Page 41 of Only You
‘But you wrote back,’ Sabine insisted.
‘Exactly what you said to the letter and there has been no response since. More than likely, he is busy with his duties.’
‘Captain—’
‘Mademoiselle Kouassi, I have no new information.’
‘It’s—’ She caught herself before she could correct the guard.It’s mademoiselle, not princess.She was a long way away from those days. ‘Just… I’m worried. He kept me much more informed than most.’ She narrowed her eyes at the soldier, and he sneered at her before catching himself. He knew better than to push his boss’s guest.
‘Mademoiselle, I assure you, you’re well protected here. We can double the guard if you’re truly concerned.’
‘Look… Damien is my friend. I just want to make sure he is okay,’ she said. Cadieux’s eyes turned pitying, and she bit the inside of her cheek to hide her irritation. She was no lovelorn girl. Something was wrong and no one was telling her what.
‘He’s okay,’ Cadieux said kindly. ‘He’s simply on another assignment. You have nothing to worry about, Mademoiselle.’
She gritted her teeth at his words. He had said that last time as well. She doubted he even knew Damien’s condition, but she couldn’t press further or she would seem unreasonably invested.
‘Very well,’ she relented, turning on her heel.
She walked off and held back from rolling her eyes. These kinds of conversations were unfortunately common in the household now.
It had been a rough two months without Damien. The letter she had received when he first left, delivered by Cadieux, was a surprise. The words were hurried, saying that Roulet had called him back to the caserns to help with a situation on the outskirts of the city. At first, she had worried, insisting on any and all pamphlets from the city, searching for news about possible conflict. While she spotted many articles about unrest, talking about a growing division because of the Dreyfus case that still lingered over the city years later, there were none speaking of a crucial situation just outside Paris.
After that, suspicion set in. Why would Damien lie about going back to help Roulet? She asked as much in a letter she had Cadieux send him, and then in the next few. The only correspondence she received was letters from her father on how he was thriving back home.
Meanwhile, her activities began to, one way or another, centre on her staying in the house. Because of her concern over possible unrest, General Roulet insisted on her avoiding going out as much as possible and had Cadieux accompany her whenever she wasn’t with Lamont or shopping with Madame Roulet. It was technically the same arrangement as before she became engaged, but Cadieux had always followed the orders to the letter, truly never leaving her side. It was suffocating.
The only relief she had was Madame Roulet, who would let her stroll around town while they shopped or waited for her dress appointment. That too, would soon end due to her trousseau being well-stocked and wedding dress almost done. Now, her time mainly consisted of the tinier wedding details and, of course, visits.
‘Don’t stomp through the halls, dear.’ At the sound of her future mother-in-law’s voice, she did roll her eyes. But she made sure to smooth out her expression as she entered the drawing room where Genevieve was sewing a baby blanket for Laurent’s brother, who was expecting a son in a few months.
‘I apologise, Madame Laurent,’ she said. ‘I was in a hurry.’
‘Rushing is no excuse to lack grace. This is a proper household.’
Sabine took a deep breath and hid her balled fists behind her back, her nails digging into her palms. She would not lose her temper over a snide comment. Her father had taught her better.
‘Are you not going to join me? Your needlework could use some improvement.’
Sabine dutifully took her seat on a loveseat across from the armchair Genevieve sat in. She picked up the needlework she had abandoned when she went searching for Cadieux. The two women sat in silence as Sabine struggled to follow the sunflower pattern.
‘How is your son, Henri?’ Sabine asked politely, trying to break the silence. ‘Lamont told me he is expecting a baby in the new year.’
‘Yes, in the spring. We are very excited for the arrival.’
‘It should be an exciting visit for the family,’ Sabine mentioned.
Genevieve paused, giving Sabine a surly look. ‘Whatever do you mean?’
‘I… when Henri’s wife gives birth. Surely, you will visit and help,’ Sabine explained.
‘Why would I do that? She has a midwife.’
Sabine winced as she remembered what Madame Roulet had told her about childbirth customs in France month ago. Her face burned in embarrassment at the misstep. ‘Oh, um, my apologies. In my culture, mothers and aunts handle the care of new mothers. We even move in for a while.’
‘Understandable considering your conditions,’ Genevieve said dismissively.
Sabine felt her embarrassment evaporate, quickly being replaced by the low simmer of anger. She set her needlework down in her lap. ‘Excuse me?’
