23
The rest of the day involved more explosions. Rogue had found herself in Merci's shared room with Henri when the sixth one went off. Tante had been on the war path all morning and, from the sounds of it, Etienne had been receiving the blunt end of everything.
"Just what the heck goes on 'round here?" Rogue demanded to know.
She was sat on the balcony with Merci at a little round table. Before them was a sweet little breakfast that Tante had whipped up for them. Merci hadn't seemed to be so offended by Rogue's lack of attention since she was nursing a mild hang over.
"Fácheusement," Merci huffed with her eyes closed. Rogue could tell she was losing her patience just as much as she was, but for another reason. "Happens all the time. Boys playin' pranks on each other. Explosions usually mean one'a two people. Remy or Emil. I be t'inkin' it's leanin' more t'wards Remy at dis point."
"Remy? But why?" Rogue asked, not understanding, for one, why pranks were being played, and two, why they involved explosives. Even though Henri had explained why, briefly, this morning, it still didn't make sense to her. "Ah mean, sure, last night didn't go completely ta plan, but why the heck is he settin' off explosives?"
"I dun't know chére," Merci said, rubbing at her temples and groaning. "But if he dun't cut it out soon, then he's gonna be feelin' a nuclear bomb goin' off in his face!"
There was a knock at the bedroom door and Henri entered with a teapot full of hot water on a tray. Rogue shot Henri a smile as he came to them. He'd been really sweet in nursing Merci back to health and making sure Rogue didn't feel left out in the special treatment. He was just a sweet guy in general, Rogue figured.
Henri put the tray down and pulled a cloth from the bowl of warm water that was also on their. He squeeze it dry and then placed the folded up cloth on Merci's head. Merci sighed in relief at the heat of the cloth, her eyes closing in bliss.
"Merci mon coeur," Merci muttered out towards Henri.
Henri reached down and stole a kiss from her lips. Rogue couldn't help but smile at the romantic scene that played out in front of her. Unfortunetly, her mind danced away, wondering about another pair of lips. Remy's lips looked soft and juicy just abovethat goatie of his. She wondered if they had ever kissed. If he was a good kisser. If that goatie would tickle her chin while she kissed him. Just as she was realising that she should push these thoughts away, another explosion went off in the mansion, forcing her to the present moment.
"God damn it!" Merci snapped.
"Seriously! Why is he doin' that?" Rogue questioned.
Henri took the third seat that was available at the little table.
"He just be seekin' revenge after hearin' somet'in' he didn't like," Henri informed Rogue.
"Yeah, well there's a tone of things ah don't like, but ya don't see meh settin' off explosions!" Rogue snapped. "It better be a damned good reason why he's shakin' the place up like this!"
"Guess it depends on where y' stand," Henri said.
Rogue's eyebrows came together as she looked at Henri, confused.
"What'd ya mean?" she asked, knowing Henri knew more than he was letting on.
"He heard 'bout de bet goin' on last night. De one Eti an' de others set up. Quite a few of em be involved, actually," Henri said.
"What bet?" Rogue asked dangerously, believing that, whatever bet was placed last night, could not have been a good one.
"They be bettin' on if y' be just a fling or if Remy truly be in love wit' y'," Henri said, trying to hide his smirk in his cup of tea.
Merci opened her eyes to glance at her fiancé when he said this. Then her eyes fell to Rogue, her face unreadable.
Rogue looked to be frozen for a time. Just blinking.
"So, last night, when Eti kept tryna buy meh drinks an' near started a fight when he was drunk offa his arse?" Rogue questioned.
"He be tryna prove y' just a fling. Dun't mean nuthin' an' dat he could sweep y' out from under Remy's feet," Henri explained.
"Bit harsh chére," Merci told Henri.
Henri just shrugged.
"She gonna learn of it from someone. Why not just give it t' her straight 'stead'a sendin' her 'round de bend," Henri said.
Rogue was replying the entire night in her head as she went over it with this new information.
"So Emil bein' nice ta meh all night? Everyone callin' meh princesse?" Rogue questioned.
"Emil leadin' de bet that y' be here for de long run. Princesse be used either as a mockin' gesture t'wards Remy, or in acknowledge a your position," Henri explained.
Rogue felt as if everything was crashing down around her. All of last night, she had been driven near insane questioning what she was to Remy. If they had a thing or not in the past. If he had cheated on her since Etienne and Jacs placed it in her head that he was a ladies man. All night, she had been rattling her brains, stressing over that and having people interfier with her interpersonal relationship with Remy when she was just trying to figure out who she was. Rogue saw red and was up, out of her seat, slamming Merci's bedroom door closed as she left.
"Arugh," Merci moaned. "Why we be livin' in a house dat be so loud?"
Henri just chuckled, kissing his fiances hand.
xxxxx
French Translations
Fácheusement- Unfortunetly
Chére- Dear
Mon Coeur - My Heart
Princesse - Princess