AВ smile lit up her face for aВ long time. Another thought came, replacing delight.
I’ll put up a monument! From a big, heavy stone! She smiled wider. Not noticing that he is speaking out loud.
I’ll erect a monument for you, Monsieur de Brese!
And IВ hope its weight will crush your bones inВ your crypt!
She almost cried out and her eyebrows came together menacingly on the bridge ofВ her nose. And aВ picture from the past appeared before her eyes. As if it was only yesterday, and his voice is cutting, like aВ knife through her heart, with every word the count said.
How lucky you are, dear. You are now Countess de Brese. Her eyes flashed with fire. Excited byВ the memory, she continued toВ speak aloud.
I’ll put up a monument for you!
ToВ make sure that if you want toВ get out ofВ there, he will block your way! She finished contemptuously.
It will be very big! She added. Having finished his involuntary speech, and not noticing that he is speaking aloud toВ himself. Sighing with even greater pleasure deeply the scent ofВ aВ chillyВ day.
The monument was surprisingly very large and heavy, it was hardly erected. When the workers finished with the installation, she let them go and was left alone at the count’s grave.
She spoke quietly, her appeal was toВ the count. As if the deceased count could hearВ her.
Hope you like your monument?
IВ hope monsieur! She added with aВ furrowed brow and sparkling eyes inВ aВ barely audible, trembling voice.
IВ hope he crushes you inВ your crypt! If you suddenly intend toВ get out ofВ there, then this block will close yourВ way!
A nervous shiver went through her, and her breathing became ragged with hatred for him. She began to breathe heavily, her lips tightened and turned blue. And the fists clenched and dug their nails into the meat. And suddenly, in a fit of deep hatred for him. She couldn’t help herself and spat on his grave.
That’s all you deserve from me! She cried out, straightening up. As if she finally got up from her knees over the years. And exhaling with relief, she added calmly and contemptuously.
This is all you deserve from the unworthy ofВ you, Monsieur de Brise!
Hope you get devoured byВ worms!
She shot her gaze like aВ dagger at the monument. As if checking once again at the end, whether it is so strong and great. And making sure that this is so, proudly throwing her chin up, she turned sharply and walked firmly away. She never looked back.
Now sorting out her affairs, Poitiers realized that her husband had left her and her children nothing! He not only left them no funds, but also left exorbitant debts! Having laid the same and their estate. Everything was lost to them in gambling. The amounts of the debt were large and if it is not paid, then she and her children may simply lose everything. Including the estate. She was sitting in the office on the table and on the floor there were invoices, debt papers and papers on the estate pledged for debts. She couldn’t believe it. She sat silently resting her head on her hand. Things were nowhere worse.
What should sheВ do?!
Where will she go after losing her estate?!
Where will her childrenВ be?!
What will happen toВ them?!
Despite the cold toВ her daughters, she still loved them. Always trying toВ take care ofВ them, give them proper education and upbringing.
And most ofВ all she was worried about the fact that having lost the estate, the girls will not be able toВ sanctify aВ good marriage party.
God! Who will need them?! Poitiers thought inВ despair.
Who will marry them?! If the world learns about their almost complete bankruptcy!
Besides, the poor things weren’t pretty anyway.
Among other problems with the estate, dark clouds soon thickened over her beloved father. He was accused ofВ conspiracy and, along with other conspirators, was imprisoned. He could face execution. But, the full accusation had not yet been brought forward, which means there was hope.
She sat gloomy and lonely inВ the office, once again looking at the papers. As if desperately hoping toВ find aВ way out, hoping for aВ miracle.
What should IВ do?! Oh my God! She escaped desperately. The situation seemed hopeless. She was completely desperate. Putting her head inВ her hands, she sat there without moving and staring at one point. How long she sat like that, she did not know, but suddenly she shuddered. She was seized with anger at herself for her weakness and inaction.
Something needs toВ be done!
We must go toВ Paris! Suddenly she spoke out loud, talking toВ herself.
ToВ Paris, toВ the king!
No one else can help me, only the king! She finished resolutely.
But, the question arose. How? And then, she remembered. She decided toВ seek help from aВ lady. She remembered that this lady was aВ noble, but long impoverished family and therefore was attached toВ the retinue ofВ one incredibly wealthy and noble 60-year-old widow. With aВ high rank and an equally large pocket. Who with all her might tried toВ rejuvenate and spent aВ lot ofВ money on outfits, blush and jewelry. And she gathered around her aВ lot ofВ noblewomen inВ her retinue, thereby showing everyone her high position. They, for aВ certain fee, showed her their admiration and did not skimp on flattering praise. The widow loved toВ be inВ society and at court. Poitiers immediately wrote aВ letter toВ her friend asking her toВ recommend her for aВ place inВ the retinue. The answer came quickly. The answer was: В«That Poitiers may soon arrive and will undoubtedly be the adornment ofВ the retinue and the widow will gladly accept her.В» Then there were other secular news and courtesies. The letter ended with the fact that she would be eagerly awaited. Leaving orders at the estate, Poitiers left after aВ few days and was accepted for her new place for weeks.
The widow turned out to be a plump little 60-year-old woman with overly rosy cheeks, the reason for which was the widow’s very great passion for blush and an equally great predominance of powder.
Why her face was white as aВ sheet. InВ all her strange appearance and image, she resembled an owl hung with jewels. She had aВ special passion and love for them, hanging herself with them so wastefully that she resembled aВ Christmas tree.
Once, having stayed with one of the ladies of the widow’s retinue in the old lady’s room, the girls saw a beautiful necklace with diamonds on the dressing table of an elderly lady. The stones were of amazing beauty and purity. Sunlight fell on the beautiful stones, and they sparkled with thousands of lights. The girl who was with Poitiers gasped with delight! She said with admiration, addressing Diana.
My God! Darling, look what aВ delightful beauty! God! What shine!
They cost aВ fortune!
She did not take her admiring eyes off the stones. Poitiers looked at the stones, sparkling inВ the sun, and suddenly the wrinkled neck ofВ the widow, turning into an equally wrinkled face, and diamonds hanging from that old withered neck appeared inВ front ofВ her eyes. And the diamonds suddenly faded inВ her eyes and went out. She simply answered.
My dear, their brilliance does not disturb my heart.
She smiled at the girl, who raised her eyebrows inВ surprise.
You are definitely aВ strange woman! She answered. Not believing Diana.
God! Do you really care! She said, puzzled.
Poitier just smiled back atВ her.
And now, finally, what happened to her came to the widow’s estate. They are leaving for Paris!
ChapterВ 2
Paris
Paris
The era changes the era and the court no longer lead the puritanical life that it had before. The current courtyard was different. Fun and carelessness reigned everywhere. Morals have also become different. Husbands easily got mistresses, and wives were not inferior toВ them inВ this either. Carelessness was everywhere inВ dress, manners, poetry and paintings.
So the Countess de Brese was leaving for Paris. Hoping toВ meet the king. And, since the king was known as aВ lover ofВ women and did not miss simply not one pretty, new lady who appeared at the court. That meeting with him was not so difficult.
So, she’s on her way to Paris. She is still young and beautiful, and she knew for sure that she was not going to Paris, but to the king. Because only the king could help her rescue her father from prison and pardon her from imminent execution, as well as save her from almost complete bankruptcy. She got into the carriage and they started. She sighed with sadness, thinking how far and possibly for a long time she would leave her beloved Dauphine.
And now, finally! He appeared before her eyes! Conqueror ofВ hearts, eternal heartthrob, Paris!
Their carriage was driving along the stone, wide pavement. It was noisy and crowded around. The carriages, passers-by, everything seemed to be intertwined and mixed. Richly dressed ladies and gentlemen. Scurrying in different directions Parisian tomboy boys. Various small shops and elegant, richly decorated, expensive shops. And, also, all kinds of eateries and bakeries. From which the smell of freshly baked bread hung in the air. The girls from the noble widow’s retinue stuck their lovely heads out of the carriage windows with delight and delight, absorbing the Parisian bustle. Some young and handsome officer in military uniform, riding a gallant stallion, smiled at them and blew a kiss. The ladies smiled coquettishly. Poitiers raised an eyebrow and leaned back into the carriage.
However! What audacity! She thought, but one corner ofВ her lips treacherously crept up. And she imperceptibly smiled only at them. Noticing toВ myself, however, that the officer, nevertheless, is very handsome.
They stayed at the Parisian home ofВ aВ godly widow. The admission toВ the court was supposed toВ take place the next day. They will go toВ the royal palace, which was the funniest and most beautiful place inВ all ofВ France.
The next day has come and here the king’s palace opened before her amazed gaze. The palace was surrounded by a beautiful garden, it smelled fragrant and bloomed with thousands of flowers, rustled and sparkled in the sun with rainbows from beautiful fountains, rustled with many voices, cheerfully laughing flirtatious ladies and their gentlemen amused. Everything mixed into a single music along with the singing of birds. The garden around the palace was full of beautifully dressed people. The festive, main entrance to the residence was framed by gilded gates, like a gateway to heaven itself on earth. Graceful carriages, drawn by magnificent horses, drove up one after another. Poitiers lowered her little foot to the ground and climbed down from the carriage. Unexpectedly for her, she suddenly smiled, so beautiful was the picture that appeared before her. Everything sparkled and shone in the sun with incredible colors. Her gaze rested on the fragile, as it seemed structure, the royal palace. And she was so delighted with his beauty that she froze for a moment. The palace was so graceful that it seemed to be made not of stone, but of an air cloud. He seemed to be hovering over a beautiful garden. He was so airy and graceful. The ladies from the retinue surrounded the widow and, in a noisy flock of chirping birds, went along the path to the park of the palace. Expressing your delight with noisy sighs and cheerful laughter. The park was full of beautiful ladies dressed in the latest fashion. Flashing with jewels and smiles, they were laughing merrily at something. What their equally well-dressed gentlemen told them stormily. And over all this, careless fun reigned. Seeing this entire splendor. Diana suddenly realized that her outfit from her meager wardrobe had long gone out of fashion. It was her widow’s dress, the only new black dress. It was too puritanical and constrained, and the neckline was not as deep as the current fashionistas wore. And her whole appearance was too constrained in comparison with the current fashion. The headdress turned out to be also modest, in comparison with the headdresses of the court ladies decorated with stones and beautiful feathers. Poitiers involuntarily became sad from these thoughts and her attire darker than the night. She seemed to fall out in such sad attire from this cheerful society full of fun, carelessness and laughter. In addition, in her own Dauphin, she did not wear headdresses at all. But, in Paris, it would be considered bad form, and she would undoubtedly be called for her eyes, a redneck. Therefore, she put on a headdress. But, he terribly interfered with her and did not want to stay on her head at all. She had to correct him every now and then so that he would not fly off her head. Upset by the fact that she does not fit into today’s society. Her sadness was replaced by anger. She furrowed her brows in anger at herself and at her momentary weakness. She forgot why she came here?! Intoxicated with the fun here! A picture of her beloved father in a damp dungeon appeared before her eyes, and she frowned even more, stamping her foot in her hearts!
What do IВ care about these stupid feathers, lace and outfits! She thought evil.
After all, IВ can always refer toВ my position as aВ widow.
And a widow shouldn’t flaunt her discharged clothes! She thought.
Further, whatever it was, she continued her thoughts and frowned even more.
IВ will still procure aВ pardon from the king for my father and forgiveness ofВ my debts for the estate.
Will IВ wear those stupid feathers? Angry, she thought.
Or in this black widow’s dress.
I don’t care!
And she really stamped her foot heavily, exhaling and snorting contemptuously, like aВ horse coming first toВ the finish line. Throwing her chin up proudly, her walked slowly and confidently toВ the other ladies.
Not today, then tomorrow. She thought.
IВ will definitely meet the king!
He was not very tall, dressed inВ aВ suit ofВ bows and ruffles, studded with jewelry. Protruding abdomen and crooked legs. And aВ smile that did not seem toВ disappear from his face, especially if there are beautiful ladies nearby! An old widow saw the king from afar. He was surrounded byВ aВ large retinue, which consisted mostly ofВ pretty ladies. The noble widow, bustling and jumping up, hurried toВ the king. Waddling on her small and clumsy legs, clattering rings and other jewelry, which, as always, she was wearing inВ excess. Her ladies followed her. Approaching the king, she stopped and sat awkwardly inВ aВ deep curtsy toВ greet the king. Her ladies followed her example. The king smiled warmly and asked.
Madam, where have you been? I haven’t seen you for a long time? He said. And without waiting for her answer, he began to examine the widow’s retinue with interest. He passed appraising, almost like a cat’s gaze at the sight of sour cream at the ladies from the suite. And each of them, smiling, lowered her eyes, flirtatiously exposing her charms and squatting in an elegant curtsy. And so, his gaze fell on Poitiers. He already wanted to pass them on to the remaining ladies. But, Poitiers did not lower her eyes and did not rush to squat in a curtsy, keeping a pause. She glared at the king’s eyes like invisible pincers. He was surprised at such, almost insolence, and slightly raised an eyebrow. Her eyes, dark as lakes, grabbed him, not letting go. A minute passed, or just a moment, but the king did not take his eyes off her. And suddenly a slight smile lit up her face, illuminating her face with a beautiful light. And as if remembering, she slowly lowered her eyes, and gracefully sat down in a curtsy. Skillfully exposing her white, thin neck. Transforming into a seductive chest shape, this, unfortunately for the king, was hidden behind the fabric of the dress. And only his imagination completed this picture. Diana raised her eyes, waving her black, like fluttering butterflies, eyelashes. And, as if bashfully, she glanced again at the king. Hidden fire flashed in her eyes. She wanted to put them down again, but the king had already stepped towards her to meet!
Stand up, my dear, he said. Looking at her with interest. He held out his hand toВ her, and she rose from her curtsy.
What’s your name? The sweetest creature.
This is Madame de Brese. An old widow intervened. Proud that her lady aroused such interest from the king.
This is my new lady, your majesty. She continued.
The poor thing was recently widowed. Added an old lady.
Ah, said the king.
What sadness, madam.
Now it’s clear why you’re in black.
He smiled with satisfaction. He was not at all saddened byВ the news ofВ the deceased husband ofВ aВ beautiful lady, byВ no means, on the contrary. He again looked at her not deep cleavage and white neck. Already anticipating and seeing these delights inВ my bed. She lowered her eyes again, feigning embarrassment. But, at all, not embarrassed inВ the depths ofВ the soul. She went toВ the king and here she is! Her cold head, at times, did not know embarrassment. Diana was aВ whole person. And she knew exactly why she was here and what for! Everything else was great game! And Poitiers performed this role superbly! Excellent reading inВ the souls ofВ people. She always had this talent, almost mystical, toВ see through everyone. So now, she saw right through the king and made aВ challenge toВ him. This monarch, spoiled byВ female attention, was so oversaturated with beauties inВ his own bed that simply beauty was not enough for him. Even the beauty ofВ such aВ beauty as Poitiers. She made aВ kind ofВ challenge toВ the king. Remaining toВ stand, as if equal toВ him, and not bowing toВ the king at the first minute. And he undoubtedly noticed it. He undoubtedly saw the challenge inВ her burning eyes. And it was aВ risk! The king could be annoyed byВ this behavior. And, kings, as you know, not only pardon, but also execute! She could fall into no mercy, and lose her last hope for the salvation ofВ her father and the salvation ofВ her estate. But, Poitiers took aВ chance! And she won! She saw it inВ his eyes right now! The king was captivated byВ her beauty and courage, he was simply fascinated byВ her. Walking his eyes over her body, as if exposing her, he remained very pleased with his assessment.
After kissing her hand for a meaningful long time. Showing her and everyone present his interest. Diana met his eyes again, completing her result, bewitching the king. Fire flashed in her eyes again. As if lights were dancing in them, and pleasant goosebumps ran over Francis’s skin, promising a quick meeting. Having said goodbye to her, the old widow and her ladies, he withdrew, surrounded by his retinue.
Confusion lay in the royal chambers. The king stood naked, erect, importantly, on his crooked legs and looked out the window. Poitiers has been the king’s favorite for some time.
Ah, what aВ day!
What aВ wonderful day! He was chanting, almost jumping up and down with good spirits.
She looked at him. And she felt funny.
Here he is, the king! The man who ruled all ofВ France! AВ little funny, not tall with aВ round bulging tummy on crooked little legs. He looked like aВ lazy house cat. Yes! Diana thought. This is the king! She smiled.
Who would have thought!
The most powerful man inВ the country! Freeing her father and writing off her debts!
Returning her estate toВ her, this cost him absolutely nothing. He looked more like Santa Claus, always cheerful and carefree like Francis. So Poitiers thought as she looked at theВ king
And inВ the morning there is aВ thick wallet on the table. He sat next toВ me and waved his leg contentedly.
Darling, this is aВ trinket for you. Dresses and pebbles, which women you are very fond of, as far as IВ know. He said good-naturedly. And after kissing her, singing something under his breath, he went out with his cheerful, almost jumping, gait. Her face, always so white, was covered inВ purple paint. She stared silently at the purse like an ugly snake. He left her this money on the table, like the last slut inВ France!
The color on my face changed toВ pallor. He also hinted toВ her that her dress was too dark for her new status as aВ favorite. Her heart sank with resentment and hurt pride.
Well, okay, your majesty! Thought Poitiers.
IВ will take your advice and your money.
Offended by his words, hinting at her inappropriate outfit for the king’s favorite, she went for a new outfit. And she acquired all the best and most expensive that she found in Paris. However, she did not abandon her idea of a widow. And she acquired a dress of dark blue color, the color of a gloomy fierce sea or a sea storm. And for the dress, the finest headdress, in the latest fashion, with beautiful stones and feathers. Also gloves and shoes that were in the same color as the dress. Wearing all this, she proudly threw her chin up, looking at her reflection in the mirror. A woman so gorgeous was looking at her from there that she caught her breath.
AВ white, thin neck, deep seductive neckline, seductively emphasized aВ beautiful rounded and lush breast. Sloping marble shoulders, an incredibly thin corset waist. The fluffy hem ofВ the dress fell down from the waist, like aВ beautiful, sparkling waterfall ofВ flounces and ruffles. The long hem ofВ her dress enveloped her figure, as if the waves ofВ aВ stormy sea were enveloping aВ beautiful statue. She gasped at her own reflection.
