The Better Man
A Prologue
It took approximately nine months for the scandal to fade away. From the most gilded aristocrat to the humblest shopkeeper, everyone knew that there was only one reason for a man of his station to marry a girl of hers, particularly with it being such a rush job. In the all the finest salons in Paris, each mention of the young couple was inevitably accompanied by nods and winks. A particular source of amusement was the affair of the "Opera Ghost" - clearly a smokescreen to conceal the young vicomte's illicit trysts with the falsely virtuous chorus girl. Some felt the vicomte's insistence that her disappearances were connected to the unfortunate tragedies involving an old and unsound chandelier was bordering on poor taste, while more than one "expert" declared that they would not be surprised if the young man was "touched in the head", perhaps a result of that gift that was so often bestowed upon men by such women. As confirmation, all paranormal activity at the Opera had of course ceased after the budding soprano simultaneously announced her early retirement and impending nuptials.
Over billiards and cigars, the men all agreed that it was most unfortunate for the young man that his indiscretion should catch up with him, but it was by no means unusual. The factories and poor-houses were full of girls with bulging bellies who had paid the price for allowing themselves to believe that anything could come of loving a man above their rank. It was practically de rigueur for members of the upper classes to take a chorus girl or ballerina as a mistress, but it ended there, child or no. Everyone was at a loss as to how the girl, pretty though she was, had managed to convince a vicomte to marry her.
The question was answered when the blessed day finally arrived. The groom, misty-eyed and nearly swooning, could not have appeared more like a love-sick puppy. "Ah," they whispered. "She's charmed him with all the craft and skill of an actress." The bride was radiant, and the guests diverted themselves during the interminable ceremony by scrutinizing her glowing complexion and exchanging knowing glances across the aisles. When the last of the rice was thrown and the newlyweds were sent on their way, guests turned to one another, saying, "Well, wasn't that lovely. Have you ever seen so many flowers?" before adding in a too-loud whisper, "But can you believe she had the nerve to blush? Who does she think she's fooling?"
From that point on, surveillance of the young couple became necessary. Obviously the whole thing would be hushed up and hidden as much as possible, so servants were bribed to be on the look-out for any suspicious bundles being spirited away under cover of night. But the months dragged on without a single sign, and finally a dressmaker plied with brandy admitted that Madame had been skinny as a twig when she'd been measured for new dresses some six months after the wedding. Of course, as is common with this sort of thing, when all evidence began to point to public opinion being wrong, no one ever bothered admitting it. Gradually, the raised eyebrows lowered and tongues ceased to wag...about this particular couple, anyway. The sooner a new target was found, the sooner everyone could pretend they'd never been wrong. Thankfully, the French nobility is nothing if not filled with victims ripe for slander, and in short order, the whole affair was forgotten.