Brocade Series 02 - Giselle (37 page)

“I’m sorry, Etienne,” she said softly.

His head fell forward, and Giselle covered her face with her
hands. It wouldn’t have mattered who she met first. She’d
never love anyone like she loved Navarre.

“
I suppose I already knew the answer. But I had to ask.”

The sarcasm was back in his voice and Giselle pulled her
hands down.

“I
t’s no matter, Etienne.” Navarre went on his knees before his brother. Giselle tensed for what she knew he was going to say. “I
won’t be coming here again. It’s finished.”

“
But you must, Navarre,” Etienne said. “Forgive me, I was
crazed! I still…Jean-Claude! He may…’
”

Giselle held her breath.

“He’ll gain nothing from your death now. He can’t
inherit. Giselle….” Navarre’s voice cracked on her name, making her heart
skip a beat. “She carries your son. It was what we were so loudly discussing.”

“My…son?”

Etienne slurred the words. Giselle barely heard
it over the roaring in her ears.

“
Oui.
If the
Bon Dieu
is merciful.”

“This is wondrous news
! It deserves a bit of cele…cele…b
ah! My tongue fails me. I need a glass of wine. And look! Savignen 1736. Perfect.”

He
’d rolled to the bedside table and grabbed up the bottle Gerty
had uncorked for Giselle. After two swallows, his expression began
changing. Then, he choked and spat the ruby-colored liquid down
the front of his shirt.

“This wine
. It’s so…so bitter….”

Navarre leaped to catch him as he lurched forward. The
motion knocked both of them to the floor.

“Etienne
! No! Dear God, no! Giselle! The wine!”

A trail of red stained the
rug at his knees. Giselle
threw off the covers, stupidly noticing she still wore the negligee
she’d planned to seduce Navarre with.

“Etienne
!
Non!”
Navarre slapped his brother’s face so hard,
Etienne’s head rocked.
“Non. No.
Please God no!”

He cried and kept shouting at ears that couldn’t hear
anymore. Giselle tripped as she stepped off the ledge, forgetting it was there.

“Don’t touch the wine, Giselle!”

“The wine?”

She knelt and lifted the bottle, dripping some of the liquid on her fingers.

“It’s poisoned! Etienne’s dead because of it. He wanted to
celebrate the news. Oh God, and I wanted—no! This isn’t what I wanted,
Dìeu!
How can I ever forgive myself?”

He rocked
and crooned to his limp brother as Giselle set the bottle down. She shook so hard, she tipped it over again. She had to grip it between
both hands the next time.

“Don’t touch it, Giselle
! This is all my fault!” Navarre wailed.

Giselle thought she’d heard his cry of pain in the arbor
. She’d
been ignorant. This cry of agony came from the depths of his being.

“What can I do, Navarre? Tell me! Should I fetch someone?”

Navarre’s arm shot out to stop her
. He gripped her upper arm
in a fist that would leave a mass of bruising. She winced.

“You
forget yourself, Giselle.”

His tone was cold
. Deadly. A match to his eyes as he cradled Etienne with one arm and held her with the other.

“I’m not supposed to be here. Remember?”

He enunciated each word, everything on him condemning and brutal.
She was going to be ill.

“You’ll do nothing
. Do you hear me?”

He let go of her arm
. Giselle clapped her hands to her mouth
and scooted from him. Shivers rippled up and down her back. She
was ready to retch and he commanded her to do nothing?

“Give me time to reach the maze, Giselle
! Listen to me, damn
it!”

He was speaking harshly to her, because she was near to fainting
. That was the reason, she reassured herself. She watched him set Etienne onto the floor and touched his cheek for a moment before rising. Giselle couldn’t move her eyes.

“
Giselle! You understand? I need time. Two…maybe three minutes. At least to reach the maze. T
hen call for help. Not before. You understand?”

“Navarre?”

She looked up as she whispered and saw him blanch. Against the
black of his cape, he looked the shade of Jean-Claude’s face
paint. She thought he wasn’t going to answer as he turned and walked stiffly toward Etienne’s room.

“What is it?”

He turned at the door, his gaze flickering from
where she was crouched to Etienne and back.

I love you.

She didn’t have the courage to say it after all, but
she could have sworn that he heard it. His lips thinned as he
frowned.

“
I didn’t truly believe in hell until now, Giselle. I just wonder what it will be
like to live in it.”

She gasped
. His words were so cold. So bitter. So hate-filled
.

“
Au revoir
.”

The door shut before his words reached her, but it wouldn’t
have mattered. It was good-bye and she knew he meant it.

“You’re not going, and that’s final.”

Giselle glared at Louisa from the pillows, then let her head fall
back. There was little use in arguing. The last thing she wanted was
to attend a Berchald family meeting, anyway.

“You heard the doctor, Giselle,” Louisa continued. “He’s the
expert,
oui?
Not that my own recommendation for bed rest wasn’t
justified, but they had to have it from a physician.”

“
But I need to know what’s happening! It’s enough that I wasn’t allowed to
attend Etienne’s wake.”

“
Of course not. That child is the only thing standing between the
family and that horrible man!”

“The baby’s doing fine, I tell you
. And I can’t stay abed much
longer. Isn’t eight days enough?”

“You think they noticed your absence
? Even his mother hasn’t been here
!”

Louisa placed her hands on her hips to lecture.
Giselle looked away.

“Of
course they noticed that Etienne’s widow didn’t attend. It
was totally déclassé, and you know it.”

“Not when you suffered a collapse.”

“A collapse? Is that what they call it? Those doctors need more training.”

Giselle settled back into the pillows, willing patience into her
limbs. That’s what they thought of her incessant screaming?

“
I know the truth, Giselle, and I told the doctor of it, too.”

“What did you tell him?”

“Don’t take that tone with me, young lady. I would never let
one hint of scandal near your name, and you know it.”

“Forgive me, Louisa…it’s
just…I’m so out-of-sorts. I don’t
even miss Etienne. Does that make me a bad person? I mean…
worse than I already am?”

“You’re a woman expecting
the Berchald heir, Giselle. That baby will be adored and
cherished. And you just saw your husband die a gruesome death.
That is what you are, Giselle. That’s all you are.”

“
Oh…if only that were true.”

“It is in my heart
. It will be in yours, I assure you. Just you
wait until they place that babe in your arms, Giselle. You’ll
see.”

“Merci,
Louisa,” Giselle whispered.

“There, you go again with those tears
. It’s all well and good
for a new widow to take on so, but you only have me for an audience, you know.”

“It’s not an act.” Giselle sighed. “
I wish it was.”

“
I know that, love.
I’m
just trying to lighten my sentence.”

“What?”

“The doctor said you’re to stay in bed and not move unless I
assist you. So. Here I am. Sentenced to listen to all your complaints. Such
is my life.”

“If only
Monsieur
Navarre would answer my messages. Are you still sending them?”

“With dreadful consistency. He doesn’t come because his hands are full dealing with all the relatives that
continue to arrive. Relations?
They act like vultures, pecking at each other with their tongues. Your
husband’s demise has given them a bit of gossip fodder, too. That,
and Esmee’s betrothal. You should see them around her. It’s quite
amusing.”

Giselle smiled and tried to imagine it.

“They’re also caught up in trying to ferret out this mysterious
love interest of
Monsieur
Navarre. Now that, you should see. He’s as
tight-lipped as anyone could wish, though.”

“I
wish he’d come, then. Oh! Why won’t he?”

“He has to give it time, Giselle
. He can’t simply waltz into his
late brother’s widow’s rooms, and woo her, now can he?”

“You do think he will, though?”

“Oh, please, Giselle, grant me some wits here. Haven’t I been
right all along?”

“
I must see him.”

“
No. You must rest. That’s what you must do.”

“
I have to know what they decide, though. Navarre can’t
refuse this request. If he does,
I’ll
storm into their little—”

“You’ll
do no such thing.
Merde!
You’re so stubborn. I tell
you what
I’ll
do. I’ll have Isabelle stand at the door. She will have to
swallow her shyness and accost
Monsieur
Navarre for you. Will that
suffice?”

Giselle nodded, thinking she had finally got around Navarre’s
refusal to see her. He had to speak with her now. He
just had to.

~~~

She should have known there was nothing she could do to
force it, however. She was beginning to think he’d really meant good-bye when he’d said it. No matter what accosting Isabelle did,
Navarre wasn’t going to come and see the newest dowager
duchesse.

Louisa lifted the bolt that evening to admit Esmee.

“I’ve been so worried, Giselle,” Esmee said. “We all have.
The doctors won’t tell us anything useful.”

“I’m doing splendidly, as you can see.”
Giselle tried to greet
her with a smile, but her disappointment was so vivid, the emotion
had to be showing on her face.

“Thank heavens
! I’m not the only one who thanks you from
the bottom of my heart for the child. You don’t have any idea—”

“What was said at the meeting?” Giselle didn’t want to hear,
yet again, how much the child meant to everyone — except from its
father.

She was asking for the stars
. But it couldn’t be true. He hated the baby?

“Of course, it was Jean-Claude all along
.
He used Gerty’s help, the simple-minded fool. I don’t think
I’ve ever seen Navarre as severe with anyone before.”

“What happened?”

“Gerty wailed how it was all her fault. The hair stood up on the back
of my neck when I heard it. Stupid woman. Of course it was her
fault. We knew who brought the bottle. Then Jean-Claude spoke up
in front of all of us.”

“
Jean-Claude was there?”

“
Oui.”

“
Who else?”

“Only Navarre, Jean-Claude, and myself
. Aunt Mimi was too
frightened to come, and Mother’s gone. I don’t know where she
went. I think Navarre knows, but he’s not saying.”

She finished on a plaintive note, and Giselle understood how Louisa felt about her complaining
. Giselle wanted to shake Esmee.

“
Jean-Claude told Gerty to silence her tongue. He didn’t even raise his
voice to make her weep harder. That’s when Navarre told him if he didn’t
keep quiet, he’d have Jean-Claude chained into the same tower he tried to toss Etienne from. I almost screamed.”

“Navarre said that?”

“Oui,
and more. Jean-Claude didn’t say another word, either,
but I watched Gerty look to him.”

“What happened then?”

Giselle knew Louisa was listening from the door. She didn’t
blame her.

“Navarre asked who
had given her the wine, although we already knew. She said
Monsieur
Jean-Claude gave her the wine. He said it was to celebrate.
He promised you would come to no harm. She begged not to be
blamed for the death. We couldn’t even make out the last of her
words, for she threw herself at Navarre’s feet and started crying hysterically. It was as dramatic as any theater.”

“What did Navarre do?”

“He looked at Jean-Claude and asked him what he put in the
wine. I held my breath. It was useless to get any more information
from Getty. She wouldn’t be able to talk for a while. She looked like
an infant in the midst of a tantrum.
I’m
surprised you didn’t hear her
wailing.”

“What did Jean-Claude say?”

“He laughed, and I almost swooned to hear it. ‘Arsenic,’ he
said. ‘Besides, you’ve got no right to question me, because I’m the
duc
now, aren’t I?’ I can’t tell you how horrified I was to realize he
was right. If he becomes
duc,
we’ll all perish.”

“Navarre did nothing
? I can’t believe what I am hearing.”

“Of course he did something. He
told Jean-Claude of
your child. It is such wonderful news, and at such a welcome time.
Even if it’s a girl, Jean-Claude has to wait to know for certain. So,
we have a few months before we have to worry.”

“
I think I’m rather tired, Esmee. Thank you for coming.”

“You don’t want to hear what happened to Gerty?”

Louisa stopped escorting Esmee to the door.
She was as intrigued at Gerty’s punishment as Giselle was.

“Is she being charged?” Giselle asked.

“Charged? Imagine the horror. I’ve lived through scandal
once already. Why, I still remember—”

“Discharged, then
? She’s being released without references?”

“Not…exactly.”

“So, she’s
not being punished at all? Why am I not surprised? I don’t want to hear the rest. You may
leave me.”

“Oh
non,
she’s being punished, Giselle. I suspect before she’s
done she’ll wish she’d been charged, instead.”

“What would be justice
…in Navarre’s eyes…for trying to poison
me and causing the
duc’s
death? Well?”

“She’s being sent to Mother’s household.”

“To Marguerite? I suppose Jean-Claude smiled at that. Go now, Esmee. You make my head ache with your talk.”

“I’m sorry,
Madame,”
Louisa said. “She needs her rest.
Doctor’s orders.”

“Navarre promised Mother will see Jean-Claude is punished
severely,” Esmee added at the door. “And I believe him.”

“Forgive me if I laugh.” Giselle turned away and waited for her to leave.
.

“This won’t affect my engagement, will it?” Esmee asked.

Giselle was going to have to remonstrate Louisa for not escorting
Madame
Esmee out quicker.

“The engagement has already been announced, Esmee
. There may be cause for shortening the mourning period. Navarre should be
the one you ask. Good night.”

“But, can’t you do something
? You have his ear. You’re
the—.”

Louisa shut the door as Esmee kept talking.

~

Giselle got up late that evening. She couldn’t stay another
moment in her bed. She told Louisa of her decision as she checked
the door.

“
There are too many memories in this dark, somber room,” she
said.

It wasn’t simply the image of Etienne’s death, there were many
other memories. Love-imbued nights. Navarre asleep beside her…his limbs entwined with hers. She refused
to stay a moment longer. She’d move to the ducal chamber. Surely that would
be acceptable if a grief-stricken widow used her late
husband’s rooms. She didn’t ask Louisa, but she knew the woman
approved, too.

Even in Etienne’s room,
though, surrounded by silver and black
bedding, Navarre still haunted her. She couldn’t sleep, and it got
very hot every time she tried. All she managed to do was toss and
turn.

“Merde
!
Help! Help me!
Mon Dieu!
Help!”

The moment Giselle heard Louisa’s screams, she knew
what was happening.
Jean-Claude wouldn’t allow his inheritance to slip so easily through his fingers. Giselle ran to the connecting door and surprised Jean-Claude. Her
heart nearly stopped beating when she saw he was clad in
the same type of black leather outfit Navarre used to wear. He had
climbed through the open window, and he was struggling with Louisa
on her make-shift cot, thinking it was Giselle.