Once more I was handicapped by my youth. But at least I had been presented to the King and he had spoken to me, although that was a long time ago and the Comte had made sure that I did not come in the presence of the King again.
Many members of the nobility would be present tonight because they were in Paris for the royal wedding. It was the best possible time to give a ball.
I sat there watching the people arrive. One or two men glanced at me and hesitated and presumably they were unsuitable, for Madame de Grenoir gave them such cold looks that they moved on. I felt again that frustration with my youth and promised myself that I would soon escape from it. In a year I should be considered quite grown up.
Madame de Grenoir was telling me about other balls she had attended and other girls whom she had chaperoned.
I said: ‘You really must be a very experienced practitioner. What an occupation! Chaperone for girls! Not exactly exciting.’
Then it happened and found me quite unprepared.
Sophie was coming towards me and there was a man with her. He was tall and dark and I recognized him at once. I stood up uncertainly. Madame de Grenoir was beside me, laying a hand on my arm.
‘Lottie,’ said Sophie, ‘I want you to meet Charles de Tourville. This is Lottie, Charles, of whom I have told you so much.’
I felt the colour rush into my face, for the man who was taking my hand was none other than Monsieur St Georges, who had rescued Lisette and me from Madame Rougemont.
His lips were on my fingers and the eyes he raised to me held a hint of mischief.
‘I have so longed to meet you,’ he said. ‘It is true Sophie has told me so much about you.’
Sophie was laughing. ‘You look alarmed, Lottie. I haven’t told all. I have only told Charles the nice things.’
‘And,’ he added, ‘the more I heard the more eager I was to meet you.’
Sophie was watching me intently, urging me to admire. I sought for words, but for once could not find anything to say.
‘My father is going to open the ball with me in a moment,’ said Sophie. ‘I think the guests have all arrived now. If they are late they cannot expect to be received, can they?’
I stammered: ‘It … it is a great pleasure to meet you.’
‘There will be many meetings,’ he answered, ‘when I am a member of the family.’
‘Charles,’ said Sophie, ‘you will have to dance with the Comtesse.’
‘It will be a pleasure,’ he answered. ‘And later I hope that Mademoiselle Lottie will honour me.’
‘Of course she will, won’t you, Lottie?’
‘Thank you,’ I said.
Sophie looked over her shoulder at me as she laid her hand on his arm in a proprietorial manner and they walked away.
I was too stunned to do anything but stare after them.
‘It is so good when a marriage is a love-match,’ Madame de Grenoir was saying. ‘Those two … so happy. I have seen some who are far from happy. This is quite different … a very, very happy arrangement.’
When the dance began I was immediately taken on to the floor. I had no lack of invitations to dance and providing the men were suitable I was allowed to accept them. Madame de Grenoir kept her alert eyes on me as I danced and I was aware of her watching all the time. My partners were flirtatious, expressing ardent admiration, but I scarcely listened to them. I could not wait until the moment when Charles de Tourville came for me.
He was smiling in a manner which I can only call mischievous.
‘I have been waiting for this moment,’ he said, as soon as we were out of earshot of Madame de Grenoir.
‘Oh?’ I said. ‘Why?’
‘You are not going to pretend that we have not met before, are you?’
‘No,’ I replied.
‘You were a very naughty little girl and I caught you, didn’t I? Do you often have such adventures?’
‘That was the only one of that kind.’
‘You learned your lesson, I hope.’
‘I suppose we were a little adventurous.’
‘Not a little. Very adventurous, I should say. However, as long as you learned that it is unwise for little girls to stray into the dubious haunts of the city, good can come of it. I must say I was delighted to meet you.’
‘It wasn’t a surprise for you?’
‘Of course not. I knew who you were as soon as I discovered where you lived. Don’t forget our families are to be united. We have to know about each other …not everything, of course. That would be asking too much. But we should know those little things which cannot be hidden. Like a beautiful daughter, for instance. There has to be some explanation. I know that there was a charming sequel to the Comte’s English romance and that sequel so enchanted him that he kept her with him and married her mother.’
‘I think I would rather not discuss my family’s affairs.’
‘Our family’s. I shall be a member soon.’
‘Tell me about that woman … that fortune-teller, Madame Rougemont.’
‘One of the most notorious brothel-keepers in the town. Forgive me. You are an innocent young girl. Do you know what a brothel is?’
‘Of course I do. I am not a child.’
‘Then you will not need me to explain. She has quite a fashionable apartment in another district but she does a little business in the quarters to which you went. I am surprised that a young lady in your position should have gone into such a house … in such a street.’
‘I told you, it was an adventure.’
‘Is life in the Hôtel d’Aubigné so dull then?’
‘I did not say it was dull, but we are kept under strict control.’
‘Not strict enough, obviously.’
‘Well, we slipped out.’
‘You were fortunate that I was there.’
‘I have often wondered about that. What were you doing there?’
‘What every man does there. Looking for pretty girls.’
‘You! You mean …’
‘I mean exactly what you are thinking.’
‘But you are going to marry Sophie!’
‘Well?’
‘Why then … should you be looking for someone else?’
‘That someone else would have nothing to do with my marriage.’
I was horrified and desperately sorry for Sophie. Here was another of those blasé young men to whom marriage was a matter of convenience. Dickon was back in my thoughts. Oh, how could they behave in such a way!
‘I see that you are getting ready to despise me.’
‘I think I already do. How much longer does this dance go on?’
‘A little while yet, I hope. You are a very attractive young lady, Mademoiselle Lottie.’
‘I would rather not hear you talk to me like that.’
‘I was only telling the truth. When you grow up you are going to be irresistible, I know.’
‘I do hope Sophie is not going to be unhappy but I very much fear for her.’
‘I promise you that she is going to be the happiest bride in Paris.’
‘With you visiting Madame Rougemont? What when she discovers?’
‘She will never discover. I shall see to that, and it will be precisely because there will be some others to charm me and satisfy my baser instincts that I can be a figure of chivalric love to my bride.’
‘I think you are the most cynical man I ever met!’
‘Call it realistic. I don’t know why I am telling you the truth. It is not very flattering to me, is it? Oddly enough I have to tell you. But then you found me out, didn’t you? We found each other out. No use trying to cover up our sins after such blatant exposure. Still, I like you to know the truth about me. I have grown very fond of you, Lottie.’