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

where Danielle sat on a low chair apparently engaged inanimated conversation with a clearly admiring group of courtiers.

"Elleest tresjeune et tres belle."

Madame's laugh was brittle. "Andnotunaware of her charms, I think. Her husband should have a care—whenmidsummer weds with spring there is always danger."

"Tu as raison"

MarieAntoinette agreed. "But I think that is a marriagemade in heaven. They have eyes only for each other.

La petite

is a

coquette, bien sur

, but do younotice the way her eyes light up when

the earl is near? It is almost indecorous." She laughed, a rare soundthese days. "I find her a refreshing addition to our exile and we arein sore need of some warmth and sunlight in this gloomy place."

Madame Verigny agreed. The Tuileries was a damp dank contrast to theglittering airiness of the many-windowed Versailles. The perimeterwalls were high, the gardens overgrown with trees, and the steep scarpof the Seine prevented any approach from the south. The Swiss Guardwere in constant attendance, an ever-present reminder of the royalfamily's need for protection, although since the mob attack onVersailles last October there had been little overt hostility. But thecourt remained immured inside the walls of the Louvre and theTuileries and avoided exposure to the world of the city. As a result,their only amusements were gossip and backbiting, and an addition tothe coterie was indeed welcome.

Danielle, after four days, was heartily sick of the place. It stank ofunwashed bodies and chamber pots hidden behind tapestry screens. Bothmen and women spent an inordinate amount of time scratching as the licedropped from their elaborate coiffures to feast greedily on the tenderflesh of backs and bosoms. Danielle, perforce, wore her hair lightlypowdered because to appear otherwise would be seen as a gross insult tothe queen, but she scrubbed herself in cold water both night andmorning and spent the larger part of every night in pursuit of bed bugswho had a more than comfortable home in the feather mattress andappeared to find Danielle's blood considerably sweeter than they foundJustin's. Justin, in desperation after the first night, had scoured theapothecaries for a lotion that faithfully promised to repel allboarders and had bought coarse linen sheets to lay on the mattress asan added barrier. But his wife still leaped from the bed with a streamof profanities at least half a dozen times a night to hold a candleabove the mattress in fruitless search of the beasties who vanishedinto the feathers the minute there was light.

She was waiting now for Justin's return from the Assembly which, sincethe removal from Versailles, had its home on the north side of theTuileries Gardens in what had once been a riding school built for theyoung Louis XV. The building was close to both the Tuileries and thePalais Royal where, in the former, the royalists debated with a passionequal to that of their rival faction in the latter. Covered passagesnow ran between the clubs and hotels of the Place Vendome, whereadministrative offices were set up, and members of the Assembly couldtravel easily between the new parliament house and their offices,regardless of the weather.

Justin had promised to escort Danielle to the Assembly in the lateafternoon, once she had performed her duty asguest of the queen's courtand could slip away without undue remark. Faithful to his promise hestrode into the salon at around four o'clock, making his obeisance toMarie Antoinette before

acknowledging his wife.

"I was just saying to Madame Verigny how pleasant it is to have companyfrom the outside, my lord." The queen smiled at the tall, sober-suitedfigure. "But you are no courtier, sir. You are rarely with us." Shetapped his wrist with her ivory fan.

"I beg pardon, Madame, if I appear neglectful," Linton murmured."Danielle and I are most grateful for your hospitality, but there arematters of her estate that I must settle."

"It was most fortuitous that she was in England at the time of the

jacquerie

." Toinette said witha shudder. "Such a terrible story. Thepoor child must have been devastated."

"She was," Linton concurred truthfully. "But I feel sure that yourkindness in receiving her has done much to restore her spirits."

"She does not appear to lack for spirit," Madame Verigny said tartly,and found herself on the receiving end of a frigid stare. Color creptinto her cheeks and she returned to her embroidery as my lord made adeep leg to Her Majesty and went to his wife.

"That was unwise of you," the queen said to her companion. "I do notthink My Lord Linton takes kindly to criticism of his wife, implied orotherwise, and indeed I do not myself think she has deserved it."Crushed, Madame Verigny made no response.

Danielle greeted her husband with impeccable lack of enthusiasm beforeexcusing herself from the attentive group. "Dear God, but I am like todie of boredom, Justin," she declared as soon as they reached thecorridor. "

Maman

always saidLouis's court was a dead bore but I didnot realize how much truth she spoke. You must allow me some freedomsoon or I shall do something dreadful, I feel certain."

"Tomorrow," he soothed, "you shall don the gown of the burgher's wifeand visit the shops, with Molly

in attendance."

"But poor Molly has the most dreadful

mald'estomac

. She insists it isthe food and I daresay, if you are unused, it might have an adverseeffect, but I think it was perhaps unkind in me to have brought her. Doyou think so?" She looked up at him anxiously.

"I think, my love, that Molly will regale her children and hergrandchildren with this tale of adventure

and there will be no mentionof her discomforts," Justin reassured with confidence.

"Well, I hope that you are right. Perhaps she is feeling more the thingalready. I will visit her before we leave."

Danielle found Molly in the slip of a room adjoining the chamberoccupied by the earl and his countess. She was still wan-faced and laidupon her bed, but the worst purging was now over. She managed