Chapter Five
Yves begged off attending the concert at the duke's home. "Not my cup of tea."
"But how can I go unaccompanied?"
"You are not unaccompanied. You are the duke's guest. Do not tell me you would stand on ceremony when you have the opportunity for a personally guided tour of his collection?"
"I thought you wanted to see his collection," Jeanne pointed out.
Yves smiled. "I do, but two hours of fugues and dirges is far too dear a price to pay. Another time."
The duke's carriage arrived pulled by a perfectly matched team of horses. Inside she was surrounded by luxury and it was difficult not to reflect on the decision that had driven her to Paris in the first place. Gabriel Hunter had been a wealthy man. Perhaps not as wealthy as the duke and certainly with no title, but nevertheless if Jeanne had married Gabriel she would have wanted for nothing.
Except true love.
Her youth and the growing evidence that her father was about to lose everything had made the decision to break her engagement to Gabe all the more difficult. But Jeanne had seen the way Gabe looked at his parents' housekeeper, Lucie. The man was so smitten that he could not hide his feelings. And Lucie had accomplished the one thing that Jeanne had never thought possible. She had brought Gabe back to God.
Gabe had forgiven her father his transgressions and established a trust that would permit Jeanne's parents to maintain a lifestyle that at least approximated their life before the downfall. Jeanne was well aware that he had done this because of their plan to marry, but even after she had relieved him of that commitment, he had not withdrawn the trust. His generosity and kindness touched her. After he and Lucie married and Jeanne had sent her best wishes to them both, Gabe had responded that indeed it was she who had given the greater gift and he had wished her every happiness.
Every happiness, she thought as she felt the carriage turn off the cobbled street onto a graveled drive. She had come to Paris full of grand ideas. She would paint and frequent the famous salons where she would meet kindred souls. She had no plans to marry. If it happened, fine, but she would marry only for love.
But now she had been in the city for nearly a year and money was tight. Each day brought more worry that she might soon have to return to the States and take up residence with her parents. This month her usual stipend had not yet arrived and she feared her father had fallen into old habits of borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. Or in this case, borrowing from his daughter to pay some creditor.
"Whoa!"
The carriage rolled to a smooth stop and within seconds the door opened. Expecting to see a footman or butler, Jeanne was speechless to see the duke himself waiting to assist her down from the carriage.
"Welcome, Miss Witherspoon." His smile was boyish and charming.
After the shadowed coach the sun seemed inordinately bright and Jeanne blinked rapidly to adjust her vision, then realized that the duke might take the action as coyness or outright flirting.
"Good afternoon, your grace." She forced a modicum of reserve into her tone. "Such a lovely day."
"Frankly, I'm so relieved. My staff had their doubts about holding the concert outside in the courtyard but God has clearly favored us with a perfect afternoon. Your friend is not with you?"
"He... No."
"Would it be unfair of me to say that I am not that disappointed?"
"I find that it is never wrong to state your true feelings, your grace. It saves so much time."
