La Marquise

Chapter 6

December 14th, 1775

"It's a girl", I whispered to Gilbert as he smiled in awe, sitting next to me in a chair as I lay bare in bed with nothing but a cozy blanket over me. "What should we name her? After your mother? Julie, perhaps?", I asked him. "After your mother?", He repeated, perking a brow, beaming.

I thought of my mother, about how much she sacrificed for me. About how much she despised my father for the arranged marriage, though I have come to love Gilbert long before now. About how much time she gave to take care of me during my pregnancy, how much she loved me as a child and now. Gilbert walked to the other side of the bed and sat next to me, holding out his arms.

"Henriette de Lafayette. I like the sound of that", I grinned, cuddling into his shoulder as I gave him our daughter for him to hold. His heart seemed to melt, "Oh, she is absolutely adorable", he gushed.

Little Henriette had a thin layer of my sandy blonde hair on top of her head and Gilbert's stunning green eyes. I stared at the little babe in awe, gently clenching Gilbert's arm, as Henriette opened her eyes, blinking at us and gently making small sounds. She was wrapped in a cream-white blanket and involuntarily grasped the gentle texture. I smiled at her, my pride and joy, as tears of happiness flooded down my cheeks. I could not tell if it was just the postpartum hormones or me seeing my eldest daughter for the first time.

Gilbert looked from his newborn daughter to me, smiling in awe, gently leaning his neck down a bit to kiss the top of my head. "She's perfect", I cooed to him. She then started to wail. Her little cry was high-pitched and pleading.

Most noble families have their children taken away to the countryside to be fed. However, mother did not do that, and did not want to upset me by taking my daughter away from me, and neither do I, so I will be feeding my child on my own, with them staying with me throughout childhood, as well.

It took awhile before she finally attached herself to my breast, and started suckling. Nursing her, I smiled tiredly, and Gilbert grinned, "she is such a beautiful girl", he whispered, watching the miracle of life right before his eyes as I leaned into him. When Henriette decided she was done, I put her on my shoulder, and patted her back, before she gave a soft burp. I held her a bit longer, and my husband smiled, taking her from my arms and kissing her head.

He got up, bringing her to the little bassinet we had set up, placing her in. He went to the dresser, and picked out a nightgown for me, "Now, you must rest, you just gave birth." He handed me my folded, thin and white nightgown, giving me clothes in case any visitors decided to step into the room. As I stood up to get dressed, and out of bed, he blew out a few candles to make the room dim, shutting the curtains, as the mixture of the blue, orange, purple, and red sunset said goodbye to me.

He helped me button the nightgown. It felt tighter around me, possibly due to the extra baby weight, but still comfortable, and he lay me on the bed on my back, tucking me in and lying down next to me on his side, wrapping his arms around me, gently nuzzling into the nape of my neck.

"I want to hold her again", I whispered. He perked a brow and chuckled, picking her up from the bassinet, and swaddled her in her blanket, before putting her in her arms. "I love you, Adrienne. We have created a spectacular girl." My cheeks grew warm, as I rocked my daughter.

Spring, 1777

"You damned, blasted, fool!" The room was silent while my father screamed angrily at my husband, who looked down at his feet in shame. "You wish to leave my pregnant daughter, and infant granddaughter, to join the war in America? France is at peace with England, and you wish to ruin it?" I tried to place my hand on my father's shoulder, to calm him down, but he brushed it away. "You even tried to take a damn ship to America without telling us?!"
"Father, stop!", Clotilde cried. I could not choose whose side I was on, my father or my husband? However, I was sick of the arguing as my mother comforted our infant daughter. "You will be sent to England... first thing tomorrow morning!"

After my husband's return, King Louis XVI passed a new decree that forbade any French officers to join the fighting, and Gilbert was even named personally in that order. I sighed, as I changed into my nightgown. "I am sorry, Dear Heart", my husband tried to apologize. "I cannot believe you, you tried to leave me." That was that, I did not speak to him for the rest of the night, as I laid on my back, turning my head to not look at him.

—

"Adrienne, wake up! Your husband is gone!" I shot up, my heavily pregnant body protesting the sudden movement. Rubbing my eyes, I frantically scanned the empty space beside me. My husband was always up before me, but this time, he was nowhere to be found. Clotilde held our daughter's hand, who was crying for her papa.

I quickly waddled around the house, opening every door I could find while grasping my pregnant belly. "Gilbert!", I frantically called, while Henriette ran around and tried to help me. "Papa!", she screamed and wailed, while Mother picked her up, and held her tightly to her chest. He was nowhere upstairs... "Gilbert, this is not funny!", Paule cried, thinking this was some twisted prank, and I hoped he would just jump out of a closet already to get this scare over with.

"I found a note!", Louise, who was visiting from her home with Louis, gasped. I quickly snatched it from her hands, reading it while she seemed to be struggling to breathe from shock.

Dear Family,

I apologize for leaving on such short notice, but I am leaving to join The American War of Independence. I know that Monsieur Noailles was angry at me for wanting to leave and betray you and that King Louis decided against it, but I must bring freedom to America, and do what is right.

Please, do not worry about me, I will send you letters, especially to my Dear Heart (please comfort her during the birth, as I will most likely not be present).

I promise we will reunite again.

Adieu,
-Lafayette

I screamed in shock, "Adrienne!", my father called. I dropped the letter, running out of the house. "He probably already left!", Mother added. I raced down the steps, and my swollen feet wanted to give up. "Gilbert!", I frantically raced around, "Gilbert!", I called again, before collapsing onto my knees, gripping the grass underneath me.

The blades of grass swept across my forehead, and red liquid trickled down from my nose. "Adrienne", Mother cried, trying to put her hand on my shoulder, however, I brushed it away. "Mama", Henriette whispered.

I refused to believe he is gone.