Chapter Four: Merry Deceit and Painful Realizations
"The Prince was here. The first person who truthfully tells me why, and what was said will get paid next week, those out of tongue will not." Louise, Paulette and Maurice stood before the Baroness in uneasy silence. Paulette had tried to tell the Prince the basics and send him away before the Baroness or Marguerite saw him and the Royal Guardsmen outside. But when Maurice rounded the corner, eager to chime in, and speaking a little too loudly, Marguerite had overheard and alerted her mother. The Prince had made a clean get away. Stating only that he was late for a meeting with his father. The Baroness not being one to argue with royalty simple curtsied as they rode away. As soon as they were out of sight however her temper flared and she ordered all those involved into the house. Louise was simply an innocent bystander.
"The Prince came to inquire about your daughter." Maurice spoke up. His voice rang with conspiracy.
Paulette, picking up on his game, added. "Yes. He dashed all the way over here to make sure that the young woman hadn't forgot about him." Louise, having no clue what was going on, but not wanting to look stupid, nodded excitedly in agreement.
"Really?" The Baroness quirked her eyebrows curiously.
"Of course", Maurice continued, "the Prince is quite smitten with her you know."
"Yes, he is. He rode up to me while I was picking weeds in the garden. He was all flustered and ashamed that he had broke the young woman's heart. Why, he was practically in tears just speaking to me." Paulette nodded at the Baroness, who simply gazed at her. Their eyes locked, and when Paulette didn't glance away the Baroness seemed convinced of her sincerity.
"What did you tell him?"
"I simply said that she was a kind, forgiving girl, and I was sure she would have the heart to listen to his perspective, Madam."
"Very good. He dashed away quickly. Why?"
"I believe, Madam," Maurice spoke up again, "that he had a very important meeting with his father. However, I do believe he will be returning at a later time."
"When?"
"He did not specify, Madam. He was in a hurry."
"Excellent. Paulette, cook something extraordinary for dinner tonight. Everything must be perfect. Nothing burned. Louise, have Marguerite's best dress washed, dried, pressed and ready. Maurice, give the front yard a good prune. We cannot have the King and Queen thinking we are destitute. Is that understood?" The three servants nodded. "Good. I shall be upstairs telling Marguerite the wonderful news."
With the Baroness humming merrily up the stairs the three were able to look each other in the eye. Paulette, sensing Louise's bewilderment simply shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I'll tell you all about it as we prepare dinner." Louise nodded.
"I best get to work." Maurice dismissed himself out of the room and headed out to the front yard. On his way out he saw Jacqueline approaching. When the younger sister was about to pass him in the opposite direction he leaned over to her and whispered, "The ground work has been laid, Madam. The next step is in your hands." Jacqueline's lips transformed into a broad smile. Her eyes twinkling happily she had a noticeable bounce in her step as she made her way into the house.
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"Danielle, Danielle, sweetheart." Henry tapped Danielle's cheek softly. She was lying on the floor were she had passed out mid sentence only moments earlier. Henry was on all fours next to her. He was studying her face and body. The bruises were even uglier up close. What kind of monster would do this? As if to answer his own question he looked up and spotted Le Pieu. The Guardsmen had tied him to his own desk chair. He didn't flinch under the Prince's white-hot glare. Instead, to the Henry's surprise, he looked rather, happy. Almost like he was proud of himself. Like he had accomplished something. Henry looked back down at Danielle and lightly tapped her good cheek a few more times. He hoped the sensation would wake her. When she didn't budge he looked back up at The Royal Guardsmen, and more specifically Laurent. Laurent's eye's held a look of worry. His face was scrunched, as if he was bracing for something.
One of the Guardsmen smacked Le Pieu. The motion caught Henry's attention. And then he heard it. That's sniveling old man was laughing. He thought it was, funny. Henry stood and motioned for one of the Guards to stand watch over Danielle. "What did you do to her?" He growled through his teeth.
"Nothing, Your Highness." Le Pieu said, unable to hide the merriment in his eyes.
"Look at these bruises!!" Henry pointed to the blue side of Danielle's face and then to her wrists. "She did not have these the last time I saw her. WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER LE PIEU?!"
"Perhaps she fell off a horse Your Highness." In just a few long steps Henry was standing before Le Pieu.
"Might I remind you, Sir, and I used that term lightly, that I am the Crown Prince of France, and lying to me is gounds for immediate execution. I shall ask you one more time, what did you do to her?"
"I did nothing, Sire. The girl is a servant, she has duties to perform. She comes into contact with many people. Perhaps one of the other servants knows what happened. Perhaps you should ask them." Even Henry had to admit that Le Pieu was a good liar, but he wasn't fooled. He clutched his hands into tight fists and it took every once of moral strength he had not to make Le Pieu's face look twice as bad as Danielle's.
"Mildred, your maid downstairs said that you wished to be alone with Danielle in this very office, why is that?"
"I was explaining to Danielle what I expected of her. I run my household a lot different then her previous owner ran hers, she was having trouble understanding that." Henry cringed at that word. "Owner". It made Danielle seem like some parcel of ham that had been purchased in the market.
"That dress she's wearing is miles above her station, and not fit to do servants work. Why is she wearing it?'
"When I purchased her, Sire, she had only one dress. She needed more; I gave her a few of my late wife's. Last I checked she's my property, I can dress her however I want, and that is not a crime." Henry knew he was lying but he had no proof. It was merely a gut instinct. He took a few steps closer to Le Pieu. He rested his hand on the arms of the chair and leaned over so that his face was only a few inches from Le Pieu's, their eyes locked.
"I want you to know, that I love that girl laying beaten and broken on the floor more then anything. Eventually she will awaken, and I WILL find out exactly what happened on this day. And when I do IT WILL BE YOUR HEAD!!"
"Henry?" He spun around quickly. A weight he didn't even realize he had been carrying lifted off of his chest as he saw that Danielle had woken up. She was sitting on the floor. And Henry was a bit nervous to see her rubbing her head, and the paleness of her skin.
"Danielle?" In an instant he was by her side, squatting next to her. All the anger, and hate that had set in his jaw melted away. Now his eyebrows knit together and his face scrunched a little in a look of loving concern.
"What happened?" Her gaze shifted away from the floor to his smiling face. Henry could say nothing; instead he simply lavished in her beauty. Even in her condition her eyes still held that mischievous twinkle.
"I was about to ask you the same thing, sweetheart."
"Sweetheart?" Henry's dimples deepened as he watched the delight filter into her face.
"I came to rescue you." To Henry's dismay the light in her eyes faded and her face grew sad. He ran his fingers through her hair and cupped her chin softly. His touch brought tears to her eyes and soon she was weeping. "What's wrong?" He whispered softly.
"It's to late." Was all she could manage to say before she lost her voice to her uncontrollable sobbing.
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"You'll never guess whom I just spoke to, and what was said." The door to Marguerite's room flung open, and a very excited Jacqueline came sailing in, a bright smile across her face. Marguerite looked up from a huge pile of assorted dresses.
"I know all about it Jacqueline." Marguerite said smiling. "Why are you so happy?"
"Oh, I assure you that you haven't heard this." Jacqueline flopped on Marguerite's bed dramatically.
"Mother told me all about how the Prince stopped by and spoke to Paulette. How he was so worried that I was upset with him for almost marrying Gabriella. Really Jacqueline, it's old news." Marguerite didn't even look up from studying her dresses. "Now if you'll excuse me, I most find the proper dress for when he comes calling next."
"I see. But I bet you that mother did not speak to Monsieur Laurent." This got Marguerite's attention and she glanced up at Jacqueline's perky expression.
"Laurent as in the Prince's Guardsman?"
"That's the only Laurent I know."
"Spill it, Jacqueline, what did he say." Marguerite flew around the bed and stood a few feet from Jacqueline.
"I spoke to him while the Prince was interrogating the servants. He said that the Prince had had a lengthy conversation with his father, and a second wedding is already being planned."
"AND…" Marguerite waved her hands dramatically.
"He also said that the King and Queen were planning on visiting this very house, this very night."
"Then it's TRUE?!" Marguerite's eyes widened, seeing nothing but joy and honesty in Jacqueline's face, she began jumping up and down. "I'm going to marry the Prince!! I'm going to marry the Prince!!" She stopped jumping suddenly. "Now I MUST find a dress. Get out Jacqueline! OUT!! I must concentrate."
Jacqueline left in a hurry and still smiling. She too was looking forward to the Royal Families visit.
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"How is your tea?" Henry sat a few feet away from Danielle at the table. She said nothing. She seemed to be lost in her thoughts, staring blankly out the window. They had moved from Le Pieu's office to Danielle's bedroom when it became apparent to Henry that Danielle and Le Pieu were not on good terms. Henry had gotten her to stop crying, but every time he asked what was wrong Danielle would simply study Le Pieu in silence. Henry knew something was wrong. He didn't know what, but something was terribly, terribly wrong. "Danielle?" He said after a long moment of silence. He set his hands on hers. The sudden sensation made Danielle jump. So much so that her Ginger tea splashed out of the cup and dumped on the table. Henry drew back immediately.
"Oh, oh I'm so sorry. I… I don't know what's come over me." Danielle stammered. Henry sat there is shock trying to understand what had just happened.
"I hardly touched you, but the very second our skin met you jumped clear out of the room."
"I- I just wasn't expecting you to – you know, touch me."
"I was trying to soothe you, and instead I frightened you." Henry's eye's misted up at the realization.
"I'm fine." Danielle said trying her damnedest to look sincere.
"No you're not." Henry looked Danielle up and down. His wondering eyes made Danielle nervous and she tried to cover her body without being too obvious. It didn't work. "You at you, you're covered in bruises, you can't hold a conversation and you're as skittish as a Rabbit."
"I'm just tired." Danielle lied.
"Danielle, I…"
"Henry I don't want to talk about it." Danielle said growing very serious.
"Please…" Henry tried again.
"I said I don't want to talk about it Henry! And you're can't MAKE me!" Danielle stood up quickly. She was angered by Henry's prodding. She began to round the table. Henry realized she was going to make a break for the door, and when she sped by him, he grabbed her hands, intending on begging her to stay. Danielle turned to him when she realized he was preventing her from leaving. And as she spun, Henry caught the look in her eyes. Terror. He wanted to drop her hand but he froze and before Danielle even knew what she was doing she lifted her other hand and slapped Henry right across the face. Henry could do nothing but clutch his face in shock. His heart pounding in his throat. This had to be a joke. Some kind of sick nightmare. His attention shifted from his stinging face to Danielle. She was crying. Her hands over her mouth in shock. "Henry…" She said. But she did not complete the sentence. Instead she ran out of the room without even glancing back.