Chapter 32
"How is she, Armand?" Marie asked as the court physician closed the door to Thérèse's room.
Armand shook his head. "I'm not sure, Majesty. She's had a terrible stroke and from what I can see, her left side is completely numb."
Marie looked at him. "Do you think she'll pull through?"
Armand looked at her. He smiled sadly as he took her hands in his. "I'm not going to lie to you, Marie. She is your sister in law. " He shook his head. "Her heart is too weak and she remains unconscious. She has lost a lot of blood from that large gash on her hand and another large one on her thigh. We will have to wait and see."
Marie shook her head. "She was the best of us, Armand. She was my closest friend. Do you know how rare it is to find a sister-in-law that is both? I don't know how I'll manage without her."
She started to cry and put her head on Armand's shoulders and he cradled her. "You will be fine, Marie, you have the other relations to consider."
"They've been considered, Armand, very carefully. Francis and I will take care of them shortly. They're going to have a rather rude awakening."
She changed the subject. "How's Rodmilla?"
Armand pulled back. "She's doing well, better than I would expect. She's asleep again."
Marie nodded. "I don't know how you ever considered marrying that woman in the first place."
Armand shook his head. "She was different back then, before she married Jean de Ghent. I can assure you that she was happier person, Marie, whether you believe me or not."
Marie nodded. "You forget Armand, I knew her as well."
"I plan to ask if she'll have me when she wakes up. I know she's changed, Marie, but there's something about her that I have always loved. We will see though. "
"Marie," Francis called from the other end of the main room. "Have you seen your son?"
Marie turned toward the door where he had been standing. "No, I haven't, milord and for that matter, I haven't seen Danielle either." She walked out into the center of the room to join her husband
"My son is missing as well," Vivienne mentioned, walking toward Marie and Armand. "The both of them actually. Adrienne and Alexander."
"Well, Danielle is going to have to be found and informed of this," Marie whispered. "This makes for a change in her welfare."
Vivienne smiled. "Yes. Marie, I suppose it would."
Marie stared at her younger sister in law. "Always thinking about others, aren't you, Vivienne."
"Of course, I always do." Vivienne smiled. "All we have to do now is wait and I.."
"Danielle must be found," Francis said, "before this meeting is to continue. Someone will have to go."
"I know where she's gone, uncle," Alex said, walking in through the rear of the house. He was holding Camille's hand. He stopped in front of Vivienne. "I've something to explain, Mother, but you may not like it."
"Better get Danielle here, Alex. There is some urgency in this matter. Have you seen Henry as well?"
Alex smiled. He knew only too well.
"How is she, Armand?" Marie asked as the court physician closed the door to Thérèse's room.
Armand shook his head. "I'm not sure, Majesty. She's had a terrible stroke and from what I can see, her left side is completely numb."
Marie looked at him. "Do you think she'll pull through?"
Armand looked at her. He smiled sadly as he took her hands in his. "I'm not going to lie to you, Marie. She is your sister in law. " He shook his head. "Her heart is too weak and she remains unconscious. She has lost a lot of blood from that large gash on her hand and another large one on her thigh. We will have to wait and see."
Marie shook her head. "She was the best of us, Armand. She was my closest friend. Do you know how rare it is to find a sister-in-law that is both? I don't know how I'll manage without her."
She started to cry and put her head on Armand's shoulders and he cradled her. "You will be fine, Marie, you have the other relations to consider."
"They've been considered, Armand, very carefully. Francis and I will take care of them shortly. They're going to have a rather rude awakening."
She changed the subject. "How's Rodmilla?"
Armand pulled back. "She's doing well, better than I would expect. She's asleep again."
Marie nodded. "I don't know how you ever considered marrying that woman in the first place."
Armand shook his head. "She was different back then, before she married Jean de Ghent. I can assure you that she was happier person, Marie, whether you believe me or not."
Marie nodded. "You forget Armand, I knew her as well."
"I plan to ask if she'll have me when she wakes up. I know she's changed, Marie, but there's something about her that I have always loved. We will see though. "
"Marie," Francis called from the other end of the main room. "Have you seen your son?"
Marie turned toward the door where he had been standing. "No, I haven't, milord and for that matter, I haven't seen Danielle either." She walked out into the center of the room to join her husband
"My son is missing as well," Vivienne mentioned, walking toward Marie and Armand. "The both of them actually. Adrienne and Alexander."
"Well, Danielle is going to have to be found and informed of this," Marie whispered. "This makes for a change in her welfare."
Vivienne smiled. "Yes. Marie, I suppose it would."
Marie stared at her younger sister in law. "Always thinking about others, aren't you, Vivienne."
"Of course, I always do." Vivienne smiled. "All we have to do now is wait and I.."
"Danielle must be found," Francis said, "before this meeting is to continue. Someone will have to go."
"I know where she's gone, uncle," Alex said, walking in through the rear of the house. He was holding Camille's hand. He stopped in front of Vivienne. "I've something to explain, Mother, but you may not like it."
"Better get Danielle here, Alex. There is some urgency in this matter. Have you seen Henry as well?"
Alex smiled. He knew only too well.