Chapter One
Danielle ran down the road back to the Manoir de Barbarac, tears spilling from her eyes. She couldn't believe that the dream was over. Henry didn't love her anymore. His love was gone forever, thanks to Rodmilla.
Danielle ran through the gate of the manor and didn't stop until she noticed a carriage sitting in front of the manor. She gazed at the carriage, in awe of its beauty. At that moment, the door of the house opened and a rough voice reached her ears.
"When my granddaughter comes home, alert me immediately!" the voice commanded.
"Yes, Marquis du Loncret, we will alert you immediately once Danielle arrives home," Paulette says.
Danielle runs immediately around the carriage. She stops the minute she sights the man whom she knows to be her grandfather. She had seen several portraits of him when she was younger. He was older than the portraits had shown, but she knew that most of them had been painted before she was born.
"Grandfather?" Danielle asked breathlessly.
Her grandfather, Marquis Andrew du Loncret, turned and faced her. Tears filled Andrew's eyes as he gazed at her. She looked so much like her mother.
"Danielle, my child," Andrew said quietly.
Danielle rushed into his arms. They embraced tightly as tears streamed down Danielle's face. Andrew smiled as he continued to hold onto his granddaughter tightly.
When they parted, Andrew held his beloved granddaughter at arms length and gazed at her. "You look so like your mother. You are as beautiful as Nicole was."
Danielle blushed slightly at her grandfather's compliment. "Thank you, grandfather."
Andrew smiled at her once again, and turned her toward the carriage. "Let's get you inside the carriage and get you two home. Marina is waiting for you there. I will stay here and supervise the packing of your things."
Danielle nodded, understanding most of what he said. Marina, she knew, was her step-grandmother. As for saying the two of them, she wasn't sure about until she looked into the carriage.
Waiting quietly inside was a young woman about her age, with rich brown hair and piercing green eyes. She knew who she was, even though she hadn't seen her in years, her cousin Meredith de Lov. Their mothers were sisters, Nicole being one year older than Anna, Meredith's mother.
"Bonjour, Meri. It's good to finally see you again," Danielle said as she entered the carriage.
"It's good to see you as well, Danielle. 12 years is a bit too long for cousins to be out of touch, especially when they are in the same province," Meredith said as her cousin sat down across from her.
"I know. But it's not our fault. It's Rodmilla's fault," Danielle said.
"Add Esther to that, Danielle. My stepmother is as bad as yours. Though, I am thankful she didn't let me go to the masque tonight. Grandfather was able to claim me a lot faster," Meredith said.
"You didn't miss much, cousin. Only the most heartbreaking moment of my life," Danielle said, tears coming to her eyes.
"He turned you away? Why? I thought once he knew the truth that Henry would understand," Meredith said.
"No, because Rodmilla told her version of the truth. I had no choice but to acknowledge that," Danielle said.
At that moment, the carriage began to move. Both girls quieted down as the carriage began to make its way from the Manoir de Barbarac and began its trip toward their new home.
"Annabel, are the rooms ready for Danielle and Meredith? They should be arriving soon!" bellowed the normally soft voice of Marquise Marina du Loncret up the staircase of the Chateau du Loncret.
"Mistress Meredith's rooms are ready. We are just about completed with Mistress Danielle's rooms," Annabel, a 16-year-old du Loncret servant, reported to her mistress from the top of the stairs.
"Good," Marina said before waving her hand to dismiss the young woman.
Marina smiled s she walked back into the parlor of the chateau. Her wonderful stepgranddaughters were coming home to where they belonged. To the life that should had all along.
Marina had only met her stepgranddaughters once, shortly after they were born, since she and Andrew had to travel to attend the funerals for both mothers.
Nicole and Anna died within days of each other, both dying in childbirth. Unlike her elder sister, Anna had gotten the chance to hold her daughter. Nicole had died when Danielle had taken her first breath. Auguste and Daniel, Anna's beloved husband, were devastated at their passing, but had dedicated their lives to raising their daughters. That is why, when Meredith was six and Danielle was eight, that both men had remarried, Auguste to Rodmilla and Daniel to Lady Esther DeVille.
Both men realized too late that both marriages were a mistake, but both of them had sent a letter to Marina and Andrew to please take the girls if they died. Then the word came that Auguste had died. Marina and Andrew had prepared to fetch Danielle when they heard about Daniel's death. They set out to fetch both girls then, but Rodmilla and Esther refused to let them take the girls.
Marina and Andrew refused to give up. This was their only successful try to claim the girls. And now Danielle and Meredith were on their way to their true home.
Marina walked to the parlor's fireplace and gazed upon the portraits of Nicole and Anna and smiled. "Both of your girls will be home tonight. Finally, they will have the lives that should've been theirs all along."