When the older servant was satisfied and left the room, leaving the floor clear, the younger man waved behind himself, signaling a friend that all was clear. Both of them sped across to the door, shutting it behind them without a sound as they left.
"We can never do things the easy way, can we, Lumière?" the friend hissed. He headed toward the stables, then stared in disbelief as Lumière walked right past them. "Please tell me we're not going to walk there?"
Lumière did not turn around, but merely smirked as they reached the end of the stone walk. "Lucien, you really think me as cruel as that? I would not dream of walking all the way into the city!"
He gestured to Lucien to look behind the entrance wall that separated the chateau from the rest of civilization. Waiting for them was a readied coach.
"When did you send for this?" Lucien asked gratefully.
"Right after dinner," Lumière replied simply, pressing a few coins into the driver's hand as they approached the carriage. "No one is to know about this, mon ami," he said firmly. "Is that understood?"
"Of course," the driver reassured, yawning and pocketing the coins.
Lumière nodded, stepping aside to let Lucien into the carriage. "Master before servant!"
Not wanting to waste any time, Lucien climbed in and spared him the usual retort to his comment. Ever since they were children, he and Lumière had ignored the distinction of vicomte and valet whenever possible. Propriety had its moments, but most of the time neither cared about their varying life stations. They had grown up together the best of friends, brothers in spirit if not by blood.
Lumière followed his nervous comrade, and the carriage began to rattle down the road. "You will die young if you keep up this nervous attitude," he warned, settling comfortably in the seat.
"Only because you will be the death of me," Lucien countered.
Lumière rolled his eyes, remaining persistent. "Come on, we have been planning to sneak out into the city for what feels like forever! Where is your sense of adventure, mon ami, to see where the night takes us?"
"At home with our parents, who will kill us if they find out we're gone."
Lumière heaved an exasperated sigh, looking out the window. This was going to be a long night if Lucien kept this up, and not 'long' in the way he hoped! But an idea struck him, and a smirk played over his lips.
"Très bien," he said with a dismissive shrug. "We can turn around right now. Just forget about the fun…the wine…the new breed of women…"
He was pleased to see Lucien, who had focused his attention outside, slowly glance back at him.
"What does that mean?"
"What, the wine?" Lumière asked, purposely ignorant.
Lucien gave him a look. "Non, idiot! You know what I meant!"
"Oh, the women, oui." Lumière grinned, sure of a victory. "You know, women – not girls – who like to lurk in taverns, far from the sort you always see at parties."
Lucien raised a curious eyebrow. Both of the boys had reached that age, after all, when they had begun to realize lately that girls were not the enemy they once were.
"Really?"
Lumière nodded. "Really really."
Lucien began to relax at the thought and a smile played at his lips. "All right, you got me!" he laughed. "Let's go!"
The amazing sight that was Paris by night came into view soon after. The driver let them go in the heart of the city, an area they knew very well, and Lumière and Lucien stepped down with the biggest smiles. Everything was so familiar yet new, and they were on their own, free to roam wherever the pleased!
It was not long before they reached the limits that they were permitted to travel to under the watchful eye of Lucien's parents. Lumière eagerly continued onward, only having to stop once in order to pull Lucien along with him. Down the road, they came across a dimly lit building.
"Les Deux Frimés," Lumière read. With a nod, he said decisively, "Sounds intriguing enough! Come on!"
Inside, at tables lit with a solitary candle each, men sat drinking merrily and playing different games of chance. Some had a lady friend or two looking on as they cheered on their choice of player. Noise sounded from all over the room. The patrons shouted cries of victory or orders for more drinks. A small group of musicians began to play, causing a few ladies to take their beaus to a wide-open floor to dance in ways that the boys had never seen.
"Perfection," Lumière muttered, a huge grin on his face. After a hundred "No's", a dozen "Stop's", and thousands of scolding words, this was indeed heaven on earth. No rules, no responsibilities; they had discovered paradise. And from the look on Lucien's face, Lumière knew his friend was beginning to feel the same way.
They looked around for an empty place to sit, but had no success. This must have been the busiest night. But when all luck seemed lost, a rough voice called out to them.
"Bonsoir, messieurs!"
The boys turned to look at the table they were passing. An older man was sitting there with two girls at his side. He gestured for them to stand.
"Ladies, let them sit," he ordered, patting his lap. "After all, the best seat in the house is right here."
The girls giggled as they slid into place, batting their gorgeous blue eyes. Lumière and Lucien took the vacated chairs and gaped freely. Neither had ever seen dresses like the ones these girls were wearing before. The skirts were raised indecently high, revealing a nice view of their ankles, and the necklines plummeted to a point far from respectability.
"Seems they like what they see," the man laughed, placing a kiss on each girl's cheek. "Can't say I blame them."
"I'm shocked that you're not jealous!" one of the girls teased, taking a good look at them. "Such handsome boys and all."
"Boys? Yvette, can you be any more insulting?" the man asked, mockingly admonishing. He looked at the pair inquisitively. "How old are you two?"
"Fifteen, monsieur," Lumière answered while Lucien nodded in agreement.
"There you have it!" the man exclaimed. "They're practically men!" He nudged the other girl to get up from his lap. "Yvonne, go get them each a drink!"
Yvonne smiled, doing what she was told and squealing as the man took advantage of the moment to give her a good pat on the backside. Lucien watched, growing nervous again from the stranger's blatant show of generosity. But one glance at Lumière, who was giddy as can be, forced the young vicomte into a tiny smile to hide his nerves.
Yvonne returned with two mugs of ale soon after. Lucien looked inside curiously, so used to wine at dinner and an occasional cognac with his father, before he took a sip. Lumière raised his mug, getting into the spirit and swallowed an immediate swig. Unfortunately, this led to an unpleasant burning sensation, and he coughed hard for a good minute.
The man shook his head, laughing. "Take it easy there!" he warned too late. "The first one is always the toughest."
Lumière tried to save face by appearing indignant. "Who said this was my first drink?"
The man grinned. "There are certain things that you can't fake the first time. Drinks are one of them! Just follow your friend's lead. He has the right idea: take it slowly. It's not every day that you two can do that, I'd wager, so enjoy it."
"Try never!" Lumière replied, sipping at the ale this time and finding it to definitely be the better option. It was much more pleasant at a slower pace. "We would be dead and buried if our parents were to catch us here!"
"Well, concern is touching and understandable," the man said. "But you are both young men at the beginning of life! No harm in a little fun!" He took out a deck of cards. "Tell you what, to further the celebration, how about a game? Have any money on you?"
"Oui!" Lumière said, reaching into his money purse and placing a franc on the table. "Count us…!"
"Out!" Lucien interjected quickly, sensing a catch in the kindness. He covered the franc and began to pull it back to him. "I would rather not."
"Don't worry!" the man said reassuringly as he began shuffling the deck. "I mean it, just a friendly little game. I promise, we can put in a franc or two here and there, that's all. What do you say?"
Lumière looked at Lucien, pleading for him not to be a spoilsport. What harm was there in an easy game? Lucien bit his lip, still not liking this, but he surrendered, reaching into his own and adding a franc to the table.
The man smiled broadly. "There we go," he said with a tone that reminded Lucien of a snake before adding jovially, "I'll even match you both and put in two of my own to start." He threw two francs over theirs and began to deal the cards.
"Either of you know how to play Poker?" he explained.
The boys nodded, having watched it played either in the servants' quarters or at parties, and the man dealt the cards. As the first game went on, they proved to be worthy opponents, and the man began to show signs of nerves. He looked at the girls in his lap, and gave a subtle nod.
Yvette rose to stand close to Lumière, and Yvonne did the same to Lucien.
"Always better to be on the winning side," Yvette cooed, caressing Lumière's shoulders. He in return stiffened at the attention, and then gradually relaxed, enjoying it.
"Here's hoping I can bring you better luck," Yvonne purred, snuggling close in Lucien's lap. Lucien laughed weakly at her actions, easily distracted when the man began dealing cards again for a second game.
"I'll bet three francs," the man said, throwing the money into the pot.
"Call," Lucien added, adding his in.
Lumière looked at his hand, confidently. Straight Flush from five to nine, perfect! He threw in a bit more money than the call. "Raise you seven," he said, not noticing that Yvette made eye contact with the man and nodded.
"Raising, monsieur?" the man asked. "Is the hand really that good?"
Lumière merely smirked and said nothing, continuously raising the bet with each turn. Lucien folded soon after, leaving Lumière all alone against the man. When the big reveal came, Lumière proudly displayed his hand.
"I believe the prize is mine," he said proudly, reaching for the money. But the man stopped him.
"Very good, but not good enough," he muttered, placing down his hand. Lumière paled as he saw a perfect Royal Flush. Not good, but he would not stop now! He just had to get that money back.
The games continued, but nothing was in the boys' favor. Lucien's sense took hold after their money purses were getting too light, and he could stand it no longer.
"Please, excuse us," he said, grabbing Lumière away from the fawning Yvette and pulled him to the side. "We have to leave. We still have to pay for drinks and we're losing every time! We didn't have that much to begin with!"
Lumière looked back at the table where his lady was waiting, waving coquettishly. With a groan, he turned to Lucien. "By all you hold dear, not yet!" he begged desperately. "The girls are hanging on our every word!"
"They won't if we lose everything we have!"
"Please, a tiny bit longer," Lumière persisted. "I swear it, just a little more time, and then we will go."
Lucien sighed, feeling his own heart weaken as he took a look at the ladies waiting for them. "Fine, but no more games! We can't afford it."
As their luck would have it, they returned to the table to find the man being interrogated by another, the owner they guessed.
"Who let you in here?" the owner exclaimed. "You already owe me too much! I told you not to come back in until you could pay up!"
"All right, all right!" the man replied, standing up. "I was just having some fun with these nice young men! No need to ruin their fun with embarrassment because of me!"
The owner was relentless. "Get out now, Adrien, before I have you thrown out," he growled.
The man raised his hands in surrender. "I'm going peacefully!" He bowed mockingly polite to all, and made his way out.
Lumière and Lucien watched in utter bewilderment, until the girls took matters into their own hands again.
"Don't worry, we can still make our own…enjoyment," Yvette murmured.
She tugged Lumière away from the table while her sister took care of Lucien. Separating, they each walked to very private corners of the room. Lumière kept glancing back at his friend until Lucien and Yvonne disappeared from sight. Meanwhile, Yvette slipped to the floor, pulling Lumière with her as she expertly worked her intimate charms.
Lumière could not believe how amazing it felt, holding a stunning woman in his arms, letting her do as she pleased. Her touch sent chills throughout him. Her lips were so soft and warm that he never wanted to draw his away! It made him wonder…what would she do if he returned the delight? He ran his hands experimentally along her waist before he dared to move to her…womanly assets, proudly displayed along that plunging neckline.
Her reaction, however, completely confused him. Yvette giggled against his lips, but pulled away to hold out her hand. Lumière stared at it for a moment, thinking of how he should react. Biting his lip, he took it and showered it with more kisses.
Yvette slipped it away, laughing. "Ah, ah!" she said, shaking her head. "So eager, but first…" She held out her hand again.
"I – I do not understand," Lumière replied breathless.
"You are so adorable," Yvette purred, pinching his cheek. "As if you didn't know. Pay up first, and then we may continue…upstairs."
"Pay?" Lumière asked, drawing back. "No one said anything about payment."
Yvette grew serious. "No payment, no satisfaction."
Lumière unwrapped himself from her embrace. If he was going to do that, then it would not be with a woman he had to pay. The very idea! He was appalled. She did not want him; she wanted money!
"No satisfaction then," he said firmly. "I'm sorry."
Yvette scowled at him, leaning in very closely. Lumière held his breath, remaining steadfast by reminding himself of what she wanted.
"Pity," she scoffed. With that, she rose, leaving him there all alone without looking back.
Lumière sighed. So close, yet so far, but he would be damned if he let the first time be like that. More than anything, he wanted a lover who felt the same about him as he did her. Even if it wasn't some long-lasting relationship – he was still young after all – he did want someone who cared about him.
Standing up and brushing himself off, he walked with his head high back to their table where he found Lucien waiting with a dismayed expression.
"I take it you had to pay as well?" Lumière asked, sitting down.
Lucien nodded. "You guessed right," he replied. "Can we leave now? This place has really lost its charm."
Lumière grinned with his own nod. "Oui, I think that's best. Come on."
Just as they stood, they were met with the owner's hard expression. "Going somewhere, boys?" he asked, holding out his hand. "Have we forgotten something?"
Lumière and Lucien looked at each other, and then at the owner's hand. A look of realization graced their faces.
"Ah, the drinks! I'm so sorry!" Lucien replied, reaching for his money purse as Lumière followed suit…but both stopped with looks of fear on their face. The purses were gone! The girls must have taken them!
"Something wrong?" the owner continued, not liking where this was going. "You did bring money, right?"
"Of course, but…those girls robbed us!"
"A likely story," scoffed the owner.
"It's the truth!" Lucien insisted.
The owner shrugged. "It's not my concern. My only concern is that you pay me for the drinks."
The boys were frozen in place, petrified. But the owner did not accept their reaction in place of payment. Enraged, he started calling out for help with "Thieves!" Making a run for it, Lumière and Lucien raced out the door, hearing the footsteps of these huge, strong-looking men following them, yelling out for them to stop.
With no end to the chase in sight, Lumière thought fast, smiling when he saw an alleyway up ahead. Grabbing Lucien, he turned the corner, and both jumped behind a set of barrels. With bated breath, they waited until the men passed and were long gone before they stepped out onto the street again.
"Wonderful, now we're criminals and have no way back home!" Lucien cried as they walked aimlessly down the streets of Paris. "I told you we should have left!"
"Stop worrying!" Lumière shouted. "I know this is my fault, and I'll get us home! Just calm down before you make me crazy!"
"Oh great, the relaxed one is starting to go crazy, now what?" Lucien went on.
"I told you, calm down!" Lumière replied. Walking backwards so that he could face his friend, he reassured, "Listen to me. We are back in the 'civilized' area of Paris. From here, we find another carriage and go home. Simple as that."
"One thing, genius," Lucien rebuked. "We have no money to pay for it!"
"Then we'll think…"
Lumière stopped, bumping abruptly into a well-to-do looking gentleman climbing out of a richly decorated coach.
"You scrawny ruffian, how dare you!" the gentleman cried. "Do I have to teach you how to watch where you are going?"
Lumière bowed instinctively. "Monsieur, I am very sorry!" he said, repeating the apology profusely.
While the gentleman brushed himself off, glaring at the ragged looking boys, a very feminine foot appeared on the carriage step, followed by a lady.
"Come now, mi querido," she said, the last foreign words sounding rather forced. "Do not play the righteous aristocrat tonight." Upon seeing the boys, however, her mood lightened and she smiled. She walked towards Lumière and raised his lowered head by the chin. "I am sure he meant no harm, now did you?"
Lumière offered a lopsided grin. He had never seen such a vision before. Her tanned skin and full lips, a gorgeous face framed by raven black hair. Her accented voice sounded so melodic and beautiful that he felt his knees weaken, threatening to unbuckle beneath him. "Non, madame, not at all."
She glanced back at the gentleman. "See? Completely an accident!" she said, before turning to the boys again. "Now, what are two handsome young men like you two doing out so late?"
"Loida," the gentleman snarled in warning. "Not here."
"It is an honest question!"
Lucien stepped forward, determined not to let Lumière do anymore talking to get them in trouble. "We…got lost, madame," he said, his aristocratic air taking over. "We were just trying to find our way home. As it is quite far from here, I daresay we should be going."
"Where do you live?" the woman asked. "If it is not too far, then…"
"Loida!" the gentleman snapped. "We are not a charity! They can get home themselves!"
"We…we really can't," Lucien said, embarrassed. "We were pick pocketed, and we do not have any money to get home."
"There, you see? Beggars, the both of them!" the gentleman scoffed.
Lucien lowered his head. "We might as well be now. Thank you for the offer, madame, but we will manage even though the chateau is a bit of a walk away."
Now it was the gentleman's turn to be curious. "The chateau?"
"Oui, monsieur, the Bontecou chateau," Lucien explained. "My parents, the Comte and Comtesse…"
"They must be completely worried, I can imagine!" the gentleman interrupted, his eyes widening upon hearing who Lucien's parents were. Immediately, he was all kindness and solicitude. Typical, Lucien could not help thinking.
The woman rolled her eyes, but the man went on, "Please, by all means, we shall take you home."
"While that is a generous offer, monsieur…"
"Sébastien," insisted the gentleman, extending his hand. "Baron Sébastien de Beaumont."
Lucien accepted the handshake, nodding in relieved realization. "Ah, indeed, the Spanish Ambassador, oui?"
"One and the same," Sébastien confirmed. He then gestured to the lady. "And my wife, Baronne Loida."
Loida held out her hand, dipping in a low curtsy. "Encantado, señor."
"Forgive her, monsieur, she meant to say enchanté," Sébastien corrected. He scowled at his wife. "She has yet to learn that when in my beloved homeland, she will speak my native tongue."
Loida looked defiantly at him, but was saved from a scolding when Lucien spoke up.
"It is a pleasure to meet you both," he said. "I am Lucien de Bontecou, and this is my valet, Lumière."
Lumière bowed deeply to Sébastien, and took Loida's hand to his lips as a polite gentleman would. "En-encan-cantado, madame," he said, stumbling over his attempt at Spanish.
Loida giggled. "Very nice try," she said. "But as with French, the words reflect gender. Thus it is 'encantada' for a lady."
Sébastien glowered at her. "If madame is quite finished with the unnecessary Spanish lesson," he growled before turning back to Lucien with courtesy, "I am certain that we are all in agreement that it is most crucial to get you both home." He snapped his fingers and the footman opened the carriage door again. "Shall we?"
The boys nodded gratefully, climbing in. As they did, Lumière saw Loida wink at him. He smiled in turn, but it faded when he realized Sébastien had seen it as well. The Baron gave Loida a warning glance before both followed the pair inside the carriage. Before anything more was said, the carriage began moving down the road towards home.