I Did it All for Love

Chapter Three

A.N.: It has been pointed out to me by a very nice reviewer that Raoul's title has an extra "s." I was always taught to spell "vicomte," "viscomte," so, I apologies, but conscience dictates I keep it as it is.

Angelique wanted to pretend that she hadn't heard her father's last order, that is, to stay in the garden. However, she knew it would do her no good. Papa would throw a fit if she left the safety of the white picket fence just outside the front of the house that marked the garden. Slumping against a pear tree, she sat, sighed, and proceeded to pout.

She would have stayed like this for quite a while – a meager attempt at getting her father to relent – had she not heard, coming down the road, a gusty voice singing. Almost to the time of the song came the steady sound of a trotting horse. Clip, clop, it came, pounding out the beat joyously. She knew that voice…..

Rushing to the gate, she resisted the urge to throw it open and race down the road to satisfy her hopes. But Papa would be furious with her if she did. Half heartedly, she stayed in the yard, leaning over the railing, trying to see if her hopes proved true.

And, indeed, on a marvelous bay horse, came, down the road, Luc Blachville, singing his heart out. Luc was fifteen to Angelique's twelve, tall, with waves of black hair and very green eyes. He was always smiling, always in a good mood. His father was a very wealthy business man who owned a summer home near Nantes, which was very near to where Les de Chagny lived. Angelique had met him last summer, and the friendship had stuck.

"Hello!" he called as he came down a bend in the road. "Where is the Angel of Summer?"

"I'm here, Luc, I'm here!" Angelique cried, finally flinging open the gate and racing down the road. Her skirt flew behind her as she ran, her little feet pounding the ground furiously. Luc quickly dismounted from the horse, opening his arms to Angelique, laughing as she flung herself into them. "You're here, you're here!" she cried, hugging him tightly as she nearly sent him to the ground, so hard did she run into him. "I hoped that you would come, I prayed that you would come! I prayed to Mama that she would send you back! And now you've come back!"

He let her go, taking the reins of his horse and walking with her toward the gate. "You missed me, then?" he asked her teasingly.

"Terribly! I was so bored once school was over with and summer started."

"But it's only barely begun!"

"Still, it's not nearly as much fun as when you are here."

He laughed, dropping the reins for a moment so that he could scoop her up into a large hug and twirl her around in his arms. He set her down, both still laughing, and continued walking.

"I met Anatole on the way over here. Poor little fellow was on foot, racing as fast as he could. I asked him what his hurry was, and he said that he had a letter for your father that he was to deliver as fast as he possibly could. He said that the faster he delivered it and returned to the post, the more he might be paid."

"Poor Anatole," agreed Angelique, clucking her tongue.

"So, what do you think your clever Luc did?"

She took his hand, grinning. "What did you do?"

"I told him, since I was on my way here, that I would deliver the letter for him, as an excuse to your father!" And, Luc produced from his pocket a letter, sealed and addressed to Angelique's father. She tried to snatch it out of his hand, curious, but he quickly pulled it back.

"I can't let you have it!" he exclaimed. "It's marked for Monsieur le Viscomte, and you are not Monsieur le Viscomte."

"But Luc," she pouted prettily, the light reflecting off her golden hair, "it's woman's curiosity." She did not know that she quoted her mother. She did many things her mother did, but never realized it.

He shook his head, putting the letter back into his pocket. They rounded the bend in the road, now in front of the house, where Angelique's father had just dashed out to.

Papa was furious.

"I thought I told you to stay in the yard!" he seethed. Angelique cowered under her father's anger. He was very rarely upset with her, mostly only when she'd worried him, but when he was mad it was venomous.

Her grip on Luc's hand tightened, as though he could protect her, though she required no protecting. "I'm sorry, Papa," she apologized, "but I heard Luc coming down the road, and-"

It was only now that Raoul de Chagny noticed the boy and his horse. His brown eyes snapped in the youth's direction, glaring coldly. "Luc?" he asked.

"Yes, Papa," continued Angelique. "You remember Luc Blachville?"

"Of course, he's the one that you ran around with all summer."

Luc bowed respectfully. "Bonjour, Monsieur de Chagny."

Papa detested Luc; he worried him far too much. He and Angelique were constantly going places without a chaperone, generally things that Angelique could easily get hurt doing! Climbing rocks, swimming in the sea, riding horses across the beach, climbing trees, racing here and there and all across the de Chagny property. It worried Raoul out of his head! The servants were quite certain he would go grey due to this head strong, adventurous, but respectful youth.

"What are you doing here?" he asked the boy.

"Papa!" protested his daughter. "That's rude!"

Both parties ignored the lovely little child, and the younger responded "I brought a letter for you sir." He took it from his pocket, and carefully walked through the white gate, nervously handing it to the gentleman. Monsieur le Viscomte snatched it out of his hand, glancing from Angelique to Luc, and back to the letter.

"I will be right back," he told his daughter. "I want you to stay in the yard, Angelique. If you're not here when I return, well, there will be no telling the consequences."

"Yes, Papa, of course."

With that, Raoul turned and entered the house, tightly clutching the letter. Which left Angelique to entertain her guest. Luc tied his horse to one of the posts of the fence before sitting with Mademoiselle de Chagny on the stone garden bench.

"You see what I mean?" she asked him, sighing. "I cannot take a step without worrying father."

"Don't worry about it, Angelique! You and I shall do exactly what we did last summer. It will be fun!"

"That won't be any comfort to Papa. You worried him last summer, you'll worry him this summer."

He laughed and planted a kiss on her rosy cheek, causing her to blush. "Don't be silly!" he insisted. "Come on, as soon as he gets back, we'll ride my horse straight to the beach!"

"That's nearly twelve miles!" she protested.

"So what?"

"Papa wouldn't like it, but….what am I saying? Yes, I'll go!"

They laughed and shared stories of the last year with each other until Monsieur le Viscomte returned, about a quarter of an hour later.

"Angelique," he called, opening the door and walking into the garden, still holding the letter. "Your aunt has invited us to Paris. Come and pack your things."

Angelique looked crushed. "Now? She's invited us now?"

Her mood puzzled Raoul. "Angelique, I thought you liked Paris?"

"Yes, but….But Luc's only just arrived!"

All the more reason Raoul was accepting the invitation. He politely declined a little under half the invitations his sister gave him. Paris held too many memories. Most of the Brittany coast held too many memories for Raoul, but he was a naval officer; the sea was a part of his blood.

"Angelique…" It was an order, firm, soft, steady, and Angelique did not dare disobey.

"Yes, Papa, I'll pack my things at once. But….can't I spend just a little time with Luc?"

"No doubt Monsieur Blachville has other important matters to attend to, don't you, Luc?"

Angelique gave her friend a quick look, as if to say "Say no!" But he could not. He knew when he was being kicked out, and he knew when to back down.

"Yes, monsieur, thank you for your time."

Raoul nodded and addressed his daughter. "We're leaving tomorrow morning," he told her, and turned, walking back into the house. Luc sighed, releasing Angelique's hand. He rose from the bench, walking to his horse.

"Luc!" Angelique protested, chasing after him, grabbing his hand. "Please, Luc, don't let Papa intimidate you! You just frighten him a little is all! Please stay!"

"Angelique," laughed the boy, "your father dislikes me for a very good reason. I am rich, so he cannot object to my family standings. I am polite, so he cannot object to my manners. I love you, which is what he objects to."

Angelique was stunned, still holding his hand. "You what?" she asked, breathless. He leaned over and gave her a very quick kiss; Angelique's first kiss.

"Just come back from Paris soon, alright?"

Angelique blinked, nodded. "Alright……"

He laughed, untied his horse, and mounted, briskly trotting back to the town.

To Be Continued….