La Marquise

Chapter 12

"Madame, I hate to bother you, but there is not a chance the Marquis de Lafayette has been here, has it?", I asked, while Clotilde proceeded to look around at the flowers, which bees swarmed around in. "Madame de Lafayette? I am so happy to finally meet you, you are the talk of Paris!" she gave me a curtsy, but I was too distraught to dismiss it, to tell her thar there is no need. "Yes, Madame. I have seen your husband, here. I assumed he was buying the flowers for you." My heart sank with pain and worry, "Thank you, Madame..."

I walked on the cobblestone, with my head hanging low. "It is almost nine, we might as well leave-" Clotilde tapped my shoulder, "Adrienne, look!"

There he was, sitting outside a café, in front of a beautiful, brunette woman. She seemed rather young... a few years younger than me, wearing a beautiful red dress. Apart of the nobility, by the looks of it. He had his hand intimately on her arm, staring into her brown eyes seemingly the way he would stare into mine. The woman laughed, and my blood began to boil, while tears started to roll down my cheeks. And there the supposed flowers were, in her other arm. 

They leaned in, and kissed. While my knees began to grow weak, about to break down, Clotilde gently pushed my back. "Go get him, Adrienne", she whispered. 

I walked over to him, tapping him on the shoulder, while Clotilde hung back behind me. My husband looked up, and when he saw me, his eyes grew guilty. The woman seemed to know who I was, with her mouth hung open. "Adrienne, I-", he began.

"How could you!", I cried, tears rolled down my cheeks. "How dare you have a mistress, without consulting me? You were never going to tell me, were you? You were just going to lay in bed with her, go back to Versailles, and proceed to do the same thing with me?" Bystanders began to gather around, whispering about the confrontation in front of them. "You told me I am yours, your Dear Heart, that you are the happiest man in France around me!" My chest heaved up and down, "I guess it is a lie, isn't it?"

Gilbert had tears in his eyes at my words, however I felt no remorse, and the woman was left speechless. "Adrienne, my dear-"

"We have a child, and are expecting another, Gilbert!", I screamed, my voice shaking the walls around me. "I- I am grieving the death of our daughter, and you decide to do this?" The mistress began to step in, her voice filled with sorrow, "Madame-"

"Let's go, Clotilde", I whispered, my voice beginning to break, "I hope you have fun in bed with her", my sister snapped sarcastically, wrapping her arm around my waist comfortingly while I cried. 

--

I refused to eat breakfast when I got back, and mother told me that she would take care of Anastasie the entire day. Buried in my dress and in the sheets of my bed, drowning in my tears, I heard my bedroom door open and shut, and then felt somebody sitting on the bed. I knew who it was, however I had no strength to yell. "Adrienne...", my husband's voice was laced with tears, however he did not touch me, which was rare, he usually did that while comforting me. "You're right. I should have consulted you before sneaking around like that. I fell in love with another woman, however instead of informing my wife, I decided the right thing to do was go behind your back, because I did not want to make you feel insecure. I realize that was a terrible mistake."

I looked up at him, still laying on my stomach, "Gilbert...", I whispered, "I am not mad about you having a mistress, love is such a unique thing... I am angry that you did not consult me before having an affair." 

"I know, Adrienne, and I am so sorry. What I did was so foul, I betrayed your trust" I sat up, "Hold me?" he nodded, crawling over to me and wrapping me in a hug. I leaned into his chest, "Tell me about her", I whispered.

"Her name is Diane de Simiane. She is also married, however, the man she is married to finds his interests, elsewhere. She resides in Paris, finding comfort in other men, including me." I rested my head against him, "She is a very beautiful woman." I looked up at him, and he seemed hesitant to agree. I smiled a little, "say it, Gilbert."