La Marquise

Chapter 3

Fall, 1773

"Children, we have some wedding news to announce."

Gilbert was made a Lieutenant in The Noailles Dragoons. He was spending the little time he had with us, playing chess with me. I am 14 now, still rather young.  I had kept the fact that I had known about my wedding to myself for so long. I put my cards down, as my throat tightened and my stomach felt like it was bouncing, and my skin tensed. "Wedding? Who?", Rosalie asked, looking up from the toy sword that she owns.
'Mine', I thought.

"Louise, you will be marrying Louis, your cousin, soon." Louise gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth, and my skin untensed a bit, happy for myself but feeling bad for Louise, does she even love him? My little sisters did not seem to care. "Louise and Louis!", Clotilde giggled, laughing at the absurd similarity of their names. Louise had a shocked expression on her face.

—

I stepped into my green robe la française, as one of our servants powdered my hair with white powder that looked like powdered sugar. Another servant tied my dress as I picked out a pearl necklace, putting it around my neck.
Today is Louise's wedding day.

After the hair powder was done, I walked downstairs, and everybody was ready to go. Louise already took a carriage to the chapel. I lifted my skirts and we exited the house, taking a coach to get there. I sat next to Gilbert in the carriage, and he whispered in my ear, gently nudging me, "They seem a little young to get married", he grinned.

My heart wilted and my chest tightened at the fact that I am keeping a secret from him, replaying the conversation between my mother and father over and over and over again in my mind. "Adrienne!", Paule shook me, which was jarring as I snapped out of my thoughts. "We are here", Gilbert chuckled. "You were focused", Clotilde added.

I lifted my skirt and we exited the carriage, and I carried Rosalie and held Paule's hand as Clotilde ran ahead, entering the pews. I sat down next to Lafayette and my sisters sat next to me and each other. Louis was standing at the altar, next to the priest.

Father walked Louise down the aisle, who was wearing Mother's old wedding dress. Louise wore a stunning white ballgown. The bodice was adorned with delicate lace that added a touch of elegance to the dress. However, the dress seemed to be too tight for her. Her corset was so obvious that it appeared to be squeezing her waist to the point that if it were any thinner, she might either collapse or snap in half. She wore an elegant powdered wig with a rose and a feather in her hair, and she held a bouquet of pink tulips and roses, which was wrapped with white paper. My sisters stared at her in awe, seeming to forget she is, in fact, only sixteen. 17-year-old Louis looked incredibly nervous, fiddling with his thumbs as she made it to the aisle. My father kissed her cheek before she stepped in front of her future husband.

"You are still living with us?", I asked her after the ceremony, secretly thankful as she let out a sigh of relief when the servant took off her corset. I was sitting on the bed, still in my robe la française, while she was standing in front of the mirror while the servant gave her a nightgown. "And Louis is still living at his dwelling?" I raised a brow.

Louise buttoned her nightgown and sighed, "Mother thought it would be best if I stayed with them for a year before moving with Louis." She held my shoulders, "marriage and love is a beautiful thing, Adri."

I wish I could believe it.

I laid my back against the mattress while she went to undo her makeup.

The wedding will only be in a matter of time...

                                       —

Winter, 1773

I was in front of the hearth one night in the living room, as my thumbs began to not become numb anymore, thankfully. It was cold that night, so I snuck downstairs and decided to sit in front of the hearth and read. Sitting in my nightgown as my skirt protected my legs and I drew a breath, which appeared as fog right in front of me. There was an annoying chill outside, pitch black out, with frost on the ground.

Gilbert appeared and walked into the living room, sitting down next to me in front of the hearth. "You are cold, too?", he whispered to me, glancing at me while I set my book down and put my hands in front of the fire. I simply nodded silently, not wanting to leave the warmth.

"Adrienne... I found something that I felt I should not keep from you..." I looked at him and he gave me a paper. "Supposedly, plans for our wedding. Paperwork."
My heart sank, extremely ashamed. He told me just like that, and I proposed I would keep it a secret from him? It was, indeed, wedding plans. "No...", I whispered.

"We are to be married in the spring, Adrienne... In April...", he whispered, sounding nervous, which I do not blame. My mouth was left ajar as he gently took the paper from me. "I knew", I confessed. He looked at me, eyebrow raised, as I wiped a stray tear from my eyes, and it all came out.

"I knew...", I said again. "While you were meeting with your tutor, I heard my parents fighting. I heard all their plans... I am sorry, Gilbert... I thought it would hurt you more to tell you. I was afraid... I am sorry... you just came here and I did not want to ruin your stay, knowing your past, I did not want to add to the stress and I-" He took both of my hands, "Look at me..."

I looked up at him, staring into his beautiful eyes. "I do not blame you, Adrienne. Of course not", he whispered. He began to stand up, and I followed him, when he kissed me, and my eyes opened in shock... however, I did not pull away.

The kiss was not short and sweet like Mother and Louise described it, but more out of desperation as I kissed back, grabbing onto his shoulders. Of course, it would be out of desperation... we have no say in whether to get married or not. He pulled away, "My apologies-"

I kissed him again and he kissed back, this time it was longer. He tasted like sugar from the hot chocolate we had earlier, and I perhaps did, as well. He placed his hand on my upper back, pulling me closer to him. I had to stand on my tiptoes. For someone who is 16 years of age, he is towering, standing around 6 feet in height. 

Hearing some creaking, we pulled apart from each other, as if we were committing a crime and were filled with guilt. After a few seconds of quiet listening, I sighed. 

"Only the house settling." 

His mouth quirked up, and through the light of the fire, I could see he was bright red. "Perhaps a warning that we should go to bed?"

"Perhaps." I smiled at him, my feet frigid on the hardwood floor. "Goodnight, Gilbert." Before I could turn around, he leaned down so he was only a few centimeters above my height, kissing me on the cheek.

"Goodnight."