His hand moved along her curves, settling onto her upper thigh. She moved onto her back and he was moving on top of her, pressing into her.
“Bash,” she murmured into his ear as he filled her completely.
***
Sophie woke to the sounds of the house stirring. She heard the maid moving along the corridor and she jumped out of bed. She pulled her long auburn hair up and then secured it with two large mother-of-pearl combs.
Once that was done, she seated herself at her writing desk to complete the pamphlet. She remembered where she had left off the evening before and immediately picked up from there.
She felt the satisfaction of the quill pen scratching along the linen paper as her thoughts formed into words.
Later in the morning, she summoned Marie to her. Marie was a little older than herself but not flippant and silly as some maids could be. She kept to herself and didn’t gossip, and Sophie knew she could trust her. She handed the folded pages to her and gave similar instructions as before. She was to deliver these papers to Monsieur Blanche and wait to see if he had any orders to return to her.
Marie knew that this pamphlet was to have been written by a “cousin” and she would offer no additional words on the matter to the printer. The man nodded and left her young mistress to perform her errand.
Sophie wanted to look her best for tea that afternoon with Madame Necker, Germaine and her grandmother. She chose a caramel-colored silk dress with a square neckline and elbow-length sleeves. The full skirt was draped in front and pulled back to reveal a cream-colored petticoat with swirls. She wore a delicate pearl necklace and her ivory-colored silk shoes with a square heel.
Her grandmother was wearing a lavender gown of similar style with her hair powdered in the old style. She wore several rings on her hands and a necklace. She enjoyed her jewelry and loved showing it off.
Eugenie quietly eyed her granddaughter standing in the hallway with her small beaded purse before she declared, “Bon.”
Sophie stared back at the older woman. “As you picked out the color and the style, I can’t imagine what would be wrong with it,” Sophie tartly replied.
The carriage ride was brief and they were soon at Madame Necker’s home, descending from the steps of the carriage. They were ushered into a beautiful room decorated in blue and gold.
Madame Necker joined them shortly and, dressed in a peach silk gown, she greeted them warmly.
“My dear Sophie, Madame Gauvreau,” she spoke to each woman kissing them on both cheeks. “Please sit.” She indicated a small couch covered in cream damask.
A beautiful Limoges tea set was placed before them on a low table and Suzanne poured out three cups, asking her guests if they would like milk and sugar. The teacups were painted purple with yellow flowers and a gold handle. Each cup had a matching saucer and the large pot was decorated the same. Eugenie asked for milk and Sophie declined both.
“My daughter had an engagement this morning that slipped her mind. Hopefully she will join us shortly,” Madame Necker explained, handing the first teacup and saucer to Eugenie, who placed it gently before her.
She handed another cup and saucer to Sophie and took the third for herself.
The maid entered the room again, carrying a large tray. From the tray she placed before the three ladies a plate filled with freshly baked scones, a dish of clotted cream, a dish of lemon curd, and three small plates, as well as linen napkins and knives.
“Please,” Madame Necker said, indicating the scones.
The scones were warm and Sophie placed one on a plate, slicing it in half and putting cream and lemon curd onto the baked item. She placed the napkin on her lap and bit into the warm scone. It was heavenly.
“I understand Monsieur Necker and my son are colleagues,” Eugenie began.
Though she understood her son held a position of esteem with the Ferme générale, she did not understand the intricacies of it and did not care to. Unlike her educated granddaughter, Eugenie preferred to remain ignorant and allow men, with what she considered their superior brains, to run France.
“Yes, that is so, Madame Gauvreau. My husband, as director general of finance, would be in contact with your son at the Ferme générale.”
Eugenie smiled at this thought. “Jacques and Jean Pierre are a great comfort to us, no?” she said as she took a warm scone.
Sophie finished her first scone and wished her grandmother would not pry.
Though Jacques benefitted greatly from his wife being a leading salonist in Paris, he also disliked the bluestocking authors she supported. It
caused a rift between the couple, who saw things quite differently.
Though Madame Necker’s name was well known among the salons as an intellectual, she had founded a hospital in Paris called the Necker Hospital. Sophie knew that she was a woman who was devoted to those around her and was a stimulating influence. Sophie’s only wish was that she had been invited to tea alone. Perhaps then she might have turned the conversation back to her pamphlet.
Young, vivacious Germaine came into the room at that moment and kissed her mother on both cheeks, apologizing for her tardiness.