Love at Dawn

23.Sweets and Bitters(2)

As the carriage departed from Paris, and idyllic countryside scenery whizzed past the window, the atmosphere inside finally relaxed completely.

The group stopped by the horse ranch, where a young man with a dark complexion greeted them and led them to the ranch's manager. He wore loose, flowing red breeches, with a temperament as wild and untamed as the fiery steed beneath him, uplifting the mood of those around him.

Danton was the first to jump off, thudding his heavy boots on the dirt road, ready to help Charlene get off the carriage. Raphael stopped him and carried his sister down himself.

Edith leapt off on her own with rapture, gazing up at the azure sky above, basking in the fresh air of nature in ecstasy. Her light green skirt swirled and swayed like the dancing leaves of a water lily as she spun around.

The elderly man who managed the horse ranch brought out a few foals for the ladies. Louise Danton, like the little Horace she was leading by the hand, stared with childish curiosity at how the young horses snorted and chewed on the sugar cubes they were fed.

"Look at your hero husband, Louise!" Danton waved to his wife on horseback, brimming with pride.

This great-hearted man drove a high-headed steed without a saddle, deliberately yanking the reins, making the boisterous horse rear up high towards the petite Louise.

"Be careful, Camille and Georges!" Lucile upbraided, her words tinged with uncontainable laughter.

The terror that had been oppressing their hearts in the city for the past few days had been left behind entirely. They frolicked and laughed, carefree like a group of children.

Galloping on horseback in the boundless fields, allowed the young girl's heart to bloom with passion, and release her uncontrollable craziness.

Charlene and Raphael sat side by side under the shade of a tree, gazing lovingly at Edith's green ribbon fluttering in the wind on her woven hat.

"Charlene! Raphael! Watch me jump over this fence!" Edith waved her whip and proudly shouted at the siblings.

Raphael was clearly somewhat panicked, his hands propping up the ground as if he wanted to stand up immediately, but hesitated and then sat back down. However, his teeth still anxiously bit his lower lip. Charlene stacked her hands on his, shook her head and smiled at him resignedly, signaling him to calm down.

The horse approached the low fence, its whole body slightly tense from the anticipation, then leapt up gorgeously. The mane and Edith's curly hair both flew back in the same arc. Its entire movement was so fluid and graceful, as if the girl and the horse were originally one.

"Well done, good girl! We are fantastic!" After the little horse landed steadily, Edith patted its neck with pride, then burst into laughter, unable to contain her excitement. She kicked the horse's ribs with her heels, letting it spin twice in place with her.

"You remind me of our childhood again, Edith." The former noble girl sighed with emotion when her friend finally returned with the horse.

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A lavish meal was quickly prepared for the tourists in the open air. With the assistance of gourmet food and fine wines, the spirits of the revolutionaries became even more elevated. They spoke freely and passionately, feeling more and more their like-mindedness.

Lucile ridiculed a member in the Committee with cutting remarks, likening him to a "pig learning to fly." She even imitated his gestures during speeches in the National Convention with comical movements, prompting little Horace to join in, amusing all present.

"Marvelous! You are truly the model of the family of a republic!" exclaimed Danton, pounding his crossed legs with his fist in laughter. "I dare say those humourless fellows in the Committee will be fuming with anger and shame, and even send people to the guillotine for this!"

"They envy our happiness, Lolotte," Camille proudly embraced his wife's shoulder. "Yet they themselves cannot conjure up any laughable remarks, so they can only resort to pale and insipid seriousness, awkwardly mimicking ancient Greek prudence."

"But surely they wouldn't put someone on the Revolutionary Tribunal to explain a joke they don't understand, would they? Oh, I can't stand explaining jokes, Camille! That would truly be the joke of the day!" Lucile shook her blonde hair, feigning faintness.

Louise's round blue eyes widened slightly as she listened to Madame Desmoulins speak to the men in such a playful tone. She was obviously amazed to see such sharp wit and humour dance effortlessly from those beautiful lips of such a genteel lady, without an iota of compromising her feminine charm.

"Cheers to the Republic!" Amidst the festive revelry, Camille Desmoulins was the first to raise his glass high above his head.

"Long live the Revolution!" shouted Danton, cupping his hands like a megaphone and bellowing into the open field.

Edith's excitement was all at once aroused. She waved her arms in the air, exclaiming, "I want to drink too!"

"Edith!" scolded Charlene.

But Danton idly poured a full cup and handed it to Edith. "What's the harm? Who says young ladies are only allowed to drink juice and honey water? Here is the republic of liberty. Equality means everyone has the equal right to drink themselves dead drunk. Here's to you, citizeness!"

Edith held the cup in both hands, proud as she downed it in one gulp. To be honest, the liquor wasn't as sweet as she imagined; it burned her throat, bitter and choking. She desperately suppressed herself to hold back a violent cough.

"A toast to the liberty we were born with!" her cheeks flushed in an instant. Giddy with happiness, she raised her cup high, saying loudly to everyone.

"To friendship," smiled Charlene.

"To family," Lucile raised her glass of apple juice.

"To love and the gorgeous, audacious goddesses!" Danton laughed heartily, leaning in to kiss his wife's cheek.

Edith's joy ignited everyone in presence, except for Raphael Saint-Clemont. He gazed at her with a smile, occasionally sipping the bitter wine, yet a look of melancholy always remained in his eyes.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Vote/comment to give our Raphael some courage!