Brandywine: Regency historical romance (The Brocade Series, Book 1) (29 page)

“Colonel Fontenelle was quite profuse with his praise of the
esteemed woman as he escorted us to our rooms. What? You didn’t hear him?”

“I…”  She shook her head. It was easier.

“That’s entertaining. He was quite eloquent. I had no trouble hearing him. But you were having trouble?
Why would that be, I
wonder?”

“Don’t do this,” she whispered.

“I don’t suppose it had anything to do with the fact that we
were on our way to your chamber? And your bed? No?”

“Please?”

“Come on, love, admit you. You like me. Where’s the harm in saying that?”

“No.” She spoke to her feet.

“You’d have me assume it’s just your body that likes me?
Very well. I stand corrected.”

He moved away before she could react, laughter punctuating the move. She knew why. Everything on her body did more than like him. She worshipped him. He was whistling as he grabbing his clothing and walking toward his door.

“You will spare me the silk shirt, won’t you, love?” he said. “I’ll need it to
attend the crush at the Countess Tilbury’s soiree this evening. You did allow the invitation, darling. Have you forgotten that, as well
? Really, Helene. One would
think you’ve a one-track mind.”

He closed the door before her slipper struck it, but it
wouldn’t have hit his head, anyway. Actually, it would’ve hit a much more appropriate
part of his anatomy, and that was a very amusing
thought.

CHAPTER FOUR

“Are you certain you don’t have something a bit less impressive,
Evette?”

The maid giggled and shook her head. ‘This is my Sunday
best,
Madame.”

“I can’t wear it, then. Show me something else.”

“My other uniform is dirty,
Madame.
I haven’t had time to launder it.”

“That would be perfect.”

“No,
Madame.
Please. I won’t allow you to be seen in it.”

Helene made a face and tried to keep the gathers of her
white blouse on her shoulders. “How about trousers, then? You
mentioned you could get some.”

“Renee isn’t your size,
Madame.
In fact, his clothing would overpower you worse than my own does.”

“I can’t go to the
Rue de Concorde
like this, Evette. You
don’t know what it’s like there!”

“I hear things, even working for the new regime,
Madame.
You may be accosted, but Renee stands ready to escort us. I’m certain, if
you command it, he’ll have to come, and then everyone in that neighborhood will think he
has bought your favors, and no one will bother us.”

“Won’t he stand out?”

“There are soldiers everywhere,
Madame.
I’d be surprised if
the
Rue de Concorde
isn’t crawling with them.”

“Do you have a cloak, too?” Helene turned back and forth in
her chamber mirror. Even with a mob cap atop her hair, she looked voluptuous in Evette’s finery. The peasant blouse and
wide, scarlet skirt were impossible to miss.

“Only my own,
Madame.”

“Trade with me.”

“I couldn’t possibly wear satin!
Merde!
Do you want to get
me sacked? What good will I be to Renee then? He’ll find another
girl to woo.”

“I have a wool traveling cloak I can trade. Perhaps that will work?”

“The brown one? No, no, and no! Please see sense,
Madame,
and forego this expedition. I’ll have your violet day gown
pressed for you, and you can rest before your appointment, as I’ve been instructed to oversee.”

“Evette, you promised to help me. Now go fetch Renee, and I’ll
contrive something.”

“I have a shawl,
Madame,
which might make you more
modest. I don’t think anyone will look at anything else if we don’t
get you covered.”

Helene looked up to where Evette gestured and tried to raise the neckline of the shirt
. It was much too big, because Evette had a large bosom.
On Helene, the blouse was obscene. Of course, if Evette would
unbend enough to lend Helene a chemise, it wouldn’t be so
provocative, but she mustn’t anger her maid. It took all her
persuasion and the last of her pocket change to get the woman to
do her bidding already.

She also suspected Evette would bargain later with Colonel
Fontenelle over the strange expedition Lady Tremayne was bent on
accomplishing. But that wasn’t important. She’d worry over it later.

Helene’s own gossamer under-garments were exposed every time the
blouse slipped. It made her appear as if she dressed this way on
purpose. Gillian would probably act the barbarian and attack if he glimpsed her in such an outfit.

Thinking of him made her glance over her shoulder even
though she knew it was foolish. Gillian wasn’t anywhere near the
Peacock Palace, thanks to his
masculine interests.
And they were also behind the absence of
Colonel Fontenelle.

She couldn’t believe the opportunity that arose when Gil
whispered his request to the colonel, amid the chuckling over
Lord Tremayne’s preference for blondes. They hadn’t even lowered their voices as they’d discussed it. The French must think th
eir women were deaf to discuss such activities in their
presence.

Helene sighed and stuck out her tongue at her attractively
dressed reflection. She wasn’t even telling herself the truth. She knew they’d been speaking of houses of entertainment because she’d been listening at the keyhole, but she didn’t regret it. The
timing was providential.

“Madame? 
Come quick. Renee has agreed, but he says he’ll need funds to secure
a carriage.” Evette stuck her head in through Gillian’s door and
gestured.

“My pockets are empty, Evette. I don’t have anything left.”

“Renee is risking grave punishment,
Madame,
I don’t think
you realize what’ll happen if we’re caught.”

“I shudder to think of it, but I still have nothing.”

“Can you not ask your husband for more?”

“My husband is absent, Evette, but I’ll replace any funds we
use. Will that suffice?”

“I do not think so.”

“But I have nothing, Evette.”

“What about your oh-so-beautiful, new necklace,
Madame?”

“You jest!”  The words were instinctive. Helene knew the woman wasn’t joking.

“Just two stones,
Madame?
You don’t know how difficult
the times are. Two stones could make all the difference.”

Two perfectly matched diamonds in exchange for dubious assistance. The bargain
made Helene sigh, but she nodded, hoping the price wouldn’t go any higher.

“Excellent. Now! Here’s the shawl I promised,” Evette waved her through the chamber door. “Now follow
me, and be very quiet. Renee will meet us at the chapel door. Come,
Madame.
Quickly.
”

Helene tossed the shawl over her head and followed. Even if this ended up costing
the entire necklace, she was going to find out what
happened to Sherry. Evette was astute enough to guess it.
Brandy would’ve accomplished it much better, cheaper, and
without any interest. It was a shame Helene couldn’t slip into
her act anymore.

The
Rue de Concorde
hadn’t been a pleasant place, but it hadn’t looked as frightening as the road their carriage turned into. Helene scanned the
roofs through the grimy window until she saw the drain pipes she
remembered. The houses those pipes led to made
her shudder.

“Do you wish an escort, Madame?”

Renee asked it, smiling at her in a flirtatious
fashion that every Frenchman seemed to be born with.

“No…thank you.”

“At least to the door,
Madame?” 
Evette inserted. “Renee may
be able to find out your information easier. Without personal danger.”

Evette reached for Helene’s arm. The concern in her
eyes seemed genuine, but Helene was under no illusions about the
woman’s attentions. She worried over what might happen should any mishap befall Helene while under
Colonel Fontenelle’s watch.

“Oh. Very well.”

Helene allowed Renee to help her out. The amount of time he held her waist made Evette frown and would
probably get even worse attention from her husband — if Gil ever found out.

“Come along, my daytime darling.”

Renee spoke loudly as
they reached the door to the establishment. And then he simply opened the door and walked in. The hall was dark. Decaying. Containing the smells of a thousand decadent sins
.

“Ah,
Madame!
Are you the one to see
about a room?”

Renee accosted a spindly woman at the steps, and Helene
barely hid the shock at recognizing the same woman Sherry placated
with funds every week.

“How dare you bring your own woman?” she snapped. “You insult my
establishment!”

“Have a heart,
Madame.
I merely wish a tiny bit of time with
my fiancée.”

The woman snorted, and Helene clung to Renee’s side as if
he spoke the truth. And that’s when she got a full measure of her stupidity. She wasn’t safe here.
Only Brandy would be, she was too far away.

“Fiancée? Well. I never stand in the way of
true love,
Monsieur.
Let me see your gold.”

Renee pressed a diamond into her hand. She looked at it in surprise, then turned to hug the wall. “You’ve got yourself a room. Second floor, second door. Be
quick. The tenant’s out.”

Helene was already climbing stairs. He grabbed at her elbow as they passed the specified door.

“I’m going to the attic, Renee,” she whispered.

“No,
Madame.
You heard her. The second floor.”

“I didn’t come here for a love tryst with you! I came for
answers, and they’re at the top! Stay here if you like. I’ll be on the top floor, the
last room at the end of the hall on the left.”

He stayed with her, shadowing her as they reached the right floor. The hall narrowed even more, and then she was there. At the door. Her hand was shaking as she turned the knob.

The woman on the bed wasn’t Sherry. Helene caught a brief glimpse before the woman stirred. And the next moment she was gaining her feet and screeching.

“Calm yourself,
Madame.
Now.
”

Renee’s raised fist s
topped the woman’s diatribe more than his words. Helene stepped around him.

“What happened to Sherry?”

She used the gutter French of her youth and ignored Renee’s reaction beside her.

“Ah, a sister. And look at you! You’ve come up in the world, but you should
find richer clients. Soldiers aren’t paid well. And sometimes, they’re not paid at all.”

She laughed at
her jest.

“What happened to Sherry?”

“You must mean the girl with the wild child.”

“Wild child?”  Helene asked it tonelessly.

“I heard all about it, I did. How this Sherry girl hid the
results of a mad nobleman’s seed, some chit they called Brandy.
Stupid girls, really. Naming themselves after good liquor. The place is
supposed to be haunted, too.”

“Haunted?”

“Folks say Sherry killed the other before guilt sent her to
her maker.”

Dots filled her vision. It was difficult to see around them. Helene was close to fainting, and probably would have if Renee hadn’t
been there to hang onto. She clung to the coarse wool of his uniformed
arm.

“What the devil’s going on here?” a voice asked. “I sent you to
the second floor, my handsome soldier, and what happens? You disobey
me completely. Out! Get out! Do you hear?”

It was impossible not to hear as the skeletal landlady
shouted at them. Renee bent toward her and lowered his voice, demonstrating a considerable amount of charm.

“Forgive me,
Madame.
I was ever troubled with numbers
.”

The woman chuckled. “No harm, but you’ve missed your
chance. The tenant’s back. And I don’t believe Gloria wants to give
up her bed, do you? So come along, you two.”

Helene watched her opportunity slipping away. She refused to go back with Renee until she had her answer. She pulled her
arm free and addressed the landlady.

“What happened to Sherry?”

The woman’s eyes narrowed, pinching her nose.

“Well. Well. You’ve a passing resemblance to the wild child, don’t ye?
Some by-blow of the same gent, perhaps?”

“I’m getting tired of asking.”

The woman held out her hand. Helene waited until Renee
put the second diamond into the harridan’s palm.
She’d have to reimburse him, later, when they got back, but that was
moot. The necklace had nearly thirty more stones, and she’d already be lying to Gil if he asked about it
.

The consump’ got her,” the landlady replied.

“Consumption?”

“Not that she wanted to live after she sent the little one away. I think it ripped her heart out. All she did was sob her eyes out, she did. Wasn’t long afterward that she passed on, leavin’ me with ghosts in my attic and a room to clean out. It wasn’t pleasant. Right, Gloria?”