The Painter's Apprentice

Chapter 6

The queen's birthday arrives at Versailles with pageantry and spectacle. During the week leading up to the big day, I learn what a true celebration at Versailles looks like. There are feasts and performances and dances nightly, but they are nothing compared to the queen's ball — or so I'm told.

Lavernia, the expert of all things courtly dress, helps me order my gown and it arrives the morning of the ball in a pale pink box wrapped with a blue silk ribbon.

The deep maroon Robe à la Française is something far finer than I expected. I lift it from the tissue and find a new ruffled silk chemise beneath. The dress doesn't lace in the front, so my maids have to pin me into the wretchedly tight thing — a process that takes them upwards of an hour to get just right.

When Lavernia arrives at my apartments to accompany me to the ball, she looks pleased with her selection.

"Perfect," she says. "I think perhaps I should have saved this design for myself."

Her gown is a soft pink with a scooping neckline. It resembles mine in form, but hers is trimmed with gold ribbon and it sparkles with glass beads under the candlelight. It is a perfect court dress that displays her wealth at every angle. Mine is solid red silk with matching ribbons and a squared neckline the reveals the faintest ruffle of the white silk from my chemise.

"Come," Lavernia says after her final inspection. "I have a friend attending tonight that I would like you to meet."

Instead of heading to one of the grand salons, we head towards the Hall of Mirrors We join throngs of courtiers as they stream into the long hallway and I suddenly feel underdressed. I don't want to look out of place — to draw too much attention.

Lavernia tucks my hand into the crook of her elbow. "Don't worry, dearest. They're looking at me."

"Oh," I reply and loose a sigh of relief.

"Try to relax. The night is ours to enjoy."

More people fill the room than I have yet to see gathered at Versailles all at once, but I quickly realize the mirrors that line the hall make it fill twice as full. The air is thick with perfume and the cloying aroma of fresh roses. I don't know where to look first, but my eyes land on the queen who holds court at the center of the chaos. She wears a gown of cream-colored satin bedecked with gold ribbons and elegant floral embroidery that shimmers as she moves. The skirts of her gown are almost as wide as I am tall and her neck sparkles with an excessive quantity of diamonds.

Lavernia seems to think better of crossing the queen at her own ball and steers us towards a banquet table crowded with a group of men in military dress uniforms. I expect to find Destan in their midst, but he is nowhere to be seen.

Lavernia directs my attention to the man at their center. He is of middling years but is handsome in every sense of the word. Bright-eyed, pale, and rosy-cheeked, he wears a white wig. His blue and red military uniform bears the same medals as Destan's that mark him a general. He stands upon our arrival.

"Madame la Comtesse d'Amiens," He bows with practiced elegance and graces Lavernia's hand with a kiss. "So lovely of you to favor us with your presence tonight"

Lavernia laughs. "You flatter me, Monsieur le Marquis de la Fayette."

Is this really the hero of two worlds? The legendary hero of the American War of Independence? And could he really be the friend Lavernia wants to introduce me to?

"I would like you to meet my new friend, Florette," Lavernia says with a nod to me. "She was Monsieur Morel's apprentice."

I curtsey and the gentleman takes my hand.