Jacqueline's Dilemma - Part Twenty Three
Danielle walked down the corridor, towards her parlour in a daze. Like every other member of the Royal Family, she was stunned by what had played out before her eyes that afternoon. She had no idea that any of this had happened in Antoine's past. Why hadn't Henry told her? He must surely have known, that sort of gossip is not usually so well kept in a place like this. But then again, they had no idea that things had become so serious between Jacqueline and Captain Polignac. They had made a good job at keeping it a secret.
She came to the doors to her chamber. Du Lac, the guard who was usually on the door, held open the door for her, Hélène and Steven to pass through. Danielle stopped however to address the young man. She had come to know him quite well over the past couple of months. He was only 20 and this was his first important post. "Tell me Renard," Danielle said, looking straight at him. It was not her way to be at all indirect. "Has Prince Henry been here at all this afternoon?" She had not seen him since he left her to speak alone with Antoine.
"No Your Highness," he said quietly, obviously still intimidated by her position. Usually Danielle would have delivered her little lecture about him being her equal, but she was not in the right spirits.
"Thank you Renard, you may take an hour off if you wish, Lord Grey will be here."
"Thank you Your Highness," he said before scuttling away. The small party of three passed through the door and closed it behind them. Danielle took her usual seat by the window and Hélène and Steven sat on a chaise together. As Danielle gazed out into the courtyard, Steven and Hélène spoke in muffled tones so as not to disturb her.
The courtyard was now lit by torches as darkness had fallen on the province. Danielle was a little worried about Jacqueline. She had still not returned and no word had been sent that she had been found. Perhaps she was waiting until she could return unseen by the vultures of the court who would give anything to see her a broken woman.
Danielle was hoping that Antoine had been able to catch her and tell her his story. She could not bear it if Jacqueline was deprived of the love that Antoine surely felt for her, because of a evil tongued little snipe like Sabine de Bruges. She smiled to herself as she thought of the look on Sabine's face when she had heard what Danielle had to say to her. As soon as it had happened she had gone straight to the King and Queen to
inform them of what she had done, hoping that they would not disapprove of her actions. The King had let out a raucous laugh, explaining that it was the best punishment he had heard in years and the Queen had said how she had been looking for a way to get rid of that family for years. After that surely none of them would have the nerve to show their faces at court for a good few years.
Danielle was not surprised that Antoine had fallen so desperately for Jacqueline if that was the quality of woman he was so used to. Not only was Jacqueline very beautiful, but she was good natured and sweet and very intelligent. She was surprised that she had not seen the signs of their regard for each other earlier. She knew somebody who probably had though.
"Hélène," she said, braking into the conversation that was going on opposite her.
"Yes Danielle," Hélène replied.
"When we were at the manor or even after, did you ever see any signs of regard between my sister and Captain Polignac? I must confess that I did not, but I am not possessed of the same powers of insight as you are."
"I suspected that Jacqueline had an affection for somebody and I must confess I did believe it to be Captain Polignac, after all he was the only man she had experienced close contact with."
"Did you ever think that he shared these feelings?" Hélène looked at Steven at this point. He had told her many times of loving glances and jealous glares directed from the Captain to Jacqueline that Hélène had not herself witnessed.
"I never saw any particular signs myself but I do believe that he did share her affection."
"On many occasions I saw Captain Polignac's countenance change when in the presence of Mademoiselle Jacqueline," Steven said, joining the conversation. "Most often he displayed a softening whenever she were near, sometimes it was quite clear that he was jealous when she conversed with other men. These are things which are started by more than a mere attraction but by strong affection and more usually, love."
Danielle looked at him with utter astonishment. He had never displayed such a tender side to his character in her presence. Hélène, however, was not at all surprised. When they were alone together he would drop his stern outer shell immediately and would give her a glimpse of who he really was. He would never let her get too close to what he really felt, but she saw enough to know that he was more than the soldier he pretended to be.
"So you think that their relationship has been going on for a while then. It is most odd that she did not tell me."
"It is most probable that nothing was happening. I saw signs of love within them, but nothing that said they had a relationship that transcended that of friendship. I think that all that has gone between them has happened since Jacqueline has been here." Danielle said nothing. A nagging thought suddenly came into her head. It had been Henry who had first brought up the subject of the engagement before court. Exactly
how much did he know, and how long had he known it?
Just then, as if she had been sending out a signal, calling him to her, the door to the parlour opened and in walked Henry. Steven jumped up, ready to draw his sword to ward off any unwelcome intruder. He also, instinctively, jumped in front of Hélène first. Henry raised his hands in a submissive gesture. "I'm sorry Your highness," Steven said, moving out of the way so that Hélène might be seen. This action did not escape Danielle's notice, it did not escape Henry's either, but they had different
feelings about what had happened.
"That's all right Lord Grey," Henry said, a little coolly. "I'm glad to see your doing your job." 'Even if you are jumping in front of the wrong woman'.
"Henry I must speak with you," Danielle said, clearing the tension that had suddenly built up in that room.
"Of course my darling, shall we retire to our chambers?" Danielle nodded. Their bedroom sounded like a good idea. She needed some answers from him, but that did not mean that she could not get a little more at the same time. She always felt, when she went almost a whole day without at least stealing a kiss from him, that she would explode before they got to their chambers that night.
The two of them walked down the corridor together, both of them looking forward to what would happen behind those large oak doors.
"Jacqueline has returned," Henry said. "She was with Captain Polignac. I think that they may have reached an understanding." Danielle breathed a sigh of relief. This was the outcome she had been hoping for ever since Antoine had poured his heart out to her that afternoon.
As they reached the room, Henry opened the door and allowed Danielle to enter before him. He had things that he needed to tell her. However first things first. He slid his arms around her waist and drew her close to him. "I have been waiting for this moment all day," he whispered.
"Me too," she replied, laying her lips on his. They stood locked in that embrace for several minutes. They both almost forgot what they had originally made them need the privacy. Somewhere in their minds they knew that this wasn't the reason, but when they were so close how could they think of anything else?
Eventually Danielle was able to force herself away from him so that she could say what she needed to say. "Henry, there is something I need to ask you."
"Yes my darling," he murmured as he buried his face in her hair. She pushed him away and walked towards the window
"It occurred to me today that you know more about Jacqueline and Captain Polignac than you have told me. How long have you known about them."
"Only since yesterday. Antoine came to me yesterday to ask my permission to marry."
"And you did not feel the need to share this information with you wife? Especially since the bride to be was my sister."
"He had not yet asked her at this point, I didn't feel it my place to spread news that had not yet happened. It would have been nothing more than idle gossip and I know how much you hate that." Danielle scowled at him. She had been caught out by her own logic.
"Well that maybe, but you could have at least given me a hint. You have no idea what a shock I got this afternoon when they announced it. I nearly fainted on hearing the other little revelations."
"I suppose I should at least have prepared you for that, although I had no idea that it would come out so quickly and so publicly."
"But it is all sorted now and they are to be married?"
"I believe so. I haven't spoken to them but they looked much happier on their return than when they left." Danielle broke out into a broad smile and rushed into Henry's arms.
"I am so happy for her, I know what it feels like when you know that your love belongs to you and you alone."
"I think we both know how that feels," he kissed her lightly on the tip of her nose.
"I cannot believe I got it so long. I had convinced myself that Jacqueline was in love with Marc and that she would marry him." A sudden thought came into her mind, what about Marc? She had not given him a single thought, but surely this must have caused him some upset. Jacqueline may not have been in love with him, but Danielle could not convince herself that he had felt nothing for her.
"Henry could you please excuse me for a while?" Danielle said. "I have some business I forgot about."
"Can't it wait 'till tomorrow?" Henry asked gently kissing her neck. Danielle was tempted to forget about it but she could not, this was something she had to get over with."
"No Henry, I have to do this now." She untangled her arms from his and left the room. "I'll be back in a while and we can continue here."
Danielle left the room in search of Captain Laurent and it did not take long to find him. He was walking towards their chambers.
"Your Highness," he said, bowing. "I was just on my way to inform you that your sister has returned."
"Henry told me. Thank you for going after her."
"It is my duty to do as the Prince asks Your highness. I met up with a friend of yours while out. Esmerelda sends some forceful words for your not having been to see her."
"I can imagine," Danielle replied thinking about the little gypsy girl. "Marc, may I talk with you in private?"
"Of course Your Highness." They began to walk
"Marc, over the past month or so I have noticed a change in your demeanour and I'm a little worried about the cause of that."
"Your Highness, I don't understand."
"Perhaps we should speak in private." Danielle opened the door to her parlour. Steven and Hélène had gone. The two of them walked into the room. "Why don't you sit down Marc?" He did this.
"Your Highness, I don't really understand what you wanted to talk to me about."
"Marc, I'm not going to skirt around this issue. I know that you had feelings for Jacqueline."
"Was I really that obvious?" Danielle nodded smiling.
"This must be really difficult for you. I just wanted to know how you are feeling," Danielle said. "I'm concerned that this might hit you hard."
"Thank you Your Highness, but you mustn't worry about me. I won't deny that I had feelings for your sister. She is a remarkable woman. But I realise now that I'm getting what I deserve."
"I don't understand," Danielle said.
"I have been keeping something from you all for several years." Danielle sat beside him. "Why do you think I never asked Jacqueline to marry me before?"
"You never had the chance," Danielle suggested.
"I had plenty of chances, but there was something very important which kept me from doing so. I first met Estelle de Lioncourt when I was 18."
"Now I really don't understand."
"You Highness, I have been engaged to Estelle for 6 years ." Danielle was shocked. How could he have kept this a secret for so long. Did Henry know any of this?
"We felt that we had to keep it a secret. Estelle's father is a Duke and would not have agreed with her choice of husband. We decided that as soon as I gained high enough status in the guard we would be married. Then I met Jacqueline and my emotions were thrown into turmoil. I still had feelings for Estelle, but Jacqueline was unlike anyone I had ever met. I thought that I would be able to get over my infatuation, but my feelings if anything grew stronger. I was getting to a point where I was willing to
break off my engagement and ask Jacqueline to marry me."
"But Antoine got there first." Marc nodded. "What are you going to do now?"
"Try to forget about Jacqueline, marry Estelle as I had promised."
"But you were willing to forget about Estelle when you thought you might have somebody better." Danielle was a little angry at him.
"I don't expect you to feel sorry for me Your Highness."
"Don't worry Marc, I don't. But I do understand that Jacqueline is very special, and that it isn't difficult to fall for her. I think that you should marry Estelle." Danielle stood up to leave the room and go back to Henry. As she walked through the door she turned back to make one final remark
"I hope you will be happy Marc, and I wish that Estelle will be too. I think that she and Jacqueline are the one's who deserve it here." She then returned to her husband, not feeling so sorry for Marc as she had when she left Henry earlier.
