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Paris, 1806
Segolene de Largilliere, held salon for all of the literary and political men of Paris. She flitted about talking about this and that when an unseen person murmured behind a door. “You are in danger Segolene.”
She waved her hand as if heated but her informant knew she was dismissing the warning. “For what I said last week I am in no more trouble than usual.”
“They know of your other activities. Louis was caught and tortured, his body was just found in the streets.”
“Then it seems I must leave France for good this time. Go while you can, save yourself. I’ll meet up with you in London.” There was no noise but she knew he had gone.
~~~~
A mind-numbing hour waiting for her guests to leave. At least with them in her house she knew she was safe. They were far too vocal of dissidents to outrage with arresting her in front of them. Then Inviolata whispered someone without an invitation had come to the door.
“Who?”
Inviolata rolled her eyes. “Nichole.”
“Let her in, let her in. Knowing her she must be freezing.” Everyone turned as the model of fashion taken too far entered the room. To see her dressed it might have been thought it was the summer, the gown of painted gauze was so transparent that her limbs could be seen beneath and that was without the slits up the sides. There were no sleeves, being held together with brooches at the shoulder instead. Her bust might as well have not been covered at all her neckline dipped so low. “You will catch your death my dear haven’t you a wrap?” She wore nothing more than Greek style sandals on her feet, but if jewels could keep her warm then she must be toasty indeed. Rings on her toes, bracelets on her ankles and wrists, they hung at her neck, her ears, and in her hair.
Nichole laughed delightedly. “It is the fashion Segolene.”
“All of Paris acknowledges my taste, but I’m not going to kill myself with Pneumonia for it. Inviolata bring her a shawl and show her the food we need to warm her blood.”
“I need to speak to you privately.” Nichole whispered as someone coughed so that even her plea would have no witnesses.
“You’ll stay the night since you arrived so late we’ll talk once the house is clear.” For several more hours, they talked with royalists, and all those disaffected by the government.
It was late when Segolene finally led Nichole upstairs to her room where none of the servants would disturb them. The room made Nichole’s mouth water even though she had been there many times before. The mahogany bed inlaid with gold stood supported on bronze swans. The canopy of bronze silk was actually fringed with gold and pearls.
“Now what needs such privacy?” Segolene asked wrapping a shawl around her near the fire after Inviolata brought them warmed brandy.
“I finally attracted Henri. That is why I have not accepted your invitations of late.”
“Then I am to be the first you tell of the engagement?” was the happy guess.
“No.” Segolene’s smile faded. “I thought the same as you until he came telling me that within two weeks he met and married a Polish Countess while he was away in the country. After the wedding tour they will retire to her castle. Oh Segolene what am I to do? My indiscretions have born fruit.”
A raised eyebrow was the only reaction. “You are with child?”
“He never said a word about marriage I just assumed. He has always been such a staunch republican to have turned to a countess it shocks me.”
With her wares so displayed is it any wonder how he assumed with you Segolene thought as she looked over at the woman. Translucent pale skin, raven black hair, ice blue eyes she was indeed a beauty and before fashion had made her seem so frivolous she was quite intelligent. She had more suitors than could be imagined once she had taken to wearing the most shocking of the new fashions. Her father had lost his fortune though and those jewels were all that remained. It was no wonder Henri the poor fool had married a wealthy countess and yet played with the beautiful poor Nichole. “Let me think overnight and I will see if I have any ideas.”
“Oh thank you.”
“I haven’t come up with anything I wouldn’t thank me quite yet.” Madame de Largilliere left her guest alone. Segolene sighed as she closed the door behind her. At least her problems came from her own actions to defy the new Emperor and not just a romp in bed.
~~~~
The light was thin through the window when Segolene had a flash of brilliance. Nichole however didn’t rise until midday; by that time, Segolene had made a number of arrangements.
“Nichole!” Segolene finally called loudly from the foot of the bed. She had asked for help Segolene wasn’t going to let her sleep away while she did all the work.
“What?”
“Do you want a way out of this or not?”
Nichole’s eyes opened slowly, but the sleep was gone from them. “What have you come up with?”
“I have a friend of mine that lives Brussels. I have been telling everyone about her anyway. She has wanted a companion while her husband is away. You can go stay with her until you’ve had the child.”
“But she’ll know!”
Poor silly Nichole. “I’m not saying you have to go to her. You only have to say that is where you are going. I can write her and let her know that you ran off with a young man after I had made all the plans, but not to let anyone know of it. I’ve found you a house that no one who knows you will ever have a chance to see you in. I’ve written a letter of introduction to a friend I have in Malta who stayed on after the French were run out. She’ll help you find a place.”
“That is so far away though.”
“You are hiding a bastard child not going for amusement. Shall it be just outside the city where everyone will hear of you?”
“Should I be punished socially as well? I will be the bottom of the ladder when I have returned. Another will have taken my place.” One look at the beautiful face staring at her and she changed her tune. “I am sorry Segolene you are of course right.”
“Go home pack your things a coach leaves in the morning to take you to the port. A year there will not be torture.”
Segolene closed herself back in her own room and the door below could be heard closing faintly as Nicole took her leave. Once there she stared at the sumptuous room for only a moment before she started ripping off all the decorations that could be easily carried. Her wardrobe worth more then the house she lived in was quickly packed in trunks.
“Inviolata!” It seemed ages before the woman’s head poked through the door. “Have a man we can trust take these to the dock and taken aboard the Marguerite. You have space for yourself wait for me there. I’ll be along before she sails tomorrow. If anyone asks though they belong to Nichole and we are seeing her off to Brussels.”
“There is trouble then?”
“Napoleon knows.” Was all she had to say and the maid quickly nodded knowing everything.
~~~~
“Thank god I thought she would never leave.” A voice whispered in her ear long after Inviolata had left her. “I’ve had to hold my tongue that you took too many risks yesterday. You’re guests will get you in trouble.”
“My guests already got me in trouble, yesterday’s will cause me no more harm. I will see Nichole to the port and take my leave from there. She has gotten into some difficulty.”
“Leave? You can’t!”
Segolene turned to her visitor. He was a beautiful man even if he was rather adle-brained, not to mention his father was high up in Napoleon’s Army. “My comments last week were not seen favorably Christophe. One does not just defame Napoleon.” Reaching up she slowly unfastened her guest’s pants. “See me off properly I’m sure the house is being watched and I would hate to vary our routine and cause suspicion.”
“You shouldn’t have defended me and I wouldn’t have to give you up.”
Segolene laughed prettily before it settled into a sigh as the dress followed her sleeves. His tongue teased the end of her bare nipple. “Oh and your highly placed officials daughter you wed next week would have let you continue your affair without running to papa.”
“What I hate most is that I don’t think you were done showing me all the tricks you know.”
“Not in the least.”
~~~~
Segolene just about died from having to listen to Nichole prattle for the entire ride to Calais. It wasn’t until they were thick in the port confusion that she gave directions to the coach driver to take them to the boats leaving for Marseilles. Only when Nichole was aboard did Segolene pull the shade at the windows. Only when she was alone did she change her appearance and lose herself in the crowd. Only when she was safe on the deck of a smuggler's boat to Dover did she let out the breath she had been holding. She knew all the smugglers that plied the waters between France and England, it was after all they who carried her information to London, she would be safe on British soil soon enough. Segolene had never told Christophe she was running from more than a little slander of an emperor. No, she had been using him to get information from his father. He hadn’t been the only one either. Just as quickly, she couldn’t breathe as she caught sight of Fouquette, one of the secret police. He stared right at her. Lawd had she been that far in trouble and not even know it. How the devil could he find her so easily? For a moment, she thought of the pistol she carried in her reticule, but it would attract too much attention even if it took care of her threat. That she was leaving the dock behind was her only comfort.
~~~~
Years had passed since she had last set foot in the London townhouse. She had returned the French papers she had been using for her charade to the real Segolene, having those on her to be found was committing suicide. Years and yet Oliver still kept the house ready for her to return any day.
“I need to send a message to Lord Wyre. Oliver can you have a runner come soon?” She announced pulling off her gloves.
“Parliament opened today, he will be in the House of Lords, and tonight he will be at the opening ball of the season. I doubt you will catch him at home.” Meticulously he pulled the gowns from her trunks, each time he found some loose bauble it went into a growing pile on her dressing table. “Your invitation to the ball for tonight is in your father’s office. Lady Hargraves has sent them faithfully every year hoping you will be here. She says she gets so bored without you.”
“Then find my green dress with the train, I dare say it will need pressing after the journey. I shall just have to put the house in order tomorrow.” When Oliver left her she fell on the bed with a groan, the season was the last thing she was ready to deal with so soon after coming back. Now she had to figure out just where she had been for the last years, she couldn’t very well come out and say she’d been in France pretending to be someone else, not with a war going on.