A/N: My thanks go to Caity for following and Linalove and Maricella for reviewing. :)
Angelique woke the next morning, feeling tired and having a lump lodged firmly in her throat. That day, she was going to find out whether Barnabas had told on her or not. The thought that maybe she would have to leave behind everything she had ever known was a daunting thought and not one she wished to dwell on, so she got up, attempting to find something to do that would keep her mind off it.
After getting washed and changed, she sat down on her bed, wincing when it creaked loudly. Luckily, her mother didn't stir. What was she going to do today? She didn't want to sew. Not again. She wanted to do something different; something new. But the problem was, what else was there?
She doubted Martha had been successful in speaking to her mother yesterday, so being allowed to work anywhere else would be out of the question. That didn't leave a lot left that she could do. She could polish, perhaps ask her mother to practice her reading and writing, but apart from that, all there was was sewing.
Angelique sighed. It seemed she could do nothing else but the usual. At that point, she stood up in an attempt to sneak to the window to get a glance out before her mother woke up. However, as she tiptoed over, she forgot about the incredibly loud, squeaky floorboard and it let out a low groan as she stepped on it.
"Angelique? Is that you?" Lucille sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. "What on Earth are you doing, child?"
The young girl looked down sheepishly. "I couldn't sleep, so I got up early. I didn't mean to wake you, maman. Je suis désolée." She braced herself for harsh words, but they never came. Instead, Lucille relaxed and propped herself up on her elbow.
"Oh, what am I going to do with you, you silly child? Is there something on your mind?"
"No, maman," Angelique replied a little too quickly. Luckily, it seemed her mother didn't notice.
"Well, after the talk with Martha, I've decided that it would do you good to spend some time in the kitchen with her and get to know the world of work."
The young girl stared at her mother with wide eyes. "Really? I don't have to do sewing?"
The look on her daughter's face made Lucille laugh, something that made Angelique's jaw drop. Her mother never smiled, let alone laughed.
"No, Angelique, no sewing today. It doesn't mean you won't be working hard though." She raised an eyebrow at her daughter.
"Of course not, maman."
"Good. Well, if you just wait for me to change, then I can take you for your walk and then to Martha."
"Yes, maman," Angelique smiled, sitting down on the edge of her bed patiently as Lucille got up and headed to the servants' small bathroom.
"Remember to behave yourself, Angelique. I don't want to hear from Martha that you've been a nuisance."
"Of course she won't be, Lucille," Martha replied for the young girl, pulling her against her. "She's going to be a lot of help. She'll make you proud."
Angelique felt very grateful to Martha and nodded in agreement when her mother looked at her, before setting her shoulders square.
"Well, I'll see you later then, Angelique."
"Yes, maman."
She waited until Lucille was out of sight before turning back to Martha, a big grin on her face.
"What should I do first?" she asked.
"Well, shall I teach you how to peel the potatoes for breakfast to start with?"
Angelique nodded eagerly and followed Martha to a spare work surface.
By the time her mother came down to collect her so they could eat supper, Angelique was happier than she had been in a long time, her face was flushed and her eyes were lit up and smiling.
"Have you been good for Martha, then, Angelique?" Lucille asked her, but she didn't get any time to answer before the lady herself came up behind her.
"She was no trouble at all, been a lot of help actually. Everything's been running extra smooth with this one helping out," she said proudly, ruffling the young girl's hair.
"Well, that's certainly good to hear. Although, there's something I need to talk to you about Angelique, but it will have to wait until we are alone later on."
The young girl swallowed, from the look in her mother's eye, she could tell it was something bad and her mind suddenly switched back to her meeting with Barnabas last night. Had he…? Angelique tried to force her horror down. She obviously hadn't lost her place as she hadn't come in raging, but there was something wrong.
"I will be very happy to have her again in here, Lucille. She has been a pleasure to work with and a very quick learner," Martha put in quickly, sensing the tension between mother and daughter.
"Yes, well I will consider it. Come on, Angelique, there will be no food left if we don't go down now." And with that, she put her arm round the young girl's shoulder and led her down to the servant's dining quarters.
Dinner was quiet. Barely any of the usually gossiping maids were talking, not even in hushed whispers and Angelique got the feel that something had happened that day up in the main house and she could only pray that it was nothing to do with her.
By the time Lucille had finished and the two had retired for the night, Angelique was full of dread. She could almost feel herself shaking as she mounted the stairs behind her mother and when they entered the room, she went and sat quietly on her bed, waiting for her mother to speak.
"Is there something wrong, Angelique? You seem particularly worried," Lucille said, untying her apron and folding it up.
"You said you wished to speak to me when we were downstairs."
"I did, but I was going to wait until you were ready for bed. Nevermind, it looks as though you want to hear it, so I'll say it now." She sat down. "You see, there was a disturbance this morning in the drawing room. It seemed that a bird had managed to find its way in and was causing havoc, making the girls waiting on Lady Collins scream and fuss. In the end, they called me and I managed to get the bird out, but as I was carrying the little thing out, I realised it was familiar. Do you know why I found it familiar, Angelique?"
The young girl shook her head, feeling utterly confused. Why was her mother telling her about a bird? What was so important about that? Hadn't Barnabas told on her at all?
"It was a very unusual bird, everyone commented on the strange crimson and ochre colouring." She raised an eyebrow at her daughter as Angelique gasped before she could stop herself. "I did recognise it, Angelique. Would you like to explain why a bird you had been sewing ended up flying around the drawing room this morning?"
"I don't know how it happened, maman. One minute I was thinking about what it would be like to have a bird of my own and the next minute it was flying round the room. Please, you have to believe me!"
"Why didn't you tell me, girl? Do you know the Master is very suspicious? He thinks that sorcery is involved!"
"Mais, maman, je ne l'ai pas fait exprès!" Angelique cried in horror and Lucille sighed, calming herself down.
"Angelique, speak English if you please, you cannot slip into French every time you panic."
The young girl looked down. "I'm sorry, maman."
"I assumed you didn't mean to do it, and I'm not angry about what you did, I'm angry that you didn't tell me. You see, there is something important I needed to tell you…" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "… your father was a sorcerer."
Angelique's eyes went wide. "Papa had magic?" she asked in disbelief.
"Keep your voice down," Lucille hissed. "Yes, he had magic. I was hoping it wouldn't be passed onto you, but it seems it has. The thing is, Angelique, this is dangerous. No one can find out, for if they do, your life will be endangered. I've told you the stories."
The young girl shivered, remembering the many times Lucille had come home from the town after witnessing an accused witch being tortured or burnt at the stake. It was no secret what happened to those who had magic and were found out.
"You must promise me not to say anything to anybody, for your own safety and for my sake. I… well, I… can't lose you as well."
Angelique's bottom lip trembled slightly at her mother's words. It was the first time the housekeeper had ever said anything to indicate that she did indeed love her daughter.
"I promise, maman, no one will ever know."
"That's my girl." Lucille reached forward and pulled her daughter into a hug, the first one Angelique could ever remember her mother giving her, and pressed her lips to the young girl's hair, just content in holding her… loving her for a few moments.
A/N: French translation: 'Mais, maman, je ne l'ai pas fait exprès.' = But mother, I didn't mean to do it.
I apologise if it is wrong in any way, and any corrections would be appreciated as I am not fluent in french, however much I wish I was.