the assembled audience jeered loudly towards the defendant as the guilty verdict was called out. The young lawyer who had presided over the prosecution gave a mocking bow to the crowd, grinning as he did so.
"Your friend is rather good!" Amorette whispered to Fabien Desrosiers who sat next to her. Amorette did not hear his reply though because at that moment a bought of muttering about the rightful placement of women broke out behind her. She glanced about her and received some furtive looks in return. "Fabien should I be here? I'm getting a lot of funny looks!"
Fabien turned to look at her incredulously. "Why on earth shouldn't you be here? It's an open gallery for goodness sake!"
"But I'm a woman," she muttered as she glanced about her again. "I don't think we are permitted to attend courts like this unless specifically called as a witness. Perhaps I should leave; I don't want to get you into trouble."
Fabien threw Amorette another incredulous look. "Good God what men have you courted in the past? You're not going anywhere unless there's a brawl of some sort and even then I will escort you out and home myself!"
Was that what they were doing; Courting? Then the thought struck her; how could they be anything else but courting? Sat on a bench in the crowded gallery, to ensure that they could hear one another they were sitting so closely that their knees touched and Fabien's hand rested on the small of her back. He'd been surprised when Amorette had told him that she had never attended a court session and had brought her along to witness the process for herself. Fabien had been to many as he sought out inspiration for his plays that although not yet widely known were increasing in popularity by the day in Paris. It was not the only side of the man that Amorette had admired though. They had spent quite a lot of time together since their first meeting and it had now become a regular occurrence after four months to dine alone together at least once a week.
During one of those private dinners Amorette had confessed her feelings for Athos. She had not known how Fabien would have reacted, but as he was starting to make his romantic intentions clear she felt it only right to divulge her secret. Surprisingly Fabien shared her feelings of unrequited love. He had fallen in love in Italy on his travels with a beautiful young woman that even he had described as horrid and self-centred and thus understood Amorette's situation completely. That alone brought them much closer together as they discussed the difficulties of their romantic misadventures.
Amorette had deliberately not given much thought to the labelling of their new friendship as she liked the man and wanted to enjoy his company without complicating things. She had expected him to move on to someone else by now considering all of the female attention that he was receiving. Claude may not have thought him marriage material for a wealthy young woman but it hadn't stopped the younger women admiring him from afar and it wasn't just the beautiful and sometimes rather scandalous poetry that enthralled them all though. In spending so much time with him Amorette had come to find him very pleasing to be around. He was humble and modest with a good heart and bucket-loads of ambition. There was also that dazzling smile that charmed her completely. It was the deep conversations that they had shared that were really having an affect on her though. Fabien's depth of feeling and ability to express his emotions so eloquently left Amorette feeling a little inadequate at first because talking about her own issues in life wasn't something that she felt comfortable with at all, but at length she began to open up to the poet who had an intrinsic way of making her feel like she could finally begin to be at peace with everything from her past. Amorette didn't know why, but all that she had been through with her father and sister seemed to matter so much less when she had the company of Fabien.
The young lawyer made his way over to them during a break in proceedings. "Monsieur Rouzet," announced Fabien as he stood up to greet his friend. "Allow me to introduce you to the Cometess de la Feuillette; Amorette du Gilliory. Madame; my old friend Sacha Rouzet."
"Just Amorette is fine," said Amorette with a chuckle as the young lawyer kissed her hand with a flourish.
"And it's about time too!" called Sacha. "Do you know, Madame that my friend here has spoken of little else but you since he returned to Paris? Why he hasn't introduced you to his friends for so long we cannot know but I am glad to finally meet the woman he has spoken so highly of!" Amorette felt a slight blush creep into her features as the lawyer turned back to Fabien. "I can't talk now but we should all meet after session later if you have no other engagements? I'll meet you both somewhere? And of course if you have any friends as pretty as you are yourself Madam, you must bring them along?" With a wink the lawyer began to take his leave of them as court was called back into session. From a few rows away he turned to call out to Fabien again, "Monsieur this next case is not expected to go so smoothly. There is trouble expected!" With a nod towards Amorette he continued, "If things are going to take a turn for the worst I'll give you a nod. I expect there will be a brawl of some sort here before the day is out."
With that he returned to his place at a long table covered with what looked like law books and Fabien returned to his seat. Amorette quickly realised that there had been more than one intention to his standing to greet his friend for as he sat again; he placed himself even closer to her on the bench. Amorette pretended not to notice the movement. "How is it that you know Monsieur Rouzet?"
"We studied together," Fabien confirmed. "I believe he thought he may have chosen acting for his path for a time. But he has not lost that side of him as you can see." Fabien gestured towards his friend who now addressed the magistrate and jury. "The job of a lawyer isn't just knowing the laws of the country inside out. To be successful you must also be a great orator and present your case with a certain level of decoration that makes it not only convincing but logical."
"So it goes hand in hand?" Amorette asked.
Fabien nodded. "I have other friends in the business of law. From time to time they may seek the help of a wordsmith to try and present a pleasing opening or closing speech." For a while they fell into silence and watched events unfold and Amorette paid closer attention to the lawyer's words and movements and saw his clever addressing of the jury that had assembled. From a gallery above them shouts slowly became discernible as opposing supporters argued their points. For a while more they watched proceedings but Amorette could sense Fabien growing uneasy beside her and knew it was because the arguments upstairs were increasing in volume. At length Monsieur Rouzet turned to glance towards the upper galleries and then his eyes flickered towards Fabien. It was all the warning that her poet friend needed to grab Amorette's hand and lead her out of the courtroom and into the Paris streets as quickly as he could. They headed across the river towards a tavern that Fabien and his friends frequented regularly and Amorette sent word to Claude of where they were. Claude had arranged to meet them later that afternoon but Amorette was beginning to regret agreeing to such a meeting now that she had met the lawyer. Claude would have attached herself to him in no time and Amorette didn't like the fact that she would essentially be to blame for her friend taking another lover behind her husband's back.
After a short while Sacha Rouzet arrived with a cut lip and a bloody nose. Amorette sent Fabien to the bar for some more drinks whilst she grabbed a cloth and had Sacha tip his head back whilst she pinched his nose to stop the bleeding. "Does this happen a lot Monsieur?" she asked curiously.
"Brawls? Every so often. I think sometimes people just sit in the gallery because they want to be part of a fight." Sacha gestured for Amorette to remove the cloth from his face and sat forward. "Sometimes it's understandable. People connected with the case cannot hold in their emotions and anger and as they are not well educated they cannot present it with impertinent words. Therefore they use their fists to do the talking. It's the others who join in for the sake of it that confuse me."
"But you could be seriously hurt? Is there not a way to stop such things from happening?" Amorette leaned against the table as she used the cloth to siphon away the last of the now dried blood from his face.
"Why on earth would I want to stop it?" cried the young man incredulously. "It's all part of the fun!" He laughed at Amorette's blatant shocked expression for a few seconds but a glance towards the door had him stopping.
Amorette turned to see Claude approaching them and inwardly grimaced. "Goodness what happened to you Monsieur?" Claude cried as she removed her hat and shawl and threw them down onto the table.
"Why don't you go and tell Fabien what you would like to drink Claude?" suggested Amorette. Her friend nodded and scurried off. Amorette watched Sacha smirk as he followed her friend's movements with watchful eyes. She swatted him on the arm lightly and spoke before he got the chance to. "I suppose I should warn you that Claude is a married woman!"
Sacha's eyes returned to the retreating figure of Claude. "Happily or unhappily married?" he asked with a note of mischief in his tone. Amorette shook her head in amused disbelief and didn't answer. "Don't worry. I'm not about to out her to her husband if that's what you think. I also will not force her into any sort of situation which isn't to her liking but why should I not try for her if she decides to like me in return?"
Amorette gazed at the young lawyer for a few minutes as she tried to decide how to best phrase her thoughts. "Monsieur I take no issue with Claude having lovers if they make her happy. I just want her to be safe, and to know what it is that she wants. I do not think that she does know what she really wants you see. She may be a few years older than me but I feel as if it is I who is attempting to look after her in this matter. I just don't like to think of her running around Paris with all of these lovers and still feeling lost."
"Then you are a good friend Madame." Sacha lowered his voice then to a barely discernible whisper as Claude and Fabien took their seats around the table. "I understand your worry but rest assured, I am no lothario. I will endeavour to treat your friend with the respect and care that she deserves. I will not take advantage of her, but she is a beautiful woman and I've never been one to hide my feelings!"
Amorette wanted to reply but she was scared that Claude would overhear her, so she stayed silent. It didn't take long for Claude to attach herself to the young lawyer and within a few weeks they were certainly very close friends if not lovers. It seemed Amorette's fears were all for nothing. On the whole, Claude seemed happier than Amorette had ever seen her and Sacha seemed to have no interest in any other women. Amorette still would not call it a triumph though that she had been the one to albeit rather reluctantly bring them together. She still worried about Claude's husband finding out even though Claude couldn't care less about such a predicament. Amorette had even voiced her fears to Fabien but he had assured her that his friend had only the best of intentions.
In fact, Fabien was able to tell Amorette that Sacha was enamoured with Claude and wanted to ensure she was happy and wanting for nothing. Amorette had noted dimly that Claude already wanted for nothing due to her husband's good name but Fabien had all but forbidden her from worrying about Claude's dilemma. "I understand that she is your friend Amorette, and that you do not wish to see her hurt but she is a grown woman! She is older than you, as you keep reminding us all and in my opinion that makes her liable for her own mistakes. I wish you would think upon yourself with as much care as you do your friends. Why not look to your own life and happiness?" he had asked her one evening as they strolled in the Jardin des Tuileries.
Amorette had given a shrug of her shoulders as a reply and kept walking but Fabien stopped still upon the gravel path. "I'm serious Amorette. You say that Claude is lost but what about you? Do you know what it is that you want from life? Because sometimes I think you would do well to take a leaf from Claude's book and live in the moment. Stop worrying about the future and simply enjoy the moment." Fabien held his hand out as a gesture for her to come closer and she did, taking his hand as she reached him. "There's something I've been wanting to do for a while now and I've been wary to do so because I didn't know how you would react but I think now I need to Mademoiselle. Easing you into things is not the way to go because that gives you too much time to think. I may spend hours and days pouring over books and writing poetry but that is just one side of me. That side of me I know you already do love, but I think there's also another side of me that you could come to love if only you would let yourself."
Amorette wasn't really sure what Fabien meant by that. He was right in that she did admire his penmanship and loved the philosophical poet in him who wanted to express his feelings in rhythm and rhyme but was there even more to discover? She gazed at him, scared to speak in case she said the wrong thing and ruined the moment. Gently he brought his hand up to caress the side of her cheek ever so gently. Then his hand slid down towards her neck to rest there, one finger deftly raising her chin and Amorette knew then what he had wanted to do. When Fabien kissed her it was gentle and careful as if seeking approval. For a few seconds Amorette was stunned that he had acted so rashly in such a public place. His words though had her slowly begin to kiss him back. Here she was with a man who thought a great deal of her and certainly liked her enough to kiss her, and the thing was that she liked him too. Did it really matter if she kissed him back; if anyone saw? He had told her to live for the moment and in that moment he was all that there was. Amorette slipped her arms around his neck and he dragged her closer and deepened the kiss. The gentle carefulness was gone now and something else was in its place, something confident and carnal.
As they both breathlessly pulled away from each other Amorette realised just where they were and that other couples roamed the lawns and took advantage of the twilight just as they had done. She had briefly forgotten all her worries about Claude and Sacha and all that she had thought of was Fabien. He was watching her closely and her smallest of smiles had him pulling her towards him again. This kiss was something else entirely. Fabien kissed her so deeply and intensely that Amorette felt her knees go weak. She couldn't fall though as he held her so tightly against his chest. The strangest feeling of weightlessness overcame Amorette and she felt as if she couldn't have moved away from him even if she had wanted to. In his arms she felt powerless and it was oddly liberating to let him show his affection in that way.
Amorette didn't know how long they had been kissing for and she didn't care. The thought occurred to her then that they could stay that way forever, locked in an embrace almost like statues and they would become so. Her thoughts began to flow again as Fabien pulled away slightly and in her mind Amorette imagined them still standing in the same spot years ahead as people walked by, marvelling at the statue of the lovers. The thought made her chuckle. Their noses still rubbed against each other and Amorette felt Fabien's warm breath on her face as he laughed too.
"Mademoiselle there's something I need to ask you. The kiss was not intended to sway you in any way but to see if you were ready and I think you are." Fabien let his arms fall so that he could take both of Amorette's hands in his own. "I'm not asking you to make a decision tonight or give me an answer immediately. It's perfectly alright if you need some time to think, but I think that we could both make each other's lives a lot richer and happier if we were to think more seriously upon our relationship."
Amorette sucked in a breath as she realised what Fabien was about to do. Her mind jarred as confusion settled upon her brain. Why on earth would he ask her that? The man before her could have the pick of Paris women, she was sure of that at least. Although some may have worried about his financial means and risk taking attitude to life Fabien Desrosiers had shown Amorette that he was a kind, thoughtful and generous man with a heart of gold who she admired immensely. Then she realised he hadn't only been talking about the kiss earlier. If she let all of those thoughts plague her mind then she would refuse him before he'd even asked his question. The reality was that Amorette had loved Athos for most of her life, but Athos was not someone that she could ever claim as her own. Here before her stood a handsome young man who made her feel special and appreciated. Amorette could certainly see herself falling in love with him in the future and what was really wrong with that? All her life she had found reason to be alone when there was no need for it. Amorette needed to stop thinking so much and just let her initiative take over. Fabien was watching her warily, as if expecting her to run from him. Instead she looked up at him through her eyelashes and gave him a small smile of encouragement.
"Amorette, would you do me the great honour of accepting my hand in marriage? I'm falling for you and I cannot see the point in tip-toeing around each other anymore! What is it that we are waiting for exactly, some divine message from God telling us that we shouldn't be together?" Fabien squeezed her hands tightly in his own and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. "I believe in fate, and have done since the day I saw you in that courtyard and you asked me about that riddle. I know we have both loved rather painfully in the past and that has damaged us. It's made us who we are though and given us the opportunity to understand that when something like the connection that we have comes along we shouldn't run from it but try to let it develop even more-"
"Yes!" Fabien stared at Amorette blankly as she interrupted him and she let out a peal of laughter at his shock. "Yes I'll marry you!"
Despite the celebratory mood that enveloped them both over the coming weeks it was with great frustration that Amorette said a half-hearted goodbye to Fabien one morning on the steps of the Louvre. "Don't fall in love with her again and leave me here alone! Come back to me, promise?"
Fabien laughed as he wrapped an arm around Amorette's shoulders. In his other hand he held his last remaining piece of luggage and his newly appointed manservant took it from him to place on top of the carriage. "I'm coming back to you, I promise Amorette. But you know both you and I need to do this for ourselves, I need to face her and tell her that despite what she's put me through all these years in pretending to hate me, that I love her no more and won't see her again. It's going to be easier than I thought you know. All I have to do is think of you waiting here for me and it will hurry my endeavours." Fabien was leaving to travel to Italy to tell the woman that he had loved for so many years that he was to be married to someone else. He seemed to be looking forward to letting the weight fall from his shoulders and Amorette was glad that he had taken it upon himself to do such a brave thing. There was a nagging worry that he wouldn't return to her but Amorette supposed that he too would be worried that he would return to Paris to find her in Athos' arms.
"It'll be good for us, all of this. Besides you have your own demons to encounter whilst I'm gone. I know you said that Athos knows you are both just friends but a firm telling of our future plans together can only strengthen that. I think it's only right that we make our plans clear to our past loves. We owe them and ourselves that." Amorette nodded meekly and kissed him possessively. Watching him go was hard but Amorette knew that Fabien was right. She didn't think there was much action needed on her part though. Telling Athos that they were just friends had brought about a strange sense of closure to her. Finally admitting to herself that she couldn't have the man that she had loved all her life had somehow opened her up to so much more. She was sure she would not have noticed Fabien had she given in to Athos that day all those months ago. This marriage with Fabien was what Amorette had wanted all her life secretly. It was a good match with a good man who would certainly keep her on her toes. She was also confident of Fabien's growing feelings for her which made things a lot easier. She knew that loving Athos was painful having experienced it first-hand since she was a young child but having some sort of romantic relationship with Athos would hurt even more knowing that Athos wished that Amorette was in fact her sister.
The other musketeers had offered their congratulations; Aramis most of all. Athos had too, but Amorette could see in his eyes that he didn't understand why she had accepted Fabien. Amorette hadn't bothered to try to explain it to him because it was none of his business. She didn't want to talk about Fabien with Athos. It felt almost like a secret; a toy that she wanted only for herself. Athos was always so sullen and devoid of emotion that he would even unintentionally surely destroy Amorette's happiness and have her questioning everything. No; better to stay away and keep the company of those who were truly happy for her.
In the days after Athos' attempt to kiss her Amorette had sought out Aramis for advice. He knew Athos very well and had got the measure of her well enough in a short space of time. "He knows he was wrong to accuse you of being a traitor," Aramis had said. "And he also understands just what it took for you to keep the truth from him. If anything he must admire you greatly for the events that occurred. You were loyal to the Queen and she tried to kill you for it. I think he will have kissed you to offer you comfort, but I do not believe that means that he does not care for you Mademoiselle. You and he are both so stubborn that I cannot imagine him doing it for comforts sake alone. What you and he have is dangerous and destructible at the minute. I think it would take you both an age to work out what it is that you both want from one another and it may not even be worth it at the end. I understand your caution though. You have felt for him all your life more than Athos has ever felt for you and now that you are finally growing up and coming into your own, he decides to take action. It seems to you that he only acts because he's afraid of losing you."
Amorette had agreed with everything Aramis had said and more. Walking along the riverbank they had dissected the meaning of Athos' attempt to kiss her intensely and Amorette felt that all of that thinking made her somehow less keen to feel for Athos as she did. All of that thinking had made her head hurt. Love wasn't supposed to be about worrying and fierce confusion. It was supposed to be freeing and certain. "Enough of Athos and I, how are you Aramis? Have you spoken with the Queen again?"
Aramis had shaken his head sorrowfully. "I don't think there is any cause for that. Whatever there was between the Queen and I is gone now. Her treatment of you confirms it. The woman who I loved would not have treated her friend so abominably. No, there is only our son between us now. That matter is out of my hands already though. There is nothing I can do, or want to do."
Amorette let out a great heaving sigh as she took his arm crossing the Pont Neuf. "I have already forgiven her Aramis so do not think poorly of her on my account." When Aramis turned to gape at Amorette disbelievingly she smiled sadly. "I know what it is to be a woman in this world Aramis; but I do not know what it is to be a Queen. Thus I cannot judge the woman for her actions. I know how it feels to be ordered about and sold by men like cattle for a price. She was frightened and didn't know who she could trust. The safety of herself and her son will be of paramount importance to her now. I do not think I call her friend anymore, or place trust in her but I find I cannot blame her for her actions. However rash they were the poor girl thought she had no other choice. I'm done with feeling angry and torn up over the feelings and fights of others."
"You, Madame are a marvel," whispered Aramis as he gently squeezed the arm that was looped around his.
Amorette had meant what she said about the Queen; she didn't blame her for her actions, but could see no way of salvaging their friendship. Thus on a meandering walk through the Jardin des Tuileries Amorette kept to the rear of the crowd with Claude. Italian dignitaries were being given a tour of the Louvre and its surrounding gardens and all of court was required to attend in the procession. Constance was by the Queen's side and Amorette wouldn't have expected anything else from the loyal seamstress, but she was glad that Claude at least had strayed to her side. The two walked arm in arm through the maze after the procession and giggled at the thought of the whole court trying to fit into the clearing at the finish of the maze.
"Shouldn't we just escape now whilst we have the chance," whispered Claude. "The Queen surely wouldn't notice from so far away would she?"
Amorette laughed but kept walking. "You forget Claude that there are musketeers bringing up the rear. We wouldn't be able to leave entirely unnoticed!"
"Talking of musketeers," simpered Claude and Amorette let out a groan, "Have you spoken to Athos yet about your upcoming marriage?"
"No, and I don't intend to." Amorette sighed. "There's not much point; we would only argue again. It's all we seem to do. Besides, I haven't had time. I've been so busy organising the wedding that I've barely had time to think. Fabien wanted me to make the decisions all for myself. I think he was frightened to make suggestions in case I resented him for it. He's so keen for me to have the wedding that I want, which is sweet of him!"
"I just don't understand you allowing him to scuttle off to his lost love to say some sort of goodbye," muttered Claude. "If I were you I wouldn't have let him go. It seems odd to me that he just left like that."
Amorette shrugged. "He needed to do it. What's the harm in a few weeks apart now when we will spend the rest of our lives together?"
"I just hope you didn't give up all of the jewels and gems before he went Amorette. We both know what men are like. They see a challenge and do anything to overcome it! It's been done before you know, some poor girl agreeing to marry a man and letting him bed her before the ceremony. Next thing she knows he's in Venice with his other lover and forgetting all about her. It has happened."
"Claude I didn't give up any jewels whatsoever!" cried Amorette in indignation. "Don't talk so!" She knew just what Claude had meant.
"What, nothing?" said Claude as she stopped walking and turned to face Amorette. "I know you'd kissed but was there anything else that took place? I don't mean actually climbing into bed with him but were there ever wandering hands? If he took advantage of you in any way that may have been his only intention. Are you sure?"
"Claude I'm sure I haven't given anything to Fabien because I haven't ever given anything to anyone! I'm still..." Amorette gestured towards her lower stomach with her hands at a complete loss for how to phrase what she meant. "I'm still..."
"OH!" Claude cried. She slapped a hand to her mouth in shock. "How on earth have you managed that with those breasts? What, not even with the musketeer?"
"CLAUDE!" Amorette growled as she glanced around her. Jerome Weston was coming towards them in the opposite direction and Amorette sincerely hoped he had not heard any of their conversation. He was in a hurry; that much was clear. He held a folded letter and had obviously received news of some sort and was leaving to deal with it. Amorette flashed him a small smile and he returned it as he passed. Amorette let out a sigh of relief. "No Claude, not with the musketeer!"
"Then why are you so enamoured with him?" her friend asked. "I always thought that you had let him bed you and then he had spurned you. If you two haven't slept together then what is the issue? What is it about him that you were so hung up on?"
"I wish I knew Claude, I wish I knew."