  “She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. It surprises me how she is overlooked, but perhaps that is what makes us so perfect for each other. She wishes not to be simply Comtesse. I believe that thought hasn’t even crossed her mind, and if it has, I have no worries about it being simply for a title. I see all the love she holds for me within her eyes…I am quite sure she is my match, to be perfectly frank.”

  I felt tears well up in my eyes, and a lump seized in my throat. At that very moment, I wanted to stand, walk over to him, and throw my arms around him. I wanted to speak of an undying love that would continue to burn for as long as he fanned it, but I had to stop myself. I had to quickly compose myself before Colette looked at me. She was obviously not as moved as I, and indeed looked quite unimpressed.

  “Well, she is a lucky woman,” she said, turning away and seemingly looking toward the fountain. “So, why exactly will she not let you divulge her id
entity?”

  “It was a mutual decision,” Lucien answered, looking again to me as I smiled at him. I took the opportunity of Colette’s back being turned to really look at him the way I wanted to—lovingly.

  Colette turned, pointing the daisy at him. “Ah, but why? That was my question, Comte.”

  “What business is it of everyone else’s?” he asked her, unfazed by her attitude.

  She crossed her arms. Her eyes narrowed on him as she thought, shaking her head. “I suppose it is no one’s business. But, you should know that you are just stirring the pot further.”

  He nodded. “True, but I find that better than eyes being on me and my business if the true identity of this woman was revealed. Whispers about me are fine, but I will not stand by and let them slander her.”

  “What about the women she is thought to be?”

  “How do you mean?” He shook his head, and his brow furrowed lightly, confused.

  She stepped forward and looked about, almost as if she wasn’t interested in the conversation. “All the women who are suspected. Whispers are about, Comte. There is no escaping them.”

  “Who is she thought to be?” he asked, clearly enjoying this part of the game.

  “Yolande Beaumont is one. You dined with her and her party on…Sunday, I believe.” She pretended to really think of the date, though we all knew she was completely aware of every detail.

  “That is wrong.” Lucien smirked, and the sides of his mouth pulled down, his lips pursed together, and his eyes sparkled with delight. He was actually enjoying it!

  I squirmed in my seat, sighing heavily as I picked at my macaron in front of me. I broke it apart and put little pieces in my mouth, chewing nervously.

  “Really?” Colette didn’t seem all that surprised.

  Lucien laughed lightly. “Yes, really. All the others are wrong as well. No one but I and the lady in question know who she is, of the extent of this relationship.”

  She suddenly stomped forward and put her hands on her hips, above her panniers. “I do not understand why you must keep her identity secret, unless she is not as beautiful as you say she is and truly is a hag!”