September 18th 1892: Jean
Something had happened on the journey, that much was certain. One just had to look at Christine and Raoul to know that. Christine was standing next to the coach with her children and me, talking in a loud, hectic voice, while Raoul was standing as far away from her as possible. The cook, Larisse, tried to engage him in a conversation, but he barely seemed to notice it, for he was too busy throwing his wife accusing glances.
Yes, something had definitely happened. I had already known so on the way here. It had been difficult to hear anything over the rattling of the coach and Antoinette's constant chatting, but I had been able to understand that the two people on the bench behind us had had an argument. The moment I had gained that piece of information, I had started talking more loudly myself, since I hadn't wanted the children to notice that their parents were arguing.
Actually it was not surprising that arguments were started easily on a day like this, when emotions were running high. One wrong word at the wrong time could be enough. I knew it from experience. My darling Meg and I didn't argue too often, but the days when it did happen were always days on which something else had already gone wrong or was about to go wrong: An urgent contract hadn't been signed yet, or we were approaching the first night of a new production. Yet such arguments weren't serious. They were short and had a cleansing effect, like a thunderstorm on a summer afternoon. And the apologies afterwards were always especially loving.
In the case of Christine and Raoul, however, it didn't seem to be like that. They didn't look as if they wanted to apologise anytime soon, and there was nothing loving in the glances they kept throwing each other. Raoul appeared hurt and Christine defiant. If I had known what they had been arguing about, I would have tried to help them. Yet since I had no idea and asking them would have been very rude, there was nothing I could do, except keeping them away from each other.
The topic of the argument, whatever it was, was still standing between them, like a spark that could become a fire any moment, if someone threw a tiny bit of wood onto it to kindle it. The last thing I wanted was for their argument to start again, this time with everyone listening. So when Mme.Fallatoire, my housekeeper, appeared at the door, I asked her to take Raoul up to one of the guest rooms, so that he could put his suitcases there. We had received them from a completely confused coachman shortly before we had left.
"Choose whichever room you want and take your time to freshen yourself up," I advised him. "And if you need anything – clothes, a razor, soap – just take it from me. Mme.Fallatoire will show you where everything is."
The housekeeper nodded and led Raoul away. He didn't look too sorry about leaving his wife. If everything worked the way I wanted it to, he'd return calm and relaxed, and when he'd meet Christine, who'd be equally calm and relaxed, they'd forget what they had been arguing about.
"Christine," I addressed her next. "Annie will show you the other guestrooms and also the bathroom for you and the little ones. Perhaps they would like to take a bath. I'll tell the cook to heat water and bring it to you. And as for clothes… I'm sure Meg wouldn't mind you having a look at the clothes in her wardrobe and taking whatever you need. It's more difficult for the children, of course, but maybe you can think of something."
Christine nodded.
"Thank you, Jean," she said. "I'm certain I'll find something for them, too."
Then the children and she disappeared as well, led by Annie, a young maid. Now only Larisse and the two others remained outside with me.
"Perhaps I should have gone with her," the young woman called Marielle mused aloud. "After all, I said I wanted to replace Jacqueline, so I should start supporting Madame immediately."
"You'll still have plenty of time to support her later," I told her gently. "But at the moment, you have to take care of yourself first. You'll have to wash yourself and put on clean clothes before you can think of doing anything resembling work. I'm sure we'll find some clothes for you as well. I'll show you the way to the empty rooms for the servants. I've been told that there are always some spare clothes in the wardrobe."
The reason why I had chosen to lead this group instead of Raoul or Christine was simple: It was the most peaceful one. It was possible that one of my friends would have seized the chance to tell me about their version of the argument, and I didn't want to be forced to choose sides.
In general, I was not a man who couldn't make up his mind about what to think, even if the topic was a little delicate. But this was different. I knew and liked both Christine and Raoul, and choosing one over the other would have felt like betrayal. That was why I thought it best if not only they stayed out of each other's way, but I stayed away from them as well. It was safer.
If only Meg would be here soon! She always knew how to talk to people, and so did her mother. If they had a conversation with Christine, I could maybe try to find out about Raoul's side of the problem in the meantime. None of them would feel left out of they both had someone to talk to, and perhaps we'd be able to solve the problem together. It was ridiculous that they had had an argument, just when things were starting to improve again.
"M.Tavoire?"
I looked up, putting an end to my pondering.
"Are we there?" Pierre went on.
It was only then that I realised I had just gone on walking, completely lost in thought, till the corridor had ended. We were facing a door now. I cold only hope it was the right one. I didn't enter the servants' part of the building too often because I didn't want them to think that I didn't trust them to get along on their own.
"Yes, this is it," I replied confidently, pulling open the door. The next moment, I heard a gurgling sound behind me, doubtlessly caused by suppressed laughter. I could hardly keep myself from giggling as well. The room I had led them to was not a bedroom as I had expected. It was a broom cupboard.
"Well, thank you, M.Tavoire," Larisse muttered, apparently trying to sound grateful rather than appalled. "It is a little small, but… it'll do."
"No," I said quickly, shocked that she seriously assumed I wanted them to sleep in a broom cupboard. What kind of person did she think me to be? "This is not the right room. I – "
"Jean Tavoire," a voice behind me called. "Don't you think it's a little early to show these poor tired people their future working equipment? Shouldn't they have a rest first?"
Turning around, I saw Meg standing there, an amused smile dancing across her pretty lips, which were still ruby-red. It was clear that she had wanted to come here as quickly as possible, which was why she hadn't removed her make-up. As I walked over to her and took her into my arms, I heard the rustling of her costume under her long coat.
"Good evening, my darling," I greeted her softly. "It's so good to see you here at last."
"Why?" she asked. "Were things so complicated without me? Where are Christine and the others? Have you sent them into the washhouse or the cellars? Are they supposed to work for us as well?" She gave me the teasing smile I loved so much about her.
"Oh no, they're not in the cellars," I gave back in a deadly serious voice. "Christine and Raoul are in the forest, chopping wood, and the children are fetching water from the well." I winked at her.
"Oh, of course," Meg said, winking at me. "Now, where are they?"
"I sent them upstairs to the guest rooms," I replied. "Christine could also be in the bathroom. I told her that she could let the children take a bath."
Meg nodded.
"Which bedroom did you give to Christine and Raoul?" she wanted to know. "The big one we always give to your brother and his wife when they come to visit us?"
"I thought it wiser to have them choose their own rooms," I answered, my voice dropping to a whisper. "You see, Christine and Raoul had an argument on the way here, and they still seemed angry at each other when we arrived here. I have no idea what it was all about, but maybe you could find it out."
"I will," she promised. "I'll go and talk to Christine now anyway."
She was about to leave when I held her back.
"There's one thing you could do for me first," I said. "Could you help me find the empty servants' bedrooms? Otherwise these poor people will indeed have to sleep in the broom cupboard."