AN: Hey guys. Somehow I feel that there aren't many people interested in the story, although I know a few who probably read from time to time. If you are interested then please leave a comment, or I might quit writing. Just kidding, but one or two comments from other readers would really help. Anyway, enjoy the new chap!

Chapter 7: New aqcuaintances

In the next four days Georgiana refused to leave her rooms. Only Stefanie and Isabeau entered once in a while, to bring her food or to change the bed sheets. But most of the time she was alone, and this was good. She wanted to be alone.

But the fifth day she could bare it no longer. After washing her face and putting on one of her new dresses she – much to the staff's surprise – left her room for the first time since she came.

It was a rather rainy morning, the sky still dark and clouds hiding the rising sun, so she decided to make herself familiar with the interior.

Now, walking through the corridors, she did not think of the place as horrible as she had on coming here. The interior was actually beautiful, the colors red brown and gold everywhere to be found. The rooms were dark, but with large windows, so sunlight had no difficulty streaming inside. And the pieces of art to be found – what an exquisite taste!

After a while she heard people talking and giving orders to one another, and eventually found herself in the kitchen. On her entering every single servant stood still and looked at her with great surprise. Georgiana wanted to open her mouth, to say anything, but found this to be unnecessary, as Isabeau, followed by Stefanie came out of the crowd and both girls – to everybody's greater surprise – embraced Georgiana like a friend.

"Bonjour, Mademoiselle. What a nice surprise. Are you hungry? Today the cook made brioche with chocolate* in it. You simply have to try this. Believe me when I say that it is the best food in the world." And she took Georgiana's hand and led the young woman to the fresh sweets. She had never tried brioche or chocolate before, as both were considered luxuries and quite expensive ones, but she had to admit that Isabeau was right – they were marvelous.

Everyone, except Isabeau felt a little awkward, so the black-haired girl decided to introduce her "mistress" to the castle's stuff. There weren't many people working here – not that Georgiana had an actual idea of how many people were normally employed in such a great house, but she supposed that there usually were more.

She met the cook – Monsieur Laurent – and thanked him for the excellent food, she had eaten for the last couple of days. But he only smiled at her. "It's been my pleasure."

The two stable boys, the gardeners, the maidservants and hall boys, all were extremely nice to her, and did not blame her, for not leaving her room. She was grateful for that. But someone was missing.

"Where is Madame Clarice? I met her the first night."

"Oh she's probably with the master. She's the housekeeper, you know, and more to do than the rest of us combined. She'll be downstairs soon." Marguerite – one of the maids – replied. And so it was. While talking to Isabeau and Stefanie about her family and how she missed them, Clarice entered. Her face lit up, when she noticed how close the three girls already were.

"Bonjour, Mademoiselle. I'm happy to see you here. I hope these two chatterboxes are not bothering you?" She spoke with good humor in her voice and Georgiana knew, she was joking.

"Oh, but Madame, it is not nice of you to talk of us in such a way. We'll leave then, as we are no longer welcomed here. Come Stefanie."

"But if you leave, you'll never be able to eat Laurent's brioche again. Wouldn't that be too bad, indeed?" After this Isabeau looked like considering the idea, jokingly placing her fingers under her chin. The whole exchange was hilarious and both Georgiana and Stefanie tried hard not to laugh. Just like at home. Georgiana's features darkened a little.

"I knew it!" Clarice seated herself next to them, and the three servants began to discuss the business of the day.

"What would you like to eat today, Mademoiselle?" Clarice asked her after a while.

"I don't understand." Georgiana was confused.

"Well, as our guest it is I believe only just if you chose the menu."

"But…what will your master say?"

"Don't bother yourself with that. The master never eats here, so he won't be disturbed by this action."

What does she mean by this? He never eats here? Yet he keeps a cook. I don't understand. He probably thinks, he's too fine for his own cook's meals.

"Anyway, I have to go now. Visit the poor. Madame Crousseaux needs help with the children, now that the ninth one is on its way." Clarice stood up and searched for a basket.

"But isn't the duty of the castle's mistress…as far as I know?" Georgiana's farm belonged to a large estate, although not as large as this one, and she remembered the mistress and her daughters visiting nearly once a week to listen to their problems.

"Well, yes. Usually it is, but as this house doesn't have a mistress, it becomes the housekeeper's responsibility. And I like it actually." She had found a basket, and began to fill it now with fruit and blankets.

Really? No mistress? I sincerely wonder how this can be, for he's such a gentleman! Georgiana tried to not show her entertainment too openly.

"Then…well, please allow me to join you."

"I fear I cannot do that. You gave the master a promise that you are never to leave the château's grounds. Maybe in the future, but for now we don't want to provoke him into doing something he's sure to regret some day. Isabeau, would you be so nice as to join me?"

"Of course, Madame." Isabeau took the heavy basket out of the old woman's hands and together they left the kitchen, leaving Georgiana and Stefanie behind.

The two girls sat like this for a while, talking about this and that, and Georgiana was comforted by the thought that even though she would never see her family again, she would at least not be alone in this place.

"How about I show you the gardens?" Stefanie suggested after a while.

"That would be great, but…isn't that forbidden? What will Madame Clarice say?"

"Oh, no, don't worry. As long as you don't try to run away, we can go for a walk there…You won't run away, will you?"

Georgiana really considered the idea, but remembered her promise. She wouldn't be the one to break hers, and she wouldn't give this beast a reason to track down her family."

"No, I won't."

"Oh good, because I think Isabeau and Madame would never forgive me if you would. And you'll see. Life here isn't that bad."

After borrowing a suitable rain cloak from one of the maidservants the two girls stepped out of the kitchen's exits leading to the stables and gardens. It was raining, the sky dark with heavy clouds, but neither were disturbed by this. Georgiana took a deep breath, taking in the scent of wet grass and fresh oxygen. She did not know how she could survive almost a week, without ever leaving the building. She was a nature's child who needed her strolls through the wide fields and woods surrounding her family's farmland.

They ran through the rose bushes and labyrinths, and still had not seen everything. The gardens were too big, and Georgiana decided that she would explore the rest as soon as possible, before winter snow and coldness would make it impossible.

They spend hours playing like children in the rain, and when they returned to the house, they were greeted by Monsieur Laurent with a cup of hot tea.

Georgiana felt like she had breathed freely for the first time since weeks. What she didn't know – she had been observed by a black clothed figure, hiding himself behind the heavy curtains of one of the château's windows.

b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b&b

It was night once more. The clouds that had hidden the cold November sun earlier that day had vanished and the moon hung above the hills and rivers of the French countryside.

Two figures - the one a tall young man, the other a short old woman – were arguing in hushed voices under the shadows of the grand castle.

"What took you so long? I told you that I needed four days ago."

"Young master, you know that it takes take to prepare it, otherwise the impact isn't the one desired."

"Don't call me Young master! I'm far older than you."

"And yet you can't control yourself as someone of your age ought to."

"Don't tell me how I ought to behave! You are here only for one reason, and were it not for your skills I would send you back to where you came from." The man talked himself into a rage. His face was hidden by a heavy cloth, but Clarice knew that she was in no danger of him.

"Do you want it now or not?" And she offered him a small flask. Without saying a word, the man took the flask out of her hand and drank the burning liquid it contained, gasping at the pain that ran like fire through his whole body, before it finally shrank into a nagging throb in his chest.

"I praise the day I don't have to drink this brew any longer."

"We both know very well that this day may never come. You need this in order to be discreet."

"Ha! Even the farmers begin to notice I'm here." And with a lower voice he continued. "I almost killed Her today. I'm no longer sure about this. Maybe I should just kill her now, quick and painless."

"And lead the soldiers to you? No, I cannot allow that. Not after what happened in Gévaudan."

"You don't know what it feels like. To have the scent of youth and strength fill your lungs, to want to kill someone so badly. She was soaked through after her walk in rain today. It was even worse to bear." He looked at her with an almost animalistic look.

"I know, but you have to endure it. Just for a couple of years. The governor knows, and you have to be even more carful than before. The government doesn't tolerate such games. They will track you down once and for all, and I cannot allow that."

"It would be easier for everyone if they actually did. I'm tired of thisgame, as you put it."

"You know that this isn't true. He has plans for you. There's a purpose in every life. Go now! No one will see you."

The old lady put her hand on his shoulders. She looked him straight in the eye, not intimidated by the coldness meeting her. The man pulled of his cloak and shirt, putting both in Clarice's hands. Then he turned and ran away, his figure disappearing in white light.

"Take care, young master." The woman's eyes following him, until he had reached the old trees of the nearby forest.