Chapter 16
Auguste felt like a fool and was feeling sorry for himself. He knew that he shouldn’t have felt this way, but, hell, there it was. How could he have left the two of them together like that, giggling and laughing together as if they were old schoolmates. He was in love with Nicole, wasn’t that it? And Nicole loved him. Well, he wasn’t really sure, but he thought that she did. Hadn’t she mentioned that somewhere?
He was sitting in the ruined church at Amboise on one of windows. Francis had told him all about this place; he knew it as if it were the back of his hand. One day, Francis had taken him around and shown him all the different rooms and explained what each one had been.
He wandered outside and came to the hill with the steps carved into the side. He climbed them one by one until he reached the top. There he could see all the lights in the province of Hautefort and beyond to St. Etienne’s where he could see the church spire.
The view was magnificent.
He couldn’t believe that she walked off leaving him by himself. He had stared after her, wondering if he should follow her. In the end, he decided not to, she would have nothing at all to do with him anyway. She was angry and he decided to wait until she cooled down.
Now he felt as if he made the wrong decision.
He had watched Francis and Marie, wondering how in the world the two of them could get along so famously together and just like that. Marie, so the castle servants whispered to everyone within hearing distance, was known to have a bad disposition and a stubborn streak.
So had Nicole de Lancret.
But she knew what she wanted and she knew how to capture it. Auguste was caught in her web, wrapped up in a cocoon, waiting for her to strike.
He didn’t mind one bit.
In fact, why was he sitting here at all feeling sorry for himself. No, he thought shaking his head, this won’t do. Come, let’s head back to the castle tonight and I will visit the manor in the morning. My head should be clearer than and I will be able to apologize and speak my peace.
He smiled and, with one last look around, turned and walked down the man-made steps to his waiting horse and jumped on.
When Auguste arrived there, one of the servants approached him.
“A courier arrived, Captain, bearing this letter. It says that it is urgent.�
“What could be so urgent, I wonder?� Auguste asked, breaking the seal.
“Not very sure, Captain, you will have read the letter to find out.�
And Auguste did just that.