Luisa: The Orphan Tale

Part XII: Genevieve De Gaulle

Luisa immediately ran to her room. Spent the rest of the night writing down Carlota's diary in a separate blank journal she found in her desk.

She managed to get a few winks of sleep in that night but not enough.

She kept both diaries in her desk for a few weeks. She didn't know whether to show Dubois or not, and she'd gone into town to inquire about Genevieve and was expecting word soon.

Well that day came about a month of being there. A great month mind you, she got along very well with Señor Dubois. Though she had noticed some maids coming that he'd hired and she had to clean less and less but her mind was busy enough she didn't mind it too much.

She received a letter that told her that a Genevieve De Gaulle lived in Rennes. Luisa squeaked in excitement! She still lived in Brittany and it was only a two day ride to her.

That also meant it was time to reveal the diary to Dubois and inquire about his family which made Lusia nervous.

She nevertheless went into his study, it was an hour after dinner, that's when she had read the letter.

She went with the original copy of Carlota's daughter in hand.

She knocked and he called her in and she entered.

"Dear? You look troubled!" He said concerned as he sat at his desk.

"Forgiveness is what I'll ask for before saying what I have to. But you need to know this." She said.

"You're making me nervous." He said more seriously than he had said anything in the time she'd known him.

"I went into the rooms you forbade me to enter." She said meekly.

"Why!?" He asked shocked.

"Please Señor! You can do with me what you will but please I beg you to let me finish." She pleaded.

"Very well." He said calming himself.

"I know about Señora Dubois and your daughter Señorita Carlota. As well as the rooms were preserved I guessed they'd died. Well I found something. I found a diary of Carlota's." She said her voice shaking a bit.

"What!? She had a diary!" He shouted. "Hand it over!"

"She said she didn't want you to read it. But I'll let you if you explain everything to me." Luisa said.

"Fine." He said. "I met Maria in Spain when I was twenty years old. I was a notorious thief and I shared my wealth with her, she made me become a banker however. Honest work." He explained. "Five years later we were married and had a child on the way, little Carlota. When she was about eight I moved back to Brittany and they came with me." He said and just now became choked with emotion.

"While I was off on business they got ill. They were afflicted for months, half a year! I couldn't protect them! They were being taken from me and I was helpless! My own wife and fifteen year old daughter!" He cried as he took off his spectacles. "Maria died first and then a month later or so Carlota was taken from me. Does that please you?" He said as he wiped tears from his red face.

"So that's why you saved me?" Luisa asked. "I'm Moorish Spaniard and I'm close to the age she was when she died. It wasn't pity alone but I was a second daughter."

"Yes. I admit it!" He said. "You look so much like her, and you looked like you needed help. I never wanted a housekeeper, I wanted another daughter. Dear God! Does that make me wicked, I sought a replacement for my little girl!?" He cried.

"No! Not at all." Luisa assured him. "She'd understand, Señor Dubois."

"God. I'm so sorry Carlota..." He said to himself. "I couldn't save you..."