Chapter 8
Nicole walked around the ruins at Amboise. This was her favorite spot when she wanted to be alone. It was quiet and secluded and no one came after her.
This time she was tired and sick of all this deception. She had given it to Marie before she ran out of the manor crying. She felt a little better now, sitting on the hill, looking across at the rooftops of France. Nicole told Marie that if she didn’t tell them the truth, that she would and that she would do it tonight.
But she had come here instead, maybe she would do it in the morning.
~~~~~
Auguste de Barbarac reached his destination and jumped off his horse. He couldn’t go to the manor now. It was late and the girls were alone. Nicole’s parent’s had disappeared for the week, going off to visit relatives in the town of St. Etienne’s, not too far from Hautefort.
He wanted to keep his reputation intact. Besides, his men needed someone to look up to. Auguste was going to the pillar of virtue, the fighter of truth and justice.
Well, sort of. He had to live up to that name himself.
He looked around. So this was the famous ruins of Amboise. He couldn’t stop talking about it how beautiful it was as a boy. Now it was just burnt rubble. He was trying to imagine what it looked like when he heard someone in back of him. He turned and to his surprise and delight, Nicole was standing there.
Or was it Marie?
“Marie,� he said careful not to let on, “what are you doing here?�
“I was just about to ask that same question of you, milord,� she said.
Auguste smiled. “I had heard so much about this place, I just wanted to see it for myself.�
“At ten in the evening?�
Auguste laughed. “And why is a young betrothed woman doing out here, alone I might add?�
Nicole shook her head. “I had to get away, Auguste. I couldn’t stand it another moment longer.�
“May I ask why?�
Well, why not? Nicole thought, I should tell him, shouldn’t I?
But the words wouldn’t come.
Meanwhile, Francis decided to look for Auguste. He stopped the manor and went to the front door of the manor. He knocked on the door, but no one answered. He knocked again, and when no one answered, let himself in.
“Marie, Nicole?� he called to the empty rooms. “Where are you? It’s only me Prince Francis.�
With no one answering, he walked to the back of house and out the back door.
That’s when he saw her, sitting in the garden in the moonlight. He had been wrong about Nicole. This was the woman who was meant for him. His parents were right to make an arrangement with this lovely woman.
He started to take a step forward, but he slipped and fell, causing a lot of strange little distractions to occur.
When Marie turned around however, he was long gone. He had disappeared as quickly as he had come.
He would look in her lovely eyes once more. He promised himself he would not forget.