Swiftly the Heart Falters
Chapter One
Prologue
Paris, France abt. 1765
The cobbled streets of Paris were awash in torch light. An angry mob had gathered in the city streets, intent upon finding the murderer of the daughter of Bessette. The Viscount had managed to secure the help of many of the other Noble families in the area, the sons and fathers upon their horses, ready to take action. Sabers and pistols were among the deadliest of the weapons, while villagers had managed to grab hold of timber, shovels and axes. Few onlookers speculated a trial would be held. Swift justice would be met when the murderer was found and there was nothing anyone could do.
Viscount Bessette pulled on the reins of his bay and curtly ordered his horse to stand still. The horse seemed to understand the frenzy that was running through the veins of those around it. Bessette looked to his right, his good friend, Chavalier, frowning at the melee that was occurring.
"Nous ne pouvons pas attendre plus. Nous devons commencer la recherche avant qu'il ne soit trop avancé." Bessette cried and with a kick of his heels, he was off, galloping down a small alley way. Several others took off after him, calling to him to slow and wait for the others, but the father was possessed by grief and vengeance and could hear nothing. The sounds of the hounds could be heard in the distance, rushing off in the distance, hot on the trail of the killer. The hounds had been released earlier and now with the distance between the hounds and the men increasing, Bessette could not afford to lose another moment.
Bessette's tortured thoughts were of his precious daughter, and the way that they had found her broken, bloody body. She'd been in the gardens, though it was late, but she was prone to enjoy the smells of the flowering blossoms and would spend hours upon hours in there. They'd found her lifeless body near the fountain situated in the middle of the Conservatory. Her pale blue dress was in tatters and blood had stained the front of it. She had been so pale and blue that he remembered standing there still as if it were not a reality, just an illusion of the pale moon shining through the glass covered ceiling.
"Merde!" He cried out and pushed the horse faster as it raced for the outskirts of town. The path was taking them South and Bessette was sure the murderer was making his way towards the woods that lay not too far from the city. He needed to move quickly. If the murderer had made it already to the wooded area then the search would become harder and slow them down, ensuring the monster's escape. There would be no escape for the bastard that had snuffed out the very life of his only daughter, and he would spend his lifetime, if necessary, searching the man out.
The casket lay in the salon, two candelabras on either side, lighting the darkened room. Chairs had been positioned in front of the casket, though no one wanted to sit in the room for too long, no one except Girard Bessette. The grief of not finding the mad man who had cut short the life of his beautiful daughter was more than he could bear and he spent his waking moments slumped forward in the chair.
"m'lord, the men are hear to see to the burying of..." Girard Bessette set a searing gaze upon his footman, silencing the man. He left the room, and Girard rose to stand over the casket. Laying a hand on it, he clench his other hand into a tight fist.
"Rest in peace my dear child and may you be joined with your momma. She will be so happy to see the baby that she was not able to raise herself." Girard said, and placing a kiss upon the top of the casket, strode from the room.
Translations:
1. We can not expect more. We need to start looking before it is too late.
2. Damn!