New World, New Love (9 page)

Normally Louise never watched the clock during her working hours, but her thoughts kept going to her sister as they had done when she had believed her to be ill. She was the first to leave the workshop at the day’s end. At the apartment she found that Delphine had arrived home just minutes ahead of her and was changing out of her silk gown.

‘How did it go?’ Louise called out eagerly, hanging her yellow hat on a peg.

Delphine, looking happy, emerged in her petticoats and performed a few dancing steps across the room. ‘I’ll soon be wearing out my new pumps if I have many days like today.’ She promptly seized a broomstick and inverted it as she went into a lively impression of Monsieur Rousselot thumping his cane in emphasis, mimicking his slightly querulous voice. ‘Poise! Poise! Poise, mademoiselle! Spine straight, head high! No affectation,
if
you please! Dip the body and listen to the nuances of the music. Dip again!’

Louise laughed. ‘Yes, I can picture him doing that. How long did he coach you?’

‘From the time I arrived at eight o’clock until noon.’ She replaced the broom. ‘I was on my own with him except for the comtesse, who played the pianoforte. Then in the afternoon somebody else played for him and I could hear music for the classes in two other salons. I had to practise alone in front of a large mirror.’ She glanced down at her feet and giggled. ‘If my toes don’t fall off from fatigue I’ll be the best dancer in New York before long.’

Louise was extremely relieved that all had gone well. ‘I’m sure you will.’

Delphine darted across to the table. ‘There’s a letter for you here from England. On the way home I asked again at the post office and it was handed to me. It must be from Tante Violette.’

Eagerly Louise broke the seal and read the letter aloud as they sat side by side. Violette had been overjoyed to receive the letter from America and, in answer to Louise’s query, she was in good health, but sadly her dear husband was far from well and bedridden. She wrote of her anxiety through months of not knowing how her two nieces were faring in France, there having been so many terrible tales by word of mouth and in the newspapers. She had hoped daily for their appearance on her doorstep and, although she was thankful they were safe, she was stricken with disappointment that they were so far away. Could they not take ship for England without delay? She knew there were dangers on the high seas through the war with France, but surely they should be safe on a neutral ship and she would gladly arrange payment. She sent her deepest affection and would eagerly await a reply.

Louise turned to Delphine, feeling she should give her the chance to voice an opinion on the offer. ‘What would you like to do?’

‘Stay here,’ Delphine replied without hesitation.

Louise nodded thankfully. She regretted having to disappoint their aunt, but she was relieved that her sister did not want to make the change. They were both starting to put down roots in this new freedom that was theirs.

Delphine had viewed their aunt’s offer in an entirely different light. The social round that Louise had enjoyed when on her visit to England would be nonexistent with their uncle lying ill. They could even end up sharing the nursing and that would be unendurable. What was more, as she had once said to Daniel, the last thing she ever wanted was to go on board a ship again, the nightmare of the rough voyage from France was still with her.

On the evening of Hortense de Valverde’s card party Louise and Delphine were astonished to find that she was living in an apartment as fine as any she would have had in France. They soon learnt that it had been loaned to her by a wealthy American silversmith of French Huguenot descent, Richard Hoinville, who owned a great deal of valuable property in New York, and he had been equally generous to a number of other émigrés in various ways. The tables had been set up in one drawing room and, in another, Delphine joined those of her own age group. Although most of the guests were émigrés from the French court, Louise did not know any of them. But since as many as 6,000 had lived at the great Palace it was not surprising.

‘You are going to be partnered by Mr Hoinville this evening,’ Hortense told her, showing her the card table where she would sit. ‘He is such a knowledgeable man and will be able to tell you anything you want to know about this country.’

When Richard Hoinville arrived, Louise was dismayed to see that Daniel was with him and they seemed to be on good terms. Although she was out of earshot, she could tell by the way Hortense greeted them both that Daniel was known to her. After a few words Daniel was left talking with some other people and Hortense led Richard across to where Louise was standing. He was tall and in his mid-fifties, straight-backed with well-cut features and shrewd blue-grey eyes, a look of reliability and steadfastness about him.

‘Two good players should be at the same table,’ Hortense said after the introductions, adding that she knew Louise’s skill from past card parties at Versailles.

He and Louise smiled at each other. ‘I’m honoured, Madame de Vailly,’ he said in a voice as deep as a baritone’s, bowing to her.

Hortense beamed on them both. ‘You’ll have worthy opponents in Mr and Mrs Hammond,’ she added, seeing the couple coming towards them. ‘As you know full well, Richard.’

‘I can see it’s going to be a very pleasurable evening,’ he replied, a twinkle in his eye as he smiled again at Louise. She realized he was preparing her for the Hammonds.

They were a middle-aged couple, he a prosperous, self-satisfied banker, and she a comfortably rounded woman, handsomely gowned and bejewelled, with darting, inquisitive eyes that did not want to miss anything. She began at once to talk proudly about her five sons, who were all successful and married, and to number her grandchildren, who – in her loudly spoken, unassailable opinion – were all highly intelligent, better-looking and infinitely more adorable than anybody else’s and, if still babies, exceptionally advanced for their age. Then her voice dropped to a depressed note as she referred unenthusiastically to her only daughter.

‘Margaret is sixteen and at the moment she is with the young people in the other room. Unfortunately she is a shy girl and is far too much on her own with her books and her painting. So different from the boys when they were that age.’ She gave an exasperated sigh as they took their places at the card table. ‘She didn’t want to come this evening, but I insisted. Before supper I’ll see if she’s tucked herself away in a corner as she usually does. Then I shall rout her out of it.’

Louise was relieved that Daniel had not yet seen her and was at a table quite a distance away, but his presence disturbed her. She seemed to sense his every movement. Then, as she was sorting the hand she had been dealt, he must have glanced over his shoulder, for she was suddenly aware that he had caught sight of her. For a matter of seconds she could feel his gaze boring into her.

It was halfway through the evening when double doors were opened into the supper room. As it happened, there was no need for Mrs Hammond to rout out her daughter as she had threatened. Just as people rose from the tables Margaret appeared, looking flushed and happy, with Delphine at her side. She was fair-haired and narrow-faced, taller than Delphine, and somewhat colourless, but she had fine hazel eyes. Glancing about the room, she sighted her mother and hurried across to her, bringing Delphine by the hand.

‘Mama! I’d like you to meet my new friend.’

Louise guessed that Delphine, with her charm and vivacity, had probably coaxed the girl into joining the card games. Then, with a burst of kindness the like of which she showed now and then, she had kept Margaret under her wing, almost turning the girl’s head with her friendliness. Mrs Hammond’s pleasure at this unexpected development increased further upon hearing that Delphine was sister to the aristocratic Frenchwoman to whom she had been talking. It was a friendship to be encouraged.

Leaving the Hammonds with the two girls, Richard drew Louise away to the buffet table. ‘Let’s get away from that couple for a while,’ he said with a chuckle.

When they had made their selection from an array of dishes, they went with their plates and glasses of wine to two chairs set slightly apart from the rest. Daniel did not come near and sat elsewhere with others in the supper room.

Richard asked Louise how she passed her time and nodded approvingly when she told him about her work. Then, knowing that he had lived through all the upheaval of the War of Independence and remembering Hortense’s advice, she asked him about its aftermath.

‘I always want to learn more about my new land.’

He looked pleased. ‘That’s the right attitude. Well, the need for reform was acute and many injustices under British rule had to be swept away, but I’m not alone in regretting that severance from Great Britain did not come peaceably. What’s more, old ties are strong and our history has roots deep in the past. It’s why so many British customs linger on and it will take another generation to make the people of this country feel truly American.’ He smiled wryly. ‘But now at least we have the freedom to make our own mistakes with nobody else to blame.’

She looked down unseeingly at her supper plate. ‘Freedom is what I came across the ocean to find.’ Then she met his clear blue-grey eyes again. ‘I’ve heard it said that none of us at Versailles knew that we were dancing blindly all the way to disaster. Many courtiers and landowners never went near their country estates, only drawing incomes from them and not caring that the peasants went hungry. I doubt if any of the nobles ever glanced out of their coaches at the poor and destitute begging at the palace gates or did anything to alleviate such desperate need.’

His gaze sharpened on her. ‘But you did.’

She stiffened defensively. It was an automatic reaction. At Versailles she’d had to conceal her charity work from Fernand for so long that even after all this time it was like having a close secret unexpectedly probed. Quickly she recovered herself.

‘Not enough. It was never enough.’ She spoke with despair. ‘When my sister and I left France, conditions for thousands of people were so much worse than ever before. Starvation was rife. I long for the day when the cry of
Liberté
,
Égalité
and
Fraternité
will take on its true meaning in France.’

He regarded her seriously from under his brows. ‘Spoken like a patriot. But the excesses of the Reign of Terror are beginning to sicken people here and there’s a swing of opinion towards supporting the British in the war against France. Do you still consider France to be your country in spite of the horrific crimes being perpetrated there under Robespierre and his fellow tyrants?’

She showed surprise that he should ask. ‘Love for one’s homeland can never be erased! Although I’m here to stay, there are times when homesickness nearly tears me apart. After all, nothing can change the beauty and landscape of France itself. What’s more, I have enough faith in my fellow countrymen and women to believe that one day justice and mercy will defeat the present evil regime.’

‘Tyrants always fall eventually,’ he agreed, nodding his head. ‘History has shown us that.’

‘It’s very hard to lose one’s home and be banished from one’s own country.’ She did not realize he could see her anguish in a darkening in the depths of her green eyes. ‘But I like to think I’m becoming more of an American citizen every day.’

‘Well said, ma’am.’

It was when they were about to return to their card table, players having started to regather, that she saw Daniel facing her. He stood framed in the entrance of the drawing room, his feet apart in a stag-like stance as he waited for them. Louise steeled herself as they approached him. He was frowning.

‘Ah!’ Richard said jovially. ‘Here’s someone for you to meet. Daniel Lombard can tell you all about Boston as well as the Deep South. He and I have been business associates over several years.’

‘I know Mr Lombard already,’ Louise said quickly.

‘Do you indeed? Splendid!’

Daniel’s cold eyes pierced her, his mouth unsmiling. ‘Good evening, Louise. I hope you’re well.’

‘Thank you, yes.’ Her whole body seemed to shiver in awareness of his proximity and, by the way he was looking at her, she was certain he knew it.

‘I’ll escort you home at the end of the evening.’

‘That won’t be necessary. I’ve made arrangements.’

‘A hired carriage? That can be dismissed.’

Richard, observing them both, sensed the thinly veiled friction between them and intervened smilingly. ‘No, not a hired carriage, Mr Lombard. I’m taking Madame de Vailly home myself.’

Daniel inclined his head, not taking his eyes from her. ‘In that case I can leave you in safe hands, Louise. Enjoy the rest of the evening.’

He went back to his table. Louise let out a deep breath, tension ebbing from her. She was grateful to Richard for his timely offer.

In all, they won three games, but by a trick of the cards lost the last one. When the evening was over and guests were gathering in the hall ready to leave, Richard offered Daniel a lift in his carriage as well, but he refused, saying that he would walk back to the hotel, needing some exercise after being seated the whole evening.

‘I’m sorry you won’t still be in New York next week,’ Richard was saying to him as Louise and Delphine came into the hall after collecting their shawls. ‘But we should be able to cover all the details at the meeting tomorrow morning.’

‘I’m sure we shall manage it.’ Then Daniel said goodnight to the three of them and left without looking back.

On the way to the apartment, Richard invited Louise and Delphine to dine at his home one evening during the forthcoming week. ‘I’m giving a dinner party for three émigré doctors, who have recently arrived in the country. One of them is an unusual, idealistic young man. His name is Charles Noiret. He’s not letting the grass grow under his feet and has already established his own practice. I think you’ll find him interesting.’

Louise accepted only for herself. The Hammonds had invited Delphine for the same evening. It made Louise realize that at last she was entitled to some life of her own and the time had come for her to stop concentrating on being wholly a guardian and nursemaid to her sister.