Reflections - So Life Goes On

Chapter Seven

"Three cheers for the Prince and Princess!" The crowd of courtiers in the hallway cheered as the young couple finally reached the door to the Prince's quarters.

Danielle was both embarrassed and happy to have so many people escorting her. She clung to Henry's arm as the crowd jostled forward. Some of the courtiers were calling for her to toss them a token or a piece of her dress. A maidservant handed Danielle flowers and coins, which she threw into the crowd.

The courtiers surged forward, grabbing at the bridal tokens. A dozen guardsmen stopped the courtiers from getting too close to the couple.

"It would be best if you left while we can hold them back, Your Highness," said the scarred, grey-haired officer by Henry's side. "They would not intend to harm you but it would be prudent to..."

"I have no intention of staying here a second longer than necessary, Captain Arnaud." Henry winked at Danielle before addressing the crowd. "Thank you all very much. Now if you would kindly excuse us, my wife and I have better things to do."

The crowd cheered again and some of them shouted out bawdy comments as Henry led Danielle into his quarters and firmly shut the door.

********

Jacqueline was looking for the Page who was to escort her to her quarters. She had lost sight of him as the crowd had started to disperse. 'Perhaps if I wait here he'll find me,' she thought nervously.

"Mademoiselle de Ghent?"

Jacqueline jumped slightly and turned to the owner of the voice. "Yes?"

"Please pardon me addressing you without a formal introduction but I must speak with you." Captain Arnaud said in his concise, clipped voice.

"Why do you wish to address me, sir?"

"Captain Laurent is paying court to you, is he not, Mademoiselle?" Arnaud looked down his long nose at Jacqueline as though he were inspecting a stain on the floor.

Jacqueline's voice failed her under the cold glance. Arnaud took her silence as a confirmation of his statement.

"Captain Chevalier Laurent is a colleague of mine, Mademoiselle, and an honest soldier. If you fall do not take him with you." Arnaud fixed an icy glare on the young woman. "Even he deserves better than that."

"I beg your pardon, sir?" Jacqueline was flustered by this strange man's words. Marc was a Knight? Why didn't she know that?

"It's about time someone told you both some home truths." Arnaud continued. "Your stepsister's place in court is too new and fragile for her to protect you. She only succeeded against your mother because the Royal Family backed her up. Unless you can find evidence to clear your name, well - I hope you are good at doing laundry, Mademoiselle."

Jacqueline backed away from the officer. Arnaud signalled to one of his men, who brought her lost Page to her side.

"Good night, Mademoiselle de Ghent. I hope whatever happens that you make an honourable decision." Arnaud bowed to the young woman who was fleeing so quickly that the Page had to run after her.

********

The next morning it was a tired and depressed Jacqueline who climbed into a royal carriage by the west gate. She was travelling to the manor to collect her belongings and tell the servants the news of the last day. It was the last thing that she felt like doing.

Late night she had managed to catch only a few hours sleep in one of the crowded Ladies Dormitories. The other young women had spent half the night giggling over men, the royal wedding and the feast. It was like trying to sleep in a roomful of Marguerites.

All Jacqueline had wanted to do was to curl up and cry.

It was so ironic. She was finally free of her mother and had found a man who liked her for herself, only to have her world collapse around her. Jacqueline had searched in vain for her newfound courage but Arnaud's words had made it disappear along with whatever hope she had for a happy future.

The rocking of the carriage was comforting and the elderly maidservant accompanying her soon fell asleep. Finally alone, Jacqueline allowed herself to think through the events of the previous day. She found herself thinking of her mother and Marguerite and their stupidity. What would happen to them? What would become of her silly sister who never had any proper guidance?

'What about me? Will I ever see them again?'

She cast her thoughts back to when her mother and sister had re-entered her life. It must have been about six months after her Grandmamma de Ghent died. Her mother had appeared not long after the Baron de Ghent, Jacqueline's uncle, had written to ask permission to adopt Jacqueline. She could recall, as though it were yesterday, the day that tall, cold stranger had come into the nursery in her uncle's home and ordered her five-year-old daughter to accompany her.

Jacqueline had never known why her mother had come to collect her. To the little girl she was at the time it was like a dream come true. She'd wanted to be with her mother as long as she could remember.

Jacqueline knew from her nurse that her mother had left her with her father's family when she was only a few months old. Her tired mind suddenly recalled that she'd once overheard her uncle say that it was because she was born after her father died and wasn't a boy. He had implied that her mother had rejected her because Jacqueline wouldn't inherit father's title and therefore her mother couldn't keep the chateaux. 'Was that why she treated me so? Was it mother?'

More memories tumbled through Jacqueline's mind. Playing with her cousins in the chateaux grounds. Visiting her uncle in his study. Watching the cook bake cakes and treats. She was sad to discover she couldn't remember all the details of the chateaux or even Grandmama's face. But she did remember the peaceful flower garden, the smell of Grandmama's perfume and the feeling of safety and love in the nursery.

Her memories shifted to the Manor de Barbarac and her kind stepfather. She had known Papa-Auguste for such a short time but he had been kind to her that she'd never forgotten him. Danielle had been so lucky to have such a nice father. She wondered yet again what her father had been like. Had he been anything like her quiet, sensible uncle?

She thought of her room at the manor and the many hours she'd spent there with only Tildie for company. Her aunt had given her the doll as a fourth birthday gift. Jacqueline's nurse had named the little wooden doll Mathilde but she was always Tildie to Jacqueline. She and Tilde had been so happy playing together in her room.

Jacqueline winced as the painful memory of that horrible day surfaced again. She was eleven when Rodmilla had told her that it was time she grew up and smashed Tilde with Maurice's axe. For a long time Jacqueline had buried the painful memories of watching her childhood friend destroyed. The destruction of Danielle's book had brought them all flooding back.

'Is that what has made me change so much in these last days? Was it just anger that gave me the strength to fight?'

And now she was to leave the manor. She recalled how lost she'd felt when she left the chateaux, how she had missed her nurse. Heavens, Jacqueline thought, it's so long since I left Ghent and yet I can still remember Anne. She smiled sleepily as she recalled the loving, kind woman whose cuddles could melt the coldest fears and scare away the nastiest goblins from under the bed. If only her current problems were so easily banished.

********

"Ah ha! There you are!"

The rolls of canvas fell to the ground and Gustave stood frozen in shock. The Master Artist Signore Da Vinci had hailed him and was heading this way as fast as his legs would carry him.

"That's no way to treat good canvases lad!" Leonardo waved at the mess on the ground.

Gustave nodded and tried to organise his thoughts and the canvases at the same time as he bowed to the Master.

"Do you know where I could find a good frame maker? I saw a nice frame on a portrait in your master's studio. The one on the west wall. Who made that?"

"That was made by a master carpenter who's a friend of my master's. I could introduce you if you'd like, Signore." Gustave bobbed another little bow while trying to pick up the canvases.

"I'd like that," Leonardo grinned. "Are you happy to see Danielle married to the Prince?"

The canvases dropped from Gustave's hands again, "So she really is a Princess?"

"Where have you been boy?"

"Working," Gustave stammered. "I...I've been helping my master with his work. I haven't heard anything from Danielle since the masque. I heard that the Prince had rejected her." Gustave stopped attempting to recover the canvases as a feeling of disappointment washed over him, "I thought we were friends. She should have said something."

"No one from the manor told you?" Leonardo's voice was full of surprise.

"I don't go there any more." Gustave looked rather guilty, "I was banned by the Baroness years ago. Anyway, Danielle always finds me when she needs to talk. And occasionally I speak to Maurice - usually when he hunts me down to do something."

Leonardo sighed, "I'm sorry Gustave. I knew what was happening. I should have told you. I may well have, if life hadn't been moving so fast that it didn't give me time to think."

"I understand Signore, you've been busy." Gustave smiled nervously, still in awe of the Master.

"Pick up your canvases. We'll walk a while and I'll tell you what's happened in the last week."

********

Henry Valois, Crown Prince of France and newly married man was unimpressed.

It had been late in the evening, close to midnight, when he and Danielle had finally reached the haven of their bedroom. Henry had been agog with anticipation, when his bride had told him how much she loved him and disappeared into the dressing room to change into the pretty nightgown the Queen had given her. He'd been filled with passion when she had come back into the room and lain beside him on the bed. And he'd been totally stunned when she'd instantly fallen asleep.

He could understand why she was tired. She had been through a lot in the last week and so many things had happened to her in one day. So he reasoned he would be a kind husband and allow her to nap for a little while. She was still asleep ten long hours later!

Henry himself had fallen asleep only to wake at dawn to watch Danielle sleeping and sleeping and...sleeping. Henry's patience finally ran out with the mid-morning changing of the guard.

He had to wake her up. Staring at her hadn't worked. Neither did softly calling her name. Henry had even tried blowing in her ear but she'd simply swiped a hand at him as though he were an annoying fly and rolled over.

"That's it, I've had enough!" Henry rolled Danielle onto her back and kissed her on the lips. After a minute or so Danielle sighed, said his name and woke.

"Good morning."

Danielle squinted up at Henry. From the tone of his voice it wasn't a good morning at all. She smiled up at her husband and then gasped as her mind kicked into gear, "Oh Henry, I'm so sorry! Why didn't you wake me?"

"I tried! It's all right. Just don't do it again." He grinned mischievously. "I've thought of the perfect punishment but you'll have to wait until our children are old enough to hear about their mother's behaviour on her wedding night."

"Henry, you wouldn't. It would be so embarrassing."

"Convince me not to." Henry's grin grew even wider.

"What in the world could I possibly do to convince you?" Danielle said sweetly. Her smile collapsed into giggles as Henry began tickling her.

********

The carriage came to a halt outside the manor. Edouard jumped down from his horse and walked over to open the door with a flourish. His dramatic pose was completely lost on the snoozing occupants. Edouard cleared his throat noisily and Jacqueline jerked awake.

"We have arrived, Mademoiselle."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Vauvallon." Jacqueline gently tapped the elderly maid on the shoulder and stepped down from the coach. She nodded a greeting to Louise and Paulette who were standing in the manor doorway. "Lieutenant, I have to speak to the servants and pack. It may take a while. Would the men like some refreshment?"

"Thank you but water from the well will be good enough for them, Mademoiselle." He ignored the muttered comment from somewhere to the left of him and the answering "ssshhh". Whoever the complaint was they would soon receive his full attention.

Jacqueline nodded absently and walked slowly over to Louise and Paulette.

"What in the world have you done to yourself, child?" Paulette said abruptly, totally forgetting the audience and the need to be respectful to the young lady in public. "You look like death warmed up."

"Come inside, Paulette and Louise. I have news for you." Jacqueline's voice was flat and emotionless. Louise could see that Jacqueline was obviously in shock. What had happened? Louise's worries grew when Jacqueline said absently, "Maurice should be here too."

Louise scurried off to find her husband while Jacqueline quietly introduced the elderly maid, Elaine, to Paulette. At Jacqueline's suggestion Paulette took Elaine upstairs to show her to Jacqueline's room. The maid began to sort out Jacqueline's clothing and fold it ready for packing.

Paulette promised to send Maurice along soon with a trunk and hurried back downstairs. Jacqueline was sitting in her chair in the corner of the living room.

"What is it? You can tell me." Paulette clung to the girl's hand. "You were so much stronger when you left. What happened?"

Jacqueline said nothing. She couldn't speak yet or she might lose her grip on the matter at hand. She smiled wanly as Maurice and Louise entered the room.

"Please sit down." Jacqueline waited until the servants sat. "I won't let you stay worried any longer. Danielle is safe."

"We knew that, miss, from the Captain," said Louise.

Jacqueline smiled at Maurice. "Oh, yes, that's right." She looked at her hands, "I'm afraid that Danielle won't be back at the Manor for a while. She was married yesterday."

"Married?" Paulette's mouth dropped open.

"Our Danielle?" Louise held her hands to her mouth.

Maurice's eyes widened, "To?"

"To Prince Henry. Danielle's now the Crown Princess of France."

There was stunned silence for a moment and then pandemonium. Maurice beamed proudly and Louise was half laughing half crying while Paulette danced around the room cheering. The noise continued for a few minutes before Maurice noticed that Jacqueline wasn't celebrating.

He walked over and sat down in Marguerite's chair. "There's something else, isn't there."

Jacqueline nodded. "My mother and sister were found guilty of lying to the Queen because they told her that Danielle was Nicole and was engaged." Maurice nodded. Paulette and Louise had stopped their celebrating and were listening to the quiet voice. "Mother lost her title and they have both been made servants for ten years."

"Ten years!" Paulette said happily. She was about to say something but Maurice's steady voice stopped her.

"What else child?"

Jacqueline told them of the Page and her predicament.

"Oh child! Well, we all know what that Page did. We can go and tell the King." Paulette wasn't going to let this spoil her celebration.

"Yes, we saw him here and Maurice saw the Baroness give him coins." Louise added.

"But a servant's word is not clearance, is it," said Maurice quietly. "They'll just say she ordered us to speak for her."

The women digested the thought for a moment before Louise said, "What about the Captain? Or Monsieur Da Vinci? Or Danielle?"

"Really Louise, Danielle's newly married. She probably won't see daylight for a week."

"Paulette!" Louise hit her friend with the cleaning cloth that she always kept at hand. "Really!"

Jacqueline laughed. The two squabbling women sounded so much like the King and Queen arguing. She would have to compare notes with Danielle on that when she returned to court.

She sighed, for a moment she had forgotten her troubles. Oh well, this was her problem, not the servants'. They'd had quite enough to deal with up to now and she wasn't going to burden them with any more. "It's alright, I'm sure that Ma...Captain Laurent will find a way to clear me."

"Of course he will." Paulette smiled, "Now there's something I need you to help me with upstairs."

Jacqueline followed Paulette up to Rodmilla's bedroom. "Your mother and sister have gone now, Miss Jacqueline, and you are free to do whatever you want to. We must do something to mark the occasion."

"What sort of thing?" asked Jacqueline.

"Something that you've always wanted to do, of course. Something that your mother would have forbidden."

Edouard looked up at the upstairs window. It sounded like someone was screaming. He was about to charge towards the house when he realised there were two voices screaming with laughter.

Louise and Maurice headed up the stairs. What it the world was going on? The stopped in the doorway to Rodmilla's room and stared at the sight before them. Jacqueline and Paulette were each wearing one of Rodmilla's hats and jumping up and down on the bed.

Elaine wandered in, looked at the two women and muttered, "Mad as March hares," before leaving the room.

Louise and Maurice looked at each other, turned and headed back downstairs before laughter overcame them too.

********

Gustave had almost fainted. They had been talking about how Gustave spent his days when Signore Leonardo da Vinci, Artist in Residence to His Supreme Majesty King Francis Valois of France had suddenly cried out, "Oh you idiot!" Before Gustave could say any more the old man had hugged him and hurriedly left the studio.

Gustave didn't know if he'd said the right thing and the Signore was very happy or if he'd offended the old artist and the hug was some unusual Italian custom used to farewell idiots. After a few moments the young artist gave up trying to solve the puzzle that was Leonardo and began cleaning the new canvases before his Master saw the state they were in.

********

Lieutenant Edouard Vauvallon was not happy with this detour. Captain Laurent had given him explicit instructions to look after Mademoiselle de Ghent and to see that any travel requirement she had was met. Somehow he didn't think this was what the Captain had in mind when he gave that order.

If there was one officer in the Guard that Edouard wanted to stay on the good side of it was Laurent. The thought of losing his goodwill was making Edouard nervous. His horse was picking up on his nervousness and refusing to behave which was only making matters worse.

Edouard had come to the Guard only recently. He was a member of one of the families that traditionally provided their sons to the Guard of the King of France. However, his father had been a scholar and a traveller and had wanted Edouard to follow the same path. All Edouard had ever wanted to be was a guard. After his father's death, and with the help of Captain Comte LeRiche, Edouard had purchased himself a commission in the Royal Guard.

LeRiche had been a friend of his father's and was a courtier more than a soldier. Edouard had even heard tales of LeRiche appearing out of uniform in the King's presence - something that would never be done by a real Guardsman. It appeared obvious to Edouard that this strange behaviour explained why LeRiche was only responsible for the network of Royal Couriers and was stationed closer to Paris.

When Edouard had arrived at Hautefort that he had looked for a better military role model than LeRiche. The choice between the fit, commanding, cold Arnaud and the stout, quiet, emotional Laurent had seemed obvious. Therefore Edouard had done his best to copy the style of Arnaud.

It had been a surprise to discover that the Sergeants of the Royal Guard all disagreed with him. They all rated Laurent as the better officer. Edouard had been further surprised when he found out that Laurent had earned his title in battle while Arnaud had earned his facial scars in duel.

It was the words of the Armoury Sergeant that had finally convinced Edouard. "Decide if you want to spend your life beating your men or working with them. Then choose. But before you do ask yourself -who does King Francis trust with his son's life and why?"

Their destination came into view, jolting Edouard out of his memories. "I am in so much trouble."

********

Jacqueline took a deep breath and stepped out of the carriage. She held the small bundle of cloth firmly in her hands while she pointed to various large sheet-wrapped bundles. "Those three there and that one, thank you." The driver threw the bundles down to two guardsmen.

"Elaine, please come with me," Jacqueline said in her most courtly and polite tones. She turned to face the building. A few minutes and this would be over. All she had to do was be brave and honourable. This was the right thing to do.

"Are you sure about this, Mademoiselle?"

"Yes, Lieutenant, I'm sure." Jacqueline walked up to the door of Le Pieu's home and waited as Elaine rang the doorbell.

********

Leonardo waved to Captain Laurent across the crowded stabling yard. The officer nodded a greeting while he continued to reprimand the stableboy who'd fed his horse hot meal. The boy was lucky that the horse hadn't fallen ill but was unlucky that the Captain was in a foul mood. By the time the artist walked up to the Captain the stableboy was almost crying.

Leonardo smiled sympathetically at the lad and tapped Laurent on the shoulder. "I have some news for you, Captain. I thought you'd be out searching for evidence."

Laurent let the boy flee and turned to Leonardo. "The Guard is searching. Not one horse joke Leonardo or I'll throw you in the water trough." He glared at Leonardo, "Why did you break your promise and tell Henry?"

"We don't have time for jokes now, Captain. Besides, I didn't break my promise. It must have been Queen Marie who told Prince Henry." Leonardo looked up at the Captain who was turning an alarming shade of red. The painter quickly continued, "Have you ever met Danielle's young apprentice painter friend?"

Laurent looked longingly at the water trough and back at Leonardo. After a moment he sighed deeply. "If he's the young rabbit who was painting in a hayfield when Henry was hunting down Nic...Princess Danielle, then I have seen him, once."

"That would be him. His Master has a studio in the town. Because he's a friend of Danielle's he keeps an eye out for anyone from the manor."

"He can clear Jacqueline?"

"Not exactly. But he did give me some interesting information. What do you know of the Comtess LeCordier and Madame Richaud?"

********

For once in his life Pierre le Pieu was speechless. He had been moping contentedly in his chair when Rodmilla de Ghent's frumpy daughter and half a dozen of the Royal Guard entered the room.

He sneered at her then grabbed at the wound on his face. Oww, that hurt!

Jacqueline squared her shoulders, took a deep breath and faced down the armourer. "Monsieur le Pieu, I have come to clear the debt on my family's name. I believe that my mother borrowed a large sum of money from you. That amount was cleared by goods."

"Which were exchanged for a servant who - ran away" le Pieu didn't like this. What the girl was up to?

"Yes. Umm. Well, I have come to clear the debt. As payment I have brought my mother's and sister's clothing and the jewellery my mother bought with the money she borrowed." Jacqueline placed the small bundle on the table in front of le Pieu.

"What? Rodmilla too afraid to come herself?"

"No, Monsieur. My mother and sister were found guilty of treason and were stripped of their station and sentenced to ten years in service." Jacqueline looked at her hands as le Pieu laughed and grabbed at his faced again. Then she looked up again. "I was given their belongings and I have chosen to use them to clear the debt."

"Where's Rodmilla now?" le Pieu stared at her.

"The laundry at Hautefort." Jacqueline hesitated, then spoke in a courtly voice, "Before these people will you now agree that the debt is cleared, Sir?"

Le Pieu stared at the girl. "Yes, it's cleared. Now go away." Le Pieu ignored the glare from the Lieutenant of the Guard. He watched the girl and her companions leave. He'd written off any hope of seeing any money out of Prince Henry or the Baroness but Rodmilla's frumpy daughter had surprised him.

Now how could he use this to his advantage?

To be continued