Belle sat for some time, looking at that little spot of blood. Five days late…she had begun to allow herself to get excited. Almost four months of marriage, and Adam had been very…attentive. Weren't these things supposed to happen by now?

There was a knock on the door, Ms. Potts asking if she was ready to break her fast yet.

"Just a minute!" Belle called, hurrying to fasten and tuck the rags and cotton around herself. After carefully smoothing her skirts, she went to the next room where Ms. Potts had pastries and tea waiting.

As was becoming his habit, Adam had left early, before Belle had wakened. She had Ms. Potts and Madame Armoire sit and eat with her for the company, but all she really wanted to do was meet Benedetto in the library. He'd told her they would do something new today, and she was incredibly impatient. She'd stopped bringing back her comedies and romances to read in her rooms at night, and instead just brought more of whatever they had been reading together. There was so much of the world she knew nothing about, of great thinkers past and present. She had even begun to hope that she and Adam would be invited to dine with the king again, so she might discuss some of these things with him. He certainly would know a lot, having had private tutors all his life, as well as being a king and constantly interacting with the larger world. What she wouldn't give for another chance to pick his brain…

After the food had been cleared, Belle slipped out before either woman could stop her. Adam had been acting very nervously lately, and she suspected that he had asked Ms. Potts and Madame Armoire to keep her in the rooms while he was gone. Belle was not going to have any of that, and if Adam kept it up she was going to have a talk with him. She would go crazy in their rooms day after day without any intellectual stimulation.

Belle reached the main palace and began her usual trek to the library. As she rounded a corner, she almost ran into the prettiest young woman she had ever seen, a lady with fair skin, dark hair, and a heart-shaped face.

"Excuse me, I did not see you," Belle said quickly, wondering if she should curtsey. The other woman was richly attired in a green dress, but Madame Armoire had been making so much of Adam's own relatively high place in society…

"Do not think of it, I did not see you either," the lady replied, her own eyes glancing quickly over Belle's simple though well-made gown, "Forgive me, but I do not believe we have met?"

"No, I don't think so, I am Belle de Scorailles," Belle said, throwing in a curtsey just in case. The other woman's face lit up with a radiant smile.

"Oh, Belle! Of course I know of you, I am Henriette de Bourbon. I have spoken with Adam a great deal since his arrival."

"Oh, you have?" Belle said, unsure of how to respond. Adam had certainly not mentioned this woman…

"Yes, I also know his father very well, and we occasionally commiserate on our troubles with the old man," Henriette replied with a light laugh, a delicate hand waving away the topic, "Come, you must walk with me a ways, I would love to talk to you, Adam is so dear to me."

Belle wanted to refuse, Henriette was heading in the opposite direction from the library, and she was speaking Adam with too much familiarity…

In the end she really had no choice. Henriette looped her arm around Belle's and gently guided her down the hallway.

"I am of course so sorry I missed your wedding," Henriette was saying, "I know many of my friends are too. It was just Adam's little secret, wasn't it? Oh how surprised we were to hear that he had found himself a wife! And just think, if his father hadn't invited you both up here, we would have never had any idea that such a thing had happened!"

"Adam lived a very quiet life, he did not want it to be a large event," Belle said, feeling a little uncomfortable. She felt out of place, trumping along beside this floating waif of a princess.

"Oh but I think he is quite in the spirit of things here!" Henriette exclaimed, "I see him just about every day, running those errands for his father, talking to the most exciting and distinguished people! And I think some of them may be taking an interest in him, you know. Such a diligent worker from such a fine family, I wouldn't be surprised if he began making some powerful friends around here."

"I think he would rather not," Belle said, feeling obnoxiously blunt compared to Henriette's elegance, "He really does prefer to keep to himself."

"Even better!" Henriette replied, "Those in power are noticing all these prancing peacocks, these other young noblemen who dress well, speak better, and have not a thought in their heads. They would much prefer someone they could count on, such as Adam. A stolid man from an old family. You know, I bet they would even take to you! You are not dressed like one of these lavish, extravagant noble ladies that flutter about so meaninglessly. You are quite modest, you know, very tame compared to what we see here. I may even call you virginal, my dear, if I did not know you were married!

"You know," Henriette mused, touching the side of her soft, white face with a delicate hand. Belle waited a moment for her to continue.

"Madame?"

"Oh!" Henriette exclaimed, as though she had for a moment forgotten Belle's presence, "oh, it was just a tiny little thought, hardly worth mentioning, but I would so hate to leave you out of it, my dear Belle. You see, I just find it so strange how virginity is so prized before a girl is married. Perhaps it is only because I come from the Bourbon line, and so many of us have just small broods, but I daresay the men of my acquaintance do believe my value as a woman has quite increased with my two healthy babies. And that is the way it should be should it not? For a woman's duty is to bring forth children. Tell me, Belle, how many children have you birthed?"

"I…none! Adam – his highness and I have only been married a short time," Belle stuttered, blushing crimson at the question.

Henriette's laughter tinkled through the hall.

"Oh Belle, dear, marriage is not required for conceiving children. But you and Adam have been married for several months now, have you not? And you have not yet quickened?"

Belle clenched her jaw, remembering the spattering of blood on her small clothes that morning. She had been so hopeful…

"Not yet," she replied, as casually as she could. Henriette did not seem to notice anything was wrong.

"Well no worries, dear," she said with a quick pat on Belle's hand, "Don't think about it too much or you'll jinx it. Now, this has been a lovely conversation and I am so happy to have met you. This door here is my stop; I do hope to speak to you again soon."

Belle did not know why, but she hoped she would not have to speak to Henriette again. The other woman made her uncomfortable. She had not given a thought to her dress that morning and now she hated it. She had enjoyed the evenings when Adam returned home and they spoke of silly things as they had before they came to Versailles, but now she wanted to press Adam for every detail of his day, to know what she had been missing for the past several weeks. She wanted to know who he was talking to because she was scared of the possible implications. She had almost forgotten that she was a peasant among nobles.

Benedetto was waiting in the library at their usual table, sorting through the books with the serving woman, Cass.

"Good morning, Belle," Benedetto said cheerfully, but then peered at her more closely, "Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing, really," Belle said, sitting down and flipping through one of the books, "I just met a noblewoman, Henriette de Bourbon, and…and I know I will never be able to compare to her."

Benedetto looked at her with sympathy, and leaned forward, about to say something. They were both surprised when Cass snorted in derision from behind them.

"Don't worry about her any, your highness," Cass said bluntly, "She's a spoiled brat and an embarrassment to her family, begging your pardon, Benedetto."

Benedetto sighed, "I take no offense, Cass. You see, Belle, Henriette married my cousin, and is herself a second-cousin of mine. Her marriage has been quite…fraught. Do not worry yourself over her, she is not perfect. None of us are."

"Most people speak of her with less charity," Cass added.

"The heart wants what the heart wants," Benedetto said with another sigh, "Is it really right to fault her for that?"

"Henriette is a Bourbon," Belle said, thinking out loud, "And you are her second-cousin. Prince Jacques is not exactly a Bourbon… I'm sorry, how is everyone related?"

Benedetto laughed, "Don't worry about it, Belle. You see, the old king Louis simply had so many children with so many mistresses that you may assume we're all related. Henriette and I share Madame de Montespan as a great-grandmother, and the old king was our great grandfather. Your husband is the grandson of the old king, but his grandmother was Angélique de Scorailles."

Belle felt her heart sinking. Here she had thought her growing friendship with Benedetto could pretend to be one of peers, she had thought he was a minor noble. However, it appeared that even he had the blood of kings. He and Henriette and Adam. What was she doing here?

"Belle?" Benedetto asked with concern, taking her hand, "Why do you look so? We are merely human, no matter whom our ancestors are."

"I'm sorry," Belle said, horrified to find tears threatening to fall. She quickly rubbed her eyes, "It's just been a rather stressful day."

"What else has happened?" Benedetto asked in surprise.

"I'd rather not talk about it."

Benedetto did not press her, but was quiet a moment, rubbing the soft stubble on his young face.

"I have an idea!" he said suddenly with a grin, "Forget reading today, I should introduce you to my mother!"

Belle gave him a disbelieving look, "I think that's the last thing we should do! She must be a duchess, isn't she? She doesn't speak to people like me! She would only do so to please you and I do not want that kind of charity!"

"Please Belle, you've got it all wrong!" Benedetto told her, "My mother would love to speak to you! She is intrigued how someone of your status could make one of the sons of Pompous Prince Jacques fall in love! She undoubtedly thinks you're the most fascinating person at court!"

"I don't need her cross-examining me as though I'm some sort of specimen!" Belle protested.

"Zut, I am presenting my mother all wrong if that is what you think!" Benedetto exclaimed in a mock tone of despair, "Please Belle, come meet her. If nothing else, know that she too dislikes Henriette. That will give you some common ground, no?"

Belle had to smile a little at that appeal.

"Fine, I will meet her," she relented, "But I will depend on you to save me from her censure. I warn you, Benedetto, if she casts one disapproving word my way, I will leave at once and never trust you again!"

"You have my solemn word, my lady," Benedetto declared with a low bow. He looked up with a teasing grin, holding out his hand, "Now, if you will allow me to escort you…"