La Marquise

Chapter 9

A/N: There is light smut towards the end of this chapter, yes, they are reuniting. I both felt too uncomfortable to write full smut, and I feel like it is too early, anyway.

May 1st, 1778, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

Gilbert sat at his desk, excitedly bouncing his knee while he wrote letters to officers in the Continental army. Everybody was celebrating, because France had officially joined the alliance, however, for now, Lafayette was stuck inside, working with his quill. "Marquis, a letter has arrived for you", said Hamilton, gently setting the letter on his desk.

"Thank you, my friend, I will read it later", the man hummed, continuing to scribble down some words about their victory.

"You might want to take a moment to read it now, as it is from your wife. Adrienne, right?", the redhead mused. The quill stopped, and Gilbert set it in the inkwell. "Thank you, Hamilton." His heart beat against his chest, anxiously opening it.

"Calm down, now, it would be a shame for you to tear the paper, wouldn't it?", Hamilton laughed, while Gilbert started to read. "No..." he leaned forward, his breath hitching, his other hand that was not clutching the paper, fondled his peruke, seeming to forget his hair was underneath as tears began to roll down his cheeks.

"My friend... are you alright?", Hamilton asked, immediately kneeling down next to his friend. "My Henriette...", Gilbert's voice broke, and he began to sob, his hands moving from his wig down to the side of his chair.

"Henriette? Is she alright?..." The Marquis often spoke of his wife and his daughters, although he had never met his second, the last news he had spoke of was of Henriette's yellow fever from a letter he'd received about a week ago, as the travel of letters was slow, coming from a ship.

"She's dead!", Lafayette cried, and his breathing began to become heavy. "No... I never should have left...", he whispered.

"My friend, you had no idea this would happen...", Hamilton tried to console him. "Perhaps you should write to your wife..."

"Not... not right now... I cannot... think clearly.." He went from a happy Major General, celebrating the alliance between France and the United States, to grief. "In my letters, I told Adrienne to kiss her a thousand times..." as his heart shattered like glass, Gilbert started to sob.

--

Autumn, 1778, Versailles, France

In my nightgown, I walked down the stairs, with my hand on the railing. My father woke me up, telling me of exciting news, however it would be a surprise. I supposed I would only hear it, and get at least another hour of sleep before starting my day. I rubbed some sleep out of my eyes, and made my way all the way down.  Mother was already ready, sporting a beautiful red dress. "Adrienne, did I tell you of the prisoner we will taking in for awhile?" My eyebrows quirked up, intrigued by this new information.

"Mother, I thought the prisoners were taken to The Bastille? Or are we quartering them now?", I wondered, or maybe this was a new law that I was just now hearing of? How is this exciting, or a surprise?

My mother smiled, and I hinted a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Oh, the prisoners still go to the Bastille, however you know this one quite well, as he is on house arrest." I tilted my head, and then I saw him, appearing from behind a wall.

His tall stature caused me to recognize him immediately, as I remember seeing him at that angle whenever I would come downstairs for breakfast. I recognized his peruke, it was either the same or similar to the one before. His beautiful greyish blue eyes drew me in, making my heart skip a beat, with his beautiful freckles dotted against his cheeks, and I saw a glimpse of a line of auburn hair under his wig, as he quirked up a smile, showing off his dimples as tears of joy ran down his cheeks. He wore a dark blue military uniform, and I was a little embarrassed that a nightgown was the outfit I was using to greet him.