Jacqueline's Dilemma by Emma - Part Fourteen
"I'm sure you will like them very much," Danielle said to Jacqueline as they headed towards Danielle's parlour. "They are just two of the most charming women I have ever met. I am sure they will be most agreeable friends." They were on their way to take tea with Laurent's mother
and sister and Jacqueline could not pretend that she didn't know why Danielle was advocating their appeal.
"I am just sorry that I did not have the chance to meet with them last night," Jacqueline replied, not entirely sincere in her words. Meeting with them would have meant having to spend even more time with Laurent. It was not that she was averse to his company, but she felt an overwhelming sense of shame when ever she was near him. She was desperately pining for somebody else, when it was quite clear to the world that she is being set up to be his wife. She just prayed that his feelings for her were not as strong as she feared they were.
"Well you were very busy. I must say I was astonished at the amount you danced. I don't remember seeing you sit any out."
"There was nobody able to persuade me to join in with a volta. I don't really think that it's my sort of dance." Danielle laughed. It was true, she could not imagine Jacqueline involved in the highly energetic dance, not even the new, confident Jacqueline who she had come to know.
"No maybe not. But you did dance them all very well. Especially that last Pavane. I don't know how you found the energy to do it. I was exhausted by the time it came around." Jacqueline knew exactly what she was doing. The last Pavane had been the dance where she had finally stood up with Marc. When he had asked her, she had neither the will or the inclination to refuse his request. There was just something about him that was so appealing. She was beginning to realise why she had fancied herself in love with him.
"I did notice Hélène and Lord Grey stood up together several times," Jacqueline said. She looked over her shoulder to check that Lord Grey was still down the corridor away from them and out of earshot. "In fact Hélène danced with no other man." Jacqueline was eager to get Danielle's opinion on this matter. Danielle saw more of them together than anyone, surely she would know what was between them.
"Well they are very good friends, and Hélène is a very private person, she is not in the habit of conversing with people she knows little of." Jacqueline could believe this. She had always been somebody at the court who everyone knew about but nobody actually knew. "She worries me sometimes with her reluctance to mix in society. I know that she has been crossed in love, but she should not allow that to affect her life."
Jacqueline did not reply to this. She did not want to make known anything to Danielle about Hélène's former love. Through court gossip, she had come to know much about Hélène and Henry's very fiery relationship. She also knew just how badly he had treated Hélène. These were things that Danielle did not need to know. Hopefully it would be a long time before any such knowledge were to be known to her.
"Where is Hélène?" Jacqueline asked, trying to veer the subject away from her past. "I have not seen her since we returned from mass."
"She has been giving Juliette her lessons."
"Lessons?"
"Yes, every Sunday afternoon Hélène instructs her in the arts. She had very little formal education before being taken from the kitchens for her new position. Hélène says it is a miracle that she can read at all. She apparently had an uncle who taught her before he died." Jacqueline
sighed. Was there not a woman in this palace who's life had not been touched by tragedy?
"I know little of her, but she seems very eager. I expect she is a very apt pupil."
"Hélène seems to think so. I feel she has become quite fond of her, despite her strictness with her. I think with Hélène's guidance she will be every inch a proper lady."
As they came to Danielle's parlour, a guard opened the door for them to enter. Inside Hélène was seated, talking with the Comtesse d'Avignon and the Contessa di Napoli. They all stood as Danielle entered the room and curtseyed. Then, as etiquette demanded, they remained standing until Danielle took her seat and then sat with her. The tea things were brought in by a servant and Hélène proceeded to serve the black liquid to the four other ladies in the room, before pouring a cup for herself.
"I am so pleased that you were able to join me at such short notice Comtesse," Danielle said, kick-starting the conversation. "I realise that you may have had other engagements for this afternoon."
"No Your Highness, it is a pleasure to be asked. My daughter and I had little to occupy us this afternoon as our husbands are busy with Francis." Danielle smiled. The informal use of the King's name indicated a high degree of friendship between the two families. This was good for Jacqueline and Laurent.
"Contessa, I believe you are approaching your third year of marriage with the Conte," Danielle said. "How do you find living in Italy?"
"Please Your Highness, call me Angel. I find I like Italy very well. I sometimes feel that Florence is my home and not Avignon."
"And how do you like the arts in that part of Europe Angel?" Hélène asked, knowing that Angel had always been fascinated by Italy and had practically been able to recite Dante word for word.
"I think you know that I like them exceedingly well. Niccolo has often commented that I married him just so I might live with artists and poets, although I understand you have commandeered Signore da Vinci from us."
"Yes, he is Artist in residence here in the palace."
"Is the court in Florence still without an artist?" Hélène asked, referring to the death of Sandro Botticelli, the last artist to receive the patronage of Lorenzo de Medici.
"No, the news is the Duke is to be the patron of Michealangelo, when he is finished in Rome. The Duke asked me to inquire after your health Hélène and to send his best wishes. He recalls your time in Florence with fondness."
"The Duke was very kind to the family." Hélène was doing her best not to blush. She had forgotten that Angel knew all of the particulars of her visit to Florence, but she was sure that Angel understood that she would prefer to keep the details secret.
"Do you get on at all with the Duke's daughter Catherine?" Danielle asked. "I have heard much about her from visitors to your city."
"Not at all, I find her manners are far from pleasing. She is arrogant and vain, and thinks she is more beautiful than she actually is." Danielle had to admit that she got some pleasure from this. She had heard that Catherine was one of the suggestions for Henry's bride. Even now he was hers, she still felt jealous on hearing of other women who could have been his wife.
As Hélène and Angel continued to talk about the delights of Florence, Danielle realised that Jacqueline was yet to say a word.
"Comtesse, might I introduce my sister Jacqueline Claude Isabelle de Ghent." Jacqueline bowed her head, as did the Comtesse, in acknowledgement. Danielle said no more, but listened intently to the ensuing conversation between the two women. This could determine Jacqueline's future.
"I have heard much about you from my son Mademoiselle," the Comtesse said. "He paints a most favourable picture of you."
"I am sure he exaggerates greatly, for I know of no men better or more complimentary that Captain Laurent."
"Oh no, I think he speaks the absolute truth," Angel said, breaking off from her conversation about the genius of Dante Alighieri. "I have never known him exaggerate in his life and from what I observed of your talents at the ball last night, he is not doing so now."
The conversations between the three of them continued to go as well as Danielle had hoped and better. The Comtesse genuinely seemed to like Jacqueline and the Contessa treat her as a good friend within half an hour of their conversing. This was a good sign for Jacqueline. It meant that she would be accepted by Laurent's family without problem were they to marry. All of Danielle's hopes were beginning to come together at last.
Jacqueline also had cause to feel happy at her day. Her conversation with Henry that day had been very pleasant and she was able to see finally just why Danielle was so hopelessly in love with him. They were perfect for each other, as if they were two halves of a whole which would only work when they were put together. After Danielle's tragic life she was overjoyed at her finding such a treasure as Henry. She just prayed that Henry would continue to be the dream prince that Danielle thought he was. She would not be able to bear it if he one day treat Danielle as he had Hélène. But she was sure that such a thing would not happen.
She had also had an interesting time in church. As usual she found her mind drifting away from what the Bishop was saying and into her own thoughts. As was typical in the past few weeks, her thoughts had been with Antoine. Handsome, charming Antoine. However this time she had
not wanted to cry when she heard his voice in her head, or imagined the feeling of his lips on hers. She had realised that to feel a love was a wonderful thing, but love was not the same as happiness. She could be happy in life if she was able to find somebody she had respect and admiration for. Her love may always belong to Antoine, but her life, she could share with another man without regret.
Her time spent drinking tea and chatting with Laurent's family had been a very satisfying one. His mother was a lovely woman, just what a mother should be like, not like Rodmilla at all. She was kind and excessively proud of both of her children, not just one of them. The Contessa was so friendly and knowledgeable, she would not object to becoming good friends with such a woman. This knowledge she had gained of these people had led her to a very important decision. If Laurent were to propose marriage to her, she would accept.
She could no longer think of any rational objection to marrying a man who she herself knew to be kind and loyal and whom she had a great amount of respect for. She was now convinced that he could make her just as happy as anyone else. Danielle was already sure of their union. She
could forget Antoine in time, Laurent would make her a good husband. Now she just had to worry whether she would make a good wife.
