Chapter 1
1890
Ever since the move to New York, Christine's husband tried desperately to fit in amongst the wealthiest. Since he was a royal from France, everyone was intrigued when they met him. She stood quietly in the background at the small gatherings that the two attended, as he sipped back his champagne and entertained everyone with his American jokes while they laughed at his French accent.
The two were childless since their marriage 8 years prior. The loss of one child very early in their marriage made Christine no longer want to try despite her husband's efforts. He drowned his sorrows by moving them across the ocean after the death of his mother to start over. Ever since their move with their royal money, every other night was another party. But it was one hot July day when an invitation arrived for another party that would change everything.
Christine remained sitting in a chaise lounge on their front porch, listening to the faint sound of the city life that was miles away. Raoul came dashing up to the porch from the mail carrier and yelled enthusiastically,
"We finally have been invited!" She closed her eyes and wondered what party it was this time.
"To where?" she asked opening up her eyes to a slight summer breeze.
"To the DeVeau party! You should know that ever since we moved here, this mysterious DeVeau always throws the best parties on his giant estate. But the best part about it is that everyone important is invited and yet, nobody knows who he is! Isn't that marvelous?!" He said practically shouting and singing as he opened the screen door and marched loudly into the house. She sighed to herself and thought about another party, the thought exhausted her.
Going inside, she saw the invitation sitting on the front table by the front door. Raoul had already gone upstairs to change for a small get together the two were going to that evening. Christine looked at the invitation, it was just plain white and handwritten in elegant black handwriting. There was nothing special about it, so she wondered what was so special about these parties. She had heard of people speak of how his parties were absolutely over the top. A lot of music and dancing and wild shenanigans going on. But as Raoul had stated earlier, the man who threw the parties remained absolutely mysterious.
Later that evening, they sat at a small house party of their two closest friends and chatted amongst the ten others in the parlor as Americans called their main entertaining room. Raoul couldn't hold back his excitement to his friends to let them know that they had been invited to the DeVeau party. The couple that was hosting the party was a Mr. and Mrs. Goldsmith from England and they instantly said that they had been to DeVeau's parties and that he was an ex-murderer who inherited his entire father's fortune and remains anonymous to conceal his identity but loves to party. He parties amongst everyone and yet no one knows who he is.
"Oh that's ludicrous!" Christine said with a smile taking another sip of her wine. When she had too much to drink, she usually said things she should keep to herself and Raoul gave her a little jab in the ribs and a little smile.
"It's true I tell you." Mr. Goldsmith told her with a smile. "If you can pick out who he is amongst the crowd, then he will give you a personal tour of his entire estate, and I tell you, I would love to tour that estate, so large and full of mystery." Mrs. Goldsmith's butler filled Christine's wine glass back up as she smiled and said,
"If I find out who DeVeau really is, I will let each of you know his secrets. However my loving husband comes first in knowing." She said smiling at Raoul. She really hated becoming this way, however it was almost as if she didn't party and drink her wine, Raoul found her rather boring. He enjoyed the party life and seeing his usually quiet wife, actually speak about what was on her mind.
A mystery guest to their group was a younger woman, a distant friend of Mrs. Goldsmith. Mrs. Goldsmith told Christine earlier that evening she was a spinster named Lizzie Bowen. Everyone in the group was under the age of 30 and this woman was the only unmarried one and very beautiful. She stood up and walked over to the piano with her martini and said,
"I've met the famous DeVeau." The group quieted down and someone said,
"Really?" She took a sip from her glass and replied,
"Yep. My tip for you DeChagny is to remember that every party he gives is a masquerade. Everyone wears a mask of some sort. If you don't wear a mask, you don't get in." Christine didn't like masquerade parties. Ever since she was in Paris and the last masquerade she attended 9 years ago turned out to be disastrous, she didn't ever go to another one. Her buzz quickly turned into sobriety as she heard the words masquerade. But then she remembered that this was New York and everything here was different and her past was behind her. She was a different person here in America.
"Well we will see how it all turns out." Raoul said taking a sip of his wine. Christine placed her glass down by a nearby table and Raoul drank his down in one gulp and announced that they would have to leave for the evening. He could tell that his wife was a little on edge and he wanted to take her home.
When they arrived back to their house, she saw the invitation still sitting on the front table.
"How do you feel about going to a party of a murderer's?" She asked looking up from the invitation and seeing Raoul taking off his hat placing it down. He sighed and walked over to her placing his hands on her shoulders.
"I think that woman is crazy. She claims to know this DeVeau, how would she know him? Nobody knows him." She smiled up at him, despite how uneasy she felt, just his touch alone was enough to reassure her.
"If I thought it was dangerous, I would never consider placing you in that danger." She placed her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. She took in his smell, it was the same smell he always had even as a child. She breathed deep and smiled, this was the safest place she ever had been and she was so grateful that she was able to be in his embrace.
