Jacqueline's Dilemma by Emma - Part Seven

Jacqueline walked over to her windows and threw open the curtains. The purity of winter had once again taken over the landscape. However the dullness of the dark months did not envelope the day. For the first time in weeks the sun shone over the Manor de Barbarac.

She felt as if this morning was the first of another life for her. She had been given a new chance at living. The bonfire had purified her memories. She no longer thought about the past, just the future. Her future, Danielle's future, the future of the manor. Everything had changed and she knew it was for the better. Something had happened across the flames of that bonfire. She did not yet know what it was, but it had surely happened.

As she pondered this issue while looking out at the fields, there was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" she called, reaching for her robe.

"It is Juliette. My lady Hélène sent me to help you dress. May I enter?"

"By all means," Jacqueline replied. The nervous girl walked through the door. Jacqueline took this moment to study her. She was very petite, perhaps even smaller than Danielle. Her long blond hair was curly and her eyes brown. She was also very young, perhaps not even fifteen years old.

"Have you selected a gown for today?" Juliette asked, unnerved by the silence.

"Yes, it is hanging in the dressing room, I'll get it." Jacqueline disappeared and returned with a burgundy dress and a crocheted cap. Since somebody was going to help her, she may as well do something with hair. She wore those two braids all the time, she was due for a change.

"This colour becomes you very well milady?" Juliette commented as she began to fasten the laces which held together her corset. "I noticed it yesterday. Although my favourite was the dark blue." She quickly looked to the floor realising that it was not her place to speak so.

"I liked the dark blue also," she did not want her to feel comfortable. "My father always said I looked well in white. He had a gown made for my conformation into the church when I was four years old." She did not ruin the story by adding that her mother had sold the dress. It was made
of Italian silk and antique lace and was worth a lot of money. Eventually it was worn by Lady Violet d'Artois, daughter of the Compt. At her own conformation she wore a simple dress of linen. It wasn't even white.

"You must have looked wonderful milady."

"Please call me Jacqueline. I don't like formality among my equals." Juliette smiled broadly. To be called an equal by a woman of noble blood was an honour.

"You should wear white when you marry. I know that it isn't traditional but..." Jacqueline noticeably stiffened. "When is your wedding day?"

"I'm sorry? I am not to be married. I have never even been engaged." Juliette turned a scarlet brighter than the dress she wore.

"I... I heard. Well I th... th... thought. Yourself and Captain Polignac. I was led to believe..." Jacqueline laughed. What on earth had made her think that? "I'm sorry milady." She politely curtseyed and left the room. Jacqueline continued to laugh. What a ridiculous notion.

Suddenly the door flew open and Danielle came running in with Hélène in tow. "You're up early," Jacqueline said, looking out of the window. The sun was barely peeping over the tops of the trees.

"I couldn't sleep," she said as if out of breath. "But that is not important. Jacqueline he is come."

"Who is come?" She was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Captain Laurent. Hélène saw him riding down the path about a minute ago. He should be here any minute." Then right on cue the front bell rang.

"But I thought he was in Avignon."

"He must have returned early. Henry probably sent him ahead. He must have come to see you."

"Don't be foolish. He will have been given orders to come and check that you are all right."

"The Prince will know that she is fine," Hélène chipped in. "Lord Grey is the best swordsman in the province. I have first hand knowledge of his skill."

"No he is here to see you. You must have noticed his interest you in." Jacqueline knew that she would be lying if she denied this. Danielle began to do up the hooks on the back of the burgundy velvet gown. Hélène stated to pull a brush through Jacqueline's unruly black hair.

Eventually, after much re-arranging, Danielle and Hélène deemed her ready to receive her guest, who by now was in the sitting room. The three ladies made there way down the stairs. Inside the large parlour, Laurent was sitting in a chair beside the window, staring out into the distance, just
as Jacqueline had been. He was so lost in his own thoughts he didn't notice the ladies.

Jacqueline cleared her throat to attract his attention. He jumped to his feet. He bowed in respect to the ladies and they all reciprocated with a small curtsey. Danielle, feeling uncomfortable with the formal atmosphere, stepped forward to greet her friend.

"Marc I did not expect any of the party back so early." He took her outstretched hand and lightly kissed the back of it. They all took their seats.

"Henry has almost finished his business on Avignon, but he will be gone a few more days. He asked me to ride back ahead of him to prepare the building workers to start building next week."

"So what brings you here Captain?" Hélène asked, unconvinced by his explanation so far.

"Henry asked me to come and check that the Princess was all right." Jacqueline shot a look at Danielle as if to say she was right. Danielle looked back with a 'don't believe everything you hear' look.

"What did you think of Avignon?" Hélène asked. "I believe it is several years since you were last home. How are your parents?"

"They are very well milady," he replied. He called the Compt and Comtesse who had raised him Mother and Father, but his real parents had died when he was very young. "They will be travelling back with the Prince so that they might attend the Limoges ball."

"How wonderful. I should very much like to meet them. Would you please introduce us at the ball?"

"Yes your Highness. I think they would be very happy to meet you. And I would also like to introduce them to you Mademoiselle, if that is convenient for you."

"I should be pleased to make their acquaintance." Jacqueline could not pretend that she was not curious about people who had raised a man as good and kind hearted as Laurent, but she knew that such a meeting would imply.

"It looks like a nice day," Jacqueline said. "Perhaps you would like to take a tour of the estate. I am sure that Maurice would be only too happy to take you out."

"Maurice said that he has much to do today," Danielle said. "Perhaps it would be a better idea if you were to take the tour yourself Jacqueline."

"I would be very honoured if you would accompany me Mademoiselle." Jacqueline was unsure of this, but she saw no reason to decline. She stood up and walked over to the bell. "Of course I would be happy to Captain." A housemaid appeared. "Could you please have a groom saddle my
horse?" The girl curtseyed and left without saying a word.

As Jacqueline moved around the room, Laurent watched her intently. She was wonderful. The gown she wore suited her perfectly. Her hair was puled back a little, so that her face was not concealed. Her air exuded a confidence that he had never seen before. If he was totally honest with himself, the only word he could use for her was enchanting.

His thoughts were broken by somebody else entering the room. He looked up to see Captain Polignac standing there. He looked surprised to see Laurent.

"Captain Laurent. This is unexpected. To what do we owe this honour." The tone in his voice suggested that he was less than pleased to see him.

"I was sent ahead by the Prince. He wanted to check that everything was in order here at the manor. You can never be too careful." The response suggested that the feeling was mutual. In truth there had never been any sort of friendship between them. Laurent disapproved of Polignac's motives for joining the guard and his whole way of life. Polignac was unconvinced by Laurent's high morals. Nobody could be so perfect that they had no flaws, he was definitely hiding something.

"I was just wondering if you would be taking you ride today Jacqueline?" Antoine asked. To hear him talking to her so informally made Laurent's blood boil.

"I am going to give Captain Laurent a tour of the estate. Would you care to join us?" Antoine was about to accept when the Princess jumped in.

"I think Jacqueline, that Captain Polignac is needed here." She had to think of something quickly. "I believe Lord Grey needs you to start his sword practice again." This was an absolute lie, but it could be engineered to be so.

"Certainly Your Highness," Antoine replied, very disappointed to be deprived of Jacqueline's company for a second day.
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"I never realised just how large the estate is," Laurent said as he and Jacqueline stopped their horses.

"It is only recently that the holding has increased to be so large. The King has been very kind. I don't think I could have done all of this without his help."

"Oh I have no doubt that you would have done this eventually. You are determined, I can see that." He smiled at her in that cheeky chipmunk way that had first drawn her to him. She smiled back, but not in that coy way he had become accustomed to. She was more open now, not the girl who had tried to impress the Prince with a feather.

Jacqueline was nervous about being so close to him. She knew that she was fuelling Danielle's rampant imagination and expectations. Goodness knows who else would see more into this than actually existed. How could anyone else see so much into a relationship that she herself was unsure of? It was her who was supposedly going to marry him, but she could honestly not understand how everybody had got that idea.

"I did not want to say anything back there, but you are looking very well. You seem to be very happy here."

"Yes I am. I find myself very content with my situation." Laurent was very pleased to hear this. She meant a lot to him. To see her happy was one of his main aims in life. This was one of his main reasons for objecting to Antoine de Polignac. He was worried about a man with such a reputation being in such close proximity to a sweet girl like Jacqueline.

"Perhaps you should start coming to the palace more. I know that Danielle would like to see you more, she misses you." 'And she isn't the only one' he added silently.

"When my foals are born I plan to make a visit."

"That will be nice," he said. "I think there are many people who will be pleased to see you there." 'And some will be pleased to see you away from certain people here.'

Being so close to Marc, speaking to him like this, made her think about all of those qualities in him that made her like him. In those early days of her acquaintance, she had been very keen to know more of him. She saw him as somebody who could make her happy. She could not understand what had happened to her. Riding out with him now reminded her of why she liked him, but oddly they did not stir feelings in her which went beyond friendship.

This closeness also made her more aware of Antoine and his influence in her life. He had become so close to her that she could almost call him her best friend. With some of the things he said to her and the way he looked at her it was quite understandable that people thought there was more involved in their relationship. Maybe she should avoid him for a while. Try to stop the rumours. After all it was impossible that they could ever be proved true. He was rich, handsome, noble and she was the youngest daughter of a disgraced Baroness.

Suddenly she realised what she was thinking. She had to stop herself thinking any more about this. These were dangerous ideas. If she allowed them to continue, she may start to develop feelings that would ultimately be crushed. For now she just had to stop this and enjoy her ride with Laurent.