“Well, there had to be this. cousin fiction, and I would always treat you as a friend, you know that.”
“But the rest of the household …”
“You mean my father. Oh, he is known to be eccentric It amuses him at the moment to make you a cousin. Tornoi row he might decide you are his daughter’s companion an treat you as such.”
“But I am not prepared to be taken up and set down i this way. You must realize, Margot, that I am not equippe to appear in this sort of society.”
“You’re thinking of clothes. We’ll soon settle that. You ca have some of mine … or new ones. We’ll go to Paris soon I dare say, and there we’ll buy materials.”
“I lack the means to do this.”
They will be charged to the account. That’s how it’s done “For you, yes … and Etienne and Leon perhaps. You are part of the family. I am not. I must go back to England an I want you to understand why.”
Her eyes had grown black with fear.
“Minelle, please, I b( of you don’t leave me. If you go, I’m alone … Can’t yo see?”
“I can’t stay here in this position, Margot. It’s degrading ” I don’t understand you. Explain. “
But I could not bring myself to say: “Your father is planning to make me his mistress.” It sounded so dramatic an absurd, and I might have misconstrued the situation. Thi the two young men had been discussing me was obvious, bi they could have been entirely wrong.
Margot had seized my hands. I was afraid she was going to have another of those hysterical bouts. They frightened me for she really looked wild when they took possession of her.
“Minelle, promise me … promise me … I can’t lose you and Chariot. Besides, we’re going to find him. I never could do without you. Promise me. I won’t let you go until you do.”
“I won’t go without telling you, certainly.” I added weakly:
“I’ll wait a bit. I’ll see what happens.”
She was satisfied.
“Leon is going to show me the castle,” I said. I glanced at the clock.
“He will soon be waiting for me in the library.”
“It is close to the salon where we dined last night.”
“Margot,” I said, ‘what do you think of Etienne and Leon? “
“What do I think of them I Well, as brothers, I suppose. They have always been around.”
“You are fond of them, I dare say.”
“Yes … in a way. Leon was always a dreadful tease and Etienne had such a high opinion of himself. Etienne is jealous of anyone Papa takes notice of. Leon simply does not care. That amuses Papa in a way.
Once when he was angry with Leon he shouted, “You can go back to your peasant’s hovel!” And Leon prepared to go. That was when he was about fifteen. I remember it well. There was a terrible scene. My father beat him and locked him in his room. But I think he admired Leon for it. You see, when he killed Leon’s twin brother he swore he would give Leon a good education and treat him like a member of his family and if Leon went back. Papa would not have carried out his vow. So Leon had to stay. “
“But he wanted to, of course.”
“Of course he did. He would hate to go back to poverty. In fact he takes food and money to his family and they depend on him a good deal.”
“I’m glad he hasn’t turned his back on them.”
“He never would. Of course Etienne is quite different. He is delighted to be here and have Papa recognize him as his son. The only thing that irks him is his illegitimacy. I think Papa regrets that too. Etienne is always hoping that he will be legitimized.”
“Is that possible?”
“Something can be done, I believe. Etienne would love to be the future Comte and inherit everything. I think Papa would make him his heir but at the back of his mind is the;
thought that if Maman died he’d marry again. He’s not too? old. He was married to my mother when he was seventeen.
I’m sure he’s hoping to get a legitimate son one day. ” ‘< ” How awful for your mother. ” j ” She hates him and he despises her. I think she would be, afraid if it wasn’t for Nou-Nou. Nou-Nou distrusts my father,” She always has.
Naturally she wouldn’t think anyone was’ good enough for her mignon ne Ursule. Nou-Nou was her nurse when she was a baby and you know how doting nursesj get. She was my nurse too, but my mother was always the one for her, and when my mother became an invalid she didn’t really want anything to interfere with her care of her. It’s rather embarrassing for my father, for NouNou insists on cooking everything my mother eats. “
“What a dreadful implication! I wonder he doesn’t tell he to go.”
“He’s amused and he always seems to respect people who amuse him and stand up to him.”
“I wonder you don’t all do that, then.”
“We mean to, but somehow when you face him and him angry, looking like the Devil himself, your courage fails you. Mine does. So does Etienne’s. I’m not sure of Leon’sj He’s stood up to him once or twice.
Nou-Nou is determine to defend my mother and she’d die doing it if necessary. “
“But this implies that he is plotting murder.”
“He killed Leon’s brother.”
“That was an accident.”
“Yes, but he killed him nevertheless.”
I shivered. I felt more strongly than ever that Iou to go home.
It was time for me to go to the library to meet Leon so went down. It was disconcerting to find the Comte there. was seated in an armchair reading a book.
The library was impressive with its great chandelier’s the book-lined walls, the painted ceiling, the long window with their velvet drapes.
But in that moment I was aware nothing but the Comte.
“Good morning. Cousin,” he said, rising. He came to and, taking my hand, kissed it.
“You look as fresh as the morning and as beautiful. I trust you slept well.”
I hesitated.
“As well as can be expected in a strange bed, thank you.”
“Ah. I have slept in so many strange beds that such a thing would never affect me.”
“I have come to meet Leon who is showing me the castle.”
“I dismissed him and told him I would take his place.”
“Oh!” I was startled.
“I trust you are not displeased. I thought I should be the one to show you my castle. I’m rather proud of it, you know.”
“Naturally you must be.”
“It has been in my family for Ave hundred years. That is a long time, eh. Cousin?”
“A very long time. Do you think it necessary to continue this farce of cousin ship when we are alone?”
“To tell the truth I rather like to think of you as my cousin. Do you share my feelings?”
“As a matter of fact, I think the relationship is so absurd that I never consider it seriously. It was in order while Margot and I were .”
He raised a hand.
“Remember I have forbidden that matter to be mentioned.”
“It is absurd not to when it is the very reason for my being here.”
“It is merely a beginning … an opening gambit. Do you play chess.
Cousin? I am sure you do. If not, I shall teach you. “
I said that my mother and I had played together. She had learned from my father but I was sure my game would not match up to his.
“I am sure it will. I look forward to evenings when we pit our wits over the board. But let us start our tour of exploration. We will go and mount the great staircase. Then we shall enter the really ancient part of the castle.”
“I should like that,” I said.