CHAPTER 36 - Andre's strange attitude

It was dark when Oscar came home. Her coat was wet with heavy snow and her hair like rat's tails. She was shaking all over her body as the temperature dropped more and more. She quickly ran into the stables to take Cesar in and almost collided with a man leaving the building.

- Andre! - she exclaimed happier than she should. Anger at his carefree words evaporated after an hour of galloping.

- Mademoiselle - Andre replied politely, with a slight nod.

Oscar stood as frozen.

- Since when do you not call me by name? - she got angry.

No answer. He only threw his cloak over his shoulders and was about to leave.

- Stop, Andre! - she ordered, and he obeyed. „Like a good soldier" - she thought.

She stepped closer and looked at him uncertainly. His face showed no emotion. Only the eyes trembled a little, but it was hard to tell if it was anger or something else entirely.

- I haven't had a chance to tell you this yet, but I'm glad.. - she developed softly - I'm glad you're back, Andre.

The man stared at her face for a few seconds with a mixture of different feelings, then nodded, stepped around her and left the stables. His silhouette quickly faded into the darkness.

Oscar stood for a long time, not understanding what had just happened. Where was this kind and polite Andre she remembered from before she left for America? Or that merry companion of the crowd gathered this afternoon in the living room of her house? Every time they met, Andre acted as if he was fulfilling some unpleasant duty. And certainly not like a man in love returning to his beloved. Could it be that the war has torn the old feeling from his heart? Is there not a drop of old passion left in it?

Oscar trudged to her room. She changed from wet clothes, covered herself with a blanket and sat down by the fire. She felt the cold seep through her body. But the most icy one was her disappointed heart.

Could it be that Andre has already forgotten about her?

...

Being under the same roof with Andre changed beyond recognition became torture. Most of the time he ignored her completely. Others must have seen complete respect and kindness in his attitude. It was apparent that the guest was just trying not to disturb and to get out of the way of the de Jarjayes heir as often as possible. But Oscar was not fooled. She still remembered the nice and direct, smiling Andre. The man who frowned at the sight of her, fell silent, or simply disappeared from sight, wasn't that Andre. She didn't really know what to do with it. It was not in her nature to impose on anyone. The days passed and she had no way of getting close to him. Every evening she took, from a box hidden in a closet, scraps of a letter, which he had sent to her just before his departure. She still remembered how she burned her fingers trying to get a smoldering letter from the fireplace. Unfortunately, not much of it was left. Most of the paper had been charred to ash, the rest was a dark brown in which there was barely a few scraps of sentences. Oscar tormented herself many times by the fact that then she had thrown the letter into the fireplace without thinking. She would like so much to know what the letter contained.

Oscar sighed and tried to shake off her sullen thoughts. Today was going to be a busy day, even though it was Sunday. However, by the king's decree, a mass was held in every church at 11 am for the French soldiers fighting in America. The king and queen were to celebrate in the chapel of Versailles, surrounded by their entire entourage. The commander of the Royal Guards, her deputy and other commanders could not be missing. Father and mother, and the Oscar sisters and their husbands were all invited. In the courtyard, three carriages were already prepared for their travel.

Oscar pursed her lips in anger as she stood in front of the mirror, painstakingly buttoning her gala uniform. She really did not feel like a parade or ostentatious joy. Every mention of the war in America caused her pain and a pang of remorse. Especially since the soldier she was most glad to return to, looked at her as at his worst enemy.

She picked up the brush and ran it through her hair a few times. She went to the window. The sun sparkled picturesquely on the ice-bound trees, and the frost painted beautiful ice flowers on the glass. Oscar touched this icy wonder of nature with the tip of her finger, and her gaze fled into the garden. Suddenly she froze in surprise, staring intently at the scene that was taking place on the lawn below.

Andre was walking up the path that led from the garden, laughing hard. Over his shoulder was Rosalie, wearing gorgeous pink gown and fur coat, who was also laughing so hard that tears were glazed in her eyes.

Oscar opened the shutter without hesitation, ignoring the icy wind that blew into the room at the same moment.

- You should have just called me, Rosie! - Andre said cheerfully - You could have killed yourself walking here in your elegant little shoes!

- Don't be cheeky, Andre! - the girl hit him with her free hand, but then she clung tighter to his shoulder, because her feet began to slide again on the thin layer of ice covering the path.

- Sorry, I shouldn't be saying that! After all, you dressed so not accidentally, right? - Andre winked at her.

- Shhh - Rosalie silenced him - It's a secret, I don't want everyone to know right away!

- Okay, I'll be as silent as the grave - Andre laughed again.

- My dear, this is a really bad choice of words, considering the recent events - the girl pouted.

- You're right - the man grinned - Okay, just a few more steps and we'll get off this slippery path. One, two and here we are! I think we should hurry up, since you say Granny and the rest are waiting.

- Yes! It's a long way to Notre Dame, Andre! I hope we will not be late. After all, it's a mass for brave soldiers like you! - she sent him a radiant smile, straightening the sleeve of his uniform jacket.

A chattering couple passed under Oscar's window, and their voices faded away in a moment.

Oscar closed the window carefully. She looked dimly into the snow-covered garden. She unconsciously clenched her hands into fists. So that's it.. "Damn you, Andre!" - she thought as she fought the pain that was spreading rapidly around her heart. She wiped a tear at the corner of her eye with her thumb and straightened. She had to pull herself together, this was not the time to despair.

...

- You are here at last, Oscar! - Josefine exclaimed - Everyone's worried already that we'll come too late!

- There is still a lot of time, sister - Oscar replied dryly.

- Yes, yes, I know, but we want to take a walk in the park of Versailles even earlier. Will our dear colonel not mind? - the other smiled sweetly at her, blinking coquettishly.

- I assure you that at this time of the year there is nothing remarkable there - Oscar said matter-of-factly - But if you really need to..

- Thank you! You are wonderful, little sister! - the woman clapped her hands.

- Go ahead, I'll catch up with you in a few minutes - added Oscar and without waiting for an answer, she walked towards the stable.

...

- Please come, Mademoiselle - said Andre, reaching out to the girl and helping her into the carriage.

- Thank you, Monsieur, that's very kind of you - Rosalie replied with a chuckle. She settled down on the couch next to Marie, smiling at little Joanne, lying in her mother's arms. Sylvie tucked the blanket tighter over her daughter to keep her from the freezing air.

- How kind of a master to let us take that carriage - Rosalie said.

- Yes, I was so surprised - agreed Sylvie - General has been acting really strange lately.

- Stop gossiping! - Marie silenced them, giving them a sign. From the side of manor house, Oscar was walking briskly towards them.

Andre turned his head and looked at the approaching woman with serious gaze. Oscar did not miss that his smile immediately vanished and his hands clenched into fists. But he bowed his head politely in greeting, and without saying a word, he turned and jumped onto the trestle beside Jerome. Without hesitating, he took the reins in his hands and signaled the horses to move on. The cart rolled slowly, loudly knocking along the path of the inner courtyard.

Oscar stood petrified for a moment, then moved towards the stable building, in front of which Claude was already standing with her Caesar.

...

All the way to Paris, Marie sat immersed in gloomy thoughts. The pain and sadness she saw on Oscar's face as they left shocked her. Marie also did not understand her grandson's behavior. What did it all mean? Should she do something about it? She really didn't know it.