Beloved (13 page)

He looked at her, taking in the expectancy lighting her lovely face.

“No, I haven’t,” he said. “I’m not sure I should.”

“Oh, but you must!” Christina insisted. “Really, you
must
.”

There was an awkward silence.

“Well then…Christina, will you consider me as a husband?”

Christina was taken completely by surprise. “Grégré!” Startled, she dropped his hand. “Oh…I…”

“Forgive me,” he said. “I shouldn’t have asked.”

She saw the disappointment in his eyes, and recovered quickly, taking his hand again as she stepped closer to him.

“Grégré, you know I love you—but as a brother,” she said softly. “Richard is the only one for me. He always has been.” Her eyes started to fill with tears as she gazed into his. “I’m truly sorry.”

Grégoire put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “Come now. The Church is where I belong. I’ve always known it.” He smiled, for just a moment wondering if he’d made the offer where he knew it would be refused, just to convince himself that he’d made an effort to choose a different path.

He bent and kissed her on the forehead. “My brother is a very lucky young man,” he said, then turned her back toward the house and offered her his arm.

Richard came out to meet them, obviously having overheard Grégoire’s last words. “If you are referring to Christina,” he said smiling, “I certainly am.” He looked from Christina to Grégoire, curious as to the reason for their obvious discomfort.

“Well, Robert is anxious to show me that copy of Diderot’s new
Encyclopédie
so I’ll see the two of you later.” Grégoire handed Christina over to his brother and disappeared into the house.

Christina asked Richard to walk with her.

“What was that all about?”

“Grégré asked me to marry him,” she answered simply.

“And?” Richard prompted.

She was embarrassed. Why was it suddenly so difficult to talk to Richard?

“I told him that there was only one man I could ever marry.”

In the music room, Guy stood watching them through the window. Behind him, Antonio leaned against the marble mantle, shaking his head, unable to make any sense of the younger man’s ultimatum.

It had been a difficult year. Marcel seemed to have lost interest in the partnership, allowing Guy to make an increasing number of important business decisions. Antonio, feeling the strain of each new demand Guy had presented like a challenge, one after the other, had spoken to Marcel but nothing had changed. And now his good friend was dead.

“I do not understand why you’re doing this!” Antonio said angrily.

Guy scowled as he turned back to face him. “It’s simple. Now that my father is dead, his half of the business is mine. You are now in partnership with me and I want Christina.”

“But she’s been promised to Richard since they were children. You know that.” He was doing his best to make Guy understand that this new demand made no sense. “Why do you want a wife who doesn’t want you?”

“What Christina wants or doesn’t want is not my concern,” he said coldly focusing his attention on the couple outside the window. Then he smiled and turned back to Antonio. “
Signore,
in case you’ve forgotten, you are in a very precarious financial position at the moment. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the loss of that shipment has over-taxed your resources. Either you see that spoiled daughter of yours accepts me or I will call the notes due and your family will be ruined.”

With the grain shortage and the revolts it caused, business had been very difficult since the fall. Antonio was indeed having financial problems and Guy knew it. Antonio stared at Guy, and seeing the cold determination in the younger man’s eyes, knew he was beaten.

“You leave me little choice, but at least court her. Give her a chance to choose you.”

“Very well,” Guy said with a cynical smile. “Richard is sailing in three weeks and will be gone at least four months. Either she accepts me of her own free will before he returns, or you make it plain to her that she has no choice in the matter.”

Guy offered his hand. When Antonio turned away in disgust, Guy laughed.

Christina leaned against Richard, gazing out over the bare garden to the grey-green curve of the river.

“Chrissa, is something else bothering you?”

“You know about father losing that shipment?”

Why Antonio had chosen to consign a shipment to another company’s ships was beyond Richard. Both ship and cargo had disappeared without a trace.

“The material for my wedding dress was in that shipment.”

Richard tried to keep a straight face. With the huge warehouse in Arles filled with silks of every description, he found it hard to imagine that Christina could be disturbed by the loss of one bolt of cloth.

“Sweetheart, fabric is something that both your family and mine have more than enough of.”

Christina looked at him, surprised that he didn’t understand the seriousness of her loss. “This was not just any fabric. It was very special.”

“I’m sure it was. Do you want me to pick out something for you?”

“Of course not,” she said indignantly. “The groom can’t be picking out the bride’s dress, now can he?”

“Well, suit yourself,” Richard laughed. “But I think you’d better find something before too much longer. By the time I get back, you may be wanting to have something to give the seamstress.”

Christina smiled and pulled her cape more tightly around herself. She was hoping they’d be married before Christmas. Still, the prospect of Richard leaving her alone again was not a happy one.

“I’ll be back by the time you return to Beauvu for the summer.” He smiled as her lovely lips puckered into a determined pout. “Come now,” he said, teasing her. “If you don’t have a smile for me, I may forget to bring you a present.”

Christina’s sigh of resignation made it clear to Richard that their last separation had affected her more deeply than he’d thought. Yet, he was so close to completing the plans that would allow him to be away from the business for a full year. He intended for them to spend the first year of their marriage traveling. There was so much he wanted to show her, so much he wanted to share with her.

“Beloved, you must be patient with me. I have many plans for us and our time is so near. I need these last few months, Chrissa.”

She managed a half-hearted smile as they stepped into the hall, but her thoughts were on the long lonely days ahead.

Sur le seuil d’ou ménace l’éternelle obscurité,

tu arrives brillant, Mon Amour, le soleil.

—Ambroise Periant

And just when never-ending darkness threatens, comes the Sun—My Love.

Mai 1753

Beauvu

The ride to Beauvu was uneventful. Even in the forced closeness of the gently rocking coach, neither Christina nor Marco seemed aware of their father’s growing discomfort. They likewise took no notice of the perpetually smug look on Guy’s face, but, as always of late, Christina felt uncomfortable just being near him, constantly aware of his eyes on her.

She gazed out the window in an effort to ignore him, watching the landscape roll by and allowing herself the luxury of daydreams. Her uneasiness was forgotten as thoughts of Richard filled her mind.

He would be back tomorrow. She was sure that this summer they would be betrothed, with a wedding in the fall. He would finally accept her as a woman, a woman grown and ready to become his wife. She’d waited all her life to give herself fully and completely to Richard.

When the coach pulled up in front the château, Guy opened the door and helped Christina down. He was excited and wondered if she noticed that his hands were shaking. He decided she didn’t as she thanked him and started to turn toward the steps—pointedly, it seemed to him—avoiding looking directly into his eyes. Well, he would not be ignored, especially by the woman he intended to marry.

“Christina, I’d like to speak to you after supper,” he said with a sly smile. His fingers held hers tightly when she tried to move away from him.

“Of course,” she replied cooly, turning to stare at him until he dropped her hand.

That evening, when she was no longer able to put it off, Christina went out to walk with Guy. Beauvu was so beautiful in the early summer, so peaceful and quiet after the noise and bustle of the city. The last rays of the sun softened the light and turned the leaves of the hedges a silvery grey green. When she saw the little statue of Venus among the roses, Christina felt as though she’d finally come home. She was anxious to finish with Guy so she could be alone in the garden—alone and free to think of Richard and what lay ahead.

“What was it you wanted to talk to me about?” She knew her tone made it obvious that she had other things on her mind. She stopped and bent down to smell one of the fragrant pink roses, the roses Richard had picked for her every summer since she was small.

“Christina, we’ve been spending a lot of time together these past months.” Guy paused, waiting for her to look up.

“Yes,” she agreed, giving him a puzzled look.

He put both hands in his pockets, and took a firm stance, then he looked away. “I think it’s time we were married,” he said abruptly.

“What did you say?” Christina stood up, staring at him. He couldn’t possibly have spoken the words she thought she’d heard.

“I said…I think it’s time we were married.” The look he gave her was anything but warm.

“You aren’t serious?”

“Of course I’m serious,” he said sharply, unable to hide his annoyance.

“Guy, I’m sorry, believe me…” Christina was overwhelmed and attempting to find words that wouldn’t make him even angrier was obviously going to be difficult.

“I don’t know what I’ve done that might make you think that I was interested in you as anything but a friend…”

“Are you refusing my proposal?” he asked, a hard edge to his voice.

“I’m sorry…yes. Guy, you know it’s Richard I love.”

Guy smiled, finding he was enjoying this moment more than he’d ever imagined he might.

“My dear, whom you love is of no concern to me. You and I
will
be married.”

“What?” She couldn’t understand him. How could he believe she would seriously consider his offer?

“Perhaps you should talk to your father. Let him explain the situation to you. He’s already given his consent.”

Guy took a long look at her, then bowed formally and turned on his heel, leaving Christina standing alone in the garden.

Christina sank down on the stone bench, trying to understand what Guy had said. What did he mean her father had “already given his consent”?

Louis and Antonio were in the library when Étienne entered and announced that Mademoiselle Christina wished to speak to her father alone.

“Send her in, Étienne,” Louis said. “I have some work to do in the study.”

As Christina came through the door, Louis bowed slightly to her, then went out, leaving her alone with her father.

Antonio could guess what had happened from the look on her face. Not knowing what he could say to her, he turned away, pretending interest in an ancient volume that lay open behind him on an ornately carved stand.

“Is it true?” Christina asked, her voice carefully controlled.

“Is what true?”

“Is it true that you’ve promised me to Guy?”

Antonio, heard the strain in her voice. “Christina…”

She didn’t allow him to finish. “
Is it?
”

“Yes, it’s true!” Suddenly, he was completely overwhelmed by the hopelessness of the situation. All resistance seemed to drain from his body as he slowly sank down into one of the chairs. His beautiful Christina…what was he doing to her? It was a question he’d been asking himself for months and he knew there was only one answer. He was making a future for his son—even though it might well cost him his beautiful girl.

“But
why
?” Tears welled in Christina’s eyes. “You know how Richard and I feel about each other.” She simply couldn’t believe what he was telling her.

“I had no choice.”

“What does
that
mean?”

“It means…” He paused as he looked up at her, his eyes pleading for understanding from the daughter who reminded him so much of his beloved Catharine. “It means that Guy threatened to call the notes due if I refused. Christina, after the loss of that shipment last year…I must think about Marco. The business is his future. Our family’s future.”

“You
sold
me?”

“I did what I had to do!”

She ran to the door, flung it open, and rushed across the hallway to the foot of the stairs. She nearly collided with her brother, but she never even saw him. She gathered her skirts and flew up the stairs toward her room.

“Tina? Christina!” Marco called as she passed. He saw the tears on her face. Concerned, he turned and followed her.

She ran into her room and threw herself on the bed, sobbing. Marco was right behind her. He closed the door quietly.

“Tina, what is it?”

She turned and sat up, looking helplessly at her brother. “Oh, Marco, what will I do? Please help me.”

“Christina, calm down. What’s wrong?” He sat down beside her on the bed, putting his arm around her shoulders.

“Father has promised me to Guy. He’s sold me,” she whispered.

Marco looked at her incredulously for a moment, then he laughed. “Oh, Tina, you must be mistaken. Father knows you love Richard.”

“Guy threatened to call Father’s notes due if he didn’t give his consent.”

Marco felt a chill as he realized it was entirely possible. He was aware that the business wasn’t doing well. Guy had talked their father into using a different ship when the grain shortage made cargo space hard to come by. One of the Baron’s ships had taken on a load of grain, causing their silk shipment from Italy to be delayed. Their father had reluctantly agreed to the change, but both the ship and the cargo had disappeared. The delay had made it necessary for Antonio to borrow heavily from Guy and then the loss of that shipment had plunged them deeply into debt.

Marco knew his father had always managed to get more money, but if he had been getting it from Guy…He knew only too well his father would go to any lengths to save the family business.
Any
lengths.