Traitor's Vengeance - Part Twelve
Jacqueline and Captain Laurent rode slowly, side by side as Hautefort disappeared into the distance. Jacqueline had not been alone with him for days, not since before Danielle's wedding. She was having great difficulty in actually talking to him though. The silence had been noted by both of them. The truth was that neither of them could stop thinking about Henry and Danielle.
"Will you stay for refreshments at the manor when we return?" Jacqueline knew that it sounded stupid as soon as she said it, but she desperately felt the need to break the silence. Laurent shook his head.
"Unfortunately milady I cannot. The Prince asked me to return to the Castle straight away. I think he is developing a plan."
"You needn't address me so formally you know. After all I do not call you Captain."
"All right Jacqueline." They smiled at each other, both a little shy. Jacqueline had not been entirely honest with Danielle when describing their romantic ride to Amboise. The truth was that they had barely spoken to each other as they were just too nervous.
"Do you think that the prince will be able to stop the Spanish?" Jacqueline asked. "I could hear them shouting at each other from the Queen's sitting room."
"From what Henry has told me he and the King do not anticipate the Spanish backing down any time in the near future. But between you and I there does seem to be a plan floating somewhere in that head of his."
"I do hope so. Danielle does not deserve this. She has had such an awful life. My mother treat her appallingly. She was not even allowed to mourn the death of her father. She was given weekly chores the day after he died. It wasn't even two years until she was forced to leave the life she had lead with her father and start a new one as a servant."
"I know, but she has Henry now. As a Princess of France she will never be degraded like that again, and I know that Henry loves her with all of his heart. Nothing will ever hurt her again."
"You have no idea how much that pleases me. I have always felt a little protective of Danielle. I do not know why for she is older than me."
"It is because you are a kind sister and a good person in general. I have never known anybody as considerate as you Jacqueline." Jacqueline smiled and blushed. These compliments from Laurent had been scarce, but she felt wonderful when she got them.
Both of them were now too embarrassed to talk. To break the tension Jacqueline spurred her horse and sped away. "I'll race you back to the manor." Jacqueline shouted back to him, playfully. He quickly responded to her challenge by giving chase.
Jacqueline could honestly say that this was the first time she had ever felt truly alive. At that moment she wasn't even thinking. The teaching she had received from her mother had always been there in the back of her mind, but at that moment not even Rodmilla's powerful influence could affect her.
It did not take Laurent long to catch up with her. After all, he had years of experience in chasing Henry when he had a two hour head start. The only time she had ever tried to ride a horse at such a speed, Marguerite had thrown a stone at her to knock her off. The she went and told their mother who locked Jacqueline in the cellar.
As she saw the manor come into view, she began to slow down. She did not know what she wanted. She wanted to be with Danielle, she felt that she needed her. For all the goodness in their souls, she did not feel that the manor servants could quite understand what was happening. As for Lord Grey and Hélène were virtual strangers. However she also wanted to spend a little more time with Marc, she felt that they had a connection, but they hardly knew each other, if only she could get him talking.
"Do you think Henry will visit Danielle tonight?" Jacqueline asked. "I am not sure if she can bare to spend the night alone. I do not know what it would do to her. One minute she is the laughing, cheery girl I have come to love as a sister. The next she is crying to herself, just like she did as a child when my mother would punish her."
"I do not know when Henry will be back. I know that he does not want to draw any attention to this place. Right now it is a perfect haven for the princess. It is also a place unknown to the Spanish. King Charles was known to have kept his business a secret from everybody but in this case he might just go outside his family. Fortunately only French nobles know of the manor and its connection to the Princess, and I believe that we can trust them.
"Do you think that we can talk about something else for a minute Marc?"
"What would you like to talk about, Jacqueline?" He pulled his horse closer to Jacqueline's and began to lean in towards her. Her breathing became heavy as she anticipated the feeling of his lips on hers for the first time. They got closer and closer to each other. Just as they were about to touch something suddenly flashed into Jacqueline's mind.
"What was that you said about the Spanish nobles?"
"Erm... That they were unaware of their King's business."
"Then how were they able to advise the King if they were unaware of the treaty. Danielle told me that it was a courtier that had suggested that it was Henry who had broken the Treaty and that he must get an annulment. How is that possible if the King is so secretive. Come Marc we must get back to Danielle, I have a feeling that the French courtiers are not as trustworthy as you think."