The Nymph of Versailles

Chapter 3

"Your husband owes us a large sum, madame. I came to make sure he hasn't forgotten. I expected more payments by now." The tall, lanky debt collector frowned, his drooping mustache accenting the motion. He waved an envelope in his hand. "Please make sure your husband receives this reminder."

Athénaïs turned her back on him while she held in her mounting frustration. She fantasized about slapping her husband and the image brought her more satisfaction than she cared to admit. "Get out and don't come back."

"But ma—"

"Get out before I call for a guard. Talk to my husband yourself." They already had, multiple times. Athénaïs knew better than to expect her husband to pay his debts and stop hiding from the collectors. "I can't do anything for you except have you escorted out."

With a grumble the man left, but not until he threw the envelope at her.

"That's the second one this week," Athénaïs's maid, Sophie, said as she bent over to grab the envelope.

"Every time I think our debts can't go any higher, my husband proves me wrong." She sank into a chair and let out a breath of relief. Sitting down after waiting on the queen always brought her feet a welcomed respite. "I need to get invited to one of Louise's dinners at the Palais de Brion." She couldn't miss the chance at such a private audience with the king. With the Tuileries being so close to Louise's palais, she'd started hosting the king over for dinners. It was how she pulled the king away from his public dinners at court to have him for herself.

"Do you think the king would help with your debt?" Sophie asked as she rearranged a stray curl of Athénaïs's hair.

"Not the debt itself, but I might be able to convince the king to give him a well-paying position in the army. Getting an invite to the dinners would be a chance to get myself in a good position with the king." And if her husband managed to get himself killed in his efforts to be a soldier, it'd put her in a good spot for a new, more favorable marriage. Otherwise it would take a miracle to free her of her husband. A miracle only God or the king could perform.

Bétonne was right about one thing, Athénaïs was no young virgin maiden. She'd already had two babes to her husband. To draw the king's eye would be hard in a court full of younger, unspoiled women. But the king enjoyed more than youthful purity. There were also his hobbies of hunting and dancing. Louise was the better rider, but Athénaïs was the better dancer.

She moved to her vanity mirror to appraise herself. "I need fresh rouge and perfume." She twirled the strand of pearls draped over her neck between two fingers. "Do you think this looks like enough? Or is it too understated?" Louise had plenty of diamond jewelry. She didn't want hers to look too plain in comparison.

"I think it looks elegant." Sophie grabbed a bottle of rose perfume and spritzed her before applying a fresh coat of red lip paint.

Athénaïs met her reflection's eyes. "Better." Her makeup gave the illusion of her being as young as Louise and livelier. She grabbed a small purse of coins and made her way to the king's room where the king would no doubt already have a card game and gambling underway. She tried to stay away from gambling lest she play a part in her family's increasing debts, but she took every chance she got at getting the king's attention. Unlike Louise, the queen's angry gaze wasn't enough to chase her away.

Athénaïs could hear the courtiers before she saw them. Laughter echoed down the hallway. One lady shrieked before bursting into shrill giggles. Two guards stood at attention beside the doors to the antechamber as courtiers streamed in and out. A table near the front of the room had been filled with food and wine, while the king and queen sat at another preparing to start a new card game. Seeing an empty spot, Athénaïs hurried over to take it before someone could beat her to it. Everyone loved gambling against the queen because she always lost. She didn't mean to, she just wasn't clever enough at cards to win, which left it to the king to pay all her gambling debts.