Jacqueline's Dilemma - Part Twenty Four

"Mmm, please don't stop," Jacqueline murmured as Antoine's lips once again found that spot at the base of her throat that both of them were glad he had discovered. She shuddered as his hands began to gently stroke the back of her neck. These were the moments she lived for. These times alone with Antoine were perfect.

Jacqueline gently placed her hands on his face and lifted his head so that her eyes looked straight into his. She wanted to taste his lips and he obliged her willingly. She still could not believe that he was hers. She feared that she would wake up and find all of this was a dream. Henry had told her that he often thought that his marriage to Danielle was a dream and that when he woke up he would be beside Princess Gabriella.

"I love you Jacqueline," Antoine mumbled between kisses. "Do you love me?" Jacqueline laughed, of all the questions he could ask her that was the stupidest.

"Antoine, darling. I love you mind body and soul, I love you more than you could possibly imagine."

"Oh I think I can imagine it. I live it after all." She flashed him a dazzling smile before he returned his lips to hers and she descended into a hazy dream world where nothing existed except her and Antoine.

*******

Jacqueline woke suddenly, jostled awake by the movement of the carriage. She stretched out her arms and looked around, a little disoriented. How long had she been asleep and where was she now? Was what she had just seen really a dream?

She looked out of the window into the fog which clung to every part of the Dordogne countryside. Through the veil of thin mist she could just about make out the imposing shape of Hautefort coming into view. That explained where she was but she was still unsure of whether her dream was a complete fabrication of her own mind. The idea of her being with Antoine seemed too perfect to be real. Things like that did not happen to her.

She stuck her head out of the window and looked around. She saw two members of the Royal Guard escorting the carriage, neither of them were Antoine. She shifted over to the other side and looked out of that window. Sure enough, he was there riding alongside the carriage. At first she just looked at him, but then he blew her a kiss and she smiled brightly at him. That answered all of the doubts she had in her head. She returned his gesture and sat back down in the carriage, content to know that she was living her dream.

The disorientation she had felt on waking had now gone and she could remember everything that had happened in the past few weeks perfectly. After she had spoken to Antoine in the woods on that unforgettable day, she had returned to the palace with him and they had spent the entire
night talking. They had each learned everything there was to know about each other and both had decided that there was nothing about the other that they would change. It had made them the people they were. They would not be so perfect for one another had they not gone through these
experiences.

The following day they had told Jacqueline's family that they intended to go ahead with the wedding and that there were to be no more surprises coming. Many ladies of the court had tried to hint at things that Antoine had done, to try and get Jacqueline to flee the room in the same way as she had before. They were left disappointed. She knew exactly what was true and what was not and she was resigned to Antoine's past. This did not stop her from getting tired of all of these ridiculous courtiers coming up to her trying to ruin her marriage. Therefore she left the palace a few days later.

Her return to the manor was a happy one. By that time the staff all knew of her engagement and she and her husband-to-be were greeted happily by all. Antoine had written to his family informing them of his intentions to marry. Letters had begun to arrive at the manor expressing congratulations. Antoine's sister-in-law, Antoinette had written a very charming letter, accepting their invitation to the wedding and inviting the couple to Marseille.

Either the Queen or Danielle had been at the Manor nearly every day consulting Jacqueline on wedding plans. It certainly was going to be a grand affair. The Queen's seamstress had all but moved into the manor so that she might have Jacqueline on hand for any sudden fittings she might need to do. Sometimes Jacqueline was glad to have a minute to herself. It had gotten very busy and she sometimes got sick of having everybody fuss around her all the time.

However, now it was almost here. Jacqueline and Antoine had insisted on a quick engagement. Of course it wasn't as quick as Henry and Danielle's but Henry and Danielle had not been married in the cathedral and the Queen had not arranged it. Four weeks was the earliest they could set the date for. Any earlier than that and the Queen would not possibly have been able to organise it all in the way she wanted.

Jacqueline rested her head on the back of her seat and breathed deeply. Nerves were now beginning to mingle with the excitement that had been within her since she had accepted his proposal for the second time. She could not believe that at this time tomorrow she would be standing in front of the court in the cathedral saying her vows, becoming the Duchess de
Polignac. More importantly she would be becoming Antoine's wife.

Suddenly the carriage stopped. She sat up and moved over to the window so that she could see what was going on. There seemed to be nothing wrong. She was about to ask one of the guards what was happening, but the other door opened and Antoine climbed in.

"Antoine, what is happening?" she asked, a little confused. The carriage began to move again. "What is wrong?"

"There is nothing wrong my love," he replied.

"Then why did the carriage stop?"

"So that I might be able to dismount my horse and join you in the carriage. After we get to the palace I don't think we're going to have much time to ourselves. You are going to be surrounded by the ladies, clucking around like mother hens, and I expect I will be dragged of by my colleagues in the guard."

"Why would they do that?"

"My last night as a single man is a night to be celebrated. From tomorrow night I will never spend another night alone. We will always be together, keeping each other warm, I think that is something to look forward to and should be commemorated."

"Well when you put it like that, I suppose you're..." Antoine did not let her finish the sentence. He laid a sweet kiss on her lips and she accepted most willingly. Since the engagement was announced, Jacqueline had not had to spend more than a day where she could not kiss him or feel his warmth next to her. "Antoine, darling," she said pushing herself away from him. She shifted herself around and pulled a drape across the carriage window. She then leaned across his lap and pulled the other one before returning to their kiss.

It was another fifteen minutes before they finally reached the palace. That was fifteen minutes of heaven for both of them. Whenever Jacqueline sensed his body getting close to hers, she felt light headed. The feeling was like when you drank too much champagne and the world suddenly
plunged into a beautiful haze. Antoine felt like he was playing the part of the prince in a fairy tale and after all his years of searching he had finally found his princess.

Finally the carriage came to a juddering stop. The pair of them quickly, and reluctantly, untangled themselves from each other. Jacqueline was pleased in a way though. Had she not been forced to separate herself from him, she would possibly have gone further than either of them would like to. They both wanted their marriage to start as something pure and beautiful.

Jacqueline quickly adjusted her hair and sat as demurely as possible, waiting for the coachman to open the door for her. Soon enough the door was opened and a beam of bright light streamed into the carriage, almost blinding her. A hand was offered to help her from the carriage and she
accepted it. She almost stumbled out, still trying to adjust her eyes to the light. She felt a pair of lips on the back of her hand. She quickly turned around and squinted up to see her assistant. It was Henry.

"Your Hi... Henry. I had not expected you to be here to greet us."

"My orders from Danielle were to collect you from the courtyard and to escort you to you to your room."

"I don't need a guard."

"Until I hand you over to Antoine in church tomorrow," he linked his arm with hers. "You are my responsibility and I intend to make sure you have everything you need until then."

"Thank you Henry," she said smiling. The two of them walked into the castle and Antoine disappeared with a fellow captain of the guard.
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"How are you feeling?" Hélène asked Jacqueline as the servants served dinner.

"Nervous," Jacqueline replied. She felt Antoine squeeze her hand under the table. She looked at him and smiled.

"It will all be worth it tomorrow night though," Henry said. Jacqueline looked down at her plate and Henry blushed furiously, realising what he had just said, or rather implied. "I... I...I just meant that erm..."

"He meant that you will be married and will not have to concern yourselves about the ceremony or any of those worries," Danielle said. Henry gave his wife a thanking smile.

Jacqueline looked around the dining table. There were many people from both her family and Antoine's. They were all there to share the last meal Jacqueline and Antoine would experience as single people. The next time they would all be together would be at the wedding breakfast.

Once the ceremony was over, the newly weds were to stay in the castle for a few weeks. Gustave, who was back in the province for the wedding, was to paint Jacqueline's portrait. This was going to be sent to Antoine's chateau in Aquitaine, where it would hang in the long gallery beside his own portrait. After their few weeks honeymoon at the palace they would return to the manor.

Towards the end of the meal, Henry stood to address the party. "I think I would be saying something you all already knew if I was to tell you how special Jacqueline is to us all. She is a wonderful sister and friend to both my wife and I. I just wanted to say how happy I am for both her and Antoine that they have found each other. True love comes along but rarely, I am pleased for anyone who joins me in having found that beautiful and precious thing. I also wish to say, once again, how proud I am that Jacqueline has asked me to give her away. No greater honour could be bestowed on a brother."

"I can think of nobody I would rather fulfil this duty on my dear father's behalf," Jacqueline said, quietly.

"Nothing remains for me to do now," Henry said, smiling at his wife. "But to give you our gift to honour the occasion of your marriage." Henry passed an envelope to Jacqueline. She looked at Antoine who gestured that she open it. She pulled out several pieces of heavy parchment and
began to read them.

"The deeds to the manor?" She looked at Danielle. "I can't possibly accept this. The manor is your home. It has been in your family for generations. I cannot take it from you."

"The palace is my home now. My family is here." Danielle looked around the table at the King and Queen and Henry. The time she had spent with them had convinced her that she needed to let go of the manor and pass it on to somebody who could work it to its full potential, just as her dear
papa had done.

"How can I ever repay you?" Jacqueline whispered to her sister, tears in her eyes.

"Just take care of it for me. That is all I ask."

"Then that is what I shall do."

The rest of the meal passed pleasantly with all of the usual pre-wedding conversations happening around them. When everything was finished the party stood to retire to their chambers. Antoine was to meet some of his captain friends for one last drink before his nuptials. He bowed to the
King and Queen and kissed Jacqueline, saying that he would see her in church the following day. He then proceeded to leave the room.

As he walked down the corridor he got the sense of somebody following him. He put his hand to his sword and spun quickly. He was faced with Captain Laurent. He let go of the hilt and looked Marc straight in the eye. To everyone's shock, it had come out in the last week that Marc Laurent
had a long standing engagement to Estelle de Lioncourt and they intended to finally marry in the spring. This had answered all of Antoine's questions about Laurent's supposed perfection. He had quite clearly been trying to woo Jacqueline while he was engaged to another woman. Antoine may have had more than his fair share of ladies, but he had never been so callous a to suggest to them that he felt more than he did. Any man who could do that must be some sort of monster.

"What do you want Laurent?" Antoine sneered.

"I wanted to give you some advice." Antoine gave a snort of derision. What on earth could he have to say that could possibly be of any interest? "The rest of the world may think that you have turned over a new lease, but I am not fooled by your facade. Nobody changes like you supposedly have. I just want to warn you that I am going to be watching you. If you ever do anything to hurt her, I swear I will kill you. She deserves more than you."

"Like you. Don't try to scare me. I don't know how you can moralise to me, your announcement the other day has proved to me that you are not so perfect as you like to make yourself out to be. I have been through hell for Jacqueline and I deeply resent the accusation that I would do anything to hurt her. If you should be laying down the law to anybody it should be yourself." With that, he walked away, unwilling to listen to any more of Laurent's hypocrisy.

Elsewhere in the castle, Jacqueline was being escorted to her room by her brother in law. Danielle, who was to stay with Jacqueline that night along with Hélène and the Queen, had gone to fetch some things so that they could prepare for the morning.

"You must be very excited," Henry said. "I know I was before I married Danielle and I only had a few hours to build up my expectations."

"I must admit that I have never felt anything like this before. I am beginning to feel very nervous as well though."

"Like a thousand butterflies fluttering around in your stomach?" Jacqueline nodded. "Danielle told me that is exactly the way she felt before our ceremony and I must confess my feelings were very similar. Do not worry though. It will all go away as soon as you see Antoine I promise."

"Thank you Henry," Jacqueline said. They stopped walking, they had reached the door to Jacqueline's chamber. "I suppose this is good night." Jacqueline said. biting her lip. She knew that the next time she saw him, he would be there to escort her to church.

"Good night Jacqueline. I will be here tomorrow morning to collect you as soon as Danielle tells me that you are ready." He stepped forward and placed his arms gently around her in a brotherly hug. "Sleep well," he whispered before laying a soft kiss on her forehead. She then turned and
entered the room and Henry turned to walk back to his own chambers, knowing that the next time he saw her she would be just hours away from being one of the happiest people to have walked the Earth.