Nemesis and the Swan by Lindsay K. Bandy

Author:Lindsay K. Bandy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Published: 2020-09-03T19:59:01+00:00

coblenz, germany

july 1790

“The master has returned,” Grand-mère announced with a raised eyebrow, looking at me across raspberry breakfast pastries and fresh pink roses.

“Oh?”

She nodded and sucked her teeth. “We’re invited to dinner and welcome-home festivities with Marquis and Marquise Evereaux tonight. You must dress in your finest, though I doubt that will be enough to help you to fit in. Unfortunately, there’s not time to buy you anything new, so you’ll have to make do. Everyone will be there. This will be interesting, for sure,” she said, and my stomach tied itself into a knot.

That night, the dining room was jam-packed with people and loud with gossip, laughter, and arguments. My grandmother introduced me to the people I hadn’t met at our house, and reintroduced me to the ones she forgot she’d already introduced me to. There were questions about Grasse, but my mother deflected them all with her overly cheery demeanor and explanations of how I couldn’t bear to be away from the d’Aubigns. My stomach tied itself tighter.

Finally, the “master” arrived with his wife on his arm, a huge smile taking over her face like it did on her wedding day. He kissed her on the cheek before holding her chair out at the foot of the table. When he pushed her in with extra care, checking on her belly and patting it for good measure, the guests laughed good-heartedly. As he took his own seat at the head of the table, our eyes met and he winked at me. I lost my appetite.

“So good to see you again, Cousin Hélène!” he said merrily. I squinted at him and then looked to Marie, who shivered a little and pointed at her neck to show me a new necklace, an early anniversary gift from the prodigal husband. I smiled hopefully at her, but as my eyes settled on the piece of jewelry, my heart stopped. Time stopped. The room went quiet, and I could hear nothing but the blood rushing in my ears.

It was a Greek infinity symbol turned vertically with a single pearl dangling inside the bottom loop.

Théo’s design.

My food just sat there getting cold. I was frozen, staring at it until everyone else finished eating and retired to the grand salon for a string quartet concert. The buffet at the back was spread with a hundred glasses of champagne.

From where I stood sipping at my drink, I saw Evereaux’s profile moving closer. Instinctively I took a step away, but then he stopped in front of his father, who stretched out a hand and looked him up and down.

“How are things in Paris, son?”

“Oh, very much changed,” he answered, shaking his father’s hand. “You’d hardly recognize it.”

His father grumbled in disgust. “Yes, your letters said as much.”

My heart surged. Letters were coming through to Paris. Letters were coming through.

“Are you pleased with me now, Father?” Evereaux asked, his voice at once small and smug. I glanced at the elder Evereaux.

“All you’ve done is talk, Alexander,” he said, shaking his gray head slowly.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.