Chapter 24
Twenty-Four
“Well,” Madeleine said after a moment, “that was quite a peculiar visit.” She made as if to pick up her embroidery, but then let it lie.
“I must admit I never liked that man, but Paul thought the world of him. It is truly astonishing that he would make his way to England on Paul’s behalf.
” A slight frown appeared between her arched brows.
“But then I must say I am equally astonished that Paul would have made arrangements to have the estates transferred into Lamartine’s name.
” She turned to look at Alix. “You were closest to your father in those final days. Did he ever mention such a thing to you?”
Alix shook her head. “Never. Indeed, when I tried to discuss with him how we might prepare for the worst, he was completely dismissive, saying that I worried too much.” She sighed.
“It doesn’t matter. I have no intention of giving over the de La Brou titles.
I meant what I said about returning some day. ”
“I’m sure you made the right decision, Alix,” Madeleine said soothingly.
Something didn’t fit, Rafe thought. Lamartine had tracked Alix through Paris, followed her here for the titles, then gone away peaceful as you please when she refused to give them to him?
He looked over at Alix, considering whether to raise his concerns.
Seeing how pale and drawn she looked, he decided not to burden her.
He’d discuss it with Jervis, he decided, as he rose to take his leave.
“Alix,” he said. “I agree with your mother, I think you did the right thing.” He didn’t add that in a month’s time, if the state chose to take the estates, it would not matter what she did with the titles.
Let her keep her pride. “I can see that Lamartine’s visit has disturbed you both,” he continued, “so I think it best if I leave now.”
Alix rose to see him out, and he held her hand tightly for a moment, disliking the pain he saw in her eyes. Tonight, he told himself as he raised her hand and kissed it softly, tonight he would find his way to her and see if he couldn’t set things right.
“He’s a good man,” Madeleine said, as the door closed behind Rafe.
Alix nodded, her lower lip beginning to tremble.
Madeleine eyed her sharply. “No, no, ma petite, I am not going to let you begin to brood again simply because that horrid little man showed up on our doorstep with his awful tales of what is past and cannot be helped.”
Alix looked at her in surprise as Madeleine continued.
“I know you must think I am a terrible, shallow woman to speak to you so. But I have lived longer than you, chérie, I know what it is to be parted from the ones you love, to suffer and to feel powerless. And I know that railing against fate and wallowing in your tears might feel good for now, but it solves nothing. Nothing. You must learn to make the best of what you have, Alix. You are young, you are pretty, and you have a man who looks at you as if he has discovered a rare treasure.”
Alix’s eyes were filling with tears.
“I see that you do not believe me,” Madeleine said, shaking her head.
“Come out with me tonight,” she added suddenly.
“Let us find a moment to enjoy. We shall put on our dominoes so no one will know who we are. We will go to Vauxhall for a light supper and listen to some Handel under the stars. No men, no women eyeing you as if you were some foreign interloper looking to steal the crown jewels, no idle chatter, just good food, good music, and the pleasure of being alive.” Madeleine looked eagerly over at her and Alix thought how young her mother still was.
“Very well,” she agreed, taking a deep breath. “Vauxhall it shall be.”
Vauxhall, Rafe thought, as he fumbled a shilling for the entrance fee.
“That’ll be another shilling, your lordship, price’s gone up since September.”
Rafe reached into his pocket for another shilling and dropped it into the man’s outstretched hand. “Thankee sir, and have a lovely evening,” the man called after him as he strode down the grand walk, gravel spitting beneath his boots.
He’d been worrying about her state of mind, picturing her alone in her room, wracked with grief, only to discover that Alix and her mother were dining at Vauxhall Gardens!
Unbelievable, he’d thought as he glanced at the clusters of people strolling beneath the globe lights, laughing and talking.
He scanned the faces briefly spotlighted by the lights strung among the trees, frowning as he noted the flushed faces of drunken young bloods, heavily made-up demireps, and several coarse-looking characters seeded among the crowds.
Hadn’t Lady Melbourne thought to warn her guests that the gardens were full of drunken libertines out for a quick thrill, pickpockets, ladies of the evening and lord knew what else?
As he headed toward sounds of music drifting from the grove, he hoped they had the good sense to bring some sturdy footmen with them.
It took him nearly half of an hour to find Madeleine and Alix.
Leaning against the trunk of a thickly leafed tree, Rafe lit a cheroot and watched the two women, seated alone in a small box toward the back of the grove.
He was pleased to see two burly footmen at the entrance warding off the occasional young blood who tried to join the solitary ladies.
As the smoke rose through the shadowy branches, he mused that even if he lived to be one hundred and three he’d never understand women, particularly de La Brou women.
They were laughing and clinking their champagne glasses together, whispering into each other’s ear. What could they be talking about?
Her mother was right. Food, wine, and glorious music was the remedy for the shock of seeing Lamartine and thinking about how her father had died.
Alix leaned her head back against the mural painted on the curved wall of the box, staring past the glittering strings of lights that hung between the trees into the velvety night sky.
As the music of the orchestra reached a crescendo, she imagined great black notes floating skyward, with her troubles somehow attached to their staffs. She gave a tipsy giggle.
“Alix,” Madeleine asked, “what is it that you find so amusing?”
“I feel totally irresponsible.” She turned her velvet-hooded head toward her mother. “Is that wicked of me?”
“No, that is exactly what I’ve sought to achieve this evening,” her mother responded, satisfaction in her voice.
“I don’t know what happened at Valcour, or how you managed to reach London.
” She paused for a moment, casting an inquisitive glance at Alix.
When her daughter did not respond, Madeleine continued, waving a black gloved hand dismissively.
“Whatever occurred, you have come through and survived.”
“You are certain I shouldn’t have entrusted the titles to Lamartine?”
“I doubt there’s anything he could do to protect our interests in France.” Her voice softened. “I doubt very much we shall see France any time soon.”
“Maman, do you think we shall ever return to Valcour?”
“Forget Valcour, it is nothing but an old pile of stones.”
“But Maman, Valcour is who we are.” Alix said, shocked by her mother’s response.
“Non, ma petite, Valcour is not who we are. Haven’t you learned that yet?
Who we are is in here.” She tapped Alix gently on the chest with her fan.
“In the choices we make, in the way that we live our lives. It’s not determined by a name, or a chateau, or even a man, no matter how noble.
If it were, your father and I would have been much more content with our marriage. ”
“Was it so very bad?”
“The marriage bed or the marriage?” Madeleine responded, motioning for the waiter to bring another bottle of champagne.
They both fell silent as the waiter refilled their glasses.
“Bad enough,” Madeleine continued. “I didn’t know what to expect, I was just so desperate to get out from under my grandmother’s thumb and to stop being so poor. As for Paul, he simply misjudged. I tried, but I could never be the submissive, passionless wife he desired.”
“Still,” she continued in a more cheerful tone, “you came out of the marriage, and that was definitely something good.” Madeleine lifted her glass. “But we are not here to mourn the past. Let us drink to the future, to making our own choices, and to making the best of our new lives in England.”
Alix sipped thoughtfully at her champagne. A smile played at the corners of her mouth, and she felt the wine warming her skin, reminding her of Rafe’s touch. She had chosen Rafe, she mused, and so far the choice had not been bad, not bad at all.
After several hours, Rafe watched the two velvet-draped figures leave their box and make their way to the line of coaches for hire.
He noted with amusement that the taller of the two women wobbled a bit as she walked.
His Alix had no head for liquor, though Madeleine, who stepped gracefully into the carriage, seemed none the worse for wear.
He heard her instruct the coachman to take them round to Lady Melbourne’s.
He made sure the hackney set off in the right direction before turning to order his coach brought around.
From across the street, Rafe observed as the ladies disembarked and drifted gaily up the stairs into the well-lit rotunda of the duchess’s home.
He chuckled softly as he thought about how much champagne Alix had consumed, wondering what sort of company she’d be tomorrow when he met her to go riding in the park, and whether he ought to make her suffer by taking the long way round.