The Comte and the Peasant: Chapter Five
Thanks again to all those who have reviewed this fic J. I'm glad you guys like it so far!
HYD does not belong to me in any way, shape, or form. But of course, you all knew that….^_^
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Thadea Marcoux paced back and forth nervously and thought of the best way to approach her mother. Ever since she had returned home yesterday, she had been thinking of ways to convince her mother to let her find work in town. Unfortunately, Cherie Marcoux was as sharp as a needle, and would know in a minute if her daughter was up to something.
"There's no way that she would ever let me work for free," Thadea muttered to herself as she continued to pace, "But maybe I can work for less than regular fare and just not tell her…" Afterall, her mother hardly ever went into town, and even if she did, she certainly wouldn't know how much a household maid gets paid.
Just then, the door flew open and her mother marched in. She was bringing in a bucket of water to cook the evening meal. As usual, she wore an angry scowl on her face.
"So much for waiting when she's in a good mood," Thadea thought to herself as she hurried over and took the bucket from her mother. She set it down by the hearth, and hurried to light the fire.
"I'm exhausted," Cherie Marcoux exclaimed as she plopped down on a nearby chair, "And it's all your idiot father's fault! It's not enough that I have to tend the garden, cook the meals, and clean the house, but now I even have to fetch the water! That man is such a…"
"Mama," Thadea said warningly as she poured some of the water into the cauldron to boil, "Don't you think your being a little too hard on papa? I mean he's working at that mill from down till dusk trying his best to make some money. He can't help it if he's no good…"
"That's just the point," Cherie Marcoux cried, "He's never good at anything! How did I ever marry such a stupid man?"
"Because you loved him," Thadea said simply, "That's why."
Cherie Marcoux threw her daughter a look of annoyance, but Thadea knew she didn't mean it. In fact, she thought she saw a glimmer of amusement in her mother's eyes.
Feeling that this was as good a time as any to bring up the subject, Thadea swallowed and said casually, "You know mama, I've been thinking, since papa really hasn't been able to bring in all that much money lately, maybe I should go into town and look for a job. Just to help out you know, until things get better." She glanced at her mother from the corner of her eyes and studied her reaction. Cherie Marcoux said nothing…in fact, Thadea didn't even think she had paid attention.
"Mama?" Thadea asked when a few more seconds had passed and her mother still did not respond, "Did you hear what I said?"
Cherie Marcoux studied her daughter warily. She was more than a little surprised by her request. "I heard you Thadea," she said, "but I don't understand where this is coming from. What made you want to look for a job in town all of a sudden? It never crossed your mind before."
Thadea bit her lip and racked her brain for a good answer. She couldn't very well tell her mother about what had happened in the meeting court yesterday, but she had to find a way to convince her to let her go. "Well…" she said slowly, "I guess the idea came to me when I was shopping in town yesterday. I bumped into this girl at the spice vender's who worked for the comte as a maid… and she was telling me about how well the pay was. She said they were looking for more girls so I thought I would go and take a job there."
"There! Nicely done!" Thadea congradulated herself silently. Now, it would be all up to her mother…
Cherie Marcoux's eyes literally sparkled at the prospect of more money.
"Please God," Thadea prayed silently, "Let her say yes!" She watched her mother's brow crease as she contemplated her words, and could just imagine the thoughts that were racing through her mind.
It seemed like an eternity before her mother answered. Clapping her hands together, Cherie exclaimed with enthusiasm, "What a FABULOUS idea! Why hadn't I thought of that earlier?" Turning to her daughter, she gushed, "Oh Thadea, you are such a smart girl! Mama is so proud of you! To think that now we could have more money…"
Thadea felt a sweat drop forming at the back of her head. Obviously, she had said the right thing, for now her mother was dancing back and forth across the room. As she watched her mother continue to do her happy dance, Thadea smiled to herself. Things had worked out just the way she had hoped they would, and she couldn't wait to go into town tomorrow.
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The next day, Thadea got up bright and early and began her journey into town. Both her parents were elated at the idea of her finding a job there and her mother had even packed a special lunch just for the trip. Her brother, Sumner, was the only one who was not happy at the prospect of his sister leaving home. With Thadea gone, it meant he had to stay home and help their mother with the chores.
Thadea hummed happily as she walked along the dirt road to Troyes. She tried to imagine what the comte's house would be like, and felt her heart beat faster in anticipation. Images of velvet drapes and gold décor filled her mind, and she imagined Ruiz Hainault lounging in a lavishly decorated room or strolling through a beautiful garden that she was sure he would have.
As she entered the city, Thadea stopped a passing townsman to ask for directions to the house of the Comte de Troyes.
"House? Don't you mean palace?" the man chuckled when he heard her question, "What the comte lives in can hardly be termed as a 'house'."
Thadea smiled at the man's comment, and he gave her a friendly wink in return. "Do you know how to get to the Grand Rue?" he asked her.
Thadea nodded in reply.
"Well then," he said, "take the Grand Rue all the way down until you've reached the Ru Corde. When you get to the canal, there will be a bridge. Just cross that and take a left and you should be able to see the comte's palace from there. It's right next to the Collegiate Church of St. Etienne so you can't miss it."
"Thank you sir for your help," Thadea said as she repeated the man's directions in her mind. Mentally tracing her path, she went over each street until she was sure she had memorized the path. Thanking the townsman again, she began to make her way down the Rue de Croncels towards the Rue du Temple.
"Good luck to you!" the man called after her as she left. Thadea waved over her shoulder and continued happily down the street.
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Half an hour later, Thadea stood in front of the largest house she had ever seen. The enormous stone structure was grander than she could ever have imagined, and she immediately felt intimidated by it's size. Remembering her status, she made sure to avoid the front entrance and made her way around to the back of the palace. There, she found two kitchen maids peeling vegetables and gossiping with each other.
"And I said to Gertrude, if you're going to make it that easy for him, then you might as well forget about him marrying you. Honestly, that girl doesn't have one bit of self-respect. You would think that she would at least have the common sense to…"
"Excuse me miss," Thadea said, "I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I was wondering if you might tell me where I may find a Mademoiselle Rosalind."
The two kitchen maids looked up from where they were seated on the stone steps and studied her with quick glances. They only needed to take in her plain, patched dress and worn shoes to immediately know what she was there for.
"Mistress Rosalind is in the kitchen, but I can go get her for you," the younger maid offered. She got up quickly and brushed the dirt from her skirt, "I'll be right back," she said as she hurried inside.
The other maid, an older woman in her thirties, glanced at Thadea with obvious disinterest. To her, she was just another lowly farm girl who was looking to earn a few pennies. "So you're hear for a job are ya?" she asked as she turned her attention back to peeling the beets.
"Yes ma'am," Thadea replied shortly, not liking the woman one bit. Who did she think she was looking at her like she was no better than a weed growing on the ground? After all, she was just another servant herself. No need to put on such arrogant airs.
The younger maid returned shortly after, her pretty face flushed from running. She gave Thadea a warm smile and said, "Mistress Rosalind says for you to come in."
Thadea returned the smile happily and followed the young woman into the house. She immediately found herself standing in the largest kitchen she had ever seen, and was overwhelmed by all the commotion that confronted her.
"My name is Marie DeLaire by the way," the young woman told her as she made her way past the dozens of kitchen maids and serving girls that were bustling about, "What's yours?"
"Thadea Marcoux, a pleasure to meet you," Thadea replied absently. She was still in awe at the size of the kitchen and the staff, and watched with interest as the many cooks, apprentices, maids, and serving girls hurried about preparing the midday meal. She was surprised that Marie could be so unaffected by all the chaos around them, and watched as the young woman made her way towards a tall, stout lady on the other side of the room.
"Mistress Rosalind," Marie said as she approached, "This is the girl I was talking about." She gestured toward Thadea, who promptly lowered her head and gave the woman a short curtsy. "Pleased to meet you madam," she said in a low voice.
Mistress Rosalind, head of the household of the Comte de Troyes, looked Thadea up and down, but gave no indication of her thoughts. She merely nodded at the young girl's greeting, and said in a clear, stern voice, "Your name please."
The words were stated as more of a command than a request, and Thadea felt nervous and unsure of herself in front of this domineering woman. She glanced up at Mistress Rosalind and felt her throat tighten upon seeing her stern and expressionless face. "Th…Thadea Marcoux," she stuttered awkwardly as she felt Rosalind's piercing eyes on her. "I…I'm here to apply for a job as a kitchen maid, if you are in need of one madam."
"We have no need for anymore kitchen maids here," Mistress Rosalind replied promptly, "As you can see, we have quite a few in our service at the moment."
Thadea felt her heart sink upon hearing Rosalind's words. She had not counted on a refusal, and knew that whatever hope she had of working for the Comte de Troyes was over.
Her disappointment must have been apparent, for immediately, she felt a warm hand clasp her shoulder. "There, there, no need to look so glum," Marie said cheerfully, "Just because we don't need anymore kitchen maids doesn't mean that there aren't any other openings here." Turning to Mistress Rosalind, she said, "Didn't you mention we needed another scullion madam? Since Francine quit just last week after getting married to that young man from Provins..."
"You are quite right Marie," Mistress Rosalind replied in surprise, "I had almost forgotten about that." She studied Thadea carefully, "But this girl is quite young. I'm not sure if she would be capable of handling such a strenuous job…"
"Oh, I can mistress!" Thadea interrupted quickly, "I'm a farm girl and accustomed to hard labor. I'm sure I could do the work well if you'll let me. I promise to be the best scullion…"
Mistress Rosalind let out a small chuckle upon seeing the young girl's eagerness. "My, my, you certainly have enthusiasm don't you young miss?" she asked in amusement. Thadea blushed with embarrassment at her behavior, but was surprised to see the warm smile on the old woman's face. She had not expected such a stern looking person to be capable of such an expression, but then again, she had learned from personal experience not to judge a book by it's cover.
"Well then," Mistress Rosalind said, extending her hand, "It seems you have the job young Thadea. I expect that you will work hard and do the best job that you can."
"Oh I will madam," Thadea replied happily taking the woman's hand and giving it a firm shake, "I will! I will! Thank you so much!"
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After she had been introduced to Mistress Rosalind, Marie led Thadea around the kitchen and introduced her to some of the other serving girls and kitchen maids. They had all been very friendly towards her, which only served to increase Thadea's enthusiasm at her newfound job.
One girl whom Thadea found particularly kind was a girl around her age named Yeva Maltaise. She too was a scullion, one of three (not counting Thadea) who were working at the house. She introduced Thadea to Rosita and Charmagne, the other two scullions, who were both older and enjoyed a higher status among the servants.
"The four of us will be rooming together," Yeva explained as she led Thadea out of the kitchen and down a narrow hall towards the servants' quarters, "I'll show you our room." She stopped in front of a worn, wooden door and pushed it open, gesturing for Thadea to enter first. "It's not very big," she said with a laugh, "but we keep it clean enough."
Thadea looked around the room at the four narrow cots and the two small nightstands that were placed neatly between each set of beds. The whitewashed walls were bare, except for two candleholders that were attached above the nightstands, and a large table at the far left side of the room held a pitcher and a basin for washing.
Carefully taking in every detail of the room, Thadea slowly felt the corners of her mouth turn up into a smile. Despite it's size, which in Thadea's opinion was not small at all, the floor was swept clean and bedded with rushes and the white walls glimmered as if they had just been freshly washed. It was much nicer than what she was accustomed to at home, and Thadea was more than happy to move into her new home.
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That evening, Thadea watched in amazement as dinner was served to the comte and his family. She stood in the kitchen and watched as the serving girls brought out course after course of delicious broths and stews followed by roasts and other mouthwatering dishes for the masters of the house to enjoy. She was especially fascinated when one of the cooks showed her the dessert she had prepared, which was a delicious looking cake that was served with spiced wine.
Thadea was even more surprised when the foods were brought back, barely half finished, for the rest of the household to enjoy. Apparently, all the dishes that were prepared at each meal were enough to feed ten dozen people, and since the comte's family only consisted of three members, it meant that most of the food that was made was eventually devoured by the servants.
Eagerly tasting the stews and the roasts that were rationed to her, Thadea thought she had never eaten anything so delicious in her entire life. As she tried the delicious cake she had just admired a moment ago, she suddenly felt a pang of guilt hit her. She realized with dismay that her family would never be able to sample such delicious delicacies, and made a mental note to herself that she would ask the cook to pack her a slice the next time she went home to visit.
"It doesn't seem fair," Thadea thought to herself as she looked at the many dishes spread out on the large kitchen table, "I can't believe all this food is meant for just three people…especially when so many can barely afford bread. This really is a rich man's world afterall."
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Thadea stretched her sore, aching muscles as she made her way back to her quarters. It was late, and she had volunteered to stay after to finish up the rest of the pots and pans. Since it was her first day, she had wanted to make a good impression with Mistress Rosalind and the other scullery maids, so she told the other three that they could retire early.
"She wasn't kidding when she said it would be hard work," Thadea muttered as she massaged her shoulder, "I'm sure I strained something scrubbing that last pot…" As she made her way down the darkened hall, Thadea yawned and rubbed her temples. "I can't wait to get into bed! This has been such a long…"
Before she could finish her thought, however, she felt her shoulder collide with something solid. Not expecting the sudden impact, she lost her balance and started to fall face first towards the ground.
Strong arms caught her around the waist, and kept her from smashing her face on the hard stone floor. Startled, Thadea looked up to see who she had run into. "I'm so sorry, it's all my fault!" she apologized quickly to the figure whose face was hidden in the darkness, "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Please forgive me!"
The figure stood silent for a moment still holding her in his arms, and Thadea felt a vague sense of recognition flood her senses. Although she couldn't see his face, there was something very familiar about this person. Something very familiar indeed…
"You should be more careful next time," the unknown man commented. He let go of her, and Thadea's eyes widened as she recognized the deep, soothing voice of the person before her.
"Lord Ruiz Hainault," she barely whispered as she stared at the outline of his figure in the darkness. Even though she could not see him, she knew without a doubt who he was.
"Do I know you?" Ruiz Hainault asked with surprise. He reached out and grabbed a hold of her arm. His cool grip made Thadea's heart flutter wildly in her chest.
"Come," he said as he led her back towards the kitchen. Thadea allowed herself to be pulled along, her mind racing a mile a minute. Would he recognize her? What would his reaction be if he did? What would her reaction be if he didn't? These questions plagued her as Ruiz pulled her into the kitchen. With some of the candles still lit in the empty room, and he turned quickly to face her.
Thadea, hesitant, raised her head and looked straight into his face. She studied his handsome profile under the warm glow of the candlelight, and saw the shock and recognition that passed through his features upon seeing her face.
Delight filled her heart as she realized that he still remembered her, and the two of them stood staring into each others' eyes, his hand still firmly grasped on her arm.
End of Chapter Five
Well, hope you all enjoyed this last chapter J. Please leave me feedback! You know you want to ^_~. Hehehehe, stay tuned for the next chapter that'll probably be coming out quite soon (I've kind of been on a writing binge recently…although I'm not quite sure why). For all those Tiernan fans out there, he'll be making his way back into this story in the next chapter, along with Serafina Toureau, the beautiful daughter of the Comte de Ghent.