Disclaimer: I own nothing, nada, zilch!
Notes: Starts at the scene just after Danielle returns home from rescuing Maurice at the royal court. I quite like this chapter but feel free to review and tell me what you think.
Chapter 3: Secrets
Danielle arrived home several hours later. Marguerite and I had silently immersed ourselves in a board game in the sitting room when through the window I saw Danielle walking with Paulette, Louise and to my surprise, Maurice. My heart eased to know that she had been successful in buying him back, and judging by the relieved smiles on all their faces it was quite obvious that they too were thrilled he had returned.
Despite my happiness Maurice had been brought home, I still felt fear for my stepsister as I knew the minute she walked inside the house; she would be pounced upon by mother. Since the Prince left this morning, Mother had done nothing but scream about Danielle's humiliating and deviant behaviour.
Apparently before Marguerite and I had come to greet the Prince, he had been telling mother how early this morning he had 'borrowed' a horse of ours and Danielle had forced him to return it. The Prince had said Danielle had spoken quite forcefully and also had a good arm. The idea made me laugh a little. I knew she was brave, but brave enough to strike the Prince of France? Why I had never imagined anyone daring enough to even think a thing like that.
All afternoon mother had spoken of nothing else, and both Marguerite and I knew that the minute Danielle was home, she would be in strife. Though while I felt greatly for Danielle at this point, I'm sure Marguerite was only too happy to see our stepsister in trouble. And of course she confirmed that thought the minute Danielle walked alone into the sitting room.
"Somebody's in trouble," Marguerite sang cheerfully, as she rolled the dice into the middle of the board. I was losing quite miserably, but I was far too concerned for Danielle to care.
"What do you mean?" Before Danielle had even finished what she was saying, mother had come up behind her and grabbed her forcefully by the ear pushing her into a lounge chair.
"You stupid, stupid girl!" she screamed in Danielle's face. "How dare you do this to me? To Marguerite? Why the whole thing makes me sick! Its deceitfulness Danielle and I will not have it in this house!" I don't I've ever seen Danielle look so scared by my mother. She looked at me in panic, her eyes begging for help.
"What did I do?" she asked helplessly, looking back at mother.
"Think Danielle, think really hard," sneered Marguerite, enjoying Danielle's discomfort.
I mouthed the word 'horses' while miming galloping with my fingers, as Danielle looked at me once again questioningly. Another snide look from Marguerite made me feel as uncomfortable as Danielle looked, so I picked up the dice and rolled onto the game to take my sister's attention off me.
"Prince Henry stole our horse this morning?" asked Danielle, as Marguerite and I continued watching on.
"Yes, and that would explain why he returned it this afternoon!" patronized mother. "How dare you let him surprise us like that?"
"I'm sorry!" begged Danielle.
"Well luckily for you, Marguerite turned in a beautiful performance," said mother, her tone now boastful. "She and the Prince had quite an interlude."
"I shouldn't be surprised if he drops by again," smirked Marguerite. I glared at her. It made me feel sick that she could be so uncaring for Danielle, who was obviously feeling quite put out by mother's accusations.
"Come, come! I must know exactly what was said," started my mother, as she turned on Danielle once again. "The simplest phrase can have a thousand meanings. He said you were forceful, what did you say?"
Danielle looked at me for help. With my eyes I begged her to choose her words carefully, for I knew if she didn't, mother would make her suffer. For if there was one thing mother could do well, it was making others suffer.
"I called him I thief madam, I did not recognize him!"
"Oh Danielle, you poor little country girl," laughed my mother, now amused. "Well, we must work extra hard, to make sure the manor is spotless. We can't have a royal bottom sitting on a dirty chaise now can we?" Danielle shook her head, still fearful of my mother's wrath.
Still laughing mother left the room, leaving Danielle to slump back into the chair with relief.
"What are you so happy about?" demanded Marguerite. "You almost ruined my chances with Henry! Mother was right. You are just a stupid, little country girl!" with that she pushed back her chair and stormed out of the room. I could tell she wasn't really upset with the early events of the day with Henry, but rather she was upset that Danielle had been let off so lightly. I couldn't help but laughing at her after she was out of the room, which of course led for Danielle to also burst into fits on laughter. She walked over to Marguerite's empty seat and slumped into it.
"So, was that really all my fault?" she asked, still smiling.
"Oh no, of course not. You know what mother and Marguerite are like," I assured her. "Any excuse to scream at someone." We both laughed again, enjoying each other's company. I must admit, when mother and Marguerite weren't around and it was just me and Danielle, it felt like we weren't stepsisters, but real sisters. A feeling I'd grown to love more than anything in the world.
"Come," said Danielle suddenly. "Let's take a walk, before I have to prepare dinner."
We walked out of the house, down the lane and towards the forest. Danielle told me in more detail about the happenings of this morning and her encounter with the Prince. When she told me she hadn't hit him, but rather pegged an apple at his skull, I wasn't sure whether to gasp in shock or laugh, so I settled for both.
"But how could you have gotten away with that?" I asked when I'd caught my breath. "He's the Prince; if it was his wish, you could have been put to death!" Danielle just nodded.
"Very true. But he didn't. In fact it was he who gave me the money I used to release Maurice. He said it was in return for my silence, though I know I can trust you not to break that."
"Of course," I replied, still surprised over the Prince's leniency. We were silent for awhile. I could feel Danielle had more to say and was hiding something, but whatever her reasons for staying silent were her own reasons and I didn't wish to pry.
I myself felt desperate to confide in her the strange and exciting feelings I had begun to feel for the nameless captain, but I was unsure on how to approach the subject. I knew in my mind how I felt, I just didn't know how to bring those emotions to words. I knew that when he stared at me with his deep, brown eyes, it made every nerve in my body tingle, and every sense shiver. I knew that when he smiled that warm smile of his, my blood rushed to my face and I couldn't help smiling broadly in his direction either. In fact just thinking of his beautiful smile was causing me to smile now, which of course Danielle didn't let go unnoticed.
"You've been grinning like that for the last 5 minutes," she laughed. "If you don't tell me what's brought this on, I will be forced to drag it out of you." Of course, she only succeeded in making me smile more, as well as blushing terribly.
"Oh Danielle, you'd think I was crazy if I told you," I said, biting my lip in embarrassment. She laughed and shook her head.
"Jacqueline, we live under the same roof as Marguerite and the Baroness," she said, as she stopped to look at me. "If you are crazy, I can hardly imagine what that makes them." She then kept walking, still pressing on for me to spit out my feelings.
"So, come now. Tell me what is making you blush so furiously." She begged.
I took a deep breath, slightly embarrassed for feeling so strangely for another person.
"I think there may be someone who I… I mean he's… he's just so… oh Danielle I don't know!" I laughed, unable to finish my sentence for embarrassment. I stopped walking when I realized Danielle was standing behind me, staring in shock, a smile stretched on her face from ear to ear.
"There is a man? Oh there is isn't there?" Danielle gushed. I can't recall ever seeing her so excited. "Well, who is it? Jacqueline, do not dare keep me in the dark! Oh, this is wonderful, my stepsister has found a love!"
"Do not jump to conclusions Danielle, this is not love. I can not think what it is. I haven't actually spoken to him, but when we met…he had the most spectacular eyes and his smile…" I drifted off mid-sentence just thinking about his smile. Danielle's soft laugh brought me back to reality.
"Alright then, it is not love. But I can see from your eyes you definitely like him and that you can not deny Jacqueline De Ghent!" she chided. "And if he is anything like your first impression seems to imply, then perhaps it may turn into love." She smiled at my still blushing face.
"So?" she asked, sitting on a fallen tree log on the side of the path. "Will I have to beg to find the name of this handsome stranger?" I laughed and sat beside her.
"I do not know his name, I was not able to find that out," I began. "Though I suspect he is a captain for the King's army as when we met, he was riding alongside Prince Henry and wearing the uniform of a royal captain." Danielle seemed surprised as I told her.
"The Prince?" she asked, now appearing more curious than excited. "When was it that you saw him?"
"Oh, just this morning," I replied. "When Prince Henry returned the horse. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, it is no matter. I had just forgotten the Prince stopped at the manor," shrugged Danielle. "Come, let's head for the house. The Baroness is in one of her moods, I wouldn't want her to take it out on Louise or Paulette." I nodded and we stood up to walk in the direction of the manor.
"And perhaps the next time you meet with your beloved captain, he will be unable to resist your charms, and fall violently in love with you," she declared, with a laugh. I laughed right along with her, enjoying the entertainment.
"Let us live through the night first," I joked.
Well that's chapter 3 done. I hope you liked it. In the next chapter, there's a lot more between Jacqueline and Captain Laurent, so I'll update it soon, if you like this one.