In My Darkness: La Chatte Noire

Chapter Thirty-Four: A Secret Engagement

"I have absolutely no ideas for you. Has anybody else suggested anything?"

"Well, Mére suggested that I accept one of them, but I don't want to do that!"

Daniel nodded. "I can understand that. Maybe we need to bring back that fiancé of yours."

Camillé scoffed and paced furiously. "But then we have the same problem as we had before this – how do I explain who my fiancé is? Simply saying, 'He's a man in Paris' is going to make me sound like I'm lying!"

"Therein lies the problem – you can't lie."

"I can!"

"Not very well," he reminded her, with the expression that told her she couldn't argue.

She sighed and flopped onto her chaise-lounge. "Yes, not very well. I have to have some kind of proof or convince myself of it first."

"Well, do you have any other ideas?"

Camillé sat there for a moment thinking. She brought Erik's engagement ring out from her bodice and played with it, looking down at it. Her eyes wandered over to Daniel across from her and she was hit with an epiphany.

"Daniel?"

He looked up at her and sighed. "Yes?"

"What if… what if you pretend to be my fiancé?"

"What?"

"Well, if you pretend to be my fiancé," she rationalized, sitting up and looking at him, "Then there's a history to be able to base the lie off of. It would be strictly public, not a private engagement, and we can have a very public 'fight' to end the engagement later on."

Daniel looked at her disbelievingly. "You actually think that's a good idea?"

"Well, yes. You can pretend to love me, right?"

The room was silent for a moment as he gazed into her eyes. "I wouldn't have to pretend."

"Daniel, please," she whispered, looking down at her hands. "You know that I truly love Erik."

"I know. And I know that you're happy with him. That's why I'm agreeing to a pretend engagement instead of insisting that this be real."

"Thank you," she breathed, smiling up at him.

He stood up and walked over to her, helping her onto her feet. Then he pulled her chain over her head and undid the clasp, pulling the ring off of it. She offered him her left hand and he slid the ring on her finger slowly. Their eyes met and he pulled in a breath at the golden flecks he loved in her eyes. He swallowed suddenly and looked back down at the ring.

"His ring fits you better than mine did," Daniel admitted with a saddened twinge in his voice.

Camillé looked into his beautiful tan eyes that she remembered having fallen in love with, only feeling regret and sadness when she looked at them now. "Well, it looks like I'm your fiancée again, Daniel Merrick."

He nodded, looking over her face. Their close proximity was quite obvious to both of them.

"God, I've missed you so much, Camillé de Sauveterre," he whispered.

She took in a breath. "Daniel, what are you…"

He leaned forward and kissed her gently. She simply stood there dumbstruck until he pulled away. Her eyes were wide and he could see the surprise in them. His lips brushed against hers again and he pressed their lips together again.

"I love you," he whispered, then looked expectantly at her. When she didn't say anything, he kissed her again. "If we're going to be engaged, we have to make it believable. Tell me you love me, Camillé."