La Marquise

Chapter 2

He began to grow on me.

It was a nice, sunny morning, and I had just finished getting into a dark blue gown and placing a ribbon into my hair. Louise opened the curtains to our window, looking at the scenery outside. "We should take him out today." I raised a brow, "who?"
"You know who!" I smiled, "Oh, him. It's only been a day, Louise. Would he even agree?"
"He seems the adventurous sort", she nudged my elbow. "Only one way to find out! We can take Cousin Louis with us, too!" "
Don't forget our sisters, too", I winked.

"Mama", Louise said at the breakfast table that morning, as I chewed on my pancakes, "We were thinking... we could take Gilbert out today. Bring our sisters and Louis, too, of course." Mother wiped her mouth with a napkin, glancing at Gilbert, who looked at Mother, and then at me. "Do you have anything to do, Monsieur?", she asked him in a formal manner, looking bothered that we would refer to him as his namesake. "Well... I do have some studying to do..."
"What about?", Clotilde interrupted, seemingly interested. The boy cut more of his pancake. "Moral values, to become a gentleman. Virtue."
"Afternoon?", Rosalie chimed in, asking him if he could just do it in the afternoon and go out with us now, with a hopeful look in her eyes. Gilbert seemed charmed by her and looked at my parents hopefully. Mother was about to step in, but my father, on the other hand, "I suppose that would not hurt. Your new tutor is coming this afternoon, Monsieur, and you will study at the Académie de Versailles."

We exited the château, and I held both of the youngest's hands. "Where should we go?", Gilbert asked Louis, who had arrived before we had left, with a coach waiting for us. Without warning, Paule ran into the grass, rolling in the dirt into the dandelions. "Paule, no!", Louise exclaimed, running over, fretting about her dress because she is the one responsible for her, being the oldest sister. Paule had some dirt and grass on her pale yellow dress, with Louise nervously trying to brush it off.

"We should take him to the gardens", Louise said. "Yes! And show him the pretty flowers!", said Clotilde.

We got into the carriage, and off we went. Rosalie sat on my skirt, looking out the window and seeing the pretty scenery in front of us. Louise sat next to me, with Gilbert in between us, and Louis sat across, with Paule on his lap with Clotilde next to him.

"This is beautiful", Gilbert said when we stepped out. It was. There were many different flowers, such as roses, peonies, and tulips. The little ones ran ahead, seeing the sites. "Paule! Rosalie! Get away from the fountain!", exclaimed Louise warily, and Louis ran over to help.
"Chaotic, they are", Gilbert told me, chuckling. I raised a brow and grinned, "Indeed."

I kneeled down next to him, looking at the white roses, being careful not to get my dress dirty. But Gilbert, however, kneeled right down, not seeming to care that his pants might get some small stains.
The country. Very different from Versailles. But I did not judge him for it as the other members of the nobility might. It was where he was raised, so he might act differently, and I found that alright. He rose his arms to fix his wig, leaning them back down again when it was fixed.

He stood up, walking to the grass that wasn't enclosed, picking a small yellow dandelion. I stood up, and he gave me the small flower.
It was a kind gesture, and it was hard to control the blush that was obviously rising to my cheeks. "Merci, Gilbert. That is very thoughtful of you." I looked up at him, and he was staring down at his silver-buckle shoes, his face was obviously red, too. "Anytime", he whispered.

                                    —

"Hold still, Gilbert!", said Louise. It had just become the afternoon, and we were painting Gilbert with the paints that we own, in the living room. "I am trying!", He promised, as I mixed some colors to be able to match the clothes he was wearing. We were making it a competition: whatever painting Gilbert would like the most, would win.
However, I didn't like my painting compared to Louise's. I am good at painting, I would say, but I feel that Louise is better at it. I sighed, dipping my brush in the water cup, before I dipped my brush in green to match his eyes, placing it on the canvas. At least I was not in last place: Paule and Rosalie's looked the most childish out of all of them, which I don't blame them, they are little.

After the time was up, we all showed him our paintings. "Adrienne is the winner."

I was surprised, Louise was the clear winner, and Louise clearly showed her frustration with a small frown. "Thank you–" I looked at my mother, who was giving me a warning glance, "...Monsieur."

"Lafayette, your new war tutor is here", my father said, while a rather elderly man walked into the room. Gilbert nodded and smiled at me. "Girls! Give him some privacy!", said mother. We quickly exited the room.

"He likes you", Clotilde whispered to me while I went upstairs. I opened my mouth to deny it, while my cheeks proceeded to burn red before Louise stepped in. "He picked a wildflower for you, and he picked your painting while I was the clear winner. I caught him staring and glancing at you, Adrienne."

"It's possible that he just likes my painting more! No offense... but it's perhaps my art style!", I protested to Louise while we entered our bedroom, "And... the flower was only a kind gesture!"

"Do you fancy him?", Louise winked.

"That's..." I saw my mother and father walking down the hallway, with my mother, who seemed angry at my father. "I will be back, Louise."

I silently followed them to their room. I am not one to eavesdrop, but I wanted to see what was going on. I silently pushed their bedroom door farther open. "I do not like your plan, Jean. Despite that it has been nearly a year", whispered my mother.
"Lafayette is a part of one of the richest families in all of France!"

"Adrienne is still too young to be married! I do not care that he is only two years older than her!" My eyes widened, as I continued to listen. "He has the manners of a farmer! What if Adrienne does not like him!"
"Tis an arranged marriage! She does not have to like him!" I wanted to step in, to tell them that I had heard everything. But, I did not, as a lump formed in my throat and tears welled up in my eyes. "He is worth a fortune!"
"You... are nothing but a greedy pig!", my mother yelled, knocking over a vase, which had shattered on the ground. She was fuming enough that it was as if steam was coming out of her ears!
Please, mother... do something...

"They... will live with us a year after they get married. And not sleep in the same room on their wedding night", she whispered, her throat raspy, with her hand on her hip.

"Alright, I'll draw up the paperwork", my father held the bridge of his nose.

I ran down the hallway before my tears, which were now running down my cheeks, could give me away.

"Mademoiselle?"

My flush face looked up, with my bosom heaving up and down, to see Gilbert, who had just made it up the stairs with a book in his arms clutching tightly against his chest. I wiped my face. "How long were you here? How much did you hear?"

"I just came up, so not long." He tilted his head, "Are you alright?"

I wanted to be honest with him, and tell him everything that I heard... but I just... could not... my mouth was left hanging open and my chest continued to heave up and down. He sighed, "I suppose not. Come with me."

We sat on his bed, and I held a handkerchief in my hand. "Are you going to tell me what happened?", he whispered as I continued to weep. That is when I crumpled down, and he caught me in his arms, and I leaned against his shoulder. "I do not want to talk about it", I whispered, my voice quiet and cracking. He leaned his head against mine and continued to hold me, when I felt my eyes grow heavy.

—

"Mademoiselle", He whispered. I opened my eyes, to see Louise standing in front of me. "Dinner will be soon", she told me. I nodded and got up, "Oh, Gilbert?", I asked. He looked into my eyes and I smiled, "Please call me Adrienne."

He nodded and Louise and I exited the room. "Sleeping on his shoulder?", she teased, gently nudging me, as my skin turned the color of a coral rose.

"Oh, be quiet", I mumbled.