The Marquis's New Clothes by Lila DiPasqua

Author:Lila DiPasqua [Dipasqua, Lila]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy
Published: 2016-10-13T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Aimee rushed toward the gardens the next morning.

Louise was franticly looking for her.

When last they parted, it was yesterday afternoon and Aimee was on her way to search Adam’s private apartments. Almost a day later, Louise hadn’t seen nor heard from Aimee. She didn’t blame her for being concerned, but she couldn’t send any sort of message while she’d been with Adam. Upon entering her rooms not thirty minutes ago, one of her maids had notified her that Louise had spent the night waiting for Aimee in her bedchamber. By morning, Louise had left in search of her.

Entering the Hall of Mirrors, Aimee moved along the long empty corridor and slipped out the doors leading to the vast palace gardens. Standing outside, she scanned the immediate crowd milling about and then beyond, courtiers stretching past the Petit Parc and into the Grand Parc. There was no music in the air, indicating that the King was elsewhere, his court left to amuse itself. The massive size of the gardens—manicured lawns, groves, and avenues as far as the eye could see—was going to make locating Louise a challenge, if she was here at all.

Aimee prayed Louise hadn’t done anything so foolish as to venture toward Adam’s apartments in search of her.

Stepping down the stone steps, she caught a glimpse of her cousin in the distance the moment the crowd to her right shifted. Relief flooded through her. Fisting her skirts, she moved briskly in Louise’s direction. It was obvious she was speaking to someone, but there were too many people in between them for Aimee to tell whom.

It was only when she neared did fear slam into her chest. Louise had her head bowed, her shoulders slumped as Renault was clearly giving her a dressing-down.

Aimee all but ran the remaining distance. “Ah, there you are, Louise.” She smiled and slipped a reassuring arm around her cousin’s shoulders. Louise’s head jerked up and surprise then relief crossed her features.

Aimee turned to Renault. The man was scowling at them. “Have you no manners, sir? Do you not offer a greeting when a lady approaches?” She got perverse joy out of reprimanding him. The man needed to be taken down a notch or two.

Renault’s lips thinned. He glanced around then gave her a stiff begrudging bow. “Good day, Madame la Comtesse,” he offered in a surly voice.

Yet again, Aimee found herself wondering what on earth Louise ever saw in this man. Any appeal he might possess was soon vanquished upon his first utterance.

“Good day, sir.” Her response was curt and dismissive. “Come along, darling,” Aimee said to her cousin, her arm still securely—protectively—-around Louise. She could feel the tension in her cousin’s body. And her fear. She knew they were of like mind; they both wanted out of Renault’s presence. The quicker the better.

“Not just yet. I asked Louise a question and she has yet to answer me,” Renault interjected, arresting their steps.

Aimee let out a sharp sigh. “The answer is yes.”

Renault cocked a dark brow.

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