Thirty-Four

THAT night was almost like the night before.
As soon as they began mingling with the others, Lady Veronique arrived like a vulture, and again, Fabian and the other men were summoned by the Duke.
She tried to hide her dismay as he commanded his men to look after Adalene again before he left.
She did not understand why she had to go down, anyway. She had no one she trusted enough to talk to, and she could not very well talk to the knights. I wish I had Odette by my side, she thought as she dismally walked out to the balcony to stare out into the night with a drink in her hand. But Odette and Olivie stayed on the outskirts of the feast with the other maids, so she was with no one.
“Not enjoying the evening, my dear?”
She turned to find an old, robust lady in a beautiful gown beside her, smiling at her kindly, but with eyes most curious and alive.
Adalene smiled at her, grateful that at least there was someone to talk to while she spent a few more minutes before she asked for Sir Thibaut to escort her back up to the rooms and the book she was reading, which was a better companion than any one of the people there.
She was tired of being wary. The old lady seemed harmless, and she felt she liked her. What harm would it do to talk to one aristocrat who didn’t look at her with malice and who was honest enough to let her see the honest interest in the other’s eyes?
“The night is beautiful,” she replied instead.
“What about the guests?”
She sighed as she returned her eyes to the stars. “No one there likes me. They know I don’t belong here.”
“How so?” A curious tone filled the soft, rusty voice. It was a voice that suggested a lot of laughter and, possibly, temper. But Adalene couldn’t think of anything she could do or say to anger the lady. She probably wouldn’t see her again after a few minutes of this conversation.
She sneaked a smile at her again. Adalene did not believe for once that whoever she was, she did not know her before she approached her. She found it honest of her to approach her instead of staying at a distance and whispering about her to others.
But she saw a new face. She hadn’t seen her before in the four days she was there with the Baron.
“I am not an aristocrat. I came here with Baron Deschamps and I think I’m causing him trouble by being here.” She worried her lower lip with her teeth for a moment. “I should have stayed in the Manor. But he wanted me to come.”
“I know Baron Deschamps. He is a handsome and very distinguished bachelor. Surely, it is only jealousy that you are being shunned?”
“He is going to marry Lady Veronique Moranville. Why would anyone be jealous of me?” And she could tell the others that. She truly did not want to give Fabian any trouble.
“He is? Then if he brought you with him, he must not know this is so? Did he tell you he was about to get married?”
She shook her head. “Not really. He does not confirm it. But did he really have to?” she asked softly as she tried to hide the misery in her voice.
“Oh, stupid, stupid man, making a mess of things!”
Adalene looked at the old lady in surprise, but she was already walking away, followed by the ladies-in-waiting as she entered the doors to the hall.
She turned to Sir Yves who was nearest, who walked towards her when he saw she was seeking answers.
“What is it, Lady Adalene?”
“Can you tell me who she is?” she asked.
The man’s cheeks were a bit flushed when he answered. “It was Lady Madeleine Clemence Gauvreau, the Baron’s great aunt, my lady. She has just arrived. I’m sure the Baron would have told you if he already knew.”
She shook her head in shock. She suddenly felt faint.
She was talking to Fabian’s aunt?!
“Are you alright, Lady Adalene?”
“I... I need to get out and walk outside,” she told him. She had just talked to the Baron’s great aunt, and she didn’t even know! “I-I need to move.”
“*Oui*, my lady,” the knight said.
They were soon on the ground. But there was still a crowd there, and she felt closed in. She asked if she could walk in the gardens.
“Yes, my lady. But we cannot be long. The Baron will want to rejoin you as soon as he has his talk with his great aunt,” Sir Yves said. “He’s been waiting for her to arrive.”
“Yes. I just need... I just need a little quiet.”
They let her walk ahead of them when they got to the gardens. It was a large place, but at the moment, she failed to truly appreciate its beauty in the silvery moonlight. She was too worried and was walking without a real awareness of her direction.
The moon was full, so it was not too dark, and there were fire sconces lighted on the thick stone walls. She knew at least that Odette and Olivie would be near and following behind her, so she wasn’t thinking of anything amiss at all.
She could hear them talking in whispers. The two also seemed agitated about the sudden appearance of the Baron’s aunt, or that they hadn’t been able to warn her.
She soon heard Olivie tell Odette to go back to the castle to get the chambers ready in case they would retire from the merriment earlier than the first night.
*Even they knew something was about to happen,* she thought, and they were getting ready for it.
Adalene walked, aware of the warmth that was gathering in her eyes. She had to stop a few times because of the heaviness she felt in her chest and she had to reach toward her face to wipe away the tears that were falling.
She hoped she would find it that easy to survive the night because now that Lady Madeline was here, Baron’s impending marriage with Lady Veronique would surely be announced soon.