"Clagny is finished and all yours." The king held his arms wide to emphasize his point. "Fit for the true queen of Versailles."
Behind them courtiers gathered around, whispering amongst themselves. Everyone had been trying to get a peek inside for months. Louise's new life as a nun was old news; all the latest gossip was centered on Clagny.
Athénaïs soaked in the reveal. The last fête made her think life couldn't get any better, but with her house finished, a mixture of pride and pleasure squirmed in her chest. The last fête would be as memorable as any at Versailles, but her house stood as a more permanent testament to the love between her and the king. She would have her own manor to room in while the queen only got drafty apartments in the palace. Best of all, Louise never got such a house built for herself.
"I want to see the inside." She grabbed for the king's arm. "Show me everything." While she'd visited construction a few times with the king, she'd always refused to go inside, wanting to wait until it was finished. She spent hours poring over blueprints and drawings to imagine how her house would look.
Clagny was beyond splendid and anything she could have dreamed up. And oh the long gallery. Giant paintings depicting the Aeneid added color to the walls and drew her gaze in. She could have spent an hour looking over the detailed paintings. And then there were the sculptures that looked so lifelike she almost expected them to move and welcome her to her own home. She even had her own grand salon to hose parties in. The roof of it rose up into a dome. Corinthian columns surrounded the salon, making it appear fit for even the most discerning of royalty.
She twirled in a circle as she stared up at the dome. "It's so high!"
"I thought this room would do well for your harpsichord playing."
"Yes." She trailed her fingers down a column. "Better than any stage I would want to play on. In fact, tomorrow I'll hold a little concert. And our daughter can dance for us." She giggled and pulled the king into a dance and he chuckled as he followed her lead. "It will be marvelous."
He watched her with that look of love lighting up his eyes she adored. "You still have the two wings to see. I thought you would be fond of the orangery and chapel in particular."
She stilled. "You gave me my own orangery?"
"You wanted your flowers planted right away and I know how much time you spend in my gardens. I wanted to surprise you."
She glanced right and then left. "Which wing?"
He pointed to his right and she started in that direction, gawking at each new detail she spotted every few steps. At the end she reached the orangery and she shot through the door. When she entered a cloud of the citrusy orange blossom scent she loved greeted her. The trees sat in tubs full of dirt, creating a mini forest. Beyond the oranges were palisades covered in roses, jasmine, and carnations. The orangery wasn't as grand as the one at Versailles—she couldn't imagine any ever matching them—but the orangery was more than enough from her. In the evenings when her mind wouldn't settle she could wander the rows of trees and take comfort in their familiar scent.
"There is nowhere else I'd want to live," she declared as she rounded to face the king. "I should host a dinner here for you soon. And I'll keep my salon full of conversation. This place is a living dream and it would be wrong to hoard it to myself." It was exactly the place she'd always dreamed of having. The kind of place she dreamed she would buy if she were Louise.
The king leaned to his right to inspect the blossoms on a tree. "Would you like to see the chapel next? And if you find anything you don't like in any of the rooms we can have them fixed. The furnishings are all as you requested."
"Let's go to the chapel." She took his arm again and let him lead the way. "I think it will take me weeks to see all the little details of this place. Your architect works miracles."
"I'll pass your compliments to Monsieur Mansart. Is it befitting for you? Or is it a house one gives to chorus girls?" His eyes twinkled in amusement as he teased her.
She patted his arm with her free hand. "No, it is far too grand for chorus girls." This house proved she was the one who ruled his heart no matter who else he dallied with.
He led her to the other side of the house, toward the end of the second wing. Whenever they passed by columns, she liked to pretend she was in Ancient Greece with Apollo walking at her side. This must be how it felt to be a goddess, because even the queen didn't receive such loving treatment.
"What are you thinking?" the king asked. "You have a look of awe on your face. It lights your eyes up and makes me want to ravish your lips." His gaze drifted to her mouth.
"I always want to ravish your mouth, so I understand." She tilted her head and raised her eyebrows.
"Ah! There's your mischievous look. It makes your eyes twinkle the same way. I think you want me to ravish you."
"I do, but not until the tour is over. Control your impulses another ten minutes for me." She blew him a kiss, enjoying the way his gaze continued to linger on her mouth.
"We can put your new bed to good use." He gave her a wicked grin. "Why wait when we have the house to ourselves today?"
"I can't think of a better way to celebrate."
He leaned his forehead against hers. "You inspired this manor. You're my muse. Without you Versailles wouldn't be so glorious. Every inch of this manor as built to show my love for you. Don't ever forget it."
"I won't." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "And you remember my heart goes wherever you do."
Their lips met and Athénaïs let her eyes drift close as she savored the king's lips. Versailles couldn't get any better than this.
*
She finished her last song on the harpsichord and her guests applauded. Beside her, her daughter curtseyed with a look of satisfied triumph on her face.
Every courtier at Versailles had to have visited Clagny already. Even the queen came after lunch to see it for herself. While she wasn't here for the concert, courtiers had packed into the salon until there was no room left, eager to see Clagny again and be part of her social circle. She chose to ignore those who whispered the king used Clagny as a way to lure her away from the palace, letting him woo other women in peace.
"Wonderful as always," Gabrielle said as Athénaïs stepped away from her instrument. The king was already busy complimenting his daughter while she beamed at him. Gabrielle dropped her voice to a whisper. "Everyone can't get enough of talking about your new home, not even the queen. You're lucky to get such gifts."
"I know. I'm afraid nothing will be able to compare." She lifted her hands to her heart. "I don't want these days to ever end."
Madame de Sévigné pushed her way through the crowd to meet them. She'd been buzzing around Clagny all day. "I want to know more about your little farm. It's adorable. Was the farm your idea or the king's?"
"Mine. I wanted this to feel like a countryside getaway. This is my retreat to relax and unwind."
Sévigné's brow wrinkled in thought. "Well it's a delightful idea. I wish I could have a mini farm of my own. I didn't realize how cute geese could be when not trying to bite someone's fingers off."
The king appeared at Athénaïs's side and Sévigné took her leave with a curtsey.
"Your music is of the heavens." The king kissed each of her cheeks. "As is our daughter's dancing. I hope to see more of both here soon."
"Any time you want."
The king stepped away and was soon swallowed by a crowd of chattering courtiers. All the noise made Athénaïs long for their first day at Clagny when no one had been around to interrupt their time together. He'd made love to her twice before returning to Versailles. Today all the courtiers swarming Clagny made it impossible to get more than a minute of his time.
Madame de Richelieu emerged from the crowd. "I hear your St. Germain apartments are getting renovated. Are you taking any inspiration from Clagny and Versailles?"
Gabrielle grinned. "A renovation and a new house? My, my, dear sister. You sure are loved."
"But you love me most of all, right?" Athénaïs teased. "I wish I could make St. Germain look more like Versailles, but that would take too much work. No matter what I want a fountain. The fountains are one of my favorite features in the gardens here at Versailles. I want one as a reminder of home. If it were up to me, we'd never leave Versailles. I'm going to miss Clagny when I'm gone."
Richelieu bobbed her head. "How could you not? This place is gorgeous. I don't want to think about how much it cost to build. If this was mine, I'd never bother with the palace."
The words reminded her of the nasty rumors claiming the king planned to set her aside at Clagny away from the rest of court. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "The king doesn't discuss the financial side with me much and I don't question the costs. Whatever he wants to give I'm willing to enjoy. I'm thinking about having my portrait painted in the gallery here."
Gabrielle squinted in the direction of the gallery. "I think that would make a fine backdrop for the portrait." Her gaze roved the crowd next. "Where's Scarron? I didn't expect her to miss a social event."
"Oh, she refused to come. She called Clagny my sinner's palace."
Richelieu let out a gasp. "She really said that?"
"Yes. She has been up in arms lately about what a terrible example my sinning with the king is setting for my children." Her gazed bounced around the room as her hands rubbed at the fabric of her dress. "She's a touch self-righteous."
Gabrielle snorted. "What an understatement. She's going to cause trouble for you. Keep a close eye on her."
"I will."
"You should replace her," Richelieu said.
"I can't. The king likes her too much. She's struck a friendship with that priest Bossuet. The one who advises the king. Since the king is so fond of him he is pleased Maintenon has chosen her friends so wisely. I don't like how close it puts her to the king. If she wants to push any ideas as the king she only needs to get Bossuet to speak them for her, but we won't need her services much longer. Once the children are old enough we will be rid of her." And the day couldn't come soon enough.
"She might find another way to stick around. Court has a way of bringing hidden ambitions out of people," Gabrielle warned.
"I guess time will help us find out. When she is no longer useful to me I will see her gone."
The king wormed his way through the crowd and back to her side. "The games are beginning. Do you want to come play with me?"
"Yes. I always want to be at your table, you know that. Sister, make sure Madame Richelieu gets the full tour."
"I will."
"Clagny appears to be a hit," the king commented as he led her toward the gaming table.
"It's because you are a visionary and anyone with eyes can't deny the wonderment you've created here and at Versailles."
"You always flatter me. And you're glowing. I'm glad. I want nothing more than to see you happy."
"I'm happy as long as I'm at your side. I wouldn't be as happy if I'd worn that horrid green dress Madame Bétonne has on."
The king chuckled. "I'd never make you wear such a thing. And no matter what you wore you'd still be beautiful."
She batted her eyelashes at him. "Sometimes I think you'd prefer me in nothing at all."
"Well I don't complain when you wear nothing but your jewelry, do I?"
She giggled. "Let me host dinner for you some night this week and maybe once you are finished eating you can take all my clothes off."
"You see that's why you are my favorite hostess." He brushed a hand down her arm. "Let's visit the gardens, I need some fresh air." Outside a refreshing breeze blew through the warm night.
She watched the king closely, the way he stared off into space. It was a look she'd seen too many times in private whenever something was weighing on him.
She reached up to trail a finger over his cheek. "What's wrong?"
He shook himself from his reverie. "My priest Bossuet is very convincing when he wants to be. I can't stop thinking about his recent advice to me in private."
Her voice hardened and her shoulders tensed. "What advice?" Anything from Bossuet couldn't be good with his growing friendship with Maintenon. It'd be in his best interest to get his new friend in the king's bed if he wanted to increase his power over the king.
The king folded his hands behind his back. "It is nothing for you to worry about. I merely grow tired of his threats and sermons and I worry about being a good role model for my children."
She turned until her whole body faced him. She rested a hand on his arm. "You are a wonderful father and your children love you. No one is a perfect parent, least of all me. It's only human to worry about your children, but I couldn't have asked for a better father for them."
"Thank you." He reached for her hand, letting their fingertips brush before pulling away. "All I want is to do right by you and them."
"You do. Now enough worrying, come dance with me." She grinned as she took several steps backward, crooking a finger at him to follow. After a short hesitation, he did her bidding.