Brilliance (14 page)

She began glancing about. ‘What do we have in stock and where shall I find everything?’

‘The departing servants looted most of the foodstuffs from the store cupboards when they left.’

‘They must have been an extremely dishonest bunch! Did you know what was going on?’

‘Not for a while until I noticed that a couple of small antiques were missing from the judge’s dressing room and a Sèvres clock was not in its usual place. When I made inquiries none of these items could be found. I also began to suspect that somebody had made a duplicate of my key to the cellar.’

‘What did you do?’

‘I alerted the old man and he surprised them all by suddenly appearing in the kitchen quarters to check his fine old wines in the cellar. When he found what was missing he exploded with wrath, shouting and hitting out with his cane, and that’s when he swept out all the staff, guilty and innocent alike. I was afraid he would have a seizure afterwards, but I gave him the powder on his tongue that the doctor left for any emergency. Then I managed to persuade him to rest. Thankfully he suffered no serious ill effects.’

‘That must have been a relief to you.’

‘It was indeed. But I have noticed that he is sitting about more during the day than normal and he is going to bed earlier. I believe he hasn’t fully recovered from the upset of it all.’

‘I’m not surprised.’ Lisette shook her head sympathetically. ‘Now, let me see what you have bought today.’

There was fresh fruit, a salad selection, mushrooms, some tired looking vegetables and a rather scrawny chicken, which she would not have chosen, but she had to make the best of what was there.

‘Get a bottle of champagne from the cellar,’ she said, beginning to cut up the chicken. ‘I’m going to make a dish with this bird that my father liked so much
Poulet au champagne et aux champignons
.’

While the chicken cooked she prepared the vegetables and made a tasty soup, dressed up the salad and soon had ready a dessert of fresh fruits. While Gerard had been in sole charge he had served the judge’s meals on a tray, but Lisette insisted that a place be laid in the dining room. At the right moment Gerard announced to the judge that dinner was served and then proceeded to wait on him.

The judge enjoyed the meal and ate heartily before sending his compliments to Lisette. After she and Gerard had eaten they shared the clearing and the washing-up. Then, when Gerard was about to help the judge upstairs to bed, Lisette went out into the hall to bid the old man goodnight, a custom she was to adopt on a regular basis.

‘You did well, madame,’ the judge replied courteously. ‘Make sure you hire a chef that can match you.’

Later, when she had finished unpacking, Gerard took her on a tour of the house in order for her to become familiar with it before she hired staff the next day. Everything was of the best quality, with elegant antique furniture, fine tapestries, gilded clocks, an abundance of beautiful silver and much delicate Sèvres porcelain. That night she enjoyed the luxury of having a room to herself again and slept well.

Next morning after breakfast and wearing her green silk coat, which would no longer button up comfortably, and her fashionable hat, which had suffered a little from its packing, Lisette set out to visit the domestic agencies that Gerard had listed for her. At each one she arranged for suitable candidates to be interviewed that afternoon and also the following morning. By the time she returned Gerard had shopped for everything from the list she had given him and placed her orders for other foodstuffs that would be delivered.

Removing her hat and coat in her own rooms she thought how fortunate it was that she had come to this mansion. Now at last she could begin to save for her baby and face the future with well-founded optimism. Her thoughts went to Daniel.

‘I’m going to be all right, Daniel,’ she said softly. ‘All is well.’

During the afternoon and the following morning Lisette appointed a full staff and so it was a footman who opened the door to the Judge Oinville’s only son, Alain, a prosperous architect.

‘You’re new,’ he commented to the footman, handing over his hat and gloves.

Lisette, coming from the judge’s presence, had been told by Gerard that Alain Oinville often called in at this time and she went across the hall to him. ‘Yes, monsieur. We are all new on the staff now.’ Then she introduced herself.

He was tall and stern looking, dark-eyed and with a straight stance, but he had a smile of considerable charm and Lisette received the full benefit of it. She gained the impression that he was quite a womanizer as she had come to believe the judge had been until his health had begun to fail.

‘So you’re the new housekeeper,’ Alain said dryly, his gaze sweeping over her. ‘Prepare for a visit from my wife tomorrow when she hears of the changes here. Is my father in the salon?’

‘Yes. Did you wish to dine with him?’ she asked, thinking that a second place could be laid.

‘Not this evening, madame.’ He went striding off to the salon and before he closed the door completely she heard him say, ‘You’ve gained the best-looking housekeeper I’ve ever seen.’

He stayed about half an hour, but she did not see him go.

Lisette was with the judge next morning when his daughter-in-law arrived. He had told her to sit down with him in the library and tell him something about herself. She had spoken about living in Lyon and was telling him about Joanna and their schooldays with no mention of the grandeur of her background when Stephanie Oinville swept into the room. Exquisitely clothed, slender and beautiful in her mid-thirties, she descended on the judge to kiss him effusively on both cheeks.

‘How are you,
Beau-père
? I think you look well. I’ve come to see that everything is all right here.’

He did not look at all pleased to see her. ‘Of course it is,’ he answered irritably. ‘Why shouldn’t it be?’ He indicated Lisette, who had risen from her chair at Stephanie’s entry and drawn back. ‘This is my new housekeeper, Madame Decourt. She was just telling me about how she owes her cooking skills to her schooldays.’

Stephanie flashed her a piercing, assessing glance from under the brim of her large hat. ‘Indeed? Yes, we all know that girls at charity schools are trained for domestic service.’ She moved gracefully into the chair that Lisette had vacated, dismissing her with a sweep of her hand. ‘I do not require any refreshment.’

Lisette would have left the room, but the judge, with a glower at his daughter-in-law, called after her. ‘Wait a minute, Lisette. I’d like a glass of wine.’

Lisette smiled to herself. The judge had seen how his daughter-in-law had snubbed her and had not liked it. Until this moment he had not called her by her Christian name and probably would not again unless Stephanie was present. Leaving the room, she sent a footman into the library with the wine and went to the desk in her study where she did some bookkeeping. She was not surprised when Stephanie sent for her before leaving.

Stephanie was waiting in the crimson salon and she turned from the window as Lisette entered.

‘I just want to have a few words with you for your own good, Madame Decourt,’ the woman said, taking a few steps forward. ‘You’re young and attractive and – as you have probably discovered already – your employer is susceptible to a pretty face and figure, although in your case – as I can see – the latter attribute does not apply at the present time. He is a generous man, often foolishly so, and I just want you to understand that under no circumstances are you to play up to him with flattery and other nonsense for gain. It will not be tolerated.’

Lisette was consumed by anger and her voice shook with it. ‘You insult me, madame! I’m here to work and to run this house in a smooth and orderly fashion. Nothing more! But I shall never refuse to sit and talk to Judge Oinville whenever he asks me, because I know that often elderly people are lonely, even when they live with every comfort and have a family that cares about them. Put your fears away, madame. I am not an adventuress!’

Stephanie narrowed her chill, inflexible eyes. In that second Lisette saw that this woman would seize the first opportunity to get her removed.

‘You’re very outspoken, Madame Decourt.’ Stephanie’s voice was creamy. ‘But at least now we understand each other. Good day to you.’

After the woman’s departure Lisette remained in the salon for a few minutes to let her anger subside. She felt drained and exhausted by the unpleasant exchange, but realized that Stephanie probably thrived on emotional upheavals.

As she turned for the open door Gerard appeared and rested his hand on the knob. ‘So you’ve met the dragon.’

‘She seemed to think I would try to get money out of the judge!’ Lisette’s voice rang with renewed outrage.

‘I told you that the only reason she comes here is to make trouble. She can’t forgive him for not letting her have his late wife’s diamonds, which he gave to a niece, and there’s a sable cloak upstairs that was never worn, because Madame Oinville was taken ill before she could wear it. So Madame Stephanie has her heart set on that too and has been seen trying it on, but the old man won’t let her have it. She’s afraid that because you’re young and pretty he’ll be too generous with you.’

‘But her husband is a successful architect and can surely give her anything she wants.’

‘But she wants so much! There’s no satisfying her. So he’s landed with an extravagant wife and also a loving but demanding mistress with two children that are his, which means he has their education to pay for and all else too.’

She was astonished. ‘But the judge told me that he has no grandchildren!’

‘He does not know that they exist! It’s a great disappointment to him that Madame Stephanie has never wanted children, and it’s another bone of contention between them.’

‘Yet he has two grandchildren fathered by his son that he doesn’t know about! Since you have been his faithful servant for such a long time couldn’t you let him know about them in a tactful way?’

‘Oh, no!’ Gerard shook his head fiercely. ‘Surely you can imagine the trouble that would ensue! The old man wouldn’t object to his son having a mistress, because he has had some of his own in the past, but he would be wild with rage that he had been kept in the dark about the children for over seven years. It could estrange him from his son and also Madame Stephanie would find out about her husband’s infidelity, because the judge would want to see the children and have them come here.’ He gave his head a shake again. ‘So I couldn’t take on that responsibility. It could destroy the family and, as I’ve told you before, the judge’s heart is only ticking over.’

Lisette gave a long sigh. ‘What a sad state of affairs.’

‘I agree, but there’s nothing you or I can do about it.’

She nodded, full of pity for the old judge.

T
he days settled down into weeks. An ancient cot was brought down from the attic at the judge’s suggestion and it was placed in her bedroom in readiness. Lisette had also added gradually to her baby’s layette, all the small garments neatly folded into a drawer. She was not feeling well at times in her pregnancy, often tired almost to exhaustion, and although the doctor was reassuring, saying only that she needed rest, which was impossible anyway, she hoped desperately that all was well with her child.

Apart from that worry, she would have been almost happy if she had not feared Stephanie’s hostility, knowing that her dismissal was high on the woman’s list of priorities if ever the opportunity presented itself. During Stephanie’s visits fault was found with everything, even to the menus of the dishes that Lisette discussed with the chef and supervised whenever the judge held dinner parties for old friends, which she had encouraged him to resume after a lapse before she became housekeeper.

As yet Stephanie was not aware that Lisette would keep her baby after the birth, but assumed that the child would be fostered. Judge Oinville did not enlighten her. He did not consider it to be anything to do with her, thinking she caused enough disruption in his household with her unwanted visits without giving her further cause for argument. He supposed she had heard by now that he sometimes took Lisette to a concert or a play, but had chosen not to mention it, knowing he would not listen to her anyway. Lisette’s company was a pleasure to him, for he found no enjoyment in going out alone and without her sharing an evening with him he would not have stirred from his chair. Her beauty pleased his eye and he liked her intelligent conversation and comments, for she kept up with world affairs and they were able to have lively discussions.

One morning Lisette was in town on a shopping trip for herself when she noticed with a casual glance that a large poster had come away from a hoarding, probably through the recent heavy rains, and several old scraps of posters were revealed underneath. Then she halted abruptly, catching her breath. One was for Daniel’s magic lantern show, but the dates showed that it was not this year that it had been pasted there.

When she walked on she wondered how he was progressing with his moving picture camera and hoped that all was going well. Whenever there was a mention in the newspaper of some hopeful inventor’s latest step in this great competition to be first with animated pictures she cut it out and saved it, hoping that she was also keeping pace with Daniel’s advance. The process had been mastered to a degree, but was still far from being the final perfect product. Only the other day she had read somebody was using a fixed plate camera to take pictures of figures in motion and last month a man named Hughes had patented an improved choreutoscope, which was being regarded with interest in the field, although what it did she had no idea. She knew by general conversation that few people believed that an invention to make pictures move naturally was possible. Most declared themselves to be perfectly satisfied with photographs in a frame or a book or through a hand-held gadget into which views of everything from sporting activities to foreign places were slotted and was then held up to the eyes against the light.

The new year of 1884 brought snow and wind well into March and the bitter weather did not ease until the days of the month ran out. Lisette was eight months pregnant and feeling far from well. Whenever she had a little time to spare she would rest by the fire in her apartment and put her feet with their swelling ankles up on a tapestry footstool. Therefore when Judge Oinville invited her to a gala evening at the theatre she felt reluctant to go, even though she did not want to disappoint him.