Read Online Pride of the King, The by Amanda Hughes - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Amanda Hughes
Tags: United States, Historical fiction, Romance, Historical, Literature & Fiction, Contemporary, Genre Fiction, French
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screamed as Lauren pinned the matron to the bed. "I've known for years! How dare you come in here!"
Struggling to free herself, Madame tried to push Lauren off as Rene whisked Eugenie out of the room and down the hall to attend to her burns and scratches.
"You stay away from him! Do you hear me! You whore!" she continued to scream, "Oh my God! Let me go!"
Madame Aberjon fell back and began to sob as Lauren loosened her grip. She knew from experience the time of danger had passed, and the outburst was over. Panting, Lauren straightened her own clothing and left the room.
She found Rene in one of the guest rooms nursing Eugenie's burns. The girl was lying on the bed with her knees drawn up in pain. She said not a word but rolled from side to side moaning. Rene dabbed cool water on her face and chest but nothing seemed to help her distress.
"I will care for her now. Thank you. You better go," ordered Lauren.
The boy’s face was white, and he asked, "Has she calmed down?"
"Yes."
"Lauren, I had no idea what she was like," he apologized, his eyes like saucers. "My family had no idea. All of these years Monsieur Aberjon has referred to his wife as an invalid, we thought she was merely frail and sickly. We did not know that she was a madwoman!"
Lauren bit her lip and shook her head, "I understand. Nevertheless, you must go.”
Chapter 10
By the grace of God, there were no permanent scars to Eugenie's face and neck. With Lauren's care and Marianne's knowledge of medicine, the girl healed completely. Marianne, a black slave, gained her knowledge from her mother's stillroom when she was a child in New Orleans. The old woman mixed various plasters and packs to apply to the skin and slowly the blisters and scratches healed and disappeared. Marianne was a kind and generous woman who treated the girls like granddaughters.
Eugenie was able to help around the house on a limited basis, but Lauren had to watch her. The burns could turn dangerous if left unclean, so she inspected and changed Eugenie’s dressings on a regular basis.
At first, the girls talked little, but as time went by, they opened up to one another and began to share their thoughts and feelings. They were a world apart in backgrounds, but they found common ground because of their age and their loneliness.
It was heaven for Lauren to giggle and exchange secrets with another girl. There had been no one since Simone, and once more she felt whole. For Eugenie the experience was different. It took her days before she could relax and contribute anything at all, but slowly she let her guard down. Ridicule about her deformity and years of slavery had taken its toll on her trust, but gradually the barriers eroded, and the girl opened up. The two would stand by the fire and chop vegetables or knead bread talking and giggling until Madame's bell would ring, and Lauren would have to leave.
Lauren continued to care for Eugenie‘s burns, and one evening when she peeked under the bandage she said, "We will see what Marianne has to say, but I think that you are almost healed.”
She ladled some water into a basin and gathered Marianne's medicines together, so she could dress the wound one last time. Eugenie's dark eyes followed Lauren as she moved around the kitchen talking and laughing. The girl marveled at the energy of her new French friend. It was not Eugenie's nature to be impulsive like Lauren, yet she gave as much of herself as she could.
"You would have loved the New Year dance at the Bernard home," said Lauren throwing a soiled bandage into the fire, "Oh, I wish I could go back to that night."
Lauren began to reel around the kitchen holding an imaginary partner. "It was the first time I ever danced, Eugenie. It was wonderful! Rene took me out under the stars and--"
" And you were caught by Monsieur Lupone," scolded Eugenie.
"You certainly know how to ruin a good story," said Lauren scowling. She dabbed a cloth in the basin of water and began to clean the
Struggling to free herself, Madame tried to push Lauren off as Rene whisked Eugenie out of the room and down the hall to attend to her burns and scratches.
"You stay away from him! Do you hear me! You whore!" she continued to scream, "Oh my God! Let me go!"
Madame Aberjon fell back and began to sob as Lauren loosened her grip. She knew from experience the time of danger had passed, and the outburst was over. Panting, Lauren straightened her own clothing and left the room.
She found Rene in one of the guest rooms nursing Eugenie's burns. The girl was lying on the bed with her knees drawn up in pain. She said not a word but rolled from side to side moaning. Rene dabbed cool water on her face and chest but nothing seemed to help her distress.
"I will care for her now. Thank you. You better go," ordered Lauren.
The boy’s face was white, and he asked, "Has she calmed down?"
"Yes."
"Lauren, I had no idea what she was like," he apologized, his eyes like saucers. "My family had no idea. All of these years Monsieur Aberjon has referred to his wife as an invalid, we thought she was merely frail and sickly. We did not know that she was a madwoman!"
Lauren bit her lip and shook her head, "I understand. Nevertheless, you must go.”
Chapter 10
By the grace of God, there were no permanent scars to Eugenie's face and neck. With Lauren's care and Marianne's knowledge of medicine, the girl healed completely. Marianne, a black slave, gained her knowledge from her mother's stillroom when she was a child in New Orleans. The old woman mixed various plasters and packs to apply to the skin and slowly the blisters and scratches healed and disappeared. Marianne was a kind and generous woman who treated the girls like granddaughters.
Eugenie was able to help around the house on a limited basis, but Lauren had to watch her. The burns could turn dangerous if left unclean, so she inspected and changed Eugenie’s dressings on a regular basis.
At first, the girls talked little, but as time went by, they opened up to one another and began to share their thoughts and feelings. They were a world apart in backgrounds, but they found common ground because of their age and their loneliness.
It was heaven for Lauren to giggle and exchange secrets with another girl. There had been no one since Simone, and once more she felt whole. For Eugenie the experience was different. It took her days before she could relax and contribute anything at all, but slowly she let her guard down. Ridicule about her deformity and years of slavery had taken its toll on her trust, but gradually the barriers eroded, and the girl opened up. The two would stand by the fire and chop vegetables or knead bread talking and giggling until Madame's bell would ring, and Lauren would have to leave.
Lauren continued to care for Eugenie‘s burns, and one evening when she peeked under the bandage she said, "We will see what Marianne has to say, but I think that you are almost healed.”
She ladled some water into a basin and gathered Marianne's medicines together, so she could dress the wound one last time. Eugenie's dark eyes followed Lauren as she moved around the kitchen talking and laughing. The girl marveled at the energy of her new French friend. It was not Eugenie's nature to be impulsive like Lauren, yet she gave as much of herself as she could.
"You would have loved the New Year dance at the Bernard home," said Lauren throwing a soiled bandage into the fire, "Oh, I wish I could go back to that night."
Lauren began to reel around the kitchen holding an imaginary partner. "It was the first time I ever danced, Eugenie. It was wonderful! Rene took me out under the stars and--"
" And you were caught by Monsieur Lupone," scolded Eugenie.
"You certainly know how to ruin a good story," said Lauren scowling. She dabbed a cloth in the basin of water and began to clean the
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