Would you like to meet some? Should I invite you to one of my
petits salons
?”
“I think that I would like that.” Daniel had said that her father had been in shipping. Presumably some of the Englishmen in Paris now had moved in the same circles. One of them might know more about Jonathan Albret’s family than Daniel seemed to.
There would never be the dramatic reunion she had dreamed of, but finding a family, even if the relatives were distant ones, would be something at least. There would be a few roots tying her to someone, somewhere.
Their escorts strolled over. Margot dipped her head to Diane’s ear again. “The Devil Man was frightening when we were girls, but he is very exciting after one grows up. My heart is racing. It is a wonder you do not faint away when he looks at you.”
Monsieur Johnson must have seen Margot’s appreciation. He took her arm and politely but firmly disengaged her, to continue walking.
“A friend from school?” Daniel asked as they headed back to the carriage. “It must be pleasant to see her again after meeting so many strangers.”
“Very pleasant.” She pictured Margot’s jewelry and gown. “M’sieur Johnson is not her husband, is he?”
“No. My sister can explain such things to you.”
She suspected that Daniel, as a man, could explain them better. “I wonder why not. He appeared affectionate. Actually, he looked captivated.”
“There are many reasons for such arrangements. He may already have a wife, who is ill, or insane, or cold. Or far away, an Oriental bride. Or perhaps he does not find your friend suitable for marriage.”
She thought of the feminine attention Daniel had received this day. She guessed that some of those women had been his Margots. Maybe the last one still was. Only he had not been as enthralled with them as Monsieur Johnson had been with Margot. “Do you have a wife who is ill or far away?”
“Your question is impertinent. But, no, I do not.”
“Then you must be one of the men who has not found a woman suitable for marriage.”
They reached the carriage. “I am a man who considers himself unsuitable. In declining to marry, I am saving some woman a great deal of misery.”
chapter
6
T he wardrobe arrived. So did the invitations.
The garments made all the difference. Jeanette’s friends began treating her as more than a child and became less guarded in their conversation. One day Daniel accompanied her to the Tuileries again and this time the men flattered her and the women eyed her more closely. Someone who wore fine millinery was no longer insignificant.
Only Daniel did not seem to notice. She might have still been in sacks and braids for all the attention he paid her. He was always polite, but one would have thought the intimacy in the carriage had never occurred.
Despite her newly purchased status, she did not really feel comfortable at the salons and dinners that she attended with Jeanette. And so, when Margot’s letter arrived, inviting Diane to visit, she was grateful for the opportunity to spend some time with an old friend.
Dressed in her yellow muslin, she went down to Jeanette’s sitting room to tell her hostess of her plans for the afternoon. She found Daniel there with his sister. An unpleasant mood permeated the room, as if she had walked in on an argument.
“You look lovely, Diane,” Jeanette said, giving her an appreciative appraisal. “Doesn’t she look lovely, Daniel?”
He stood by the window, half-blocking its light, looking out. He glanced over his shoulder. “Yes, very lovely.”
“I think that I will stay in today, Diane,” Jeanette said. “The last week has exhausted me. You won’t mind, will you?”
“Not at all. As it happens, I received an invitation from a friend and would like to call on her. She lives nearby and I think that I will walk.”
That pulled Daniel out of his distraction. “You intend to visit Margot? I do not think that is appropriate.” His tone implied that the
petits salons
?”
“I think that I would like that.” Daniel had said that her father had been in shipping. Presumably some of the Englishmen in Paris now had moved in the same circles. One of them might know more about Jonathan Albret’s family than Daniel seemed to.
There would never be the dramatic reunion she had dreamed of, but finding a family, even if the relatives were distant ones, would be something at least. There would be a few roots tying her to someone, somewhere.
Their escorts strolled over. Margot dipped her head to Diane’s ear again. “The Devil Man was frightening when we were girls, but he is very exciting after one grows up. My heart is racing. It is a wonder you do not faint away when he looks at you.”
Monsieur Johnson must have seen Margot’s appreciation. He took her arm and politely but firmly disengaged her, to continue walking.
“A friend from school?” Daniel asked as they headed back to the carriage. “It must be pleasant to see her again after meeting so many strangers.”
“Very pleasant.” She pictured Margot’s jewelry and gown. “M’sieur Johnson is not her husband, is he?”
“No. My sister can explain such things to you.”
She suspected that Daniel, as a man, could explain them better. “I wonder why not. He appeared affectionate. Actually, he looked captivated.”
“There are many reasons for such arrangements. He may already have a wife, who is ill, or insane, or cold. Or far away, an Oriental bride. Or perhaps he does not find your friend suitable for marriage.”
She thought of the feminine attention Daniel had received this day. She guessed that some of those women had been his Margots. Maybe the last one still was. Only he had not been as enthralled with them as Monsieur Johnson had been with Margot. “Do you have a wife who is ill or far away?”
“Your question is impertinent. But, no, I do not.”
“Then you must be one of the men who has not found a woman suitable for marriage.”
They reached the carriage. “I am a man who considers himself unsuitable. In declining to marry, I am saving some woman a great deal of misery.”
chapter
6
T he wardrobe arrived. So did the invitations.
The garments made all the difference. Jeanette’s friends began treating her as more than a child and became less guarded in their conversation. One day Daniel accompanied her to the Tuileries again and this time the men flattered her and the women eyed her more closely. Someone who wore fine millinery was no longer insignificant.
Only Daniel did not seem to notice. She might have still been in sacks and braids for all the attention he paid her. He was always polite, but one would have thought the intimacy in the carriage had never occurred.
Despite her newly purchased status, she did not really feel comfortable at the salons and dinners that she attended with Jeanette. And so, when Margot’s letter arrived, inviting Diane to visit, she was grateful for the opportunity to spend some time with an old friend.
Dressed in her yellow muslin, she went down to Jeanette’s sitting room to tell her hostess of her plans for the afternoon. She found Daniel there with his sister. An unpleasant mood permeated the room, as if she had walked in on an argument.
“You look lovely, Diane,” Jeanette said, giving her an appreciative appraisal. “Doesn’t she look lovely, Daniel?”
He stood by the window, half-blocking its light, looking out. He glanced over his shoulder. “Yes, very lovely.”
“I think that I will stay in today, Diane,” Jeanette said. “The last week has exhausted me. You won’t mind, will you?”
“Not at all. As it happens, I received an invitation from a friend and would like to call on her. She lives nearby and I think that I will walk.”
That pulled Daniel out of his distraction. “You intend to visit Margot? I do not think that is appropriate.” His tone implied that the
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