Caroline Le Moûel gave a final glance to her mirror before sweeping elegantly to her bedchamber door to accept her husband's arm. He smiled at her, a vision in pale blue silks and white laces. She blushed at his attentions, which still affected her strongly after five years of their matrimony.
"Mon cher, are you sure Laureline will be perfectly all right here, alone, with only Signora Lizzino? You know how she frets." Madame Aubin gave a pretty frown to her husband, but Jean-Baptiste Le Moûel only gave a soft chuckle.
"Fret not, Caroline, for Signora Lizzino is a flow of distractions. And nothing bothers Laureline when she draws or paints, and the signora is amorous about all the arts." Jean-Baptiste patted his wife's little hand.
"You are right, as you always are. Now, come, we shall be late. And I long for more practice on my new accent."
The couple shared yet another smile before descending the staircase to their door, a picture of utter beauty and love.
---
Not so lovely was their daughter as she learned her parents had gone out yet again, leaving her with Signora Lizzino for the umpteenth time. Laure-Caroline Le Moûel was anything but lovely when in a rage, and as her parents were climbing into their carriage to go to the party in their finest, Laure-Caroline was in one of her heartiest rages for the month.
Sighing heavily, Signora Lizzino waited patiently for the little girl to finish shouting and raving in a mixture of Italian and French in her astonishingly loud voice.
Now, Signora Lizzino was not a renowned artist for her skill alone, but for her fine teaching and skills in a nursery or schoolroom. But she had certainly met her match in the fiery daughter of two of the sweetest foreigners she'd ever met. Laure-Caroline was as difficult as she was talented, for learning to speak and read two languages fluently by the age of two and a half was no small feat. But she still had much to learn where ladylike behavior was concerned.
Finally, Signora Lizzino spoke. "Signorita, I'm afraid I shall have to lock you in your room alone if you do not desist your ramblings."
Laure-Caroline silenced with this threat, but her eye were still flared with anger. "Maman promised to take me out this week, and only two days remain! She shall not keep her promise, and I shall be dreadfully upset!" She counted the days on her fingers to make sure she was correct, then looked back up accusingly at Signora Lizzino.
"It is not at all my fault, my dear. I shall remind your mother of her promise, fear not."
"Please call me Laureline. Maman and Papa don't call me silly names."
"Of course, Laureline. Now, shall we amuse ourselves in the arts?"
After a semblance of calm swept over them, Signora Lizzino considered her pupil and charge. Laure-Caroline, or Laureline, to be correct, was so very talented, and very loved. The signora felt in a few months, the girl would surpass even her own artistic skills. Yet the girl was so childish at times. Very demanding, she decided.
But why not? A rich young girl like her should not be wanting. Especially for her parents' attentions.
Thus decided Signora Lizzino that Laureline would have her evening with her maman the very next day, if circumstances provided.
---
Laureline was smiling prettily as she fingered the pale green bow in her hair. She was a pleasure to the eyes, Signora Lizzino had declared, and indeed she was. In a crisp white dress with a pale green sash and petticoat, she was a little myriad of a cloud.
And even though she was very young, Laureline still knew she had a handsome little face. And in a mood such as the one she was currently in, she was nothing short of lovely, with a pretty dress and elegant curls done to her hair.
Her dress was also something the young girl loved. She had drawn and painted a picture of such a dress on a girl like herself, and given it to her maman. Mme Le Moûel had immediately sent the picture to her closest acquaintance's dressmaker, a Madame Poindexter, and had received the finished dress inside the season. Now, Laureline was given the dress, much to her delight. To be in one's own idea had been beyond her; now, she reveled in the loveliness of her new frock.
"Bella signorita, your mother waits upon you downstairs."
It was Signora Lizzino, come to gather her for her very first carriage outing in Rome. Laureline twirled once before her long mirror, and then went to her door, satisfied with herself. She took Signora Lizzino's offered hand, and went to meet her maman.
Smiling at Mme Le Moûel was not difficult when Signora Lizzino caught her mistress' eye. The madame's eyes were bright and happy to see her daughter so lovely.
"Signora, is she not lovely," the madame asked. "I daresay we should have given her her creations long before now. My lovely daughter is very talented." Little Laureline blushed before coming and curtsying to her maman. "Is she not an absolute angel!" Mme Le Moûel cried happily.
The two departed soon after Mme Le Moûel finally decided on where to go. There was a lovely parc near the Le Moûel's house where the she loved to go in her carriage rides; she was sure Laureline would enjoy it immensely and said as much to Signora Lizzino, who agreed. "And prettier flowers are to be found nowhere," the signora stated.
Laureline and Mme Le Moûel easily made their way to the garden in the carriage drawn by Vicini, the valet. Their horses, all brown in color, held their heads high as they led the carriage. The afternoon sun was a little harsh, and Mme Le Moûel held a parasol over herself, as did her daughter.
A grand surprise greeted the madame when one of her good acquaintances Signora Gabriel drove by with with her husband. The carriages were stopped, and a few easy words send Vicini back with an empty carriage to the Le Moûel's while Mme Le Moûel and Laureline sat in the Gabriel's carriage.
"My dear Signora Le Moûel, I was just telling Ferruccio how much I longed to meet your daughter. And such a lovely creature! Though I am not so sure about taking her out in society; it can hardly be thought proper to do so, with her so young."
"My Laureline is very much blessed with an advanced mind. She is quite more intelligent than half the young ladies I have seen about in Rome. And do you not like her dress?"
Signora Gabriel turned an eye to Laureline's dress, appreciating the innocent quality it held. "It is of a high quality. I am sure any of my girls would cut a handsome figure in something like it."
"Why, signora, your girls are all over sixteen, are they not?"
"Si, but the dress is a very fine cut for such a young girl. Where did you get it?"
"You will be surprised to learn my Laureline designed it." Mme Le Moûel looked proudly at her daughter, who had been talking to Signore Gabriel about his hat but now turned to look at her maman.
"I cannot believe it!" Signora Gabriel exclaimed. "It is of the best fashion and design."
"I painted it, Signora, and then Maman sent it to a dressmaker in Paris to have it made," Laureline said. All eyes turned to her. "It is comfortable, not at all like the stuffy things Signora Lizzino likes me to wear."
"Laureline, Signora Lizzino only gives you the best fashions," her mother cried.
Signore Gabriel seemed much impressed by the little girl. "You are most talented, signorita," he said, "much like our middle daughter is with her music. But I daresay she was not so well-spoken at your tender age."
"I do hope she wasn't. Maman says she wishes i was more immature, so she might manage to do things without my noticing."
Signore Gabriel laughed out loud, and his wife tapped his arm with mock seriousness. "Indeed, my dear, you'd best hope Nave doesn't keep her eyes on us all the time, for she'd be quite unable to take her eyes off all the grand things we did while she was in the schoolroom."
"And now the young miss is out, and very prettily so, I must say. She is a very handsome girl, indeed, as are all your children. A very handsome family you both have." Mme Le Moûel smiled at her friend graciously.
"As do you, my good Parisian friend! Your daughter has the look of a cherub about her, and you and your husband are so very fine in your looks, she is sure to be a beauty."
Mme Le Moûel blushed prettily and patted her daughter's hair as she resumed conversation with Signore Gabriel. "We are both very blessed, indeed, Signora Gabriel. But I am thinking of returning to Paris."
"Oh, no, you mustn't! Why, what shall I do when I am in need of advice as far as fashion is concerned! You know you are the very one I trust on such things, Caroline."
"But there is no one I trust more in the arts than a certain Parisian, and Laureline has far outgrown Signora Lizzini as far as her artistic talent is concerned. She is very young, but far too talented to spend her years with an insufficient tutor."
Signora Gabriel pursed her lips in annoyance. "But surely you will stay for a while longer? And who is your certain Parisian who you are so keen on?" Her eyes sparkled.
"Oh, no, do not think in that direction at all. He is a distant connection of mine on my father's side. His name is Frederick Fontainebleau, and he is renowned throughout all Paris for his elegant designs and music. He would suit Laureline immensely, of that I am certain."
"You will at least send a maid to help her?"
"I have written to M Fontainebleau, and he seems eager to meet my daughter. He has offered the service of two of his servants to attend to her as something of a ward. Their names are Madame Poindexter and her daughter Blanche, or Béatrice, something similar to that."
"You would trust this Frenchman?" Signora Gabriel had never been very kindly towards the French, but took a great exception with the Le Moûels.
"He is my flesh and blood. I would be a fool not to take his offer; he usually charges thrice what he offered my husband and I. Jean-Baptiste and I plan to stay in Rome until her birthday and then sail to France."
"And she will be six, then? She must be six, at least, with her fine tongue."
"Heavens, no. Laureline is at present three years of age, and her birthday is in less than two months."
"I declare! Ferruccio, my dear, were you aware that Caroline's daughter was just three at present?"
"I had no idea, I assure you, for she acts with more sense than most girls of thirteen." Signore Gabriel turned pleasant, surprised eyes to Laureline. "And yet she has a very young set of features, does she not?"
"I am generally held to be rather mature for my age, Signora Gabriel. Most think me to be at least five or six, but I assure you, I am not there quite yet."
She pointedly turned back to Signore Gabriel, who quickly resumed telling her about Switzerland. Signora Gabriel looked at them with a sharp eye for a moment, then turned to her friend. "Signora Le Moûel, I declare I never met a more fascinating child."
"Be very glad of it, for she can be very hard to be a parent too. She takes all things so very seriously."
"But her talent and manners are unparalleled, Caroline, and you should be very proud."
"Indeed I am, but I only hope she does not run amok in Paris."
"Be sure she will not, with someone tied to you by blood watching over her. I am sure the French hold family values high as we do."
"Indeed, Signora, for otherwise, my daughter would be holed up, learning about history and other dreadful things in Lyon or Brittany. That is where we have our French homes," she added.
"You should take care she does not get too ahead of herself, when she is a little older. A girl like that should surely shake all of Paris. All the young men, and the older ones as well, I am sure, will be eager to court her."
"Let us revel in the present, for the moment, and enjoy the qualms of young motherhood, my friend. If Laureline is difficult now, heaven knows how she shall be when she is out."
Madame Le Moûel crossed herself, to Signora Gabriel's amusement. "My dear Caro, nothing pleases me more than the thought of your daughter taking the world by storm. She shall glow in her fine dresses, I'll wager you that. She'll marry fine, she will."
"We can only hope she falls in love with a man of sense and some wealth."
"Maman, do not talk of me in love. I'll never fall in love, if it vexes you so."
"My dear Laureline, nothing would make me more horrified."