Chapter Seven
They decided not to stay at the Beaufort chateau that night. The servants were instructed not to allow anyone to enter and to lock down the property.
She packed up a few more of the valuables: took the Shakespeare portfolios, several volumes of poetry, and a Geneva Bible from the library, two more paintings, and a set of twenty-four jeweled hair combs once belonging to Marie Antoinette. Jo remembered that Jean kept them in the library in a false book because of their value.
The pouf hairstyle was made famous by the Queen and it took many pins to form the rolls of height. A Beaufort relative had smuggled them out of Versailles to keep them safe from the revolutionaries. She was beheaded before they could be returned and the royal family of France was 'no more. Jean kept them hidden from everyone except a chosen few; the present government was still confiscating royal treasures to fund their pursuits like the wars with Prussia. They couldn't stay in France or the corrupt would make them disappear like most of the jewels in the country. The aristocracy was pillaged for the mistresses of the Paris Salons and the nouveau riche.
They took Auguste home. He would meet them tomorrow in LeHavre. They rode the hour back from the lawyer's home in complete silence. Grau kept looking in on the couple worried about them.
Jo was still furious and Jarrod's gut was burning with all the scotch he downed after their argument. His hand was aching from breaking Charles's nose and he couldn't see out of his left eye. It was a long ride back. Grau dropped them at the inn. A porter unloaded the items and took them up to Jarrod's room. Jarrod tipped him well.
He went to this room to freshen up and take some bromide for his stomach. He headed back to Jo's room to try to make peace. The door was locked and she told him firmly, "Good Night" when he knocked again.
A man from the shipping company was stationed in the hall and he acknowledged Jarrod with shrugged shoulders. "Ah….women? Who can know, Monsieur Barkley?"
He went back to his room frustrated and angry at himself.
Jo cried until she had no more tears left.
Did she trust Jarrod? Of course, she did. Why am I so angry? Because I hate to be embarrassed. Did he do anything wrong except try to protect me? He should have told me but he did it out of love. He hit Charles when he insulted Mama and me...My pride as usual… I can't let Charles's games separate Jarrod and me…
Around 4 am Jo swallowed her pride and padded down to Jarrod's room in her slippers and robe. She knocked and he came to the door. He looked terrible. His dark stubble and mussed hair, the black eye and bloodshot eyes in his rumpled nightclothes… he never looked more handsome to her. She took his good hand and took him back down to her room. She took liniment and rubbed it into his bruised knuckles, brushed his hair back and put a cool rag on his eye, and then fixed him a glass of wine. She fluffed up the pillows and had him lay down on the bed. She kissed him gently and lay down beside him. She wasn't wearing a corset and he loved holding her without one. Just body to body. Her tiny body fit within his tall frame perfectly as they cuddled. They fell asleep until mid-morning when Auguste and Grau came to the inn.
They came downstairs dressed casually but very much a couple in love. Auguste and Grau were relieved after yesterday's tension. Jo whispered to them privately as Jarrod began working on a legal document.
Grau and Auguste smiled at her plan for the day. They were honored to be included. Jarrod Barkley was a lucky man.
Jarrod swore out an affidavit as Heath's attorney to rescind the power of attorney for Charles. Jo signed her portion as guardian for Adrienne and her own majority. It was quicker than proving forgery without Heath's testimony and it would take a minimum of two weeks to get a letter back and forth to Stockton. He would still prosecute Charles for forgery no matter how long it took.
The next step was to stop the funneling of assets out of Jean's private estate, the house, vineyards, and possessions.
The auction houses had been notified but it was time for a trip to Beaufort vineyards. They were located by the estuaries north of LeHavre. The loamy soil was excellent for grapes and some of the vines were two hundred years old. Jarrod thought Nick would love to get a look at these medieval blending houses.
Jo had the Inn pack picnic lunches for the four of them. The ladies in the kitchen were thrilled and loaded it with their best pastries, bread, fruit, meat, and cheeses. They put in several bottles of their best wine and a checkered tablecloth for ambiance.
Jarrod was always awed by the way Jo endeared herself to the common folk, tradesman, and servants who loved her lack of 'airs' and kind personality. People would have told him, he had the same manner with people. Society may have thought her 'unapproachable' but grocers, cooks, and gardeners loved her.
Jo bought some marsh boots, warm jackets and oilskin overalls at the Magasin Général in town. Jarrod was confused with the purchase but Jo said she had a surprise. Auguste and Grau knew where they were headed and looked forward to introducing Mr. Barkley to the coastal life. They were glad that Jo included them on this outing and they stopped by the Shipping company and picked up four rifles and two spaniels.
"Is it dangerous at the vineyards?"
Jo smiled and said, "Maybe".
He sat back in the wagon and let Jo have her surprise. He would never get bored with this woman. She deserves her mischief after yesterday. I am not crossing her again...today. His hand and eye were still throbbing.
They got to the vineyards and set out the picnic lunch on a cliff looking out on the Atlantic ocean. It was warmer than yesterday and the sun was out. Jo was enjoying playing fetch with the dogs. After Grau finished his lunch, he walked the mile up to the warehouse and blending house. Auguste napped for a few moments and the couple enjoyed the ocean view.
Grau came back with bad news.
"The warehouse and cellar are completely empty. The contents were shipped to Paris last week and every bottle for the past twenty years is gone."
Auguste said, "That's about $50,000 American dollars of inventory or more..." They all gasped. Jarrod was furious; Charles has won again.
"Grau, can you secure the blending house records? We can take the books and inventories back in the wagon." Jarrod hooked the horses back up to the wagon again and rode with Grau to get the books. They came back in about thirty minutes with a box of musty, ancient ledgers and journals.
"Well, I am not going to let Charles ruin this day completely. I refuse to be beaten"
Jo was so angry but she had resolved in her heart not to ruin this day like yesterday. She had come up with a plan to show Jarrod a part of her life he hadn't seen yet.
"Grau, lead the way to Lapine Bayou"
"Rabbit?" asked Jarrod.
"Oui, and more" she grinned. "One of my favorite places in the world to go with Papa and Jean. Isabella loved it too but not Mamam or Adrienne. Too cold and mal à l'aise for them. Plus poor Adri hates the sight of blood." Jarrod was now more intrigued. Where were they going?
About thirty more minutes north, they descended into the low country as Jo called it. Grau pulled the wagon up to a hunting lodge. It was very old and had been remodeled and added onto for years, maybe hundreds of years. Jo had brought wood from the Inn and Auguste found her kindling to start the fire. She handed the oilcloth overalls and boots to Jarrod. "Let's get changed, my love." Grau and Auguste laughed and found places to change too. They were going rabbit and duck hunting in the marsh.
One of the wealthiest women in the world and she's wearing baggy oilcloth coveralls and boots. I am a lucky man. She's full of surprises.
They showed Jarrod the art of duck hunting and wading into the marshes hiding in the brush. A flock would come by and they would shoot. Once he got the hang of it, Jarrod was by far the best shot even with his hurt hand. The dogs were trained to retrieve the fowl in the water. They ended up with around sixty ducks they strung together to take back to the inn. They shot a few rabbits on the way back to the cabin.
Jo then showed Jarrod how to harvest freshwater oysters and crayfish. She waded out in the bayou and used an old rake to dredge them up and then filled a basket with them. She raked the mud for the crustaceans. They boiled them in the cabin and roasted a rabbit in the fireplace spit. They finished up the fruit and bread from lunch and the last of the wine. They ate a companionable meal. Jarrod felt Grau and Auguste had been friends for a lifetime rather than a few days.
They returned to LeHavre around 9 pm by moonlight and lantern. They returned the dogs and guns to the offices. Jarrod and Jo took the ducks into the Inn kitchen and the rest of the oysters and crayfish for the cooks to use tomorrow. They sent the blending house books up to the room with the porter. Grau then took Auguste home. He would stay the night there.
Jo came outside of the kitchen door and ran straight into Father Clement. "Shouldn't you be at the church Father, it's time for Compline soon." she tried to distract him.
"No, I came to see you, Marie. I want you to marry soon. Your family needs you to be married and settled and not living in sin. The Lord knows…"
Jarrod came out and heard the discourse. "Let's get you back to bed, Father."
They walked across the square. As they crossed the street, the novice came out looking for his charge. "Thank you, sir, he has been so agitated to find you both. He thinks he is supposed to marry you and he is late for the ceremony. "
Jarrod tipped his hat in respect to the elderly priest and went back to the Inn. Jo was visibly shaken by the surprise encounter. "He said it again, Jarrod. The Lord knows." Jarrod held her tight in the moonlight until she relaxed.
"Come on upstairs. You smell like ducks." She laughed and they went upstairs to their rooms.
She drew a bath but shivered again thinking about Father Clement.