Chapter Summary: Andrew leaves Paris and will not say why. Annalise finds herself drawn to Michaud who also announces he must leave town. And another "present" is delivered.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Katherine watched sadly as her brother packed a small bag with a few clothes and some toiletries. "Why must you go?" she asked.

"Because there are things I must do," Andrew told her.

"But where are you going?"

"Away for a few days."

"Why?"

Andrew whirled around. "Because I have things to prepare, Kitt. Is that all right with you?" the exasperation he felt fading at the look on his sister's face. "I do not mean to yell at you and I am sorry. I am just aggravated and irritated and bothered beyond all reason and I feel like I must do something about it."

Katherine looked worried. "I have not made you angry, have I?"

"I could never be angry with you," Andrew told her, managing a small smile.

"Are you angry with Annalise?"

Trust a child to be able to see beyond the pretences to the honesty kept inside. Andrew walked over to sit next to his sister, taking her hand. "I love her, Kitt," he admitted out loud for the first time. "I do not think I truly knew how much I have come to love her until I saw her dancing with Michaud Deschene the other night. I wanted her to look at me like that. I wanted to be the one to put the stars in her eyes. I wanted ... it doesn't matter what I wanted now." Andrew sighed. "She is in my every thought, Kitt! I love so much it hurts and from this point on I intend to fight. So I have decided to do something about it."

Katherine looked puzzled. "Is that why you have been going out on your own so very much?"

Andrew stood and walked over to collect his small suitcase. "Partly," he replied in a quiet tone.

"But where are you going now? This is not home! You will get lost!"

Andrew walked back to where his sister sat and. "I know enough, Kitt, to know where I need to go, how to get there, accomplish what I must do and return." He sighed and took her hand. "You need to trust me on this and not say a word to anyone. You must promise me that you will not tell - especially Annalise. I know you both share secrets but this is one you must keep close to your heart. Promise me."

Katherine looked at her brother and wondered at the strange glow in the back of his eyes. This was a side of him she had never seen before and it confused her; yet, she loved him and would do anything he asked of her. "I promise," she told him. "But you will be back in time for our cousin's birthday celebration, yes? Maybe you can talk to Annalise then and tell her how you feel."

"I will be back in two days, time enough to gather together for our cousin's celebration. And I shall think about talking with Annalise. That is my promise to you." He held out his hand. "Now walk with me down to the door and give me a proper send-off."

Smiling, Katherine took his hand, still feeling that something was just not right about her brother. She could not explain what it was she was feeling and decided it was because of the inexperience of her youth. Maybe when she grew older and fell in love, she, too, would act this way. "Would you like me to talk to Annalise for you?"

"No," Andrew shook his head. "I will fight my own battles and in my own way." Andrew was surprised when he felt his sister sigh. "What?"

"I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"That it would be wonderful if you could find a wise friend like Monsieur Lachaise." Too late Katherine realized what she had let slip and her free hand flew to her mouth.

Andrew stopped at the bottom step and looked at his sister curiously. "And just who is this Monsieur Lachaise?"

Katherine bit her bottom lip. "I was not supposed to tell," she replied.

"I will not say a word," Andrew told her as he crossed his heart, "but I am not leaving until you tell me just who this Monsieur Lachaise is." Andrew was amazed at the strength of his sister's grip on his arm. "I will not tell!" he assured her.

"When Annalise was visiting her great-aunt she met the man who lives next door. She said the village children think he is a monster because he lives in what used to be a monastery that fell to ruin and he is never seen in the village." Katherine thought for a moment and since she had revealed half of the secret, and knowing that her trust in her brother had never been betrayed, she felt safe enough telling him the rest of what her friend had told her. "Annalise met him in the woods when she was walking one day. She said he is very nice but very lonely and she has been writing to him without her parents knowing about it. She says he is her special confidante, a man who has seen much of the world and knows all the answers to her questions."

Andrew shook his head. "There are times when I do not think I will ever understand how the female mind works." He took his sister's chin in one hand, looking into her eyes. "I shall not tell her secret for I would do nothing to hurt the friendship you both share."

"But ..."

"But, in return, you must promise me that you will never get involved in a situation like that. You have no idea what even the nicest of people are capable of doing at any moment. And should Annalise get into trouble with this strange friend, you must tell her parents. You understand?"

Katherine looked confused. "No ... I mean ... yes ... I mean ... I promise."

"Good. Now kiss me goodbye and I shall see you in two days time." Andrew received a quick kiss on the cheek before hugging his sister and walking out the front door of his cousin's residence. He handed his small suitcase to the waiting footman and climbed into the coach, closing the door behind him. Andrew settled back against the velvet cushions, eyes closed, as the coach made its way through the crowded streets of Paris. His thoughts always wandered back to Annalise and he struggled very hard not to think about whom it was she might be with while he was gone. Andrew reached over and pulled the small shade on the coach window down so that the outside light would be dimmed. He found that thinking about Annalise with that man gave him a headache. In the dim interior Andrew did not notice as the coach passed the townhouse of Jean-Paul, Annalise's eldest brother. He would have been happy to see a familiar carriage parked at the curb. It was the other carriage and other occupant at the townhouse that would have further aggravated, irritated and bothered him beyond all reason.

Michaud Deschene sat at the dining table having been invited to lunch with his school friend, Jean-Paul, and his wife, Therese. He was surprised to find Annalise there. Michaud had been even more surprised when Jean-Paul told him that Annalise had been the one to suggest he join them at their weekly luncheon. Michaud crossed his knife and fork on his plate and turned his attention to his hostess.

"That was wonderful," he told her with a smile. "I find myself looking forward to these invitations. The culinary life of a bachelor leaves much to be desired."

"Then you must find yourself a lovely young lady and settle down to wedded bliss," Therese replied, a smile on her face. "Or find an excellent cook!" She looked down the table at her husband. "I think we should go and check on Bertrand. He can be a bit trying when he is put down for a nap." She stood, her husband and Michaud rose to their feet.

"Kiss him again for me," Annalise said, a soft glow in her eyes.

Her brother walked over and hugged her shoulders. "Only if it will not wake him," Jean-Paul told her. "And when you wish to leave, let me know and I shall get your carriage ready." He leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"Do not do anything foolish," he said. "You know none of us can lie to our parents and I am too old to get a lecture from Father or disproving looks from Maman."

Annalise giggled, turning her head to give her brother a quick kiss. "I promise. I don't want a lecture or looks, either," she whispered back. "Thank you."

Jean-Paul returned his sister's kiss and straightened, extending his hand to his wife. "Shall we?" Therese took the hand offered and Jean-Paul turned his attention to Michaud. "Are you attending the birthday celebration at the American embassy in two days time?"

"I have received the invitation but, sadly, I had to decline," Michaud told him. "I must attend to personal business in the country and shall be away from Paris for some time, I fear."

Jean-Paul extended his hand as he led his wife from the room. "Well, then, I wish you much luck in a successful conclusion to your business and look forward to your return."

"You shall come and visit us when you return, yes?" Therese wanted to know.

Michaud placed his hand over his heart. "Madame, that is an offer I shall eagerly accept." He was rewarded with a smile from the lovely red-head and then she was sweeping out of the room on her husband's arm.

Michaud turned to look at Annalise. "Shall we go to the balcony?" He took the shy smile as an acknowledgement, walked over and drew back Annalise's chair, taking her arm and leading her through the French doors and onto the balcony that overlooked the back garden. Michaud let her go, watching her as she walked over to lean against the wrought iron railing. "I wish I knew what you were thinking," he told her.

Annalise turned around. "I am thinking how glad I am that you were here today."

"Are you? Truly?"

"I am," Annalise replied with a small smile.

"Then I am content," Michaud replied as he walked over to stand next to Annalise. "And I shall take that contentment with me on my journey. It shall be a bright light in an otherwise dark time."

"Where do you go that could be so dark?"

"I must deal with the residual effects of the fire that took my parents from me," Michaud sighed and reached for Annalise's hand.

Annalise remembered years earlier when Jean-Paul had come home from school all excited. She had listened at the door to her father's study as Jean-Paul told of the awful fire that had claimed the lives of his friend's parents. She remembered hearing that Michaud, too, had been in the house when the fire had started and had barely escaped with his life. She was drawn back to the present by the sound of Michaud's voice.

"I have been trying to ignore these things since my return but they will be ignored no longer." He was pleasantly surprised when he felt his hand receive a gentle squeeze.

"It must be very sad for you," Annalise told him. "I would not like to think how I would feel were I to lose both my parents. The very thought frightens me beyond all reason!"

"Dear child, not everyone is as fortunate in their parents as you and your brothers." Michaud's brow knitted in a frown. "My parents were not kind or pleasant and I did not have the childhood for which I longed. I am sorry that they had to die but I have moved past my loss. It is just hard to visit our country home and smell the smoke that still lingers there." He shrugged. "But I must for the time has come for me to try and sell what remains and move into my future." He took Annalise by both arms and turned her to face him. "It is a future that I hope would not be spent alone."

Annalise felt herself, once again, being pulled through the depths of Michaud's dark eyes and into his very soul. She did not try to fight as all thought - except of the man standing before her - fled her mind. She reached up to touch the arms that held her so gently, not knowing or caring what words passed her lips. "I would not want you to spend it alone," she breathed.

"I would give up everything to have you, to keep you by my side," Michaud breathed back, the intensity of his whisper seeming to draw the very breath from Annalise. "Everything!"

They stood for a moment, eyes locked, breathing in rhythm, unable and unwilling to move and destroy the moment. It was Michaud who finally broke the spell by gently removing Annalise's hands from his arms, holding on to one, raising it to his lips.

"Mignonnette, there is truly nothing I desire more in this world than to have you by my side for all my days. It is so very easy to love you and I find it is very difficult to refrain from declaring my love for you to all of Paris!" Michaud laid his free hand over his heart. "Nay, to all the universe! I wish everyone to know the depths of my desire for you."

Annalise could only stare at him.

"But I think," he continued somewhat sadly, "that there is another of whom you think."

"No," Annalise shook her head. "No, there is not. No ... I mean yes ... yes there is. No, wait ..."

Michaud reached out a finger to touch her lips. "I have flustered you and I pray you will forgive me for that. I know there is another; I am not such a fool to think I would be the only one to occupy your thoughts. So I will go into the country and let your heart choose without any pressure from me. I shall return in a week's time and hope I will have the answer I seek by then. If not," he smiled at the girl in his arms, "I shall wait till the end of forever to hear the words for which I long." He gave a last kiss to the hand he held and was gone.

Annalise slowly raised a hand to her lips. She could still feel the touch of his finger, as real and alive as if it still rested there. She reached out the other hand for the balcony railing, finding she needed support, as she was sure her legs would fall from beneath her. She could hear her heart pound and the world began to spin in front of her eyes. It was then that Annalise remembered she needed to breathe. She stood for a moment drawing breaths that slowly evened out, growing deeper, trying to sort out the feelings that seemed to be consuming her. She was excited and scared, full and empty, content and nervous all at the same time. She could barely remember her own name yet could not forget his touch or the depths of the eyes in which she had swum.

She struggled with those emotions as she said good-bye to her brother. Annalise had noticed that Jean-Paul looked at her curiously and she knew he could tell that something had happened. She said nothing to his unasked question but that she had much to think on. Jean-Paul had let it go at that and Annalise knew why he had done nothing but place her in the carriage, watching as it drove away. She knew - as surely as her brother -that this was something she would never be able to hide from their parents. Annalise struggled all through the ride home to gain some control over her racing, jumbled feelings as she sought just the right words to explain what she knew she would never be able keep secret.

The ride home passed far too quickly.

"Are my parents at home?" she asked the footman who opened the front door for her.

"Madame la Comtesse is in her parlor," he told Annalise. "She left instructions that you were to go to her when you arrived home."

What little control she had gained during the trip home left Annalise as she walked down the hallway, stopping at the door to her mother's parlor. She drew a long even breath and let it out slowly before she knocked lightly and opened the door. "Maman," she said as she entered the sunny room, "you wished to see me."

Christine looked up from the book she was reading, a smile on her face for her only daughter. "I did," she began and paused as she noted the heightened color on Annalise's cheeks. She held out a hand. "My dear, what on earth went on at luncheon?"

Annalise crossed the room to sit by her mother's side. "We had lunch and it was very nice," she tried and lowered her eyes at her mother's knowing look. "Please do not ask me," she said softly. "I do not even know what happened."

"I'll not pry," Christine told her, "but do not let your father see the emotions that are written on your face. He will not take 'no' for an answer as well as I do." She laughed softly. "Oh, to be young and in love."

Annalise felt herself turning red from the tips of her fingers to the top of her head.

"Perhaps," her mother said as she reached for the table next to the loveseat, "this will help to take your mind off this matter you do not wish to discuss." She handed Annalise a square gold box tied with a bright pink ribbon.

"What is this?" Annalise wondered as she took the box from her mother's hands, gently fingering the soft satin ribbon.

"I believe, my silly child, it is a gift from an admirer. They were bound to begin coming as young men seek to gain your attention." Christine sighed. "This day has come far too soon for my liking."

"Who is it from?"

"You may wish to open the box and read the card inside."

Annalise looked at her mother, amazement and wonder written on her face. She looked down at the box in her hands, untied the ribbon and lifted the lid. She touched the tissue paper hiding the item beneath. "There is no card," she said.

"Perhaps it is attached to what is under all that paper."

Very carefully, Annalise moved the tissue paper out of the way to reveal the gift she had received. "What a curious gift," she said. "I do not understand."

Now it was her mother's turn to be puzzled. "What is it?" Christine wanted to know.

Annalise reached into the tissue paper and lifted out a gold party mask with two pink roses and matching ribbons attached to one side. "There is no card, Maman," she said as she looked at her mother with curiosity that quickly turned to concern. "Maman?"

"No ... oh dear god ... no," Christine breathed, her hand going to her chest, the color draining from her face.