“I am not sure this is the best time to tell you...” he said, exhaling.
“What happened, Atílio?” and saying that, she closed the door behind her, so that no one would hear them.
“You know that we have to pay the price for the life we live, don't you?” he inquired, eyeing his wife seriously.
“Yes, of course! But what are you trying to tell me?” the wife questioned him worriedly. “Is this a financial problem?”
“No! We will never have to worry about that, Lorena! The legacy my father left me is solid and enough for us to live very comfortably...”
“Then, what is it about? You are making me anxious!”
Atílio once more lowered his head.
“What is going on?”
“It is the emperor...”
“You Majesty, D. Pedro II? What happened to him?”
“Do you remember that meeting I was supposed to have with him?”
Lorena nodded her head.
“So, his proposal is that I travel with him to Europe as a diplomat. He said he wants to leave in June.”
“Oh, so is it what it is?” she exhaled, relieved and displaying a weak smile. “Well, but isn’t it good news for all of us? You will be able to tighten our relationship with the Imperial Family and...”
“I want you to take this trip with me”, Atílio said emphatically.
“Me? Travelling with you and the emperor?” Lorena was shocked with the proposal.
“Of course! You are my wife, right? Evidently, I mentioned to him that I would not travel without you.”
“But who would take care of the slaves and of our home?”
“Fanny can take care of all of that. Obviously, she can count with the supervision of my mother or of Alma...”
The news took her by surprise. How to change her husband’s mind, now that her revenge plan was in motion against Rafael? She needed to make Atílio change his mind in regard to taking her with him.
“No!” she said, shaking her head. “I cannot accompany you!”
“But what is the problem? You will not be alone, my love!”
“I don’t know how to handle these things, Atílio... even as a companion to the empress, this would be too much!”
“Do you feel ashamed?”
“Yes, kind of...” she confessed, rubbing her hands with her nerves altered. “I haven’t even gotten used to all the customs of the nobility.”
“Well, you are fooling everyone very well! Not even I have noticed such shyness.”
“No, Atílio, please!” she begged, hugging him.
“But weren’t you who had always dreamed of visiting Paris, Rome and Vienna? And now that you have the opportunity, you are rejecting the fulfillment of your dream.”
“But not with the Imperial Family by my side!” she answered, backing away. “If it were only the two of us, it would be different...”
“Lorena, at least think carefully about my proposal... Ah, and did Mercedes bring a ballroom gown with her?”
“I don't know. Why?”
“Tomorrow we are going to Petrópolis and we will take Mercedes and Fanny with us. In the evening, we will have dinner with the emperor... And now, let’s see if you really are that shy in front of the old monarch!” and, saying that, he left her alone in the chamber.
Why on earth would this happen exactly now? No, I will not give Rafael a break, absolutely not! Lorena left the chamber abruptly and went back to the guest room to talk to her friend.
“Mercedes, I’ve got news!”
“I hope it is good news that you have to tell me...”
“Did you bring any ballroom gowns?”
“Yes, I brought that yellow one with the white embroidery, remember?”
“Perfect! Atílio just told me that we are going to Petrópolis tomorrow and we will have a private meeting with the emperor!”
Mercedes was overjoyed, jumping with excitement and clapping her hands with happiness. For a moment, she even forgot the reason of her suffering. It was a tremendous privilege to have dinner with the Imperial Family.
The following day, they went up to Petrópolis. The weather was mild and the city very beautiful, with palaces and buildings especially planned to the city bearing the name of its monarch. D. Pedro II was already installed in the palace, with empress Teresa Cristina. Atílio, Lorena and the few guests in attendance reverenced them. The emperor was showing signs of fatigue. He was coughing and talked sparsely. And he informed some of his assistants that his daughter, princess Isabel, once more would be in charge of the country, while he was absent in his health treatment in Europe. He wouldn’t be alone, for he would take with him his oldest grandson, Pedrinho. He also took the opportunity to present the Count of Assis as one of those who would accompany him during the trip, working as a diplomatic representative of the Brazilian Empire.
Even with his ailing health, D. Pedro II had an excellent memory; so much so that he didn't have to waste too much effort to remember that he already knew Atílio’s wife.
“I was at the Cassino, a while ago, during your coronation anniversary celebration...”
“Oh, how couldn’t I remember you, child! You were one of the most beautiful ladies in the saloon”, the old man remembered, smiling and trying to control another coughing attack.
“Your Majesty is very gracious! Among so many distinct ladies, you remembered me, someone completely unknown!” Lorena said, flattered.
“She is a lady! A true lady, this young woman! I congratulate you, my dear!” the monarch exclaimed, looking towards Atílio.
“Thank you, Majesty!”
The young countess, captivated by the emperor’s politeness and refinement, didn’t miss an opportunity to wish him well.
“I’m pleased that my husband has been found to be trusted by you. All Brazilians and I wish Your Majesty a speedy recovery.”
During dinnertime, the most delicate dishes of French cuisine were served. A guest, who was expected, arrived just in time to participate in the feast. It was Mr. João Maurício Wanderley, the Baron of Cotegipe[50]. The chief of the ministries’ counsel sympathized with The Count of Assis profoundly, so much so that the two gentlemen talked animatedly about the direction the nation was taking. Distancing themselves a little bit from the Imperial Family, Cotegipe started mentioning the ‘mishaps’ of the princess’ second regency.
“I am not sure, my dear Atílio... Your Highness is not showing too much enthusiasm for the position she will occupy. Besides, have you seen what they are saying on the headlines? That the princess is influenced too much by the Church...”
“Mr. Baron, it is evident that Your Highness will face resistance from the opposition...”
“But that’s not the worse! The issue of the slavery abolitionism will be a definitive step. I fear, not for the old emperor, but for the continuity of the monarchy itself!”
“Do you believe in a possible coup d’etat?”
“I wouldn’t say that, not even a civil war, like it happened in the United States of America. But, you have to think of all the possibilities, my friend!”
“The princess has, on her side, the honors of D. Gastão with the victory of the Paraguay War”, Atílio alleged.
“Well, my young man, we both know that these things didn’t happened as they are being told around in the Court”, the baron commented with a certain confidentiality.
“I support the monarchist cause and the third reign, with empress D. Isabel I!”
Lorena, unsettled with their comments, decided to intervene.
“Forgive me for interrupting, but as a companion lady of Your Highness, I don’t think she will do something so drastic.”
“And why do you say that, my lady?” Cotegipe inquired curiously.
“Freeing some slaves is one thing, but freeing them all seems to me unwise! If that happens, they will become wanderers and homeless people. Who will sustain them? If they continue to be slaves, they will always have a place to live and food to eat so that they m
ay not perish.”
Atílio surprised himself with the logical thinking of his wife. But how? Who had taught her such ideas?
And Lorena went on.
“The slaves sustain the Empire. If they are freed, how will the country produce coffee in our plantations?”
The baron smiled with satisfaction, knowing that someone else shared the same opinion as himself.
“This is the same question I ask myself everyday, Mrs. Countess... Atílio, you don't have simply a wife, but a politician dressed in skirts in your house! If she were princess, maybe she would be more zealous of our country than the one who has it as a right.”
On the afternoon after they had returned, Mercedes and Lorena were talking about the past event in Petrópolis. In order to break the routine of the Laranjeiras palace, they decided to spend an afternoon walking by the Public Palace. While the first was concentrated in meaningless details of the feast in Petrópolis, the second was thinking about a way to make her husband change his mind about taking her with him on the trip scheduled to happen in a few days.
Lorena was so absorbed in her thoughts that she barely paid attention to Mercedes’ complains.
“I think I am ill because of this love... if Ernesto abandons me because of my parents, I will die from a broken heart!”
A light shone in the mind of the Countess of Assis.
“But how didn't I think about that before?”
“What are you talking about? Mercedes asked, thinking that her friend’s sudden declaration was quite odd.
Lorena was talking to herself, without minding to be heard by her friend.
“I will not take this trip because I could become ill or, maybe, suffer an accident!”
“Good grief, Lorena! Don't do that, for I think that it attracts bad things!”
“I will not go to Europe, not this time! There are important things that I must take care right here.”
And, finishing saying that, the Countess of Assis threw herself on the street without any warning, in order to deliberately suffer an accident that would prevent her from travelling far away from Rafael Abrantes.
When, Mercedes, shocked with the incident, approached her friend, she found her unconscious and with some cuts and bruises on her arms. The horseman of the carriage that hit her, nervous, threw his hands up in the air without knowing what to do, thinking he had killed the young lady. Someone shouted, asking that they fetched a doctor to come to the scene, while a gathering of people started forming on the place of the accident.
A small stream of blood was starting to flow from the head of Atílio’s wife.
Chapter XXVI
Lorena was still unconscious when Atílio came back home, after getting informed about the incident. Alma and Mercedes were already there, both worried about what had happened. The friend, who had witnessed everything, was still trying to understand and explain the incident.
“But what happened with my wife?” Atílio asked nervously.
“We were talking to each other absent-mindedly, when she took off towards the street, as if she wanted to get hit by the first carriage that passed by. It was terrifying!”
“But why would Lorena want to do something like that, my dear God!?” Alma asked, beyond herself.
“I don't know. She is the only one who can answer it...” Mercedes answered, looking down at her hands.
Atílio, not paying attention to mere speculations, rushed towards the room. When he arrived there, he found Dr. Heitor, an old family acquaintance, who was also a doctor.
“Thank you for taking care of my wife, Dr. Heitor! How is she doing?”
“She is still unstable, but she will feel better soon. The bruise on her head was superficial and the scar will be hidden. Fortunately, there is no sign of a miscarriage.”
Atílio couldn't believe his own ears! Was Lorena pregnant?
“Why are you so shocked, my friend?” The doctor said, getting ready to leave. “You will soon have a son!”
“Well, I wasn’t expecting that...” the Count of Assis confessed, in a mist of happiness and surprise.
“And you didn't realize it, did you?” the doctor teased with him. “But what kind of doctor are you? You must know what’s going on in your own house, man!”
Atílio, not containing himself, left the bedroom, ecstatic with the news. When he got to the living room, he took Alma in his arms and swirled her around, already imagining the preparations to welcome the child he’d been waiting for so long. His son with Lorena!
The following morning, before the prima hour, Lorena woke up, and realized she was at home, in her room. Atílio was by her side, sleeping in a nearby couch and looking like he had spent the whole night watching over her in a sacrificing obligation of a devout husband. She admired once more her husband’s faithful dedication. The Countess of Assis observed him for a little while, noticing once more his rare and harmonic beauty: thick and black hair, mustache and beard perfectly trimmed, defined and proportional body which was a result of his dedication to horsemanship practice... However, why didn't she love him? Why did Rafael Abrantes still insist in clouding her dreams? Wouldn’t it be easier to surrender to her husband’s love and fulfill herself in her matrimony?
“Atílio?” Lorena whispered.
He woke up startled, wanting to help her.
“My dear, I’m happy you are feeling better!” Atílio rejoiced, holding one of his wife’s hands in between his.
“Why didn’t you sleep by my side?” she inquired, still feeling a little dizzy.
“I didn’t want to bother you... Are you feeling any pain?”
Lorena groaned a little, because her body was still very sore. She nodded her head with a gesture that indicated she was still debilitated because of the bruises.
“You are going to start feeling better soon...” Atílio commented, getting up and walking towards the porcelain bowl to wash his face. “What a scare you played on us! Alma and Mercedes were anxious, waiting for you to regain consciousness.”
“I didn't want to worry everybody, let alone cause all this hassle...”, she said, hiding her face.
Atílio approached the bed while he was drying his hands on a towel. He wanted to be the first to give his wife the good news.
“Cara mia, I need to tell you something very important...”
She looked at him, intrigued.
“You are pregnant! We are going to have a baby!”
Lorena became upset.
“No! I cannot be!”
“You didn't pay attention to your menses; but yes, you are pregnant”, Atílio confirmed.
The news troubled her spirit, and she started to cry.
“Aren’t you happy?” the husband asked, with a frowned expression, surprised with her strange reaction.
“Yes, I am... it is just that you surprised me...” and saying that, she held his hand tightly.
Ah, if Atílio knew that she had endangered both her life and that of their child! That piece of news had really surprised her. However, he still had more to tell her.
“I also wanted to tell you that I came to a decision.”
“What?”
“That I will accompany the emperor alone. I cannot allow you the effort of such an endeavor, now that I know you are with child.”
“Ah, thank you, Atílio! Lorena suspired, relieved with her husband’s decision. Finally! Either way, my idea produced good results, she thought.
“But don’t think that you will stay her in this house by yourself. I want you to stay in my mother’s house until I come back.”
When she heard that, Lorena looked at him in shock. How could Atílio suggest such an absurd idea, after knowing of all the misunderstandings she had had with Mrs. Veridiana?
“No. In your mother’s house I won't stay!”
Enraged, he yelled.
“But what is it? Can you not fulfill not even one of my requests?”
“And why don't you ask me to stay with my parents, for example?”
“You are a countess, Lorena! Your house is now us, with the Santiagos!”
“I didn't marry your family! I married you!”
“And are you forgetting your obligations? Don’t you think it is possible that the princess may call you at any time? If you are not with me, you must be in the bosom of my family!”
Lorena turned her back to him, still lying down in her bed, while Atílio, upset, preferred to leave the room. When he opened the door, he found Fanny with a tray, ready to serve his wife her breakfast.
“Good morning, sir!”
“Serve you mistress right away, Fanny”, he said curtly, and left the room.
The governess realized that the conversation between the two had been turbulent, so that she preferred not to say anything about what had happened.
“Good morning, milady! I’m glad to see you are feeling better. What a scare you played on us!”
“Ahhh, I am so angry!” Lorena said, irritated, while she punched the bed sheets.
“But what happened, milady?”
“Atílio wants me to stay at my mother-in-law’s residence while he is away; and you know what it means, don’t you?”
The governess fell quiet.
“And aren’t you going to say anything?” the mistress asked.
“What am I supposed to tell you, my lady? It is not right to disobey your husband...”
“You’re useless!” Lorena exclaimed, indignantly.
“My lady, please, don't get so agitated!”
“I don’t want to stay in that evil woman’s house. I don’t want to!”
“Milady, you must have patience... think that the safest place for you would be exactly in the lion’s den.”
“What do you mean?”
“Be nice with Mrs. Veridiana and don't try to argue with her at all. Make her think she is in control of the situation...”
Lorena considered Fanny’s words and was quiet for a little while, planning a way to deceive her mother-in-law in her rudeness towards her.
“Milady, remember that you will not be alone. You can count on me, your faithful ally!”
“All right, then. We will see how everything will turn out to be, but there is no way I will allow that witch to humiliate me!”
The Countess Of Assis - Romance, revenge and ambition during the Second Reign Page 19