Heart's Content

Part Twenty-Eight

{'The Dinner Table' by Henri Matisse from Wikiart.org}

The trip to The Bend had been a defining moment for Lisette and the more she thought about the idea that she was in love with her brother's fiancé, the more certain she was of her feelings and the more conflicted she became. The idea that she had finally fallen in love with someone made her feel lighter than air and in the quiet hours when she was alone in her room she found herself literally dancing from the joy of it. At the same time, the one she loved was a woman, and she had never known this to be the case of anyone in Alémaire let alone on the continent. She wondered if it had ever happened, and if it had, what had become of it? She couldn't think that anything good occurred in the aftermath, the two were more than likely forced apart whether by their own wills or that of their families and likely went on to marry individuals who were deemed more adequate, acceptable, and appropriate in the eyes of society. This is where her feelings would conflict and she'd find herself crashing from the momentary high of being in love.

Should she even say how she feels about Genevieve? To anyone? She'd find herself brooding deeply on these thoughts. Genevieve was to marry her brother, she knew that there was no love between them despite their mutual admiration and respect. Would Genevieve even return her feelings? The thought made her feel flustered, the joy that made her heart feel it would explode at the idea of her feelings being reciprocated combined with the immediate falling of her thoughts as she considered that Genevieve would not return her feelings and in fact shun her for them. What would become of her confession in the end? How would there be any change to the current futures that awaited them all in the event that she did speak her mind and heart in the hopes of some sort of change. Lisette knew she couldn't tell Genevieve how she felt, it could never amount to anything good and she would simply have to resolve herself to a future that had Genevieve in it but as no more than her sister-in-law, the wife of Sabien Olivay.

It had taken days for Lisette to make the decision that she would not tell Genevieve, nor anyone else, how she felt and she was adamant about keeping her feelings in check. Each meal was a battle as she sat beside Genevieve at the table, unintentionally reaching for the butter dish at the same time as she, her heart fluttering as their hands lightly touched for a moment in the interim and a shy smile being exchanged between them both. It had crossed her mind multiple times that she might be giving away her feelings with her actions, but if she had, none appeared to be the wiser and she couldn't expect Genevieve to understand the general nuances of unspoken affection.

A titter of laughter flowed over the table as Maurice finished delivering an anecdote regarding something that had occurred that day in the workyard and Genevieve turned her eyes from Lisette in the coy manner that was solely hers, a gesture which caused a tingling sensation to rise over the flesh of Lisette's bosom but she quickly averted her own gaze and went about delicately spreading butter along her warm bread as though nothing had particularly delighted her.

"You most definitely have your work cut out for you with that lot," Maurice chuckled as he scooped some roast onto his fork, "though I suppose with time, they will learn, they've already learned much as is!"

The comment had been directed towards Sabien and he blinked a few times as he considered what was said while at the same time, Nadine's face went blank and she cleared her throat, looking earnestly at her husband.

"Well, I expect that we'll leave them as educated as possible for the foreman before we return to Alémaire," Sabien said with the corner of his mouth curved up in a slight grin.

Maurice took a sip of his wine and watched Sabien for a moment over the rim of his cup. The whole table went silent and everyone was looking at Maurice. He swallowed his wine and used his napkin to wipe the leftover ruby liquid from his thick lips and bristled mustache before he lightly cleared his throat.