The day dawned and Christine stared out the window at the brightening sky. Today, her late husband's family would be coming to her home to deal with some of the formalities that exist with a titled family.
Celie assisted Christine in dressing in the uncomfortably stiff formal funerary dress that she was expected to be wearing. After consuming a meager breakfast, Christine sat in the parlor reading until her guests arrived.
At half nine, the Comte and Comtess de Chagny arrived with their solicitor. The elderly man would help sort out the late Vicomte's affairs. Christine sat in silence as the solicitor laid before her the details.
She was to receive a weekly stipend for spending. If she wished to obtain a larger sum than her weekly stipend, she could contact the solicitor for the money at any time. The household's financials and the household staff would be paid from the late Vicomte's estate. The household staff was going to undergo some changes. Celie, Christine's maid and confidante would stay, as would Victoire, the matronly cook, and also Jean the stable boy. From one of their other estates, there would be Henri, the porter and Luc the coachman. Alain, Raoul's valet, was to go to one of the country estates. If Christine were to remarry, she would be given a lump sum and would no longer bear her title. She agreed with the terms and signed where required.
Christine requested a small sum of money to buy two additional dresses, ones that were more befitting of her status of widow than her bright and lively gowns. The amount would be brought by the solicitor's porter in the morning unless Christine wished to attend the solicitor's office that afternoon. She agreed to arrive at the office promptly at two that afternoon to pick up the money. That would allow for plenty of time to visit the dressmaker shop before the end of the day. Christine accompanied her inlaws and the solicitor to the door and bid her goodbyes. When her visitors were gone, she let out an audible sigh of relief. Hours had passed, and Christine was beginning to feel the pangs of hunger in her abdomen. She walked towards the kitchen and Victoire met her at the door.
"Vicomtess, would you like some lunch? It is noon, and I presume that you are hungry. I have prepared a sandwich and some soup, if you are interested." Victoire offered.
"Thank you, Victoire, that sounds lovely. I shall take my meal in the sitting room." Christine thanked the older woman warmly and went to sit by the fire. The soup was delightful and filling. When her lunch was finished, she sat reading by the fire for some time. At one, she summoned Louis-Rene to bring around the fiacre at half one. Christine went upstairs and retrieved her travel gear, wrapping a shawl tightly around her, and tying her hat on. She adjusted the light, gauzy black veil to cover her face.
The ride to the solicitor's office took a few minutes shy of half an hour, and Christine walked inside promptly at two. The elderly gentleman gave her the sum, and again offered condolences to the young widow. She thanked him graciously, then left the solicitor's office and stepped into the afternoon sun. Christine paused for a moment to enjoy the sun's warmth, before climbing back into the fiacre.
The trip to the dressmaker's shop was short, a mere fifteen minutes. There were three women sitting in the shop when Christine entered.
"Madame, welcome. What can we assist you with this afternoon?" The older of the three women asked, coming around the counter to greet her.
"I lost my husband recently, and I am in need of some new dresses reflecting my status as widow. Something with a modest neckline and few frills." Christine explained.
The older woman introduced herself as Jeanette and offered her condolences to Christine, warmly taking her hand. The two women discussed the specifics of the gowns, and pricing. Louise, the younger daughter, pointed out that Christine still had enough for a dress that was already made. Breaking from tradition, Christine chose a deep charcoal gray heavy flannel day dress. The new dress was folded and packed by Louise, who told her the other two dresses would be ready and delivered in one week. Christine thanked the women again, and climbed back into the fiacre for the ride home. Upon arrival, she thanked Louis-Rene for his service, and wished him luck in his new endeavors.
Celie greeted Christine at the door excitedly and took the parcel from her. Celie loved opening new clothes, even if they weren't for her. Christine requested that Celie gather the household staff in the kitchen after she put the dress away.
"This has been a stressful week for everyone here. As you know, the late Vicomte's parents were here earlier, and have chosen to reassign three of our staff members to one of their other estates. It saddens me that Alain, Louis-Rene, and Nicolas will be leaving. It has been wonderful to have you here, and you shall greatly be missed. I have no doubt that you will be well taken care of. Louis-Rene and Nicolas' replacements will be here on Monday. I have been doing a lot of thinking, and I have decided to give the rest of the staff a long weekend, starting at the end of your shift tonight. Jean, I will need you to stop by and ensure the horses are fed and watered daily, otherwise your time is yours. That is all." Christine announced.
Given that it was only Wednesday, there was surprised murmurs and questions. Christine reassured the staff that she would be fine alone. Celie looked excessively worried. When Christine walked down the hallway to her sitting room, Celie followed.
"Madame, please. I have no place to go, do not send me away. I will not bother you. I will keep the fires stoked and otherwise stay in my room unless you summon me." The desperation was unmistakable in Celie's voice.
Christine looked fondly at the sweet girl, only two or three years younger than she, and smiled. "Celie, you may stay - please do not think I would force you out into the street. Thank you for reminding me about the fires, I had not thought of that. I will permit you to stay, because you are a good girl - not a gossip. If I hear a whisper of anything that goes on this weekend - how I made my own dinner, any guests I may have, anything I choose to do, you will find yourself without employment. Do I make myself clear?"
Celie swallowed nervously "Yes, Madame, you make yourself perfectly clear."
When dinner was finished, Victoire thanked Christine profusely, explaining that her youngest daughter was to be married on Saturday afternoon. Christine grinned and bid Victoire not to leave quite yet, turned and nearly sprinted up the stairs. She dug through the jewelry armoire until she found her intended treasure - a delicate sapphire and diamond necklace that had been a gift from her late aunt Jeanne. Christine skipped excitedly down the stairs.
"For Marguerite, as a gift, to wear on her wedding day." Christine displayed the necklace to her. Victoire's eyes widened and she shook her head.
"No, no Madame, I cannot take this. It is too much!"
"Victoire, you must, I insist." Christine pressed the necklace into her cook's hand.
"I will return it on Monday." Victoire promised.
"You will do no such thing. It is a gift. In an emergency, years from now, it could save their lives." Christine said, thinking of how her Papa had sold some of her mother's things to keep a roof over their heads in the last years before his death.
Victoire smiled and sighed, relenting at Christine's insistence. Christine placed the necklace into a travel case, and wrote a small card of congratulations to Marguerite. She was only a tiny bit surprised when Victoire pulled her into an embrace, kissed her cheek fondly and said "God bless you, Madame. You are too kind! Even in your grief, you think of others." Christine returned the embrace, and told Victoire that she could not wait to hear the details of the wedding when she returned on Monday. Victoire was the last to leave, or so Christine thought. She was sipping tea, looking out over the garden, when she spotted Celie strolling in the garden with Jean, the sweet stable boy that often had his head in the clouds. A mischievous grin spread across Christine's face, and she placed the tea cup on the counter.
Christine slipped out of the door into the garden and quietly approached the young couple who nearly jumped out of their shoes when she said "Hello, young loves." Christine smiled wickedly and she nearly laughed at the look of shock on their faces. "So this is why you wished to stay, Celie?"
"No… Yes… somewhat." the teen girl blushed "I didn't lie to you, Madame, I swear to it. I do not have a place to go. It is quite nice to spend time with Jean without Victoire heckling us. She hardly lets us alone, even for a moment." Celie couldn't help but look back and forth between Christine and Jean, who was blushing deeply.
"It is somewhat improper for you to be alone without a chaperone, since you are not betrothed as far as I know." Christine said plainly.
"We did not mean to be inappropriate, Madame. I am sorry." Jean spoke quietly, barely above a whisper.
"Do not be sorry, you are only young once. I do hope you find happiness together. Love is rare. Please do enjoy your walk, but resist temptation to be sinful. I do not wish to have people talk, or other consequences of such actions. I know this is crossing some line of propriety, but if either of you wish to speak with me, about anything at all - please do not hesitate." Christine offered a kind ear to the young ones. She would not judge them at all.
"I expect the same courtesy of you two as well, if you have a question of me, ask it. I mean it. I cannot stand rumors and would rather be asked plainly instead of gossiped about."
She bid the young lovers goodnight, and smiled the entire way into the house. A little while later, from the balcony, she spotted Jean placing a soft kiss to Celie's lips. Their happiness gave Christine much joy.
Please Read and Review! There's more E/C in the next chapter. This plot bunny just ran and ran...
