Jane Feather - Charade by Unknown (howl and other poems .TXT) 📕

smallsmile as Danielle bathed her forehead with lavender water andmatter-of-factly emptied the

chamber pot out of the window. "I willprocure you some

bouillon

whenI return," Danielle promised, quiteunsure how she was to manage such a thing in this rabbit warren ofcorridors peopled by faceless individuals, but she was determinednevertheless and Justin would help her.

"Tomorrow, we shall take the air if you feel able to leave your bed. Ifeel sure it will do you the world

of good, Molly. The air in thisplace is quite fetid and must be most unhealthy. I shall send my lordfor vinegar and scent to dispel the atmosphere. In fact, I cannotimagine why I did not think to do so before." So saying, she leftMolly's chamber to give her husband the requisite orders which hereceived with a nod of comprehension and wondered why he had notthought to take such an elementary precaution himself.

They arrived at the parliament house in the middle of a vociferousdebate. The long low narrow building was poorly lit and far too smallto handle the haranguing tongues. Justin and Danielle squeezed into thepublic gallery that could accommodate a bare three hundred souls andDanielle gazed in fascination at the scene before her. She had visitedboth the House of Lords and the House of Commons in London under theauspices of Pitt and lint on. Nothing in this disorderly tumultremotely resembled that well-regulated process of debate, except forthe seating where members sat across from one another separated by agangway. There were three members on their feet simultaneously and thepresident, who held the position for but two weeks at a time, was quiteunable to maintain order. As the voices rose in a floodtide ofrhetoric, not one of them could be heard clearly.

"It is a madhouse," Danielle whispered.

"Yes, but do not say so aloud," her husband warned. "It is not alwaysthus and some worthwhile legislation is coming out of this."

Danielle accepted the rebuke and lapsed into willing silence,concentrating on what was being said and forming her own impressionsuntil she began to make sense out of the tumult. Her ears pricked atthe comments of her fellow spectators, and she concentrated on thosearound her. It was what she did best, this picking up of unconsideredtrifles, gauging the mood of groups and drawing her own deductions. Itwas what Pitt would want of her and why Justin, who could not do thishimself, had accepted her companionship, once it had become a

faitaccompli

, with only simulated annoyance.

Once back in their chamber he listened to her and shared his ownimpressions before they joined the court at dinner, Danielle havingfirst procured a cup of bouillon for Molly by dint of shameless andlavish bribery.

Dinner was a long and tedious affair, the food ill-prepared in thepoorly equipped kitchens that had not been required to feed the courtsince Louis XIV had built Versailles. It arrived at the table coldhaving been brought vast distances through draughty corridors, and theconversation for the most part was insipid. Justin fared better thanDanielle in this last, since he was at least able to talk politics withthose courtiers sensible enough to have an opinion. Danielle, on theother hand, was obliged to listen to the malicious gossip of boredwomen and their complaints at the discomforts of the Tuileries. Therewere

few who evinced an intelligent interest in the state of theirnation; they had never been encouraged to do so, after all, in thepleasure-oriented world of Marie Antoinette's court.

It was toward the end of the meal that she became aware of theinterested scrutiny of a pair of pale eyes. Their owner was a strangerto her, but that was not surprising since the composition of the courtwas constantly in a state of flux. As her eyes met the stranger's, hesmiled, the expression lightening the long, aristocratic face. Daniellesmiled back and the man murmured something to his neighbor.

"Who is the gentleman in the blue velvet?" Danielle asked Madame Clourybeside her. "He wears his

hair in pigeon's wings. I have not seen himbefore."

Madame Cloury glanced across the table casually. "Oh, that is the Comtede St. Estephe. He rarely honors us with his presence." The plump whiteshoulders lifted, the movement causing one full breast to pop free of aneckline so low it barely qualified as such. Quite unconcerned, madametucked the errant flesh away again. "He is a dour creature, St.Estephe," she continued. "His wife died in childbed some years ago. Shewas a poor little dab of a thing and petrified of her husband. It wassaid that he used her dreadfully and he is always so dark looking I amsure it was true." She shuddered deliciously and dropped her voice."Two years ago, his mistress cut her wrists and died. It caused such ascandal but no one could implicate St. Estephe, you understand. Butsince then he has spent little time at court and takes his mistressesfrom the demimonde and they,

naturellement

,must take their chance."

Danielle, in spite of her distaste for the game of characterassassination, was intrigued. The man looked innocent enough, althoughhis eyes were cold and reminded her of those of a gaffed fish. But thesmile had appeared warm and friendly enough. He could hardly be heldresponsible for the thin lips and fishy eyes that had accompanied himinto the world. He was perhaps a year or so older than Linton, shedecided. His dress was simple to a fault amongst this glitteringthrong. His only jewelry was an enormous sapphire on his index fingerand his hair, while correctly powdered and curled, was a far cry fromthe massive creations around him. All of which put Danielle quite incharity with the man. She was wondering how best to contrive anintroduction when the queen rose from her place in the center of thelong table on the dais, signaling the withdrawal of the ladies.Danielle resigned herself to the inevitable hour or so of simperingchat and indifferent performances on the spinet before the gentlemen,flushed with port and cognac, would decide to join them.

Roland, Comte de St. Estephe watched