‘In love! ’Pon rep, I hope not indeed! But all this coquetting and –’
‘Fanny, you are sometimes very blind. Condé is amused, no more.’
‘Oh, ’tis very well!’ shrugged my lady. ‘What now?’
His Grace’s quizzing glass swept the gallery.
‘Now, my dear, I desire you will take Léonie and present her to Madame de Saint-Vire.’
‘Why?’ asked my lady, watching him.
‘Oh, I think she might be interested!’ said his Grace, and smiled.
When Lady Fanny led Léonie to Madame de Saint-Vire, Madame’s hand clenched in her fan, and under all her paint she whitened.
‘Madame!’ Lady Fanny saw the clenched hand, and heard the quick intake of breath. ‘It is so long since we met! I trust I see you well?’
‘I am very well, madame. You are with – with your brother in – Paris?’ Madame spoke with an effort.
‘Yes, I am this child’s chaperon!’ said Fanny. ‘Is it not ridiculous? I may present my brother’s ward? Mademoiselle de Bonnard, Madame de Saint-Vire!’ She stood back.
Madame’s hand went out involuntarily.
‘Child –’ she said, and her voice trembled. ‘Sit with me a while, I beg!’ She turned to Fanny. ‘Madame, I will have a care to her. I should – I should like to talk to her.’
‘But certainly!’ said Fanny, and walked away at once.
Léonie was left looking into her mother’s face. Madame took her hand, and patted it, and stroked it.
‘Come, my little one!’ she faltered. ‘There is a couch by the wall. You will stay with me a few – just a few – minutes?’
‘Yes, madame,’ said Léonie politely, and wondered why this faded lady should be so agitated. She was not at all pleased at being left with Saint-Vire’s wife, but she went with her to the couch, and sat down beside her.
Madame seemed to be at a loss. She held Léonie’s hand still, and her eyes devoured the girl.
‘Tell me, chérie,’ she said at last. ‘Are you – are you happy?’
Léonie was surprised.
‘But yes, madame. Of course I am happy!’
‘That man’ – Madame pressed her handkerchief to her lips – ‘that man – is good to you?’
‘You speak of Monseigneur, my guardian, madame?’ Léonie spoke stiffly.
‘Yes, petite, yes. Of him.’ Madame’s hand trembled.
‘Naturellement he is good to me,’ Léonie answered.
‘Ah, you are offended, but indeed, indeed – Child, you are so young! I – I might be – your mother!’ She laughed rather wildly. ‘So you will not mind what I say to you, will you? He – your guardian – is not a good man, and you – you –’
‘Madame’ – Léonie drew her hand away – ‘I do not want to be rude to you, you understand, but I will not let you speak thus of Monseigneur.’
‘You are so fond of him?’
‘Yes, madame, I love him de tout mon coeur –’
‘Ah, mon Dieu !’ Madame whispered. ‘And he – does he love you?’